Coonoor, Tamil Nadu – Provides panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, with its ravines, valleys and waterfalls

Just 19 km from Ooty,  Coonoor is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiris, surrounded by tea plantations. Resting at an altitude of 1839 metres, its climate is milder than Ooty. Coonoor is essentially a small tea garden town where the weather remains pleasantly cool throughout the year. Coonoor provides the traveller with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, with its ravines, valleys, and waterfalls.

Places to see in Coonoor: Coonoor is populated with a number of sightseeing destinations, which includes:

Sim’s Park

The Sim’s Park is an important place to visit in Coonoor. Spread in an area of 12 hectres, the park has a collection of over 1,000 plant species, including magnolia, pines, tree ferns, and camellia. The botanical garden is partly developed in the Japanese style and derived its name from J. D. Sim, the secretary of the Madras Club in 1874. The key attraction of the park is the annual fruit and vegetable show held in May.

Pomological Station

The institute is a research centre of the State Agricultural Department for persimmon, pomegranates, and apricot.

Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint

The Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint is 10 km from Coonoor. It not only provides a panoramic view of the vast expanse of the Nilgiri Hills but also of Catherine Falls.

Lamb’s Rock

On the way to Dolphin’s Nose, about 5½ km from Coonoor, lies Lamb’s Rock, another vantage point to view the fantastic landscape and the tea and coffee plantations.

Droog Fort

At a distance of 13 km from Coonoor, the Droog takes one into the past, with the ruins of a fort, which was once used by Tipu Sultan in the 18th century.

Catherine Falls

Also known as St. Catherine, these Falls are located in Kotagiri that is 17 kms away from Coonoor. Cascading from the altitude of 250 ft the Catherine Falls are situated amidst lush green forests where you can enjoy the fresh breeze coming through the Nilgiri Hills. The CatherineFalls are named after the wife of MD Cocburn who was a pioneer coffee planter in Kotagiri and Yercaud. The native name of the Catherine Falls is Geddhehaada Halla. Today these Falls serve as a perfect picnic spot and are visited by tourists visiting Coonoor.

Nearby attractions of Coonoor:  From Coonoor a trip to Ooty is worth. A distance of 19 kms from Coonoor will take us to this spectacular and renowned hill station. These two hill stations are connected by a toy train route. Most tourists of Ooty love to come to Coonoor by this route. The journey is scenic and only takes about 3.5 hours.

Things to do in Coonoor: Bird watching is a popular pastime in Coonoor, as the area boasts of a large variety of species like cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc. Travellers can take a walk through the tea gardens. There are number of trekking and hiking trails around Coonoor. Travellers can enjoy the exhilarating and unique ride on the toy train that connects Coonoor with Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam) and Ooty.

Best time to visit Coonoor: The best time to visit Coonoor is from October to February when the weather is pleasant and conducive enough for sightseeing and outdoor activities.

How to go ?

By Air

The nearest airport is at Coimbatore 110 kms away, from where you can drive up to Connoor in about 2 hours.

By Rail

Lower Coonoor is connected by mountain rail but the nearest broad gauge railway station is in Mettupalayam (46kms). The Toy Train that plies between Ooty and Mettupalayam passes Coonoor.

By Road

Coonoor is well connected by road to all major towns and cities of Tamil Nadu.

Where to stay ?

Coonoor, being a newly developed tourist destination has adequate accommodation options that includes both goverment lodges and private hotels.  Some are:

Hotel Tamil Nadu (TTDC): +91-0423- 2444370, 77  Website: www.ttdconline.com
Youth Hostel (TTDC): +91-0423-2443665
Kurumba Village  Resort: + 91 – 8088855855  Website: www.natureresorts.in
Shranav Holiday Home: + 91- 0423-2233990  Website: www.shranavholidayhome.com

Note : Phone numbers given above are according to the information available with us. If you find any contact number/s given above is/are incorrect or not in use, please let us know.