At a distance of 95 km from Dindigul, 117 km from Madurai, 169 km from Coimbatore, 469 km from Bangalore,272 km from Kochi, 162 km from Munnar, 253 km from Ooty & 528 km from Chennai, Kodaikanal, also referred to as Kodai is a beautiful hill station in Dindigul district of Tamilnadu. It is one of the best hill stations in South India and among the top places to experince the Tamilnadu Tourism.
Often referred to as the 'Princess of Hill stations', Kodai is one of the popular places to visit in summer as part of Tamilnadu packages. It is situated at an altitude of about 7000 feet (2133 m) on the southern tip of upper Palani hills. It has several scenic natural attractions which are enjoyed by its visitors and make it a popular romantic destination. Coaker's Walk, Silver Cascade and Kodai Lake are among the must include places in your Kodaikanal tour packages.
The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Palaiyar tribal people. Modern Kodaikanal was established by American Christian missionaries and British bureaucrats in 1845, as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains. In the 20th century a few elite Indians started relocating to this enchanting hill station and it started becoming popular among nature lovers.
Kodaikanal is not extensively commercialized like Ooty and it offers a pleasant experience to tourists with relatively less crowd. Apart from the pleasant weather, Kodaikanal has several tourist attractions like Kodai Lake, Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Bear Shola Falls, Silver Cascade, Pillar Rocks, etc. The hills offer beautiful views all around, especially from the Coaker's Walk.
Madurai is the nearest Airport to Kodai. There is no direct train facility to Kodaikanal. Kodai Road, situated on Madurai - Dindigul route is the nearest train station. This station has good connectivity with major cities in India. Direct bus connectivity is available from Madurai, Coimbatore, Palani, Dindigul, Ooty, etc. Buses from Madurai to Kodaikanal start from Arappalayam Bus Station. From Coimbatore, buses to Kodaikanal run from Ukkadam Bus stand.
Best time to visit Kodaikanal is April to June during the summer. Monsoon from September to October also offers different experience.
