Kodaikanal

About Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is built around a man-made star-shaped lake at 2,100 m in the Palani hills, with pine forest, shola valleys and a set of viewpoints — Pillar Rocks, Coaker's Walk, Dolphin's Nose — that stack up on a clear morning. Vattakanal, the small settlement below town, is where backpackers actually stay. The road up from Palani or Batlagundu has 60-odd hairpins; the Guna caves, Bear Shola falls and Berijam lake (permit required) fill two easy days. **Getting there.** About 460 km from Bengaluru (9–10 hours overnight) via Salem and Dindigul; a 3-hour climb from Coimbatore or Madurai. **Where to stay.** Guesthouses in Kodaikanal town and backpacker stays in Vattakanal.

Things to do

• • Coaker's Walk and Pillar Rocks
• • Dolphin's Nose and Echo Point trek
• • Kodai lake cycling and boating
• • Vattakanal falls and Devil's Kitchen
• • Berijam lake permit drive
• • Pine forest and Bryant Park

Best time to visit

October to June. December to February gets genuinely cold at night; April and May are busiest.

How to reach

About 460 km from Bengaluru (9–10 hours overnight) via Salem and Dindigul; a 3-hour climb from Coimbatore or Madurai.

Where to stay

Guesthouses in Kodaikanal town and backpacker stays in Vattakanal.

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