Coonoor, a beautiful and serene hill station of Tamil Nadu, lies in the Nilgiri Hills. Coonoor derives its name from the Coon hill tribe of the region. Tea bushes, Grassy meadows, profusion of Sunflowers, Marigolds and Rhododendrons characterize Coonoor. Coonoor is basically a small tea estate town where the weather remains pleasant all through the year. Based on its relief, the town is divided into upper and lower Coonoor. Coonoor is one of the three popular hill stations in the Nilgiri Hills, the other two being Ooty and Kotagiri.

Perched at an altitude of 1800 ft, Coonoor is second largest hill station in the Nilgiri Hills, Ooty being the largest one. It is extremely famous for the production of Nilgiri tea. Coonoor extends travelers with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, replete with deep ravines, beautiful valleys and imposing waterfalls. And if these were not enough, the hill station also extends travelers a number of sightseeing places, including Sim's Park, The Pasteur Institute, Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint, Lamb's Rock, Droog, Law's Falls and Ooty.

Coonoor forwards tourists a number of fun activities, which they can indulge in on their tour. Two such activities are nature walking and trekking. Travelers can take a walk through the tea gardens or go for a number of hiking trails around Coonoor. Apart from this, tourists can also enjoy the exhilarating and unique ride on the toy train that connects Coonoor with Mettupalayam and Ooty. The trip provides some breathtaking views of the Nilgiri hills in all its natural glory. Overall, Coonoor is an ideal place to spend a memorable and refreshing vacation in Tamil Nadu.

How to Reach Coonoor

Coonoor is a small town situated in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu. Located at an altitude of 6100 ft above sea level, it is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills. Coonoor is about 17 km southeast of Ooty and 314 km south of Bangalore. The best feature about Coonoor is that it is easily accessible by all the modes of transport – be it airways, railways or roadways, which make traveling to/ reaching Coonoor an easy task. In the following lines, we have provided detailed information on how to reach Coonoor.

Traveling To Coonoor

By Air
Coimbatore airport is the nearest aerodrome, situated at a distance of about 71 kms from Coonoor. The airport is well connected to all the major destinations of the country, such as Calicut, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad Hyderabad and Bhuj. The airport is also well connected to international destinations, such as Sharjah and Singapore. Some of the important airlines that ply to and from the airport are Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airways, SpiceJet, Air Arabia and Silkair

By Rail
Coonoor railway station connects the city to all the other parts of the state. Falling on the Mettupalayam-Ooty rail route, the station is connected by toy train line and is served by Nilgiri Mountain Railways. The station is situated in the heart of the city and is about 19 km from Ooty Railway Station. Mettupalayam Railway Station is the nearest broad gauge railhead.

By Road
A network of roads connects Coonoor with other major cities and towns of Tamil Nadu. There are regular bus service from Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri. Coonoor can be reached either from Bangalore via Ooty or from Coimbatore via Mettupalayam.

Coonoor Tourist Attractions

One of the most magnificent hill stations in South India, Coonoor is characterized by deep ravines, beautiful valleys and imposing waterfalls. Apart from this, it also boasts of exquisite range of birds, which adds a natural glory to this beautiful town. There are a number of sightseeing options within the city for tourists, on a visit to Coonoor. Apart from this, visitors can go on a tour to Ooty a famous hill station, located about 19 km northwest of Coonoor. To get detailed information on the tourist attraction places to see in Coonoor, browse through the following lines.

Places to See in Coonoor

Sim's Park
The Sim's Park is a famous landmark at Coonoor. The park is a botanical garden, spread over 12 hectares and has a collection of over 1,000 plant species that includes magnolia, tree ferns, pines and camellia. This park was developed partly in the Japanese style and is named after J. D. Sim, former secretary of the Madras Club. The annual fruit and vegetable show, held in May, is the main attraction of the botanical garden.

The Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur institute is another important attraction at Coonoor. It is situated near to the Sim's Park. The Pasteur institute specializes in the research for vaccines for rabies and polio. The institute is open for the visitors only on Saturdays. However, if you want to visit it on other days, you will have to seek prior permission of the Director of the Pasteur institute.

Pomological Station
The Pomological station is a research center of the State Agricultural Department for persimmon, pomegranates and apricot. It is one of the three experimental fruit gardens in the Nilgiri Hills. The other two research centers are Burliar and Kallar. A research center of repute, the Pomological Station carries research on different fruits, which are locally grown. Some of the prominent fruits of the area are apples, peaches, plums, persimmons, apricots, lemons and pomegranates.

Things to Do in Coonoor

Coonoor is one of the most beautiful hill stations in Nilgiris. Perched at an altitude of 1800 ft, it extends tourists just the right mix of picturesque beauty and affable weather. Apart from this, there are a number of tourist attraction places as well which you really make the trip a memorable one. Add to this the fun activities which Coonoor offers. Tourists can engage themselves in a lot of things when in Coonoor. To get detailed information about what to do and see in Coonoor, browse through the following lines.

Fun Activities to Do in Coonoor

Golfing
For those who have a knack for playing golf, Coonoor can be an ideal haven to retreat to during vacations. One of the most popular golf courses in India, the Wellington Golf Course Coonoor is spread over a large area and is surrounded in the midst of exotic landscape. The serenity of the place coupled with its picturesque beauty adds to the charm and charisma of the place. Due to this, the Wellington Golf Course has become hugely popular among film crews, who film in this area.

Nature Walks
If you want to get a taste of the unexplored beauty of Coonoor, nature walk would be the best bet. Enveloped by lush greeneries on all sides, amidst wild flora and fauna, the place extends tourists just the right opportunity to have a walk in the blissful surrounding. All you need to do is fit in a comfortable pair of shoes and step outside to explore the beautiful and picturesque hill station of Coonoor.

Trekking
Trekking enthusiasts can quench their thirst for thrill and adventure with their visit to Coonoor. Beyond the Wellington Golf Course is the Hidden Valley, an ideal place to indulge in trekking. It is a great trek route and also one of the best ways to explore the bounty of nature. The picturesque beauty of the place would add to the glory of trekking. Some of the trekking options are:

One of the popular trekking trails leads to Lamb’s Rock, which is about 9 km from Coonoor. Overlooking the Coimbatore plains, it provides a spectacular view of the tea and coffee plantations.
Another option would be to trek from Lady Canning’s Seat to Dolphin’s Seat, which is located 12 km from Coonoor.
The Law’s Fall is another trekking option, which is located 5 km from Coonoor.
You can then trek from the falls to Droog that is located at a distance of 13 km from Coonoor.

Hill Station - Coonoor

How to Reach Coonoor

Coonoor Tourist Attractions

Things to Do in Coonoor