Location : In the
south Indian State of Tamil Nadu in the Nilgiris.
Tourist Attractions : Sim's Park, The Pasteur Institute,
Pomological Station, Dolphin's Nose, Lamb's Rock, Droog, Law's Falls, Ooty.
Best Buys : Local handicrafts
Best Hangouts : Sim's Park, Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint,
Lamb's Rock, Law's Fall.
Best Activity : Bird Watching, strolling around.
Nearby Tourist Destinations : Ooty, Madhumalai,
Kodaikanal, Madurai.
When to Visit : September to May
About Coonoor
Coonoor is the second largest hill station located in the Nilgiri hills in
the state of Tamil Nadu in the south of India. Famous for its verdant
environs and for a variety of wildflowers and birds, Coonoor provides a
perfect setting for activities like trekking and hiking. It is also famous
for its tea plantations and festivals. At Coonoor, travelers can also enjoy
the toy train ride, which is also the means of traveling to other hill
stations in the Nilgiri Hills from Coonoor. The trip provides some
breathtaking views of the Nilgiri hills in all its natural glory.
Coonoor
provides the traveler with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri
hills, with its ravines, valleys, and waterfalls. Bird watching is a popular
activity in Coonoor, as the area boasts of a large variety of species like
cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc.
Travelers can take a walk through the long stretches of tea gardens. There
are numerous trekking and hiking trails around Coonoor.
Major Tourist Attractions in Coonoor
Sim's Park
The Sim's Park is an important place to visit in Coonoor. Spread in an area
of 12 ha, the park has a collection of over 1,000 plant species, including
magnolia, pines, tree ferns, and camellia. The botanical garden is partly
developed in the Japanese style and derived its name from J. D. Sim, the
secretary of the Madras Club in 1874. The key attraction of the park is the
annual fruit and vegetable show held in May.
Pomological Station
The institute is a research center of the State Agricultural Department for
persimmon, pomegranates, and apricot.
Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint
The Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint is 10 km from Coonoor and is a spectacular
spot to visit. It not only provides a panoramic view of the vast expanse of
the Nilgiri hills but also of the famous Catherine Falls.
Lamb's Rock
On
way to Dolphin's Nose, about 5½ km from Coonoor, lies Lamb's Rock,
another vantage point to view the fantastic landscape and the tea and coffee
plantations.
Droog
At a distance of 13 km from Coonoor, Droog takes one into the past, with
the ruins of a fort, which was once used by Tipu Sultan in the 16th century.
Law's Falls
The majestic falls are 5 km from Coonoor, on the way to Mettupalayam.
Ooty
The famous hill station of Ooty, also known as the queen of hill stations
is 19 km northwest of Coonoor. Ooty is an immensely popular tourist
destination. Like Coonoor, Ooty is also set amongst the green settings of
the Nilgiri hills and is famous for its lake, gardens, and colonial
architecture. You can enjoy a number of outdoor activities like horse
riding, trekking, hiking, and boating in Ooty.
Getting There
Air : Coonoor does not have an airport of its own. The nearest
airport is at Coimbatore located 71 km away.
Rail : Coonoor is on the toy-train line between Mettupalayam (28 km)
and Ooty (19 km).
Road : Coonoor is very well connected by a network of roads and road
transport to all major towns of Tamil Nadu like Ooty (19 km) and Coimbatore
(71 km) besides the surrounding areas.
Accommodation
Excellent accommodation facilities are offered in and around Coonoor. In
order to make the travel tour to Coonoor even more joyful you need to choose
just the right kind of accommodation for you and your family or friends in
Coonoor. The various hotels in Coonoor offer the world class facilities, as
per the tourists choice.You may take your pick from a range of luxury and
budget hotels in Coonoor besides the star categorized accommodation hotels
around the landmarks of Coonoor offer excellent view of the landmarks
through their suites.
