A verdant oasis is what the quaint hill station of Kodaikanal or Kodai as it is more popularly known is all about. This hill station situated at an altitude of about 2,133 meters high in the Palani Hills, is often referred to as the Princess of the Hill stations and one needs to make a trip down there to realize why is it so. The reason being that unlike other hill stations like Shimla, Ooty, Mussoorie etc. where the adverse effects of tourism is now becoming evident, Kodaikanal still retains its charm in its pristine surroundings, lush landscape, amazing scenery and yes the foamy mist.
Kodaikanal is among the few hill stations in India that were not developed by the British. It was set up as a sanatorium in 1845 by the American Madura Mission. The starfish-shaped lake is the ne
+ more about KodaikanalA verdant oasis is what the quaint hill station of Kodaikanal or Kodai as it is more popularly known is all about. This hill station situated at an altitude of about 2,133 meters high in the Palani Hills, is often referred to as the Princess of the Hill stations and one needs to make a trip down there to realize why is it so. The reason being that unlike other hill stations like Shimla, Ooty, Mussoorie etc. where the adverse effects of tourism is now becoming evident, Kodaikanal still retains its charm in its pristine surroundings, lush landscape, amazing scenery and yes the foamy mist.
Kodaikanal is among the few hill stations in India that were not developed by the British. It was set up as a sanatorium in 1845 by the American Madura Mission. The starfish-shaped lake is the nerve centre of the hill station. You may see honeymooners here taking the customary boat-ride. Another highlight of Kodaikanal is the Kurinji flower
(Strobilanthus Kunthanus) that blooms around December once in 12 years. The flower offers a sea blue look to the valley when in bloom. It is because of the Kurinji flower, the hills are known as Nilgiris. The Kurinji flower is expected to bloom in 2018.
Kodaikanal is also a lovely place for trekking enthusiasts. It offers several scenic trekking trails. The most common being a walk along the stream which goes to dolphin nose. One can also trek up to Perumalmalai, which is the tallest mountain in the area. Kodai tourist office offers a trekking guide and one can also find information about possible trekking routes and difficulty levels.
Kodaikanal has a good number of hotels, which caters to all budgets. There are a host of options to eat out in the city. Most of the eating joints in Kodaikanal serve multi-cuisine food, from Tibetan to Chinese, and South Indian.
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