Kodaikanal Travel Guide – Part 1

Kodaikanal is known as the Princess of all Hill Stations. For years it has been a popular retreat and tourist destination. It is located in the Dindigul district in Tamilnadu. Kodaikanal is located at a distance of approximately one hundred and twenty kilometers from Madurai at a height of 2100 meters on Palani Hill range.

How to reach:
Air: The closest airport is in Madurai which is about one hundred and twenty kilometers away.
Rail: The closest railway station is Palani which is at a distance of eighty kilometers from Kodaikanal. The other railway station is Kodai Road Station which is at a distance of sixty four kilometers from Kodia. The above two railway stations are well connected to major nearby cities such as Chennai and Madurai.
Road: Kodaikanal is well accessible by road from major cities such as Chennai, Ooty, Trichy, Coimbatore, Kumili as well as Madurai. You can also reach Kodaikanal by taking a tourist bus from cities like Madurai, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli, Palani and Coimbatore.

Places to visit while in Kodaikanal.

1. Kodaikanal Lake: This lake is situated at a distance of five hundred meters from the bus stand. This is an artificial, a star shaped lake covering an area of sixty acres built in 1863. This is one of the most famous tourist spot in Kodaikanal and is a recognizable geographical landmark. One can hire a row boat or a pedal boat from the boat club at this lake. One can also hire horses and cycles from the lake for few hours.

2. Bryant Park: This park is located towards the east of the lake also at a distance of five hundred meters from the bus stand. This is a beautiful park spreading over 20.5 acres. The planning of this park was accomplished in 1908 by a forest officer known as H D Bryant from Madurai. This park is named about him. The park has about three hundred and twenty five species of trees, cactuses and shrubs. The park boasts of most beautiful flowers during the flowering season. A huge section of this park is dedicated to about 740 varieties of roses. This is a centuries old eucalyptus tree and a Bodhi tree which gives the park religious significance as well. Beautiful ornamental floras are cultivated in the park’s nursery and they can be purchased as well. The park also organizes horticultural fairs and flower exhibitions every year.

3. Bear Shola Falls: These falls are situated at a distance of three kilometers from the bus stand. They are tall waterfall in the reserve forest area. To reach this place one has to climb up on a foot path that leads through a silent area. It is best if you can visit the falls during the rainy season as the beauty of the waterfalls is at its most when the rain falls. To reach the hills one has to go over a rugged hill path, hence you must choose an appropriate means of transportation.

4. Green Valley View: This place was previously known as suicide point. It is situated at a distance of five and a half kilometers from the bus stand. It is situated near the golf course and offers an astounding panoramic view of the plains below as well as a drop of one thousand and five hundred meters looking across the Vaigai Dam in the south.

We will continue with more tourist attractions in Kodaikanal in the next post.