Kodaikanal Tourist Places: Often referred to as the “gift of the forest” Kodaikanal is the charming hill station located in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, at an elevation of 2,225 meters above the sea-level in the Palani slopes of the Western Ghats. If you’ve ever dreamt of being treated by the soothing serenades of Nature, and being incorporated in the picturesque hill slopes, then Kodaikanal is a perfect holidaying destination which makes your dream into reality.
Kodaikanal Tourist Places, Things To Do, Travel Guide & Itinerary
Kodaikanal is also well known as the “Princess of Hills” surrounded by lush jungles, meandering rivers, cascading waterfalls, stunning hill slopes, picturesque lakes and the scenic beauty valleys of this place never ceases to amaze explorers.
Kodaikanal was ruled by the people of Palaiyar tribal in the 17th century and it’s a place with great history. Later, in the early 19 century, the hill station was discovered and developed into retreat by British officers as there summer capital, due to its pleasant climate and scenic beauty.
Gradually, the hill station started attracting traveller and emerged as the one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu and across India. Kodaikanal is a paradise for nature lovers, and it offers something or the other for all age groups. You never get bored for even a second and the trip gets more exciting when you explore the hidden gem by taking a walk in the hills, boating in lakes, go into hidden caves, paying homage at religious spots and the list goes as it is equipped with endless activities and attractions.
How to Reach Kodaikanal?
Kodaikanal being the most iconic tourist destination in Tamil Nadu and across India, it’s been well-associated with the major cities, and you can choose to travel via flight, by train, by road or by bus.
By Air:
Madurai International Airport is the closest airplane terminal to Kodaikanal and there are three other worldwide airports Coimbatore, Trichy and Chennai are well connected to the hill station. Both International and domestic flights will be traveling from these airfields. From the airport you can take any public transport (a taxi or a bus) and progress towards Kodaikanal by road.
- Distance from Madurai Airplane Terminal – 130 km
- Distance from Coimbatore Airplane Terminal – 180 km
- Distance from Trichy Airplane Terminal – 199 km
- Distance from Chennai Airplane Terminal – 500 km
By Train:
Palani Railway Station (64Km) and Kodaikanal Road Railway track (80km) are considered as the nearest railway stations. But it It’s suggested to take Dindigul station which is approximately 96kms away and other stations where you get to board frequent trains near Coimbatore and Madurai. They are well connected with all major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Trivandrum and Hyderabad. From there take a bus or hire a taxi and the journey by road is easy.
- Distance from Palani Railway Station – 64km
- Distance from Kodaikanal Road- 80km
- Distance from Dindigul station – 96 km
- Distance from Madurai station – 115 km
- Distance from Virudunagar station – 152 km
- Distance from Coimbatore station – 169 km
By Road or By Bus:
Kodaikanal has great public transportation, and the major economic source of the state runs through tourism. So, the province has well maintained roads and incredible road network which is well connected with numerous state and national highways to prime cities. Bengaluru and Kochi being the major transportation hubs, it’s just a 7 to 8 hours’ drive via road to the hill station.
- Distance from Munnar – 166 km
- Distance from Coimbatore – 172 km
- Distance from Ooty – 250 km
- Distance from Kochi – 299 km
- Distance from Bangalore – 469 km
- Distance from Chennai – 529 km
Best Time to Visit Kodaikanal:
No matter what season it is being a hill station, you can enjoy a subtropical highland climate throughout the year in Kodaikanal. It’s one of those destinations which looks eye appealing in every season as nature keeps changing its essence and colors through the year. However, the best time to visit the mountain base is from April to June when the climate is at its best. Rainstorm from June to September and Winter from October to February.
Kodaikanal Tourist Places / Places to Visit in Kodaikanal:
Bear Shola Falls:
Bear Shola Falls is a perfect picnic spot in the region where you can relax with your loved ones in the lush greenery. It is situated in the reserve forest just 2 km away from Kodaikanal Lake. An interesting fact behind the exceptional name of this place is that bears would wander from the woods to this spot to drink water, hence it was named Bear Shola Falls. It’s also the best place for trekking and there is a 1km long trek path inside the forest. There are many waterfalls in Kodaikanal and other remarkable waterfalls are Liril Falls, Pambar Falls, Fairy Falls and Thalaiyar Falls. Thalaiyar and Pambar Falls are popularly known as “Grand cascade” and silver cascade falls.
- Entry Fees: Free
- Timings: From 10 am to 6 pm each day.
