Kodaikanal, with its fond acronym, Kodai, is one of the most beautiful hill stations in South India, well worth the time taken off from any business trip to this part of the country,by virtue of the breathtaking scenery, serenity and quietude that it offers. Sitting pretty amongst the Palani Hills of the Western Ghats that fringe the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the name Kodaikanal itself means ‘gift of the forest’ in the local Tamil language. And nothing could be more evocative. Its wooded hills, picture pretty waterfalls and shimmering lake all compound to make it a memorable getaway from the congestion of urban cities. For it has a small population size of only 27,461 in an equally small area of only 21.45 square km. And although the sub tropical climate of India is even more evident in the South, Kodai’s cool climes at an altitude of 2133 meters abive sea level require Light woolens in the evening even during summer, when average maximum and minimum temperatures hover around 19.8 degrees and 11.3 degrees celsius. In winter, temperatures can dip to 8 degrees, when heavier clothing is required. Being in the path of the north east ‘winter’ monsoon winds, it receives heavy rainfall during October to December. .
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Getting there
The nearest airport to Kodaikanal is at Madurai, 120 km away. You can take flights from Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore or Coimbatore, but you would have to combine it with a road journey by bus or taxi hire from Madurai. Regular bus services are available from Kodaikanal to Kodai Road, Theni, Erode, Kumuli, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Palani and Trichy.
Kodaikanal is 1,016 km from Hyderabad, 479 km from Chennai, 450 km from Bangalore, 421 km from Mysore, 244 km from Coimbatore, 473 km from Thiruvananthapuram, 374 km from Kanyakumari, 251 km from Thanjavur, 477 km from Mamallapuram, 258 km from Pondicherry and 479 km from Ooty. The nearest railhead is Kodai Road Railway Station, which is 80 km away.
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Historical Background
Places to Visit
Excursions
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