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Kodaikanal (Kodai)

Pop: 28,000 Area Code: 04542

Kodaikanal is a hill station located 2133m (7040 ft) above sea level in the Palani Hills, in central Tamil Nadu, 120km northwest of Madurai. It is a nice place to walk around, boat on the lake, or to just take it easy. There are great views on the way up, and there are good viewpoints in the area.

Kodaikanal is the most beautiful hill station in South India and it does not usually get too cold.
In terms of the weather, the best times to come here are April to June (the high-season) and August to October. During May and June, the hotel prices are really high. The monsoon is really bad in November and December. The temperatures are between 12ºC and 20ºC in the summer and 7ºC and 16ºC in the winter. It can get quite chilly in the winter, especially at night, and you will need warm clothing.

Orientation
The main street is Anna Salai (Bazaar Rd), where the bus stand, most restaurants and the cheaper hotels are located. Most of the higher priced hotels are away from this area.

Information
The Tourist Office (41675), Anna Salai, a two-minute walk from the bus sxe "Kodai" tand, runs a day-tour for Rs 125 to sixe "Kodaikanal" tes in the area (4 hr, two daily).

The State Bank of India, Anna Salai, is next to the tourist office. There are money changing facilities at the Hotel Tamil Nadu.

The CLS Bookstore, opposite the bus stand, has English books.

The Post Office is a large building located on Anna Salai. Postal Code: 624101.

The District Forest Office has a book called Kodaikanal Beauty in Wilderness (Rs 20), which has a list of local treks in the Kodaikanal area (open 10 am to 6 pm).

Kings Tours and Travels, Woodville Rd, can arrange plane and bus tickets.
Van Allan Hospital (412-273) has good doctors.

Lake Area
There is a 5km path that surrounds the lake. The Kodaikanal Boating Club rents out rowboats and paddleboats for Rs 20-25 per half-hour. A horse ride is Rs 25 for a short ride or Rs 100 per hour. It is a pleasant place to ride a bike (which can be rented near the lake).

Bryant’s Park and the Botanical Garden, just south of the lake, was established in 1902. It has nice flowers and trees, including a rose garden and a greenhouse with cactuses in it. It is well-maintained.

If after entering Bryant’s Park, you go right past the painted tree stumps, you come to Coaker’s Walk which is a 15-minute walk that leads to the Greenland’s Youth Hostel. On a clear day the walk on this path is great, but most of the time it is misty and not much can be seen. There are telescopes near the western end of Coaker’s Walk, which give a good view of the surrounding countryside.

Observatory Road Area
Some of the best scenery in Kodai is along Observatory Road. Pillar Rocks is a group of granite cliffs, about 8km southwest of town. The views of the surrounding countryside from Pillar Rock are great. The walk here is mainly on a flat road. To get here you follow Observatory Road west, out of town. You pass a small waterfall on the way.

At the fork in the road, you head right toward the Observatory (no visitors allowed where the instruments are located). It has a small museum, which is open daily 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm (Only Friday in the off-season).

If you head left at the fork past the toll booth, you come to Green Valley View, from which you can get a great view of the surrounding countryside, but only on a clear day.

The 18-hole Kodaikanal Golf Club (40323) is just past Green Valley View. It costs Rs 150 per day; club rental Rs 100 to 150.

If you walk along the road another half-hour, you come to the roadside projection, from which you can get a good view of Pillar Rocks on a clear morning. About a 45-minute walk further on, there are several paths that go through the forest. Many people walk around here. You can get a good view of Pillar Rocks from this area.

Other Places
Flora and Fauna Museum, 5km out of town along Law’s Ghat Rd, has one of the best orchid houses in South Asia. Open daily except Sun 10 to 11.30 am and 3.30 to 5 pm. About one km past the museum is Silver Cascade Waterfall. It can be a crowded place.

Chettiar Park, 3km northeast of town, has kurinji flowers that come into bloom every 12 years. The next scheduled time is in 2006.

Where to Stay
During the high season most of the places more than double their prices. Checkout time is usually 9 or 10 am.

Where to Stay—Lower
Greenland’s Youth Hostel (41099), St Mary’s Rd, Coaker’s Walk, about 1km from the center of town, is a friendly, popular place with back-packers. There are great views from here. It has double rooms for Rs 240 to Rs 270 (Rs 320 high-season) and dorm beds for Rs 65. It has hot water from 7 to 9 am.
Yagappa Lodge (41235), off Club Rd, has rooms with bath (hot water in a bucket) for Rs 200 and with running hot water for Rs 240. It is a very good, quiet place, with good views. The price doubles in the high season.
Zum Zum Lodge, near Club Rd, has really basic rooms for Rs 75 in the off-season. The price rockets up in the high-season.
Everest Lodge (40100), 20 Anna Salai, has small rooms for Rs 150/300 and dorm beds for Rs 70. It is a decent value.
Hotel Sunrise (40358), Post Office Rd, a couple minutes from the bus stand, has rooms with hot water during the day for Rs 175. There are great views from here.
International Guest House (45420), Anna Salai, has small, clean rooms with bath for Rs 200/250. Hot water in a bucket.

