Thursday, November 25, 2010

KODAIKANAL EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER


Emergency NumbersPhone Number
Police Emergency+ 91- 4542 -241800
Police Station+ 91- 4542 - 240262
Government Hospitals+ 91- 4542 - 241292
Veterinary Hospital+ 91- 4542 - 240683
Distirct Forest Officer+ 91- 4542 - 240287
Sub Collector Office+ 91- 4542 - 240296
Panchayat Union Office+ 91 - 4542 - 240204
Fire Service Station+ 91 - 4542 - 240785

MAP OF KODAIKANAL


for more maps

Friday, November 19, 2010

TRAIN TIMING FOR KODAIROAD RAILWAY STATION


Kodaikanal - Train Timing - (Kodai Road Railway Station)
Express Trains Passing through Kodaikanal Road
Train No.
Train Name
Train Category
Arr.Time
Dep.Time
2631
ChennaiEgmore Tirunelveli Nellai ExpressMail / Express
-
-
2632
Tirunelveli ChennaiEgmore Nellai ExpressMail / Express
-
-
6123
ChennaiEgmore Kanniyakumari ExpressMail / Express
-
01.30
6703
ChennaiEgmore Tuticorin Pearl City ExpressMail / Express
-
02.32
6123
ChennaiEgmore Trivandrum ExpressMail / Exprees
-
03.15
2637
ChennaiEgmore Madurai Pandian ExpressSuperfast
-
05.22
2638
Madurai ChennaiEgmore Pandian ExpressSuperfast
-
21.12
6704
Tuicorin ChennaiEgmore pearl City ExpressMail / Express
-
22:25 
6122
Kanniyakumari ChennaiEgmore ExpressMail / Express
-
23.00
6716
Rameswaram Coimbatore ExpressMail / Express00:0300:05
6715
Coimbatore Rameswaram ExpressMail / Express03.1403.16
6355
Howrah Kanniyakumari ExpressExpress05.4205.50
6732
Bangalore Tuticorin ExpressMail / Express06:4606:48 
6340
Nagarcoil Mumbai CSTM ExpressMail / Express11:55 11:57 
6356
Kanniyakumari Howrah ExpressExpress11:55 11:57
6788
Jammu Tawi Madurai Link ExpressMail / Express16:2816:30
2641
Kanniyakumari - H Nizamuddin Tirukural ExExpress19:0819:10 
0680
Nagarcoil Chennai Central Weekly ExpressExpress19:0919:10
6731
Tuticorin Bangalore ExpressMail / Express20:3320:35
6339
Mumbai CSTM Nagarcoil ExpressMail / Express22:3622:38
Passenger Trains Passing through Kodaikanal Road
Train No. 
Train Name
Train Category
Arr.Time
Dep.Time
383
Nagarcoil Coimbatore PassengerPassengerdd13.32
715
Thanjavur Erode Tirunelveli PassengerPassengerdd16.42
763
Palaghat Rameswaram PassengerPassenger04.2204.24
711
Dindugal Madurai PassengerPassenger08.0008.02
776
Madurai Coimbatore Fast PassengerPassenger08.1608.18
776A
Madurai Palaghat PassengerPassenger08.1608.18
716
Tirunelveli Thanjavur Erode PassengerPassenger09:4910:06
777
Coimbatore Madurai Fast PassengerPassenger12:3312:35 
384
Coimbatore Nagarcoil PassengerPassenger13:1913:20
778
Madurai Coimbatore Fast PassengerPassenger15:1215:14 
761
Palaghat Rameswaram PassengerPassenger15:5515:57 
775A
Palaghat Madurai PassengerPassenger18:2718:29 
712
Madurai Dindugal PassengerPassenger19:0619:08 
775
Coimbatore Madurai Fast PassengerPassenger20:4420.46
764
Rameswaram Palaghat PassengerPassenger22.0522.07

Monday, November 8, 2010

KODAIKANAL BY BUS THROUGH ROAD

Kodaikanal - By Road


Places
Distance
Route Map





Kodaikanal - By Bus
 

From Bangalore By Bus


Direct Bus Service: KPNSharma and KSRTC buses leave Bangalore late evening and reaches Kodai next morning.


From Chennai By Bus 
Direct Bus Service: KPN and Parveen travels leave Chennai late evening and reaches Kodai next morning.

