Top Places to See in Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, the beautiful hill station of India, is located in the Didingul district of the state of Tamil Nadu, perched on the southern crest of the Palani hills about 120 kilometers away from Madurai. The most attractive fact about the location of Kodaikanal is its position at an elevation of 2100 meters above sea level. The town is surrounded by rocky hills, waterfalls and wooded slopes on all sides.This popular lakeside resort town is a magnet for nature lovers year-round. While considering family summer vacation ideas, Kodaikanal is a great family vacation destination.

There are several places to see in Kodaikanal. The popular places are given below.

1. Kodai Lake: Set on 60 acres, Kodai lake is a man-made magnificent lake, in star shape. There is also a boat club. You can do several activities around the lake like cycling, boating, skating, horse riding, walking etc. The 5-km pavement around the lake is good for walking.
All groups of people including senior citizens and children, can admire this place and its beauty.

2. Berijam Lake: Berijam lake is about 20 - 25 kms from kodaikanal inside forest area. The lake is surrounded by gentle slopes and the water is cool and clean.

3. Bryant Park: Bryant Park is famous for flowers, hybrids and rafts, situated on the eastern side of the lake. The  horticultural show is held here in the month of  May every year.

4. Coaker's Walk: About a kilometer from the lake is Coaker's Walk, named after St. Coaker of the Royal Engineers, is a great place to visit. There is a rugged pristine beauty about these vistas, and the mist rising in veils from the valley below, gives the place an unreal quality.Some of the best views of the plains can be seen from here.

4. Kurinji Andavar Temple: 3 kms away from Kodai lake, is Kuinji Andavar temple, dedicated to Lord Muruga. This temple is associated with the Kurinji flower which carpets the hill side and blooms once in 12 Years. "Kurinji" means "Hilly Region" in Tamil literature. "Andavar" means God.Hence Lord Muruga is referred as God of Hills here. You can get a good view of Palani and Vaigai Dam from the temple compound.

5. Pillar Rocks: Watch the three boulders standing shoulder to shoulder, magnificently jutting into the sky to a height of about 400 feet.. They vertically measure about 112 meters and provides a panoramic view.

6. Silver Cascade Waterfalls: Situated 8 kms away from Kodaikanal on Ghat Road, Silver Cascade  is a beautiful place to visit.

7. Bear Shola Falls: This famous picnic spot is just 1.6 kms away from the lake. Bears once used to drink water above the falls and hence this name.

8. Telescope Houses: There are two telescope houses here - one near the temple and the other at Coaker's Walk. Visitors can have a panoramic view of the valley and nearby townships through these telescopes.

9. Flora & Fauna Museum : Located at the Sacred Heart College is a 6km hike from the town centre, but definitely worth a visit. The Orchidarium here has about 300 species of orchids and other exotic plants.

10. Solar observatory : Situated at a distance of 3.2 kilometers from the Kodaikanal lake, it is one of the only three solar observatories in the world that is more than 75 years old. Built at an elevation of 2343 meters, the Solar Observatory was built at the highest point of the town.

For hikers, Kodaikanal is a great place to enjoy hiking.  Perumal Peak , situated at an altitude of 2,440 meters,  at a distance of about 11.3 kilometers from the Kodaikanal town area, is a good place for adventurous tourists.

Best Time To Visit : Any time except the late monsoons (September to November). Kodaikanal has a bracing climate where temperature do not vary much from summer to winter.

Accommodation in Kodaikanal : There are hundreds of hotels and hotels in and around Kodai.

By Air:  The nearest Airport is Madurai, which 120 kms away.

By Train: There is a railway station in Kodaikanal, which is 80 kms away.

By Bus:  There are regular bus services from the nearby towns and cities to Kodaikanal.