Travel India Info

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. There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu, and this Indian state is often referred to as 'A Land of Temples'. The most popular destinations for tourists visiting Tamil Nadu are: • Kodaikanal • Ooty • Kanyakumari. Tamil Nadu district of Kanyakumari a place at the confluence of the Indian ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea. This is where 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 kilometers. 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. 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.

Berijam Lake 

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.

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: 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: 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. 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. Some 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.) Tamil Nadu also has some lovely beaches, use the link for more details. Tamil Nadu Beaches.