From Ooty By Bus 

There are private mini buses operating from Ooty to Kodaikanal which is irregular and takes 8 hrs. Kindly contact travel agents in Ooty for booking.

From Madurai By Bus 

Private mini bus starts from Madurai every morning. Duration – 4 hrs. Also there are frequent public buses.
From Kerala 
There are no direct buses from any part of Kerala to Kodaikanal. The only option is to hire a Taxi. 

FOR TRAIN INFORMATION


Station
Train No.
Train Name
Departure Time
Arrival Time
Runs On

Saturday, November 6, 2010

TIPS ON TRANSPORTATION

Air Connection: The nearest airport to the Kodaikanal Observatory is Madurai (130km from Kodaikanal Observatory), in the state of Tamil Nadu. Rail Connection: The nearest railway station is Kodaikanal Road (80km from Kodaikanal observatory). Road Connection: Kodaikanal Observatory is located 4km from Kodaikanal town and may be reached by road from Bangalore, via Salem and Dindigul and from Madurai via Kodaikanal road

PLACES OF INTEREST
Kodaikanal Lake- 5 kms, Coaker's Walk- 1 km, Astrophysical Observatory- 3.2 kms, Fairy Falls- 4.8 kms, Kurinji Andavar Temple- 3.2 kms, Shenbaganur Museum- 5.6 kms, Pilar Rocks- 7.2 kms, Green Valley View- 6.4 kms.
EXCURSIONS
Silver Cascade- 8 kms, Dophin's Nose- 8 kms, Perumal Peak- 11 kms, Beryam Lake- 21 kms, Kukkal Caves- 40 kms.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, Township Bus Stand Rest House Complex, Kodaikanal

wooded slopes.
 The Byrant Park lies near the lake and is famed for its colourful flowers. A horticultural show in May is an annual feature that attracts garden lovers.
 The Solar Physical Observatory founded in 1898 lies at the highestpoint of the hills.
 Coaker's Walk offers some of the finest vistas of the plains.
 The Kurinji Andavar Temple enshrines Lord Murugan within itssanctum. Picturesque views make it a favourite haunt of visitors.
 The Telescope Houses allow visitors to have a panoramic view of the plains.
 The Green Valley View offers some unforgettable spectacles of the hill resort.
 The Pillar Rocks are vertical boulders towering over 121 metres.
 The Bear Shola Falls -a favourite picnic spot accessible only by a rugged path.
 The Shenbaganur Museum has a splendid collection of orchids.

Kodai, Kody or just plain Kodaikanal, call it what you will, is an idyllic getaway for regular tourists, for trekkers or even honeymooners. .

DISTANCE FROM SOME PLACE

Madurai 120 kms
Coimbatore 170 kms
Dindigul 90 km
Trichy 195 kms
Chennai 520 kms
Bangalore 500 kms
Cochin 330 kms
Ooty 260 kms
Kanyakumari 370 kms

FOR CONTACT

I contacted Mr. Ravi Kumar of Hotel HillTop Towers for my Hotel bookings, Incidently I came to know about the pickup and drop charges.

RaviKumar +91-98650-17549 or Hotel HillTop Towers +91-4542-240413/242252
He arranged an Ambasaddor Cab for Pick Up and Drop from Coimbatore Railway Station.

Coimbatore(CBE) is 170 Kms from Kodaikanal(KKL).

Depending upon from where you are heading you can pay a visit to Palani hill temple.

Charges (ONE WAY CBE-KKL)

Amby Cab :- INR 1600
Innova :- INR 2200

All driver knows english and they are friendly.

If You are traveling from CBE do not forget to stop by after Pollachi to capture some of the windmills.

In my case driver was Mr. Aasaithambi and his contact # is +91-98656-13370 , he is such a gentleman and a friendly person.

