Places to Visit in India

I have always been a big fan of Hill stations. The emerging serenity and the cool misty breeze has always touched me in ways that no other terrain has. For long, I was looking to visit a beautiful hill station that would satisfy my intense craving to just pack up and go. After an intensive search, I chanced upon the lovely Kodaikanal.

Kodaikanal is a lovely hill station lying in the laps of Tamil Nadu. It has been referred to as the “Princess Of hill Station”, and it surely lives up to that name. While the other nearby hill stations like Ooty or Munnar have highly been commercialised, Kodaikanal has still managed to stay away from the radars of capitalisation. This has helped Kodaikanal, to retain its old worldly charm, thus, making it the perfect place to just relax and unwind.

The Journey

My journey started in Bangalore. I had rented out a car with a driver who was given the task of driving me to Kodaikanal. I had left from Bangalore extremely early to reach Kodaikanal at the earliest. It was still dark when my cheery driver greeted me in Bangalore. I quickly sat inside and took a quick nap.

Once I woke up, I was greeted with beautiful green fields, the open blue sky, and the refreshing countryside breeze. The scenery was beautiful, and as I jammed my earphones into my ears, I couldst help but feel like a heroine in some music video.

The terrain of the route changes as we enter the hilly areas. The curves are dangerous but the scenery is awe-inducing. There are waterfalls along the way and at one point we are riding at the same level as the clouds floating. This was truly bliss.

Kodaikanal

I reached Kodaikanal in the afternoon, and after a quick lunch and some refreshments, I decided to head out again. As I had entered the city, the first thing I had noticed was the calmness of the place. The whole pace of life is different and slow here. Unlike Bangalore or Ooty, where I was instantly met with traffic jam and pollution, Kodaikanal was a breath of fresh air.

Coaker’s Walk

After such a long journey, I wanted to do something that was refreshing and soothing. After consulting some of the locals, I headed off to the Coaker’s Walk, which was very close to my hotel.

This place is a popular tourist place. It is basically a one km pedestrian walkway with some stunning views. As I reached, I started walking and relishing every bit of the cooling hill station breeze. After completing my walk, I decided to sit on a bench and stare at the deep green valleys. The clouds kept trying to hide the valleys from my view, but eventually gave up. The view was so beautiful that I lost every track of time. Only when it started to get a little dark did I realise that it was time to head back.

Pillars Rock

My next day sightseeing started off with the view of the famous twin rocks called the Pillars Rock. These two rocks are standing upright in the laps of a lush green valley and look absolutely charming as they stand side by side. The light fluffy clouds floating above the rocks give off an angelic vibe to the whole atmosphere.

Green Valley

At this point, I was craving for more and more panoramic viewpoints to satisfy both my curiosity and my photography bug. The green valley is the perfect place to satisfy both of these feelings. The valley gives one of the best views of Kodai, and the shops lined up along the way makes it a little more charming.

Kodai Lake

This lake in the midst of the town adds so much allure to this quaint place. The lake is stationed perfectly in between and is one of the best places to walk around and just hang out. The lake also has boating services and I couldn’t resist that. I hopped onto a boat and sailed into the horizon. The experience was absolutely magical. It seemed like heaven as I sailed in my little row boat surrounded by water as I could see the town around me.

There are also horse and cycle rides along the periphery of the lake for tourists to enjoy.

Bear Shola Falls

This mesmerising waterfall is located very close to the Kodai Lake. I am a big fan of waterfalls so this one definitely captured my attention. The cascading water, the droplets splashing into my face and the giant hills that surround it, basically makes up for devastatingly beautiful scenery. I was captivated the moment I saw it and spent a lot of time just sitting on one of the wet rocks and admiring God’s bounty.

The Tall Trees

Another very interesting spot I found in Kodai, was this area where there were extremely tall trees. This area came in between my sightseeing route, and I was so enchanted by this place. I rushed out and went in the middle of this place just to stand there and dote upon these majestic trees. The scene seemed straight out of a Bollywood movie, and all I could think was- to get lost this is beautiful trees and become a forest nymph. So wishful!

Cycling

The next day I decided to try my hands at cycling, which I hadn’t done in a long long time. There was something about this quaint town and its air, that made me believe that cycling around it would make me like it even more. And, Lo and Behold! It did. As I peddled my way through the old town, along with the lake and over the bridges, I felt alive again. The air hit my face and took my hair dancing with it and I could feel every cell of my body enjoying this joyful ride. This was by far my favourite activity in Kodai, and I would highly recommend everybody to try it.

Bryant Park

After my cycling expedition, I decided to cool off and took a walk around the famous Bryant Park. The Park is famous among the tourists and locals alike. It is covered with a blanket of lush green fields that stretches as far as the eyes can go. The walk is extremely refreshing and revives energy.

Saying Farewell

After such blissful days in Kodai, I had to bid adieu to this awe-inspiring place. Kodai reminded me of how life is all about simplicity and sometimes about just lazing around. I learn to find my happiness in simple acts like just walking or cycling and to enjoy every such moment as if it were my last. I cannot wait to get irritated with life and come back to this paradise to relax and unwind once again.

Ways To Travel

One way to travel is through private vehicles and cabs from Bangalore.

There are also buses and trains to Kodaikanal from Bangalore that one can avail. Both private bus services and state bus services like KSRTC are viable options.

You can also hop into a train from Bangalore and go to Kodai Road, which is the closest to Kodaikanal. Kodai Road is about 80km away, and buses and cabs can easily take you from there to Kodai.