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Pop:
33,000 Area
Phone Code: 04542
Kodaikanal
is a hill station located 2133m (7040 ft above sea level in the Palani
Hills, in central Tamil Nadu, 120km northwest of Madurai. It is a nice
place to walk around, boat on the lake, or to just take it easy. There
are great views on the way up, and there are good viewpoints in the
area.
Kodaikanal
is the most beautiful hill station in South India and it does not usually
get too cold.
In terms of the weather, the best times to come here are April to June
(the high-season) and August to October. During May and June, the hotel
prices are really high. The monsoon is really bad in November and December.
The temperatures are between 12ºC and 20ºC in the summer and
7ºC and 16ºC in the winter. It can get quite chilly in the
winter, especially at night, and you will need warm clothing.
Orientation
The main street is Anna Salai (Bazaar Rd), where the bus stand, most
restaurants and the cheaper hotels are located. Most of the higher priced
hotels are away from this area.
Information
The Tourist Office (41675), Anna Salai, a two-minute
walk from the bus sxe "Kodai" tand, runs a day-tour for Rs
125 to sixe "Kodaikanal" tes in the area (4 hr, two daily).
The
State Bank of India, Anna Salai, is next to the tourist
office. There are money changing facilities at the Hotel Tamil Nadu.
Canara Bank, Anna Salai Rd, does cash advances on Visa cards. Glen Travels,
Seven Roads Junction gives cash advances on credit cards and cash travelers'
cheques, but they charge a good size commsission.
The
CLS Bookstore, opposite the bus stand, has English
books.
The
Post Office is a large building located on Anna Salai.
Postal Code: 624101.
Internet
connections at Alpha Net, PT Rd (Rs 50 per hr).
The
District Forest Office has a book called Kodaikanal
Beauty in Wilderness (Rs 20), which has a list of local treks in the
Kodaikanal area (open 10 am to 6 pm).
Kings
Tours and Travels, Woodville Rd, can arrange plane and bus
tickets.
Van Allan Hospital (412-273) has good doctors.
Hiking
in Area
Nature Trail (42791; Email: naturetrailskodihotmail.com)
arranges good walks in the area. Fees are around Rs 2000 per person
per day which includes everythi. For groups the price is cheaper per
person.
A guide can be
hired from the tourist office (Rs 65 to Rs 90 per hour) for walks in
the area.
Lake
Area
There is a 5km path that surrounds the lake. The Kodaikanal
Boating Club rents out rowboats and paddleboats for Rs 20-25
per half-hour. A horse ride is Rs 25 for a short ride or Rs 100 per
hour. It is a pleasant place to ride a bike (which can be rented near
the lake).
Bryant’s
Park and the Botanical Garden, just south
of the lake, was established in 1902. It has nice flowers and trees,
including a rose garden and a greenhouse with cactuses in it. It is
well-maintained.
If after
entering Bryant’s Park, you go right past the painted tree stumps,
you come to Coaker’s Walk which is a 15-minute
walk that leads to the Greenland’s Youth Hostel. On a clear day
the walk on this path is great, but most of the time it is misty and
not much can be seen. There are telescopes near the western end of Coaker’s
Walk, which give a good view of the surrounding countryside.
Observatory
Road Area
Some of the best scenery in Kodai is along Observatory Road. Pillar
Rocks is a group of granite cliffs, about 8km southwest of town. The
views of the surrounding countryside from Pillar Rock are great. The
walk here is mainly on a flat road. To get here you follow Observatory
Road west, out of town. You pass a small waterfall on the way.
At
the fork in the road, you head right toward the Observatory
(no visitors allowed where the instruments are located). It has a small
museum, which is open daily 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm (Only Friday
in the off-season).
If
you head left at the fork past the toll booth, you come to Green Valley
View, from which you can get a great view of the surrounding countryside,
but only on a clear day.
The
18-hole Kodaikanal Golf Club (40323) is just past Green Valley
View. It costs Rs 150 per day; club rental Rs 100 to 150.
If
you walk along the road another half-hour, you come to the roadside
projection, from which you can get a good view of Pillar Rocks on a
clear morning. About a 45-minute walk further on, there are several
paths that go through the forest. Many people walk around here. You
can get a good view of Pillar Rocks from this area.
Other
Places
Flora and Fauna Museum, 5km out of town along Law’s
Ghat Rd, has one of the best orchid houses in South Asia. Open daily
except Sun 10 to 12 noon and 3 to 5 pm. Admission Rs 1
About
one km past the museum is Silver Cascade Waterfall.
It can be a crowded place.
Chettiar
Park, 3km northeast of town, has kurinji flowers that come
into bloom every 12 years. The next scheduled time is in 2006.
Where to Stay
During the high season most of the places more than double their prices.
Checkout time is usually 9 or 10 am.
Where
to Stay—Lower
Greenland’s Youth Hostel (241099; Email: greenlandsyh@rediffmail.com),
St Mary’s Rd, Coaker’s Walk, about 1km from the center of
town, is a friendly, popular place with back-packers. There are great
views from here. It has double rooms for Rs 340 to Rs 470 (Rs 520 high-season)
and dorm beds for Rs 100. It has hot water from 7 to 9 am.
Yagappa Lodge (241235), off Club Rd, has rooms with
bath (hot water in a bucket) for Rs 300 and with running hot water for
Rs 340. It is a very good, quiet place, with good views. The price doubles
in the high season.
Zum Zum Lodge, near Club Rd, has really basic rooms
for Rs 75 in the off-season. The price rockets up in the high-season.