  • Theme: Car/Motor Home

  • Phone: +91-98650-17549,+91-4542-240413

  • Website: http://www.indiamart.com/hilltoptowers/

  • Other Contact: Mr. Aasaithambi +91-98656-13370

  • Thursday, November 4, 2010

    DO IN KODAIKANAL

    • Cycle around the lake - and watch the clouds while they slowly descend onto the water; cycles are available for hire at the lake on an hourly basis. It is possible to cycle to other places although cycling one way will be difficult due to the hilly terrain. Do check the cycles before setting out.
    • Boating at the Kodai lake - paddle and row boats are available at the lake. Entrance is via the Kodaikanal Boat Club.
    • Trekking - Kodai offers several scenic trekking spots, including one which is to walk along the stream which goes to dolphin nose. Kodai tourist office has a trekking guide which is available for free there, which lists all the possible trekking routes and difficulty levels. The tourist office advises people to take guides and offers to provide them, although this is not necessary. An easy trek is the Perumalmalai trek which is the tallest mountain that area.
    • Wander About - Kodai has numerous waterfalls and beautiful views not mentioned in the tourist guides, so wandering about can bring you to some spectacular place.
    • Horse Riding - Right near the front of the entrance to the boat club, you can rent a horse (with the trainer) to take you around the lake.
    • Watch a Tamil movie - go down the PT road, continue to S-road. Then turn left, after the petroleum station. Just ask which way is to cinema, almost every local knows it. Vellaiyappan cinema theatre - is old building with relatively big screen and cheap tickets - great experience. Ticket cost 30 rs (15 may 2009)
    TO EAT IN KODAIKANAL
    • Eden Paradise Restaurant, Paradise Compound, Laws Ghat Road. Serves Tasty Ethnic Keralite Cuisine
    • Astoria Veg Reasturant - This is one of the best vegetarian reasturant in the Kodai
    • Rasoi, 106 Maratha Shopping Complex, Annasalai. Serves excellent gujarathi and veg. punjabi thali. The Chola Batora and alu Paratha are their specialities.
    • Tibetan Brothers - PT Road. Your slice of Tibet in Kodai. The food is mouth watering and authentic Tibetan and Chinese. Try the steamed pork momo or the Thukpa. The owner who doubles up as a waiter is very courteous - and very passionate about his country. So the restaurant walls are plastered with photos of Lhasa, Potola palace and the Dalai and Panchen lamas.
    • Tava, 7 road junction. Outstanding Sindhi food, express service.
    • Pine & Petals, JC Residency,Convent Road,Naidupuram. Multi-cusine restaurant.
    • Sree Krishna Restaurant Bhojanalaya, Nellai Nadar Bazaar, Fairy Falls, Pambarpuram (Kodaikanal, 624103), 9047856670. 100% Pure Veg Bhojanalaya, serving North Indian, Rajeshthani & Gujarati Food  edit
    • PotLuck, PT Road (Opposite the milk union). 10:30-7:00. A cute little European style cafe with outdoor seating on the verandah(balcony); PotLuck serves fresh food and off-the-shelf delicacies carefully cooked in Kodai kitchens. The fresh food consists of an international menu including pastas, quesadilla, sandwiches, spanish omelettes and waffles/pancakes. A great place to hang out for either a meal or a snack - and be sure to order either their special cappuccino or Mayan hot cocoa! You can take away delicious off-the-shelf items like coffee-bean chocolates, lemon curd, Mexican salsas, garlic pickles and marmalades. The added bonus is that all profits go towards providing scholarships for needy children. Rs.40-70.

      TO SEE IN KODAIKANAL

      • Berijam Lake - perhaps the most pristine of the three lakes in Kodai
      • Coakers Walk- If you wish to catch the scenic valleys, the best time to visit the place would be before 2PM. But if you want to watch snow-like clouds (only in winter) beneath you form an ocean, reach the place between 3PM and 6PM. Try and catch the sunrise here or in the nearby Greenlands Hostel. A marvel. Also try out the telescope near the main gate.this place is very near the bus stand.
      • Bryant park - A must see. Its main entrance is on the road surrounding the lake and is a 10 minute walk from the entrance to the boat club.
      • Kodai Lake- If you are going in Winter, do the boating in the evening, as its an amazing experience to boat through fogs settling on the lake.the lake is very near from bus stand
      • Kurinjiandavar Temple - about 4 km from the lake is a temple whose presiding God is Lord Muruga. The flowers inside the temple bloom once in 12 years. One can get a view of the Palani Hills and the Kodaikanal Town from this temple. During the winter, the view of Kodai city and Palani from the two ends of the temple is blocked. However, in summer, the visibility is good and hence the experience too.
      • Green Valley View/Suicide Point- has a more than 5000 ft steep drop from this point. The monkeys are a good attraction at this point. Renamed Green Valley View, apparently to prevent people from being lured to commit suicides.
      • Pillar Rocks - huge steep cliffs which look like "Pillayar" (Lord Ganesh in local language Tamil). Watch out for the cross at the top of the mountain hoisted by an English adventure enthusiast.
      • Silent Valley View
      • Devil's Kitchen - a cave known more to the locals, First being "Green Valley View" and "Pillar Rocks" and then finally "Guna Cave". Watch out for the deep hidden ravines. What would appear like mere dark gutters are actually a deep fall. Many unsuspecting people have fallen prey to the "devil's trap". So,watch your step!
      • Guna Caves - a cave which became very famous after the movie GUNA. Very steep and risky to get in. Think public are not allowed to enter this cave nowadays. A very good place to take pics..
      • pine forest - its a really very good forest of pine tree. you can ride horses there. it's on the way to the guna cave. shanthi valley: another pine forest nice place. silver cascade: its a nice falls on the road side from kodai road to kodai kanal. just before 4-5 kms from kodai kanal.If you are going to kodai kanal by private vehicle on the way can visit the place.