Where to Stay—Middle
Snooze Inn (40837) has clean rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season).
Hotel Astoria (40524), corner of Anna Salai and Wood Will, has rooms with TV for Rs 400 (Rs 600 high-season).
Hotel Sangeeth (40456), opposite the bus stand, has comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 250 (Rs 450 high-season). It is a good value.
Taj (40940), off Club Rd, has rooms with bath ranging from Rs 225 (Rs 450 high-season) to Rs 450 (Rs 700 high-season). There is hot water in the morning and evening. It is a friendly place and there are great views.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (41336), Fern Hill Rd, has rooms for Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season) to Rs 550 (Rs 750 high-season). Good views. It could be better maintained.
Hilltop Towers (40413; fax 40415), Club Rd, has good, comfortable, modern rooms for Rs 550 (Rs 900 high-season) and better rooms for Rs 650 (Rs 1000 high-season). It is well-managed, and has a good restaurant.
JS Heritage (41323; fax 40693), PT Rd, is a new, well-managed place with clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 500 (850 high-season) to Rs 1000 (Rs 1700 high-season).
Hotel Jewel (41029; fax 40518) has comfortable rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 400/450 (Rs 600/800 high-season). It is a good value.
Hotel Garden Manor (40461), Lake Rd, is large rooms for Rs 700 (1200 high-season) to Rs 850 (Rs 1300 high-season). It has a pleasant garden.

Where to Stay—High
Kodaikanal Club (41341), Club Rd, near the lake, is a colonial building which has rooms with bath, TV, heater and hot water for Rs 900 (Rs 1000 high-season) plus a 15% service charge. It has a billiard table, tennis courts and a video room. During the high-season it is fully booked months in advance.
Valley View Hotel (40181) is a modern hotel with comfortable rooms for Rs 450 (Rs 1400 high-season) and Rs 600 (Rs 1700 high-season), with meals included in the price. The rooms in the front have great views. It has a good vegetarian restaurant. 9 am checkout.
Carlton (40056; fax 41170), Lake Rd, is an older, five-star, luxury, colonial place, which has well-kept lawns and is in a secluded location. It has a billiards room and a tennis court. The cottages overlook the lake. Checkout 9 am. Rooms with teak furniture and wooden floors are Rs 2100/3900 from April to 15 June and 16 Dec to 15 Jan. At other times rooms are Rs 1800/2600, including meals. They accept major credit cards. It is usually full.

Where to Eat
Daily Bread (40485), 3 Maratta Shopping Complex, Anna Salai, is a popular place that serves 20 types of breads and several types of cake.
Tibetan Brothers Restaurant has very good Tibetan food.
Silver Inn Restaurant has Continental food, including good pizza.
Sornam Restaurant, Fern Hill Rd, opposite the TTDC, has good South Indian food. The butter dosas are good.
Eco-Nut, Seven Junction Rd, has cheese, peanut butter, brown bread and very good health food items.
Wang’s Kitchen, Hospital Rd, has good Chinese food.
Trattoria Venice is a very good Italian restaurant, which has lasagna and pizza.
Hotel Punjab has good food.
Tava Restaurant, in the Hotel Jewel, is a very good vegetarian place.
Manna Bakery and Vegetarian Restaurant, Bear Shola Falls Rd, has very good food. Dinner (7 pm) should be booked in advance. It has pizza, cakes and doughnuts. Recommended.
Chef Master, Hospital Rd, has good Keralan, Continental and Chinese food.
Carlton, Lake Rd, has good buffet meals (Rs 300). The dinner buffet is 7.30 to 10 pm.

Local Travel
Taxis are expensive here.
There is a place that rents bikes near the corner of Club and Bazaar Roads (Rs 20 per day). Outside the Carlton Hotel there is a place that rents mountain bikes for Rs 5 per hour and Rs 40 per day.

Travel
Train The closest railway station to Kodaikanal are Kodai Road (trains to Chennai and Madurai) and Palani (trains to Rameswaram and Madurai), which are both around 3 hours away by bus. There is a railway booking office next to the Hilltop Tower Hotel on Club Rd (Mon to Sat 9 am to 5 pm, Sun 1.30 to 5 pm), where you can book long-distance trains.

Bus There are regular buses to Kodai Road (for the railway station, 80km), Palani (65km) and Dindigul. There are buses to Coimbatore (2 daily, 200km), Chennai (2 daily, 510km), Madurai (3½ hr, 120km, 9 daily), Bangalore (12 hr, 1 daily), Kumily for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (4½ hr, 1 daily) and to Tiruchirappalli (200km).
Deluxe private buses run between Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam (Ooty). During the monsoon these buses do not run.

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