Berijam Lake:
One of the most visited tourist spots in Kodaikanal is Berijam lake which is considered as the cleanest and calmest lake in the region. It’s a plastic-free zone and an ideal spot for boating and fishing, surrounded by lush greenery. This lake requires prior permission for visiting and fishing from the District Forest Office and Fisheries Department, but the passes are free of cost to the tourist. The lake is wealthy in vegetation and fauna.
- Entry Fees: Free
- Timings: From 9 am to 3 pm each day.
Kodai Lake (Kodaikanal Lake):
Kodaikanal Lake is spread across 60 acres of pristine landscape, it’s a star shaped artificial lake built back in 1863. Initially it was constructed as a reservoir to provide water supply to the residents and later the lake progressed as a popular tourist spot located over green forests and rolling hills. Kodaikanal Lake offers various boating activities like pedal boats, rowing boats, and Kashmiri shikaras. You can enjoy a leisure boat ride around the serenity of the lake which is bound by magnificent landscapes and apart from boat rides, there are various other activities like Cycling and Horse Riding around the lake.
Boat Ride Prices:
- 2-seater pedal boat – INR 150 for 30 minutes
- 4-seater pedal boat – INR 230 for 30 minutes
- 6-seater rowing boat – INR 210 for 30 minutes
- Kashmiri shikaran – INR 250 for 30 minutes
Entry Fees: INR 10 for adults, INR 5 for Children and they charge you INR 10 to INR 20 for two-wheelers and INR 50 to INR 100 for four-wheelers, depending on the duration of your stay.
Timings: Open 9 am to 5.30 pm every day, but on Sundays the lake is closed for boating
Bryant Park:
Towards the South-East corner of Kodai Lake there is a popular botanical garden known as Bryant Park. This garden was built in 1908 by a British army officer named Glen Bryant in 20.5 acres land. This park is the hub for almost 325 species of trees, shrubs, cactuses and 740 varieties of roses. When the flowers bloom the garden looks like a rainbow filled with all colors.
- Entry Fees: INR 30 for Adult, INR15 for Kids below 10 years, INR 50 for Still Camera and INR 100 for Video Cameras.
- Timings: from 9 am to 6 pm each day.
Coakers Walk:
Trip to Kodaikanal is incomplete without visiting the Coaker’s Walk. It’s a man-made walking arcade built in 1872 by Lt Coaker, and it was named after him. It’s a narrow pedestrian walk path located at an altitude of 7000 ft and approximately 1 kilometer in length. The Coaker’s Walk is just 500 meters away from Kodaikanal Lake and a perfect place to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. This place looks like heaven and gives you the unique aerial view of the basin. From the top you get enjoy the prefect view of Theni, Madurai, the dolphin nose and neighboring Valley of Pambar River.
- Entry Fees: INR 10 per person, INR 20 for Telescope and INR 30 for Still Camera
- Timings: From 7 am to 7 pm each day
Dolphin’s Nose:
It’s a flat rock situated at the edge of the cliff at an altitude of 6,600 ft, that resembles just like a nose of a dolphin. The natural formation of the rock can be reached only after doing a 1km trek from Vattakkanal hamlet and the steep stony path begins soon after Pambar Bridge. The top viewpoint is quite amazing with panoramic emerald scenery and the Dolphin’s Nose is just 8km from the lake.
- Entry Fees: Free
- Timings: From 6 am to 5 pm each day
Pillar Rocks Viewpoint:
Adventure seekers will fall in love with this place, where you get to see massive cliffs affiliated vertically within dense and cloudy tropical rain forest. Pillar Rocks are located just 8 km away from Kodaikanal Lake, at a height of122 meters standing vertically and mostly covered by clouds and mist. There is a mini garden conferred with gorgeous flourishing plants and the seasonal blooms add even more beauty to the place.
- Entry Fees: INR 5 per person and INR 20 for Camera
- Timings: 9 am to 4:30 pm each day
Guna Caves:
Guna Caves is also popularly called The Devil’s Kitchen, because of its scary undertones. They are formed naturally between the rocks of the mountains at an altitude of 2230 meters, hidden between the Pillar rocks and Green Valley. A few years ago, they used to allow trekking in the caves, but it is stopped now due to safety concerns. Around 12 people died falling into the caves and now it’s a home to numerous bats and various kinds of birds. These caves came into limelight after the Tamil movie Guna.
- Entry Fees: INR 10 per person and INR 20 for still camera
- Timings: 9 am to 4.30 pm each day
La Saleth Church:
Most travelers think that in Kodaikanal they get to see revolving hills, lush valleys, dense forests, restoring waterfalls and lakes. Not many consider holy sites like temples and churches. This province is the best place for spiritual ones as well and can offer prayers at their respective shrines. La Salette Church is an ancient church built around 133 years back. It is one of the ancient and first church in Kodaikanal which is related to the Roman Catholic category. The monument is an exceptional illustration of the mix of Tamil and French auxiliary plan. The Sunday the mass is at 8 am and 10.30am, Saturday mass at 4pm and Tamil Mass is at 11.30 am every day.
