The moment we receive our Annual Calendar from the company we start to mark all the long weekends, count our leaves, and daydream about travelling. At least I do this religiously every year.
Living in Bangalore gave me immense opportunities to see the beauty of South India. I always prefer backpacking adventure over leisure trips but my trip to Kodaikanal had changed my perception to a bit.
The literal meaning of the word "Kodaikanal" is "Gift of the Forest". And in actual Kodaikanal is no less than a gift tucked in the hills of the Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu. People often call this place "Princess of the Hill Stations", and we can count a hundred reasons for this title. One of the major reasons why I loved Kodaikanal was the weather. The sudden shift in the breeze as we reached from Bangalore to Kodaikanal left me spellbound in the first place.
Kodaikanal is a place of arboraceous valleys, alluring lakes, hidden waterfalls, and green hills.
In pursuit of finding the preeminent stay in Kodaikanal, we searched on google, spoke to a few local people, visited some properties before landing at Holiday Home Resort.
Holiday Home Resort is situated on the famous Golf Link Road in Kodaikanal. Despite being in the center of the town this resort has the most picturesque location one can ever imagine. It was a downright perfect alloy of contemporary antique architecture. And the history behind the resort is extremely interesting.
The Property dates back to 1947
Holiday Home Resort is set across the foothill of Palani Range in Kodiakanal. The staff at the resort were courteous and welcomed us warmly. While speaking to him about the property he informed us that this place was used to be barracks for British Soldiers. It was bought in 1947 and has been running as a resort for many decades now.
Kodaikanal was established by American Christian missionaries and British bureaucrats in 1845, as a vacation town from the high-temperature cities of India.
Palani Hills of Western Ghats formed the ideal cloud-capped peaks that helped to keep the weather cooler in Kodaikanal. No wonder Kodaikanal has been a gift from the gods for a long time.
The resort is spread across a huge area sharing boundaries with the forest, fencing has been done to keep the wild animals at the bay so nothing to worry. The stunning spread of well-maintained gardens throughout the property is a treat for the eyes.
Not only gardens, but there is also a crystal clear water stream flowing from inside of the resort. You will be intrigued by the proximity of the entire resort to the forest. It feels surreal to be there amid the raw nature at one hand and luxuries amenities on the other.
There is a whole playground with swings and dozens of other rides along with a badminton court. And if this was not enough there is a whole recreational activities room with a TT table and a lot more. The property manager allowed us to explore the resort before the check-in. He assured us that we were fully satisfied with the facilities before making the payment. This resort is ideal for everyone be it family, couples, solo travelers or group of friends.
There are two lanes of cottages; one stream facing lanes and other the garden facing lanes.
Despite having all the modern age comforts this resort is an architectural relic which will surely remind you of bygone years.
We stayed in one of the cottages facing the stream and had a forest area right in front. The cottages were spacious and cozy.
It had all the amenities like free WiFi, hot water, coffee maker machine, etc. You'll have the feeling of a home away from home.
I woke up early to take a stroll around the cottages and to breathe in fresh air. This is something that we all miss while living in the big cities.
The tariff for a one-night stay is Rs. 10K including breakfast buffet. They also have cabs facilities, you can avail the service for pick up & drop off with prior request. Book your stay at Holiday Home Resort here.
The food was delicious too, you can choose to have à la carte or buffet. And the restaurant had this fancy setup.
We had the most memorable time at this resort. For the first time, I wanted to ditch the adventures and enjoy my leisure time here. Also, if you decide to stay here, don't forget to pull your chairs outside the cottage at night. Sit back, relax, and relish star gazing for Kodaikanal has one of the most entrancing skies.
How to Reach
By Road
It took us almost 9 hours to reach Kodaikanal from Bangalore by road. I would recommend leaving at night around 9 PM to avoid the famous Bangalore traffic. Our driver had taken the following route to reach Kodaikanal-
Bangalore -> Hosur (40 Kms) -> Krishnagiri (90 Kms) -> Dharmapuri (140 Kms) -> Salem (201 Kms)-> Namakkal (253 Kms) -> Karur (296 Kms) -> Dindigul (373 Kms) -> Kodaikanal (463 Kms).
KSRTC, as well as TNSTC, have good bus connectivity for Kodaikanal from prime cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, etc. The bus ticket would cost you anywhere between Rs 850-1200.
By Train
Kodai Road railway station is the nearest railway station from Kodaikanal. It is 84 KM away from Holiday Home resort. Although it is not well connected from major railway stations. You can also consider Coimbatore junction (176 KM from the resort) that operates trains from several other major cities in India. Train ticket cost varies between Rs 550-1800 depending on the coach class.
From any of these railway stations, you can grab a cab to reach the resort.
By Air
The nearest airport is Madurai, about 120 kilometers away. Other major ones include Trichy and Coimbatore airport, 150 kilometers, and 175 kilometers away, respectively.
Best Time to Visit
Winter (October to March) is the best time to visit Kodaikanal as the weather remains cool in the day time and chilly at night. It's an ideal time to roam around this little quaint town in South India. You can also visit during Summertime, between April to June. Monsoons last from July to September and are usually harsh in Kodaikanal which can hamper the sightseeing.
Exploring Kodaikanal
Although Holiday Home Resort is a destination in itself there are numerous tourist places just a few kilometers away from the resort.
Coaker's walk, Kodai Lake, City View Point, Dolphin's Nose, Pine forest are some of the places where you can visit if you don't want to spend leisure time at the cottage.
Kodaikanal is a perfect weekend getaway for all nature lovers. It's wonderful how this place does so much justice to its name.
Without any doubt Kodaikanal should be on our bucket list of places to visit once the world heals and we happily start to travel again.