Coonoor
Coonoor in Tamil Nadu state is a very famous tourist place and a sublime hill station in the Nilgiris. It is over spilled with tourists in summer who come here to enjoy a fun filled leisure holiday. It is more famous all over the world for the production of Nilgiri tea. The city of Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1,800 m above sea level and is second largest hill stations in the Nilgiri hills. Conoor provides tourists with panoramic views of the green Nilgiri hills. The waterfalls, valleys and ravines are beautiful and you must go to experience it. Bird watching is the favorite thing in Coonoor. The place boasts of a large variety of bird species like the Pipits, Parakeets, skylarks, etc. This place is an ideal base for trekking and hiking expeditions that lead into the Nilgiri hills.
One of the most popular trails in Coonoor is the one that leads to the Lamb's rock. It is a 9 km trek and it overlooks the Coimbatore plains. The view from Lamb's Rock is spectacular and you can enjoy the tea and Coffee plantations. Another popular trek is the one from Lady Canning's seat to Dolphin's seat. This trail is 12 kms from Coonoor. Law's Falls are very popular among the tourists and the trek to this place is very enjoyable. You can go to Droop from these falls which is a beautiful spot.
Droog is famously called as Pakkasuran Kottai. There are ruins from the 16th century fort that attracts historians and tourists alike. The fort is located at a height oh 750 m and the springs near the site are very medicinal. These spring waters contain sulphur and phosperous in dissolved form and are best natural medicines. This fort was used by Tipu sultan as an outpost due to its interesting location. The fort commands impressive views in all directions.
You can take an enjoyable walk in the tea gardens for a change. The toy train that connects Coonoor to Ooty and Mettupalayam is an experience in itself. The trip has some breathtaking views of the Nilgiris. It is an ideal locale for filmmakers from India and abroad. Coonoor formed the backdrop in the David Lean's movie A Passage to India, based on E.M. Foster's novel.
Other tourist attractions in Coonoor
There are a number of scenic areas around Coonoor which is untouched by commercialization. You can see some scenic points like the Dolphin's nose, Lamb's Rock, Katary falls and the Canning's seat. Sim's park is a 12 ha park that has a botanical garden. The garden has over 1000 species of plants including the Magnolia, pines, camellia and tree ferns to name a few. The garden is done in Japanese style and the key attraction is the annual fruit and vegetable show held every year in the month of May.
Ketty is a small village near Coonoor that is untouched by commercialization. The landscape here is very beautiful and is filled with flowers that abound the area. St Michaels convent draws a number of tourists as it creates a pretty good picture with it's green roofs. The building is set among the cabbage fields and the effect is very charming. Kotagiri is another very interesting getaway from Coonoor.