      BEST WAY FOR KODAIKANAL

      Air: 
           The nearest airport is at Madurai (120 km from Kodaikanal).
      Rail:

           The nearest railway stations are the Kodai Road Railway Station(80-km) and the Palani Railway Station (64-km).
      Road:

          Kodaikanal is connected by road with Chennai (520-km), Ooty(264-km), Trichy (197-km), Coim    Palani,Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore. Additional buses ply during the season.
      By car:
              Reach Kodai Road 80kms Rs.1000/- aprrox,Dindigul or Madurai and then take a cab to Kodaikanal. Ask the resort to arrange for the pick-up. The drive from Kodai road takes approximately 2 hrs while the drive from Madurai takes approximately 3 1/2 hours and from Dindigul it takes about 2 hrs.From Cochin/Kochi(kerala) it is 295 kms via the hill station of Munnar(kerala).The route to be taken is Kochi-Muvattupuzha-Kothamangalam-Adimali-Munnar-Devikulam-Poopara-Bodi-Theni-Kodaikanal which is the NH49 Kochi-Madurai.From Alappuzha or Kottayam, the route is via Kumily along Kottayam-Kumily road, KK Road
      Local Transporation at Kodaikanal:
            Taxis and vans are available for local transportation. There are no uto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.

      Suggestion:
      * Its better to hire a vehicle (specially if traveling with a family or group) at the start point to pick up from downhill or any other nearest destination.
      * While travelling uphill, please see to it that the back seats are horizontal as it is very comfortable and not parallel as in jeeps.
      * The rates for traveling upwards to Kodai from Kodai road ranges from Rs.100/- to Rs.125/- per person by cab. [ Skill for bargaining required if arrangements not made earlier]
      * For sight seeing - one can hire cabs from the several travel services offered with a Qualis available for 9 at Rs.1000/- for a day.
       

      ABOUT KODAIKANAL

                  Kodaikanal is one of Tamil Nadu's finest hill stations. It is situated 7,200 feet above sea level amongst the picturesque western ghats of India.Kodaikanal is located in the palani hill range and is under the administrative control of Dindigul district of Tamilnadu.
                  The Kurinji Flower is in full bloom around December once in 12 years, and it bathes the valley in a beautiful sea of blue. It was last in full bloom in 2006; its next bloom is expected in 2018. Kodaikanal is also referred as "Princess of Hill stations."
                  Kodaikanal is one of the most popular hill resorts in India. It is a charming hill station, stands amidst sylvan beauty on the southern crest of the upper Palani Hills near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. With its rocks, woods, lovely lake and bracing air, Kodaikanal is an ideal hill resort for the tourists.
                 The unique flowering plant 'Kurunji'(Strobilanthus Kunthanus) that last bloomed in 2004, is nature's gift to Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal located amidst the folds of the verdant Pali hills is one of the most popular serene hill stations in India, which mesmerises any visitor and is frequented all through the year.
                 Kodai is situated at an altitude of about 2,133-m high and covers an area of 21.45-sq-km. The hill town is renowned for its educational institutions of international repute. The hill-plantain fruits and plums are known for their freshness and taste. Berijam lake, one among the beautiful lakes of South India, spreads over an area of 24 hectares.