- Entry Fees: Free
- Timings: 8 am to 6 pm each day
Apart from these there are various other mesmerizing places to visit in Kodaikanal such as Pine Forest, Green Valley View (Suicide Point), Poombarai Village, Mannavanur Lake, Kurinji Andavar Temple, Subrahmanya Temple and many more.
Mannavanur Lake:
35km far away from kodaikanal, Mannavannur lake is a serene and picturesque lake surrounded by lush greenery and rolling hills. This place is perfect for a peaceful retreat & picnic spot for tourists. Visitors can enjoy a boat ride while soaking in the scenic beauty and tranquility. Horse ride, ziplining and other adventure activities are available here.
Moir Point Viewpoint:
Offering breath-taking panoramic views of the Western Ghats, Moir Point is an ideal spot for nature lovers and photographers. The misty mountains and lush valleys create a magical atmosphere.
Silver Cascade Waterfalls:
A stunning 180-foot waterfall, created by the overflow of Kodaikanal Lake, Silver Cascade is a popular roadside attraction. The gushing water and scenic surroundings make it a refreshing stop for travelers.
Pine Forests, Kodaikanal:
The Pine Forests in Kodaikanal are a scenic wonder, with towering pine trees creating a mystical and serene atmosphere. This area is perfect for leisurely walks, photography, and enjoying the peaceful beauty of nature. The forest, with its cool breeze and earthy scent, is a popular spot for tourists and nature enthusiasts alike.
Things to Experience in Kodaikanal:
Pongal: It is one of the most important festivals in Tamil Nadu, which is celebrated on a grand scale for almost four days in the mid-January. It’s a festival for harvest and the farmers offers prayers as a gratitude to the Sun God, the Earth and the cattle for an abundant crop. The best time to visit the hill station where travelers can witness the local customs and traditions and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Summer Festival: Every year Kodaikanal’s Summer Festival is celebrated for almost a month on a grand scale in May and June. The festival features various cultural events, boat races, folk dances, music concerts, dog shows, flower shows and more. The main highlight of the event is the grand carnival parade featuring colorful floats and bands.
Natyanjali Festival: Every year in the month of February, Natyanjali Festival takes place in Kodaikanal. It’s a five-day dance festival and the main attraction is Lord Shiva. During this time dancers from various parts of the country gather and perform traditional dances in the temple premises.
Kurinji Andavar Temple Festival: It’s a religious festival and the sanctuary is dedicated to Lord Muruga, also known as the God of Hills. In the month of August Kurinji Andavar Temple carnival takes place and the shrine is also a popular spot for Kurinji flowers which blossoms only once every 12 years.
Flower Show: In Bryant Park every year the flower show takes place in the month of May, and it showcases the rich flora and fauna of Kodaikanal. Thousands of tourists admire the show as the botanical garden is built on 20.5 acres land and a hub to 325 species of trees, shrubs, cactuses, 700 varieties of flowers and 740 varieties of roses.
Tourist Fair: It’s an annual event which is held in January or February that showcases the handicrafts and culture of the province. The Tourist Fair features cultural events, stalls selling local products, wooden crafts, pottery, jewelry, homemade chocolates and other local goods.
Chithirai Festival: It is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month of Chithirai in April or May. The Lord Shiva and his wife Parvathi idols are taken from the Kurinji Andavar Temple on a grand procession to the Lake Temple and their marriage ceremony is done very majestically.
Homemade Chocolates: It is mandatory to taste and buy a box of finger-licking good homemade chocolates which are quite cheap yet rich in taste.
Rare Kurinji flowers: Kurinji flowers are very rare, and they bloom only once every 12 years. They are found growing at Kurinji Andavar Temple, on hilly areas and around the Kodai Lake. If you are lucky enough you can witness Kodaikanal in its full bloom.
Kodaikanal Epass Registration Online:
Tamil Nadu Government launched epass registration for kodaikanal & Ooty till september 30th 2024. for registration visit the following link https://epass.tnega.org/ and enter the required details.
Conclusion:
Kodaikanal is not only famous for its picturesque landscapes and cool weather, but the province has a rich and diverse culture which replicates in festivals they celebrate by showcasing their history, traditions and values. Tourists get a unique opportunity to understand the local way of life during this period. A trip to Kodaikanal will certainly enhance your travel experience and create unforgettable memories.
Kodaikanal Travel Guide
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Kodaikanal Weather
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