Tamil Nadu travel guide
Tamil Nadu is in the southern part of India.
The coastline of Tamil Nadu stretches nearly 1000 kilometers along the Bay of Bengal.
Tamil Nadu offers visitors many ideal locations of golden sunny sand beaches lined with coconut palm trees.
The state of Tamil Nadu has numerous monuments and temples that are ancient and each has its own story of religious, artistic and cultural accomplishment.
The most popular destinations for tourists visiting Tamil Nadu are Kodaikanal, Ooty and Kanyakumari.
Tamil Nadu district of Kanyakumari a place at the confluence of the Indian ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea. is the famous Kanyakumari Temple.
Salt-pans north of Kanyakumari
Sea water is diverted during high tide or pumped from creeks and evaporated by solar heat in open pans. The main season for this activity is Dec-Jun on the West coast and shorter on the East.
One of the popular places to visit in Tamil Nadu is the Hill Station city of Kodaikanal.
Kodaikanal
This hill station is situated 7200 feet above sea level amongst
the scenic Nilgiri hills and covers an area of 21.45 sq kms. Top of
the Page
Kodaikanal is famous for its well known educational institutions of
international repute. Many fruits are grown here and enjoyed by
people all over the world.
Berijam Lake which is about 20 kilometers from Kodaikanal
and spreads over 24 hectares is said to be one of the most beautiful
lakes in South India.
Kodaikanal Temp: Summer average temp: is 20 - 11°C During Winter 17
- 8°C
Kodaikanal has a population of 32,931(2001 census). Average literacy
rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 69.5%. Many foreign
tourists and locals visit this hill station to escape the summer
heat in other parts of India. The nearest airport is Madurai,
approximately 135 kms away.
Ooty
Ooty is at a height of 2260 meters and famous for its scenic beauty and healthy climate. Many residents in India travel to Ooty during the summer months to escape the heat in other parts of India.
Popular attractions in Ooty
Ooty Botanical Garden
It covers an area of 22 hectares, ascending the slopes on the hill at an elevation of 2400-2500 meters above sea level. It is a treasure house of temperate flora.
Entrance Fees: Adult Rs.l0, Children Rs.5, Camera Rs.30, Video Camera Rs.500.
Ooty Cairn Hill
It is situated about 3 km on the road to Avalanche Cairn hill. It is one of the few surviving original walks. The entrance road to the bill is flanked by dense cypress trees. This is an excellent spot for a picnic.
Ooty Children’s Park
A lovely Children’s park is in the Eastern end of
the lake.
Doddabetta
Is the second highest peak in South India. (The Highest peak of South India is Anaimalai near Munnar in Kerala.) Its height is 2636 meters.
Ooty Horse Racing
The Race Course is situated in the heart of the
city. Running area about 2.4 km long and is one of the famous race
courses in India. It is a very popular sport during the summer
months of April, May and June.
Kathatty Water Falls
Located about 13 km from Ooty. Best time to visit
Kathatty falls is September to November. The fall is about 40 m
high. A good place for those interested in trekking.
Ketti Valley View
This idyllic spot is a cluster of tiny villages that
extend to the plains of Coimbatore and Mysore plateau.
Ooty Lake -Boat House
Lots of attractions are available here. This boat
house is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Tourism. Activities such as
Pedal boats, Row boats, Aqua bikes, Mini Train rides etc are
available here. Entrance Fees Rs.5, Camera. Rs.lO, Video Camera
Rs.100.
The Pykara
Is the largest river in the District. It is considered very sacred by Tribal’s. The Pykara River rises at Mukurthi peak. It passes through hilly tract, generally keeping to North and turns to West after reaching the Plateau’s edge. It gets down majestically in a series of cascades; and the last two falls of 55 meters and 61 meters are known as Pykara falls.
Tiger Hill
A picturesque spot, Tiger Hill is located east of
Ooty town on the lower lap of Doddabetta peak.
Tamil Nadu also has some lovely beaches, use
the link for more details.
Tamil
Nadu Beaches.
Kasi Viswanathar Temple in the temple town of Kumbhakonam is
associated with the Mahamagam festival which occurs once
every 12 years.
Images of the 9 river Goddesses (one of which is Kaveri) are seen in
this temple.
Facts and Figures for Tamil Nadu - India
Capital : Chennai
Area: 130,058 sq. km. Population: 6.4 Million.
Temp Summer: 37ºC to 21.10C Winter: 32C to 20C
Best time to visit : October to March
Season: Tropical throughout the year. Altitude: 60 m above sea level
Languages Spoken: Tamil, English and Malayalam.
Airport: Chennai, (formerly Madras.)