I live in a huge Indian metropolis that is dotted with beaches. So although I like going on holiday to other ‘beach-ey’ places, I absolutely adore visiting hill stations!
Some of my non-Indian friends give me blank looks when I say ‘hill station’. If you are one of them, a hill station is simply a town located a few hundred or thousand metres above sea level. A place on a hill – hill station. Get it? ☺
Thereare so many stunning hill stations all across India that if you want to visit them all, you will need more than one lifetime! My home state of Maharashtra (capital Mumbai) itself is the proud home of gorgeous hill stations like Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Khandala, Panchgani, Igatpuri, Karjat, Amboli – the list goes on and on! Some of these gorgeous places are covered in my post below.
ALSO READ: 9 Best Weekend Getaways near Mumbai. Do check it out!
This post is about Kodaikanal, a spectacularly beautiful hill station in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu (capital Chennai). This charming little city, which in the official state language of Tamil literally means ‘The Gift of the Forest’ is often called ‘The Princess of Hill Stations’.
Day 1: Rameshwaram/Dhanushkodi to Kodaikanal
Kodai was actually the third leg of our South trip. We started from Mumbai and first went to Madurai. Then we moved on to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, from where we then drove to Kodai. The drive to Kodai is equally rewarding.
Read more about our Madurai/Rameshwaram/Dhanushkodi trip here – A ‘Spiritual’ Holiday Like No Other: Madurai & Rameshwaram!
We had pre-booked a room at Kodai’s Carlton Hotel. This 5-star hotel near Kodaikanal Lake has a charming façade that gives it the look of a colonial bungalow more than a hotel. The accommodations are luxurious, the gardens are sprawling and beautifully-maintained, and the staff is very friendly. If your budget allows it, do stay here – you won’t regret it.
After checking in to our rooms, we walked down to Kodaikanal Lake (aka Kodai Lake). This star-shaped lake is surrounded by the richly verdant Palani Hills Range – a fitting backdrop to its pristine appearance. And believe it or not, the lake is man-made! If you visit Kodai during the off-tourist season, the lake will appear so peaceful that you will feel its stillness seep into your soul.
Boating is available around Kodai Lake and it is a must-do. The Boat Club offers different kinds of boats on rent so you can pick whatever you’re comfortable with. Rents are very low so don’t miss the experience!* We had the privilege to go boating from a special boat pier reserved for Carlton guests.
After the boat ride, it was back to the Carlton for some dinner and an early night.
Day 2: Coakers Walk
If you’re a ‘nature walk’ lover like me, Coakers Walk is a must-do in Kodaikanal!
This 1 km-long walking plaza built into the side of the hills is the best way to enjoy some spectacular views of Kodai and its surrounding countryside. The path is fenced along the edge (where there’s a steep fall!) so it’s completely safe for walking and even biking.
Go as early as you can to avoid the crowds and enjoy some of the best views of the day – morning sun, clouds and purple mountains in the near distance. Stunning!
Kodai town looks lovely from here. Early morning there are hardly any tourists which makes this walk even more special.
Day 2: Dolphin’s Nose Trek
If you finish Coaker’s Walk early, you can do the trek to Dolphin’s Nose on the same day like us. The trailhead is about 20 minutes drive from the city centre. Once you reach the trailhead its about an hour to Dolphins nose but the views are so awe-inspiring and the air is so clean that it won’t feel like a taxing walk at all.
Dolphin’s Nose is a small piece of land jutting out from the hill so when you stand on it, you will feel as though you’re standing on the edge of the world. Not quite as exhilarating as bungy jumping or sky-diving, but close enough!
The trek route is quite steep in some places so make sure you wear sturdy shoes and are reasonably fit. Overall, it is not a very difficult trek.
I wasnt comfortable standing on the rock for more than 1 minute so I squatted down for the pic 🙂
About 5 minutes away from Dolphin’s Nose is Echo Point, another gorgeous photo-ready spot.
By now, we were tired and famished so we went back to our hotel by cab where we had a quick dinner and just crashed into bed!
Day 2: Green Valley View
This beautiful spot truly lives up to its name, with views of the valleys, surrounding hills and plains all laid out before you like the world’s most beautiful carpet – albeit one that is 5000 feet below you! If the day is clear, you will be able to see the Vaggai Dam as well. This visual mix of man-made and natural wonders will blow you away!
The best time to visit the Valley View is between 10 AM and 3 PM, especially if you want to take photographs. As the day advances, the valley gets covered by mist, so you may not have a clear enough view.
By this stage, we were hungry enough to eat a horse or two! Although there were no horses to be found ☺ luckily, we did spot some vendors selling fruits, my favorite being passion fruit!!! The fruits were so mouth-watering, they tasted better than a gourmet meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant!
You can also visit pine forests and cascade waterfalls if you are staying here for more time.
And that’s how we spent 2 magical days in Kodaikanal, the ‘Princess of Hill Stations’. Early in the morning of Day 3, we drove to Madurai airport and flew back to Mumbai.
I hope you liked this post. If you ever visit Kodai, let me know about your experiences!
ALSO READ: The Carlton, Kodaikanal