Kodaikanal
has several scenic natural attractions
which are enjoyed by its visitors
and make it a popular romantic
destination for newlyweds. These
are described in order of distance
from the bus-stand.
Kodaikanal
Lake,
Half kilo meter from the bus
stand, is an artificial, roughly
star-shaped (60 acres) lake
built in 1863. It is recognized
as Kodaikanal's most popular
geographic landmark and tourist
attraction. Rowboats and pedalos
can be hired at the Kodaikanal
Boat Club with its main entrance
near the only five-star hotel
in Kodaikanal, The Carlton.
Horses and bicycles can be
hired beside the lake for
short periods. The 5 kilometers
path that skirts the periphery
of this lovely lake is a favorite
walk for the locals and tourists
alike.
Bryant
Park,
Just east of the lake and
0.5 km from the bus stand,
is a wonderfully maintained
20.5 acres botanical garden.
The park was planned and built
in 1908 by a forest officer
from Madurai, H.D.Bryant,
and named after him. With
325 species of trees, shrubs
and cactuses, the park is
a rainbow of stunning flowers
during the peak season. A
large section is dedicated
to nearly 740 varieties of
roses. There is an 1857 Eucalyptus
tree and a Bodhi tree which
adds a religious significance
to the park. Ornamental plants
are cultivated in a nursery
for sale. The park organizes
horticultural exhibits and
flower shows every summer,
to coincide with the peak
season. Entrance fee to the
park is nominal and it is
open all year.
Coaker's
Walk,
Half km from the bus-stand,
constructed by Lt.Coaker in
1872, is a 1 kilometers paved
pedestrian path running along
the edge of steep slopes on
the southern side of Kodai.
The walk, winding around Mount
Nebo, starts in front of the
Van Allen hospital, running
parallel to the Van Allen
Hospital Road and joins the
main road beside St.Peter's
Church, providing a stunning
panoramic view of the plains.
On a clear day one can view
as far as Dolphin's Nose in
south, the valley of the Pambar
River in the southeast, Periyakulam
town and even the city of
Madurai. A fascinating rare
phenomenon called Brocken
spectra can be witnessed,
when a person can see his
shadow on the clouds with
a rainbow halo. This occurs
when the sun is behind the
viewer and clouds and mist
are to the front. There is
an observatory with a telescope
halfway along the walk. Entrance
fee to the walkway is nominal
and it is open all year.
Bear
Shola Falls,
3 kilometers from the bus-stand,
is a tall waterfall in a Reserve
forest. The final approach
to this quiet area is a gently
climbing foot-path.
Green
Valley View,
(formerly called Suicide Point)
5.5 kilometers from the bus-stand
and near the golf course,
has an excellent panoramic
view of the plains and a sheer
drop of 1,500 meters overlooking
the Vaigai Dam to the south.
The stairway leading up to
it is highly commercialized
and lined with rows of shops
to tempt tourists.
Shenbaganur
Museum
of Natural History, 6 kilometers
from the bus-stand, founded
in 1895, is open to the public
for viewing their outstanding
taxidermy collection of more
than 500 species of animals,
birds and insects and a living
collection of over 300 exotic
orchid species. The museum
is affiliated with Loyola
College in Chennai and exhibits
artifacts of the ancient Palaiyar
tribes people whose descendants
still live in these hills.
Kodaikanal
Solar Observatory
6 kilometers from the bus-stand
on Observatory Road, at 2,343
meters are the highest location
near Kodai. The first observations
were commenced here in 1901.
Former Director John Evershed,
discovered the phenomenon
of radial motion in sunspots,
now known as the Evershed
effect. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial
Telescope can view a grand
panorama including: Sothupparai
Dam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam
and Varaha river. This Indian
Institute of Astrophysics
facility has a comprehensive
Astronomical Science museum
with organized public tours,
access to the astronomy library,
and scheduled night-time telescopic
sky viewing. It is open daily
to the public during peak
season, and a few hours each
Friday the rest of the year.
Pillar
Rocks,
8 kilometers from the bus-stand,
is a set of three giant rock
pillars which stand 122 meters
high. Managed by the Tamil
Nadu Forest Department, The
viewpoint can be crowded but
is not commercialized. There
is an excellent public garden
adjacent to the viewpoint.
Guna
caves,
made popular by the Tamil
movie Guna, previously called
Devil’s Kitchen, are
deep bat-infested chambers
between the three gigantic
boulders that are the Pillar
Rocks. The deep narrow ravines
of the caves are now closed
to public due to the tragic
deaths of twelve youths there.
These dangerous caves are
highly protected now, and
tourists can see sections
of the cave system from afar.
Silver
Cascade,
8 kilometers from Kodaikanal
at a wide bend in the long
and winding Laws Ghat Road,
at altitude 1,800 meters,
is a 55 meters waterfall formed
from the outflow of Kodaikanal
Lake. The water quality is
reportedly poor and not good
enough for bathing. This impressive
waterfall is a popular stop
for first-time visitors. There
are a few souvenir and fruit
vendors and many monkeys here.
There is also a smaller but
more serene waterfall below
the bridge which crosses the
stream here.
Dolphin's
Nose,
8 kilometers from the bus
stand, is flat rock projecting
over a breathtaking chasm
2,000 m deep. It is an undisturbed
area 1 kilometer down a very
steep rocky trail beginning
soon after Pambar Bridge.
Orange juice vendors along
the trail offer a welcome
rest stop. Beautiful views
of steep rocky escarpments
rising from the plains can
be seen. The old village of
Vellagavi can be reached through
a rugged bridle path here.
A short paved walkway leads
from the road here to Pambar
falls (which is also locally
addressed as 'Liril Falls'
after the famous Liril Soap
Advertisement filming in 1985).
Kurinji
Andavar Murugan temple,
4 kilometers from the bus-stand,
is famous for its Kurinji
flower which blossoms in the
area only once every 12 years.
The deity here is called Sri
Kurinji Easware, who is in
fact Lord Murugan. This temple
was built in 1936 by a European
lady, who on coming to India,
converted to Hinduism. She
changed her name to Leelavathi
and married an Mr.Ramanathan.
She is also known as Lady
Ramanathan. This temple is
under the management of Arulmighu
Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thirukovil,
Palani.
