Kodaikanal: Ideal Weekend Getaway from Coimbatore

chillibreeze writer — Prachi Saxena Vaish

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Coimbatore is one of the best Indian cities to live in. Nestled at the feet of the Nilgiris mountain range, it has been blessed with a pleasant climate throughout the year. It boasts of one of the biggest cotton textile industries of the country, a wonderfully cosmopolitan culture, and the beautiful spirit of south Indian culture. Just south of this city lies a small paradise that transports you into a different world altogether. That haven is Kodaikanal.

Kodaikanal makes for the perfect weekend getaway whether you are an overworked businessman in Coimbatore, a small family which has not been on a picnic for a long time, a group of college friends seeking adventure or a tourist visiting wanting to quickly absorb all that Coimbatore offers. Although the most frequented getaway from Coimbatore is Ooty which is just about an hour’s drive away, Kodai is worth going a little further.

Kodaikanal is at a distance of about 180 Kilometers from Coimbatore and will take about 5-6 hours to reach by road. It is highly recommended that you drive down because the route will offer you some of the most beautiful vistas you would have ever witnessed. From Palladam to Palani, your eyes will encounter vast expanses of grasslands and pastures. It is a beautiful palette of green wherever you look. Banana plantations, palm and coconut trees and occasional sunflower fields dot the scenery. After Udumalaipettai you can feast your eyes upon the majestic view of hundreds of windmills standing white and proud against the backdrop of green fields and blue mountains. They greet you like sentries on either side of the road as you drive past. It is truly a view to cherish.

As soon as you reach Palani, the view changes to forests of tall conifers and the temperature drops considerably. You can take a break here. As you pull in towards Palani, look around you. On your right, you will see a huge hill with an impressive structure on top. It is the beautiful Murugan Temple. If it interests you, you can stop over on your way back for a look-see. Rows of fruit stalls dominate the route; very inviting with varieties of custard apple, oranges, small thick bananas, berries and much more. Whenever you approach any of these stalls you will be treated to a piece of each fruit. Rest assured, as the fruit melts in your mouth, you will feel compelled to buy some. There are also stalls offering piping hot, sweet tea - welcome in the chilly mountain breeze. .

The scenery shifts as you begin you ascent from Palani towards Kodaikanal. You will be greeted by a valley which has more shades of green than you can imagine and a huge lake with a surface like a mirror. If you are lucky, it will drizzle and the whole view would have a veil of mist. Going further up, you lose sight of the lake and are instead fascinated by many milky waterfalls in the distance. As you are taking in this view and nearing Kodaikanal by the minute, if you look at the road ahead, you will find it lined with a myriad variety of wild flowers covering the side of the hill in huge numbers in colors of pink, cream, orange, white, blue and purple! If you are a nature photographer, it will be many hours before you actually finish the drive and enter Kodaikanal. Just as you touch the border of the town, you are greeted by a huge waterfall which you can almost touch and see up close. It is the Silver Cascade.

The town has many options for accommodation. If you are a budget traveler, you can check into the TTDC hotel (Hotel Tamil Nadu) where off-season rates are around for Rs.800 for a decent suite (about Rs. 1200 during season). The suite includes a carpeted sitting room with somewhat worn down but cozy sofas, and a bedroom with attached bathroom with a phone, TV, cupboard and hot water facility. Plus you will get a breathtaking view of the cloud covered valley from the huge window of your bedroom. Your stay will include a complimentary breakfast of fresh, steaming hot, finger licking south Indian fare.

If it is maximum luxury you seek, you can opt for the Sterling Resorts Lake view. Very reasonable for just about Rs. 2000-2500 for a double room, the place is equipped with a table tennis room, luxurious courtyards, liveried waiters at your service, a restaurant serving excellent Indian and Continental food and impeccable service. The icing on the cake is that it is situated right by the Kodai Lake which is the central point of interest in the town.

After you have checked in and freshened up, you can take your pick from the many activities available to spend your time. You can enjoy horse riding around the lake; hire pedal boats, row boats or motor boats to enjoy the lake, or just stroll through the market around the lake, browsing through the various things on display. Two things are a “must buy” in Kodaikanal - home made chocolates available in numerous varieties and natural oils and herbal teas made from extracts of local trees and herbs. You must also go for a walk in Bryant Park which displays a variety of flowering plants and cacti. It also houses a glass walled nursery where you can see wonderful species of ferns, cacti, begonias and many more. There is a lotus pond as well.

As evening falls, clouds and mist shroud the town and after that the only thing to enjoy is a walk through the streets, all bundled up and cradling a paper cup of coffee. One view not to be missed and which you will not find in any guide book, is the Lake Bridge at night. It is a serpentine array of lights, twinkling through the fog with nothing else visible…no roads and no sky. The feeling is almost ethereal.

This should take care of your entire weekend and will have you craving for more. If you have more time on your hands then you can enjoy various treks and short walks on routes and take advantage of the view. You can also take time out to visit the Observatory and the Museum of Natural History. But even if you do not manage all these, you will come back from your weekend in Kodaikanal completely rejuvenated and raring to face your Monday morning blues!!

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—About our writer:

Prachi says, "A Clinical Psychologist by profession, my job is to make sense out of the chaos in people's lives and try to bring a smile to their faces...I'm a voracious reader and a movie buff. Traveling to new places is one of my greatest passions."

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