6 Must-See Kodaikanal Tourist Places
In my last post, I had mentioned about how my stay in Kodaikanal was super awesome in GRT Hotels. Everything was excellently arranged there and they indeed had provided all the support and hospitality that they could, it was only about time that I also wrote on my overall experience of Kodaikanal Tourist Places. That this is one of the most fantastic towns, especially during the rainy season, goes without saying. I was there in Kodaikanal for about 3 days but I sought ways & means of going through quite a few tourist spots, apart from visiting some of the offbeat (read backpacking-type) adventures as well.
Kodaikanal is a very popular hill station in India, especially in the Southern part of India. It was established around 150 years back, as it gave much respite from the scorching heat in the downtown areas, closer to mean sea levels like Chennai, Madurai etc. Located at just about 3 hours road journey from Madurai, which in turn takes about an overnight journey by train from all major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin etc makes it very viable to travel to. It is situated at roughly 2,000 metres above sea level, the place has just the right temperature in every season.
So, these are my:
6 Must-See Kodaikanal Tourist Places
a) Kodaikanal Lake
One of the most visited “Kodaikanal Tourist Places, no doubt. This is an man-made (artificial) lake situated at only about 2 kms from the Kodaikanal Bus Stand and hence, probably one of the most visited spots. Developed by the British around 1860s, the lake is now 150+ years old and I felt it is in good shape, not in the best of shapes due to rampant construction around the banks of the lake. It’s like everybody wanting their piece of meat. Boating is a very common activity tourists do here. During summers, there are also flower shows organized here. There is another popular tourist attraction named SILVER CASCADE, which is essentially an outflow of this lake that results in a waterfall of about 200 feet.
b) Bear Shola Falls
Bear Shola Falls is a seasonal adventure spot-cum-cascade, that is at it’s fullest grandeur in the rainy season. It’s a waterfall that apparently got it’s name from the fact that the bears in the nearby forests used to be frequently seen drinking water here. “Shola” in local language refers to a forest that surrounds the cascade, typically in the Nilgiri Mountains in southern India. Hence, this terminology. Great spot for some family outing as well as adventure treks as well as for photography. Surprisingly, more people visit here from October to May than in rainy season. Situated around 3 kms from the main bus stand, this again features in the itineraries of most people, as it’s one of the popular Kodaikanal Tourist Places.
c) Poombarai Village — Finest Among The Kodaikanal Tourist Places
Poombarai Village, located amidst Palani Hills, is around 18 kms from Kodaikanal town. It’s a typical filmy village down the hills, with a super great view from the top of the mountains. Even then, the village is at 1,900 metres above the sea level. It is enroute another popular Kodaikanal Tourist Places — Mannavanur Lake. With the weather partly cloudy and partly sunny, the shadows of the clouds were awesome to see, as if they were touching the surface. Awesome to watch. There is a 3000-year old temple also in this village, most of the cab operators will halt at, take blessings and then proceed to take you around.
d) Berizam Forest & Lake Visit
Berizam Forest Reserve is about 22 kms from the Kodaikanal town, located at the end of Pillar Rocks Road. Berizam Lake is in the interior of the Forest Reserve. I, along with some of my blogger friends, visited Berizam Lake from Mannavanur Lake, through the internal forest road, not open for public. Special approval was taken to travel by that route. Otherwise, there is another road to reach Berizam Lake for general public between 9.00 am to 3.00 pm (forest entry is not allowed without prior permission). The water levels had obviously gone down due to less-than-normal rains this year. Overall, a good place to spend some time amidst nature. Trekkers will love this place. You can also spot wild animals like Bison, Elephants, Deers etc. There are limited rest houses for overnight accommodation.
GRT Hotels Too Can Arrange This Visit For You & Your Family, If You Stay With Them Of Course !
e) Pine Forest
Pine trees is one the prime features amongst the Kodaikanal tourist places. Just 7–8 kms outside from the main bus stand, you are bound to find tall, huge pine trees, offering a very pleasant & serene surrounding. Thankfully, they have also been preserved very well by the District Authorities and the local population. Photography is the most preferred activity among people from all walks of life, be it common tourists, trekkers, adventure lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, solo travelers etc. There is no entry fee and people generally visit between 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.
f) Pillar Rocks
Image Source: Flickr/simianwolverine/CC BY 2.0
A very popular cliffside spot amongst all the Kodaikanal Tourist Places, the Pillar Rocks offer excellent views down the cliff, of the mountains and huge pillar-shape rock formations. These rocks are in the sets of 3 each i.e. 3 granite boulders standing shoulder-to-shoulder vertically. Weekends are usually crowded here, especially from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. There are quite of few souvenir shops located a little away from this place, meaning you can do shopping here too. It is located about 8 Kms from the main bus stand.
These are some of the places I covered whilst on my first trip to Kodaikanal. 3 days is not a sufficient time as such to do our own “slow travel” and to experience all of Kodaikanal Tourist Places but I guess, I will take everything that comes my way in terms of exploring places.
What do you feel about my article ? Do let me know through your comments.
