Coonoor
Look beyond what is visible and the spectacular unexpectedly unfurls. Come to this small yet enchanting hill town of Tamil Nadu.
A yellow-base board with ‘Coonoor’ written in black using Tamil and English as the language of communication tells tourists that that they have finally arrived in a very popular hill destination of Nilgiris. Popular for its green slopes of tea plantations, leaves laden with morning dew ready to be taken away to the tea packaging units, Coonoor hill station works its way with tourists like magic.
Climatic Conditions
With the altitude at which Coonoor is situated, it has a very pleasant climate. The temperature generally ranges from 15°C to 25°C during the summer months while the winters are cool as well. The place rarely experiences frost because of its sub-tropical highland climate. The summers typically last from March to mid- June, while November to February are the typical winter months. Being in the southern part of India the winters are not very harsh and attract tourists even in the colder months. The rainfalls are usually occasional showers in the months from July to September.
Best Time To Visit
Though the climate is pleasant and favourable round the year, Coonoor could be visited anytime. The summer months usually draw a lot of tourists and make the place crowded, the winter months are comparatively empty. The drizzles of the monsoon make this place breathtakingly picturesque, with the gushing waterfalls and the brimming velvety green carpets of tea plantations covering the slopes. But the humidity is high during the monsoon months. The suggested time to visit this beautiful green panorama of the Niligiri range is from October to March.
Attraction/Things To Do
Coonoor is one of the hill stations in India that gives a lot of options to the tourists that they would love to see. The Sim’s Park, a botanical garden houses some usual and unusual range of flora along with more than 85 species of roses is a splendid sight of brimming colours. The double cascaded Catherine falls offer one of the most amazing waterfalls. Dolphin’s Nose, Lamb’s Rock and Lady Cunning’s Seat are some of the spots from where one can have a 360 degree view of the valley below and the mountain range surrounding the site. While Doorg’s fort is an example showcasing the Indian history, the Church of St. George is an example of the British influence on the hill-town. Coonoor has more places to offer like the hidden valley and the Rallia Dam that often leaves its visitors mesmerized. Also people can visit the Highfield Tea factory to taste and smell the aroma while witnessing the activities involving tea processing.
How To Reach
The best way to reach Coonoor is to take the toy train that runs between Ooty and Mettupalayam or one can take direct train from Coimbatore as there are meter gauge lines laid in the region and connected to major cities. There are also frequent bus services that operate from Kotagiri and other cities of the region on regular intervals.