Coonoor is a beautiful hill station situated amidst the Nilgiri ranges at a distance of 17kms from Ooty in the state of Tamilnadu. This scenic hill station is located at an altitude of 1,856 meters, and is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills. Coonoor is the first hill station among the three hill stations in Nilgiri namely Coonoor, Ooty and Kotagiri.
Coonoor is on the toy-train line between Mettupalayam and Ooty. The weather in Coonoor is pleasantly cool throughout the year. The best time to visit this place is between the months of October and March. In Coonoor one can find the spectacular display of nature’s beauty. The misty mountains and valleys, grassy meadows, fantastic view, impressive sight of tea gardens attracts holidaymakers, nature lovers and adventure seekers to this mesmerising hill resort.
Coonoor is famous for its exquisite range of birds. For the ornithologists and bird watchers this place is nothing short of a paradise because of the numerous migratory birds. Various species of vultures, owls, song birds like black woodpecker, parakeets, barbets, mynas, cuckoos, Malabar trogon, Malabar gray hornbill, crested hawk eagle, bulbuls, thrushes, babblers, larks, robins and several others add to the beauty of this place. Another major attraction here is the train ride in the midst of the Nilgiris on the The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Toy Train) which is one of the oldest mountain railways in India. Coonoor offers opportunities for adventure sports like trekking and hiking too. Golf enthusiasts can indulge in golf games here.
Top Tourist Places to Visit Near Coonoor
There are a number of sightseeing options in and around the Coonoor for tourists.
Sim's Park
It is a small well maintained botanical garden that has several varieties of plants. This 12-hectare park partly developed in the Japanese style has a collection of over 1,000 plant species including many flowering plants, pines, ferns and shrubs. The major attraction here is the annual fruit and vegetable show during the May.
Lamb's Rock
Located at a distance of 8kms from Coonoor, Lamb’s Rock is one of the most frequented vantage points in Coonoor and a wonderful picnic spot. The cliff top provides a panoramic view of the tea gardens in the surrounding areas and plains of Coimbatore.
Dolphin's Nose
It is about 12 kms from Coonoor. It is a huge rock resembling with a dolphin's nose and one get a beautiful view of the famous St. Catherine Falls as well as panoramic view of the Nilgiri hills from here.
Law's Falls
This is a beautiful waterfall and is a major tourist attraction. The falls is about 5 kilometres below Coonoor at the junction of Coonoor and Kateri rivers on the Coonoor - Mettupalayam road. The Law's falls is named after Col. Law, who traced the water path and constructed the new Coonoor ghat.
Pomological Station
This model experimental fruit orchard is maintained by the Horticultural department. Pomological Station located near Sim’s park carries research on different locally grown fruits.
The Pasteur Institute
This famous research institute was built in the year 1907. It is located opposite to the Sim’s Park and concentrates on the research for vaccines for rabies and polio. The institute is open to public only on Saturdays. However, on other days, one can visit the institute with the prior permission of the Director of the Institute
Droog fort
Droog fort is located about 15 km from Coonoor. It was once used by Tipu Sultan as an outpost. It is also called Bakasura Malai by the natives since the fort is linked with the legend of a demon called Bakasura. The peak stands at an elevation of about 2,000 mts and view of the plains from here is spectacular.
Other important places worth visiting near Coonoor are Lady Canning's seat, Silk Rearing Station, St. Catherine Waterfalls, Koala View Point, Kattery Falls etc.
How to Reach Coonoor
The nearest airport is the Coimbatore Airport situated at a distance of 70 kms from Coonoor. The nearest broad gauge railway station is in Mettupalayam at a distance of 46 km from Coonoor. Visitors can enjoy 3.5 hours of scenic train journey in the Toy Train that plies between Ooty and Mettupalayam passing Coonoor. Coonoor is well connected by road to all major towns and cities of Tamil Nadu as well as neighbouring states. There is a regular bus service from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Calicut, Kanyakumari, Tanjavur, Tirupati and Cochin. Regular state owned bus services are available from Ooty, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam, and Kotagiri.
Accommodation
Coonoor offers accommodation options ranging from luxury Hotels and hill resorts to medium-priced Economy hotels catering to various budgets of the tourists.