A quest to visit hill station encouraged me to plan Kodaikanal and initially I have no idea what I was going to explore..
Some places are meant to visit, some are to gain knowledge while some are there to make you feel so alive, Kodai is definitely one among them....Donno either the places or the company I made there made me feel so,but it is always a trip to cherish!
Kodaikanal literally mean ‘GIFT OF THE FOREST’ which is very true to it’s name. It makes you feel young and fresh in every possible way.
Maybe its the long walk at the coakers street or the cycling at serene Kodai lake knocks the door of peace within us....The Sunrise trek to Dolphin’s nose or the Mighty Mountain blanket at echo point makes us realise how minute place we occupy in this infinite world !!
How to reach:-
Kodai is well connected by roads. No railway station in Kodai so if you are planning by rail, travel till Kodai road station and from there take a Bus or hire a Taxi. Direct buses to Kodai are less frequent, so take a bus to Batlagundu and from there reaching Kodai is much easier. Nearest Airport is Madurai ,trichy and Coimbatore.
Personally I would suggest to plan a bike trip bcz roads and climate was amazing!
BEST TIME: Anytime possible :D. But months from August to January are the best!!
THINGS I NOTICED:-
1) Plan this trip as a traveller rather than just a tourist bcz Kodai is not a place for sightseeing, but a place to live in!
2) Only mode of transport in Kodai is Taxi, so having an own vehicle can save a lot of money and time.
3) If you plan solo, choose your stay in backpacking hostels like Zostel or Trippr so that you can share transport :p
4) Staying in hostels makes it possible to meet many like-minded people and gives you a chance to share and listen to many stories of people.
5) People are very helpful, so if you travel alone or want to make it in budget instead of taxi try hitchhiking.
ITINERARY-
DAY 1:
At 5:30am we planned a trek to dolphins nose. It’s a 20 min trek ..The view was just beyond my imagination and I’m left only with amazement !! In addition there is echo point which is again just wow!! Rest of the day we spent at Zostel, making friends and sharing stories !!
PS: Don’t miss Altaf’s cafe. View from there was amazing. Hours pass just like minutes.It is on the left side near the dolphins nose entrance point!
On this fine evening, we planned to cover Kodai main area. So we went to Kodai lake. Its a 3km length man-made lake and perfect for any kind evenings!
Rent a bicycle and ride through these beautiful roads or can enjoy the boat ride. Later we visited COAKERS WALK. It is a place with beautiful mountains all covered with misty fog and walk over there was memorable! I would suggest to visit this place in the morning or the evening times (Timings -7Am to 7PM)..If you have kids visit BRYANT PARK it is heaven for children..Also Kodai lake area is great for shopping and local food was great. Having a cup of Tea sitting alongside the serene lake on a pleasant evening is a boon not everyone gets lucky!
PS:Visit all these places by walk (above places are at walkable distance) bcz you can discover many hidden places on the way which can resemble our childhood drawings (Those dreamy places) and of course, you get those Kodai vibes only when these places are explored in the way it meant to be!
With all the suggestions from co-travellers, we planned to Mannavanur lake. It is an untouched tourist spot.. Hired a cab which costed around ₹2500 for round trip. On the way they cover many other places too..
For some places Journey is more beautiful than destination while for others destination is beautiful than journey but Mannavanur lake is such place where both journey and destination competes with each other and beauty is beyond our imaginations!!
Just Imagine those mighty trees all along the way, traffic free pleasant roads, cool climate, smooth breeze kissing our cheeks, favourite music on!!! Aww what else it needs to make it a memorable ride? On the way poomparai village is one of such places where we get stuck with its incredible village beauty.
Places covered on the way to Lake:-
Pine forest
Palani hills view
Gunnar Falls
Poomparai village
Pillar rocks
Guna caves
Golf club
Sheep research centre
And Many other filmy spots!
Mannavanur lake view reminds us of perfect Nature canvas paintings.. the place is so peaceful which soothens our soul (Must visit)
PS: Try out carrots there, very sweet to taste!
Happy fact:- Kodai has DOMINOS too :p
Finally, Kodai has something for everyone. From a solo traveller to a group of friends, from couples to a family, from an adventure enthusiast to nature lover, Kodai gives its love equally and remains in our hearts as a place to remember and visit again!!!
BON VOYAGE !!