Hill Stations In Tamilnadu

[Wrangler]

With the heat in plains scorching up with each passing day, I badly need to cool myself off at one of the beautiful hill stations in Tamilnadu. I am new to the state and don't have much of knowledge on probable hill destinations.

Ooty and Kodaikanal came to my mind immediately, but is there any better options? Is Ooty the best hill station in Tamilnadu or Kodai is a better option? I am open to other possibilities as well. As the Western Ghats mountain ranges has a wide-spread presence in Tamilnadu, I am sure there will be other beautiful hill stations in the state. Which, according to you, is the best hill station in Tamilnadu?

 

[Debapriya Deb]

Whether or not Ooty is the best hill station in Tamil Nadu can be a debatable question, but there is no doubt that it is the most popular hill station in Tamil Nadu and South India. Situated in the Nilgiri mountain ranges, lots of tourists visit this hill retreat throughout the year. Besides the rolling grass hills and scenic landscapes, the Nilgiri Heritage toy train ride is an added bonus for visiting Ooty.

Coonoor can also be a good choice. Situated in close proximity to Ooty, most of the travellers club both Ooty and Coonoor in a single trip. On the down-side, I find Ooty too much commercialized to my liking. There are lots of places to visit and lots of things to do in Ooty, but you won't get the old-world charm of hill stations. Coonoor is a little better.

Kodaikanal is also very popular and equally commercialized. You will encounter lots of tourists in both these places. Also the accommodation and other costs are on the higher side in both these places compared to the offbeat hill stations in Tamil Nadu. If you have not been to either of them as yet, then it makes sense to plan for a trip. Otherwise there are lesser known hill stations which you may want to try out.

Yercaud, fondly called as the 'poor man's Ooty', can be a good choice. So is Yelagiri. Both these places are far less crowded and have managed to retain their green cover better than Ooty and Kodai. Kolli Hills is another less visited hill station in Tamil Nadu.

I have been to Valparai and it's really beautiful. Kotagiri is one more beautiful hill station in Tamil Nadu which is off the radar for most of the tourists. If you love visiting offbeat destinations, then I would recommend trying out either Valparai or Kotagiri.

Regards,
Deb

 

[Wrangler]

I never knew there were so many hill stations in Tamilnadu. Valparai looks just the ideal place to be in this hot summer. Kotagiri is next in line for me. Ooty and Kodai can wait for the time being

Off topic - Is it Tamilnadu or Tamil Nadu? Which one is correct?