India Tourism » Coonoor Travel

COONOOR
A small garden town surrounded by tea plantations at an altitude of 1839 m, Coonoor is one of the lesser-known hill stations close to Ooty. Serene and untouched, Coonoor touches your soul with its endless expanse of emerald greens and beautiful spots that leaves you invigorated, refreshed and basking in the glory of good spirits.

Truly a melting pot that pulsates with sheer energy, Coonoor is also home to the famous Wellington army cantonment, endowed with lush greenery and natural beauty.

It is the thrill of exploring new vistas at every corner here, that leaves you asking for more in this land of magical moments. The whole of Coonoor is definitely less commercial, less polluted and more ethereal than most hill stations you can think of. Its many panoramic lookout points never fail to amaze the visitor.

WHY IT’S A MONSOON DESTINATION
Coonoor gets the south-west monsoon during June-September and the north east monsoon from October to December with heavier showers. The British developed it as a health resort, as the mountains somehow shelter it from the full force of the monsoon, the water drains off and humidity does not linger. Some hotels are even more favourably located than others to let you enjoy the rains without any discomfort.

HOW TO GET THERE
The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away, with flights to Chennai, Kozhikode, Bangalore and Mumbai. The major broad gauge railway junction is also at Coimbatore. There are regular buses from Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri. More exciting is the toy train that leaves Mettupalayam for Ooty early morning and arrives at Ooty by noon. The total time taken on the return trip back to Mettupalayam is about three hours. However, this train service is often disrupted during the heavy rains.

GETTING AROUND
The town has a number of auto rickshaws or three-wheelers that you can hire to get around. Your hotel can also help you locate taxis that you can hire. The climate is so pleasant, however, that walking around may be the best option. Lower Coonoor tends to be very crowded but Upper Coonoor is blessed with less traffic and fairly good roads. You are in a hilly region, so expect to walk up slopes!

WHERETO STAY
Coonoor has luxury, moderate and budget hotels, guest-houses and resorts. The ones located in Upper Coonoor are highly recommended. Some names are Albert Guest Howie, Hotel Taj Garden Retreat, Hotel Velan Ritz, Hotel Wellington Riga and Hotel Blue Hills. There are also Sri Lakshmi Tourist Home, Sri Venkateswara. Lodge and Labarrier Inn.

Natural wonder
• Sim’s Park, a 12-hectare p 1,000 species of plants.
• The Dolphin’s Nose viewpoint, 10 Coonoor, has the famous Catherine Falls.
• Lamb’s Rock, commanding a grand view of the Coimbatore plains.
• Lady Canning’s Seat, marked house and panoramic view o estates and the plains.
• The waterfalls – St. Catherine’s Falls Law’s Falls and Kateri Falls gush over cliffs and canyons.