Kodaikanal is a hill station in Tamil Nadu and it is also popularly known as ‘The Princess of Hills’. In the Tamil language, the meaning of the name of the place is ‘The Gift of Forest’. Once you are here, you will see the abundance of forest and greenery in this place. It is such a blessing of nature that the place is still so green and away from the urban grayness now.
When your heart feels tired of regular routine, your brain wants a break from daily work, and your eyes need to see something more than the blue light of your computer, take a break and pack your bags for Kodaikanal. Whether you are on a family trip or planning a honeymoon trip to Kodaikanal, this beautiful hill station will never disappoint you to revive your life. Here are the top 10 places that you should visit once you are in this hill station. Read on to know more-
List of the Top 10 Places to Visit in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu:
1. Coakers Walk
To begin the list of the best places to visit in Kodaikanal, we find this off-beat place a bit exotic. Basically, it is a 2km walk with a spectacular view of the mountains around the lush green valley.
The natural beauty will wipe off all your stress of walking and the shops beside the road are ever ready to entertain you. This walking is fun, especially when you go for it with friends and family. It is only 10km away from Kodaikanal Lake, so you can enjoy the beauty of the lake too.
2. Green Valley View
If you want to explore the beauty of the Vaigai Dam from the bird’s eye view, you can visit Green Valley View. Once you are at the top of the valley, you can experience the outstanding beauty of the lush greenery, enthralling valley, and the huge mountain as the backdrop.
The route is quite tricky and that makes it one of the dangerous viewpoints in Kodaikanal. But, if you are an adventurist by heart, you can try to reach there. When the mist covers the place and your view gets disrupted, you need to be very careful to be there.
3. Kodaikanal Lake
Kodai Lake or the Kodaikanal Lake is the central point of the hill station and it will charm you with its magnificent beauty. This manmade lake and the scenery around it engulf your senses and the picturesque beauty of nature is something that you may not find elsewhere in Tamil Nadu.
Besides, bathing in the beauty of nature, Kodai Lake also offers you several activities to attend to make your trip happen. You can go boating on the lake and experience the outstanding view around from the middle of the lake. This place is also the photographers’ paradise for scenic beauty.
4. Bear Shola Falls
If waterfalls are something that attracts you a lot, then visiting Bear Shola Falls in Kodaikanal is definitely worth visiting. Located only 2km away from Kodai Lake, Bear Shola Falls is a wonderful picnic spot for the locals and tourists. The waterfall has an interesting story behind its name.
It is said that this waterfall was a favorite haunt of a bear that used to visit the place to drink water. The lovely waterfall and the surrounding area are beautiful and you will find it interesting to spend time here. The exotic flora and fauna around the falls are worth watching. If you visit it during the monsoon, you can get to see the waterfall at its fullest.
5. Kodaikanal Pine Forest
If you don’t include Kodaikanal Pine Forest in your itinerary, it will be a great miss. Kodaikanal Pine Forest is delightful to watch as you can visit hundreds of pine trees, lush vegetation, and varieties of species of mushrooms over here.
The tranquility of this place is an add-on when you want peace around you. You can add more fun and excitement to your journey by adding horse rides. Also, the place gets a bit muddy in monsoon, but the beauty of the forest you can explore then is awesome. Visiting the Kodaikanal Pine Forest will be a lifetime memory for you.
6. Berijam Lake
While talking about the top 10 places in Kodaikanal to visit, Berijam Lake will be one of those. The refreshing setting of the lake and the deep greenery around it will take away all your tiredness and refresh your mind and body.
This place is a wonderful picnic spot where you can have fun with your group. You can also go fishing in Berijam Lake, but to do that, you will need to get permission from the fishing department. To explore the beauty of the lake more closely, you can take a boat ride to the lake.
7. Mannavanur Lake
Kodaikanal is crafted with beautiful Lakes all over it and Mannavanur Lake is one of those. This is also a popular picnic spot for tourists and locals, but if you want to spend some time in solitude, you can always visit Mannavanur Lake in Kodaikanal.
Not only the lake, but the journey to it is also enjoyable. The pine trees and the eucalyptus trees create a canopy over the road and it feels soothing to take the drive. You can also go boating and horse riding here.
8. Kurinji Andavar Temple
Dedicated to Lord Murugan, Kurinji Andavar Temple is one of the favorite destinations of the pilgrims. It is the outstanding architecture of the temple that will blow your mind and if you are lucky enough, you can get to visit the famous Kurinji flower that blooms every 12 years.
Established by a European Lady in 1936, this temple is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kodaikanal.
9. Bryant Park
Located in the middle of the town, this huge park can accommodate enough crowds without making the place clumsy. You can visit artificial ponds, flowering plants, gardens, trees, and open lawns inside the park. But, the beauty of the rose garden will blow your mind.
The garden hosts huge varieties of roses and when those are in full bloom, it looks heavenly. Also, there is a Bodhi tree and a 150-year-old Eucalyptus Tree to catch your attention. To visit exotic plants around the world, you can visit the greenhouse. It will take around two hours to visit the entire park in one go.
10. Poombarai Village
On the slopes of the Palani Hills, Poombarai is a small village with a population of fewer than 6000 people. The view of this typical Tamil Nadu village is outstanding and the people are warm and welcoming. The main attraction of this village is the Kuzahanthai Velappar Temple that is 3000 years old.
Also, this place is famous for garlic cultivation. This is a picturesque village and not visited by many people. So, the beauty is untouched. If you are fond of off-beat places, Poombarai Village won’t disappoint you ever.
So, these are some of the best places to visit in Kodaikanal. This hill station of Tamil Nadu is full of nature’s wonder and it can be difficult to finish in one go. Keep time in your hand to get introduced to the awesome culture and tradition of the place and visit the extraordinary viewpoints to make the pages of your memory richer.
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