Coonoor -Tourism

Coonoor famous for its verdant environs and for a variety of wildflowers and birds, it is the second largest hill station located in the Nilgiri hills in the state of Tamil Nadu in the south of India., Coonoor provides a perfect setting for activities like trekking and hiking. It is also famous for its tea plantations and festivals. At Coonoor, travelers can also enjoy the toy train ride, which is also the means of traveling to other hill stations in the Nilgiri Hills from Coonoor. The trip provides some breathtaking views of the Nilgiri hills in all its natural glory.

Coonoor provides the traveler with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, with its ravines, valleys, and waterfalls. Bird watching is a popular activity in Coonoor, as the area boasts of a large variety of species like cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc. Travelers can take a walk through the long stretches of tea gardens. There are numerous trekking and hiking trails around Coonoor.

PLACES OF INTERESTS IN COONOOR 

Pasteur Institute : It is just opposite to the Sim's Park, established in 1907. This is famous Institute for the research on Rabies. It is also famous for the manufacture of POLIO VACCINE.

Sim's Park : This beautiful park is situated in a deep ravine on the Northern side of Coonoor Railway Station. The park can be divided into eight major sections. The winding footpaths spreaded all over the park is the most distinctive and lovable feature of this park. There are also a number of individual tree specimens planted all over the place, give a special charm to the park.

Lamb's Rock : It is 8 Kms from Coonoor on the way to Dolphin's Nose. It commands a grand view of the Coimbatore Plains. It is a favourite place for tourists.

Laws Falls : The Place is a beautiful picnic spot, situated at Coonoor-Mettupalayam road at a distance of 7 Kms from Coonoor. The height of the falls is about 180 feets. It is just a paradise for Nature lovers.

Dolphin's Nose : The view point is 10 Kms from the town. The Nose is a unique rock of tremendous proportions which looks like a Dolphin.

The Droog : This picnic spot was used by Tippu Sultan as an outpost. It is 15 Kms from Coonoor and stands 6000 feet high overlooking the plains. To get the spot you have to have three km of trekking.

Ooty : The famous hill station of Ooty, also known as the queen of hill stations is 19 km northwest of Coonoor. Ooty is an immensely popular tourist destination. Like Coonoor, Ooty is also set amongst the green settings of the Nilgiri hills and is famous for its lake, gardens, and colonial architecture. You can enjoy a number of outdoor activities like horse riding, trekking, hiking, and boating in Ooty.

WHEN TO GO COONOOR - The best time to visit Coonoor in month of September to May.

WEATHER FORECAST- Summers (March to May) have mercury levels in 15°C to 25°C. This is the most pleasant season in Coonoor. 

Monsoons (June to September) offer mild to medium rainfalls and make the climate humid. Coonoor is inviting in the rainy days. 

Winters (December to February) are not chilly here with temperature band in 10°C to 20°C. It is best for people liking cooler climates.

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN COONOOR- The hill resort of Coonoor hosts several interesting festivals. Firstly there is the annual fruit and vegetable festival that is hosted at the Sim's Park. Tourists from across the globe get attracted to the festival organized in May each year. 

Then there is the tea and tourism festival hosted in Coonoor. The annual festival attracts tea connoisseurs from the world over in January at Coonoor. It is noteworthy that the hill resort of Coonoor lies in the Nilgiri Mountains that are renowned for tea plantations. Some of the better-known tea brands from Coonoor are the Orthodox, CTC and Green Leaf.

How To Reach

By Air : Coimbatore airport is the nearest aerodrome, situated at a distance of about 71 kms from Coonoor. The airport is well connected to all the major destinations of the country, such as Calicut, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad Hyderabad and Bhuj. The airport is also well connected to international destinations, such as Sharjah and Singapore. Some of the important airlines that ply to and from the airport are Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airways, SpiceJet, Air Arabia and Silkair. 

By Rail : Coonoor railway station connects the city to all the other parts of the state. Falling on the Mettupalayam-Ooty rail route, the station is connected by toy train line and is served by Nilgiri Mountain Railways. The station is situated in the heart of the city and is about 19 km from Ooty Railway Station. Mettupalayam Railway Station is the nearest broad gauge railhead. 

By Road : A network of roads connects Coonoor with other major cities and towns of Tamil Nadu. There are regular bus service from Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri. Coonoor can be reached either from Bangalore via Ooty or from Coimbatore via Mettupalayam.

DISTANCE - 100 KM From Coimbatore, 17 KM From Ooty, 287 KM From Alleppey.