Everest Lodge (40100), 20 Anna Salai, has small rooms
for Rs 150/300 and dorm beds for Rs 70. It is a decent value.
Hotel Sunrise (4041358), Post Office Rd, a couple minutes
from the bus stand, has rooms with hot water during the day for Rs 355.
There are great views from here.
International Guest House (45420), Anna Salai, has
small, clean rooms with bath for Rs 200/250. Hot water in a bucket.
Where to Stay—Middle
Snooze Inn (40837) has clean rooms with hot water and
TV for Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season).
Hotel Astoria (240524: Email: astoria1@vsnl.com), corner
of Anna Salai and Wood Will, has rooms with TV for Rs 600 (Rs 800 high-season).
Hotel Sangeeth (40456), opposite the bus stand, has
comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 250 (Rs 450 high-season). It
is a good value.
Taj (40940: Email: enquiry@villaretreat.com), off Club
Rd, has rooms with bath ranging from Rs 600 (Rs 750 high-season) to
Rs 650 (Rs 900 high-season). There is hot water in the morning and evening.
It is a friendly place and there are great views.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (41336), Fern Hill Rd, has rooms for
Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season) to Rs 550 (Rs 750 high-season). Good views.
It could be better maintained.
Hilltop Towers (240413; fax 240415: Email: httowers@rnd3.vsnl.net.in),
Club Rd, has good, comfortable, modern rooms for Rs 750 (Rs 1100 high-season)
and better rooms for Rs 850 (Rs 1200 high-season). It is well-managed,
and has a good restaurant.
JS Heritage (41323; fax 40693), PT Rd, is a new, well-managed
place with clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 500 (850 high-season) to
Rs 1000 (Rs 1700 high-season).
Hotel Jewel (41029; fax 40518) has comfortable rooms
with hot water and TV for Rs 400/450 (Rs 600/800 high-season). It is
a good value.
Hotel Garden Manor (40461; fax: 42187; Email: sealord@vsnl.com),
Lake Rd, is large rooms for Rs 700 (1200 high-season) to Rs 850 (Rs
1300 high-season). It has a pleasant garden.
Where
to Stay—High
Kodaikanal Club (41341), Club Rd, near the lake, is
a colonial building which has rooms with bath, TV, heater and hot water
for Rs 900 (Rs 1000 high-season) plus a 15% service charge. It has a
billiard table, tennis courts and a video room. During the high-season
it is fully booked months in advance.
Valley View Hotel (40181) is a modern hotel with comfortable
rooms for Rs 450 (Rs 1400 high-season) and Rs 600 (Rs 1700 high-season),
with meals included in the price. The rooms in the front have great
views. It has a good vegetarian restaurant. 9 am checkout.
Carlton (240071; fax 241170), Lake Rd, is an older,
five-star, luxury, colonial place, which has well-kept lawns and is
in a secluded location. It has a billiards room and a tennis court.
The cottages overlook the lake. Checkout 9 am. Rooms with teak furniture
and wooden floors are Rs 6500 from April to 15 June and 16 Dec to 15
Jan. At other times rooms are Rs 5500, including meals. They accept
major credit cards. It is usually full.
Where to Eat
Daily Bread (40485), 3 Maratta Shopping Complex, Anna
Salai, is a popular place that serves 20 types of breads and several
types of cake.
Tibetan Brothers Restaurant has very good Tibetan food.
Silver Inn Restaurant has Continental food, including
good pizza.
Sornam Restaurant, Fern Hill Rd, opposite the TTDC,
has good South Indian food. The butter dosas are good.
Eco-Nut, Seven Junction Rd, has cheese, peanut butter,
brown bread and very good health food items.
Wang’s Kitchen, Hospital Rd, has good Chinese
food.
Trattoria Venice is a very good Italian restaurant,
which has lasagna and pizza.
Hotel Punjab has good food.
Tava Restaurant, in the Hotel Jewel, is a very good
vegetarian place.
Manna Bakery and Vegetarian Restaurant,
Bear Shola Falls Rd, has very good food. Dinner (7 pm) should be booked
in advance. It has pizza, cakes and doughnuts. Recommended.
Chef Master, Hospital Rd, has good Keralan, Continental
and Chinese food.
Carlton, Lake Rd, has good buffet meals (Rs 300). The
dinner buffet is 7.30 to 10 pm.
Local
Travel
Taxis are expensive here. Minimum price is Rs 70 and
for the day is Rs 700
There is a place that rents bikes near the corner of
Club and Bazaar Roads (Rs 25 per day). Outside the Carlton Hotel there
is a place that rents mountain bikes for Rs 7 per hour
and Rs 55 per day.
Travel
Train The closest railway station to Kodaikanal are
Kodai Road (trains to Chennai and Madurai) and Palani (trains to Rameswaram
and Madurai), which are both around 3 hours away by bus. There is a
railway booking office next to the Hilltop Tower Hotel on Club Rd (Mon
to Sat 9 am to 5 pm, Sun 1.30 to 5 pm), where you can book long-distance
trains.
Bus
There are regular buses to Kodai Road (for the railway station, 80km),
Palani (65km) and Dindigul. There are buses to Coimbatore (2 daily,
200km), Chennai (2 daily, 510km), Madurai (3½ hr, 120km, 9 daily),
Bangalore (12 hr, 1 daily), Kumily for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (4½
hr, 1 daily) and to Tiruchirappalli (200km).
KSRTC
booking office, PT Road. (daily 9:30 am-5pm
Deluxe private buses run between Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam
(Ooty). During the monsoon these buses do not run.
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