Coimbatore To Ooty - City To Hill Station

By Author: Rashmiranjan Patil
Total Articles: 261
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Coimbatore, also known as Kovai, is the second biggest city in Tamil Nadu after Chennai. Coimbatore is situated at a distance of about 500 km from Chennai on the banks of the Noyyal River. It is one of the major centres of textile industry and is known as 'Manchester of South India'.

Coimbatore was earlier known as Kongunad and its present name was given by the British. Kongu is a unique dialect of Tamil and it is the main language spoken in this city.

Since some of the popular hill stations in India, including Ooty, Coonoor and Valparai, are at close proximity, Coimbatore is fast becoming a base camp for travellers visiting them.

The major attractions in Coimbatore are the shrines. Some of the most popular religious places in the city include Marudhamalai Hill Temple, Ayyappan Temple, Perur Temple, Lord Ganesha Temple, Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple, Ramar Temple, Anubhavi Subramaniar Temple, Islam Safia Jamath Mosque, St Antony's Church and Infant Jesus Church.

Some other interesting places to visit in Coimbatore include Bhavani Sagar Dam, Thirumoorthi Dam, Aazhiyaar Dam (Aaleeyaar Dam), Kodiveri ...
... Dam, Amaravathi Dam, Sozhaiyaar (Solaiyaar) Dam, Siruvani Falls and Dam, Monkey Falls, Vydehi Falls, Black Thunder and Kovai Kondattam.

The distance between Coimbatore to Ooty is about 104 km. State Transport and private buses are available from Coimbatore to travel to Ooty. A ride by taxi from Coimbatore to Ooty will cost about Rs.2500.

The main broad gauge railway station to reach Ooty from Coimbatore is Mettupalayam. There are regular train services between Coimbatore to Mettupalayam. From Mettupalayam, the travellers can hire taxi or board a bus to reach Ooty. Alternately, the tourists can travel from Mettupalayam to Ooty by 'Nilgiri toy train'.

The 'Nilgiri toy train' connects Mettupalayam to Ooty. The train covers a distance of 46 km from Mettupalayam to Udhagamandalam (Ooty) in four hours and 30 minutes. There are nine stations in between them. The train passes through steep curves, long tunnel, deep and long ravines full of green vegetation, streams and tea and spice gardens. The train is hauled uphill by steam engines, designed and built by Swiss Locomotive Works and imported in late nineteenth century. Twelve of such locomotive engines survive even today.

Ooty, situated at an average 2284 above sea level, has beautiful landscapes, dense forests, national parks, tea plantations and monuments. Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once described Ooty as the 'Queen of Hill Stations'.

Among the major tourist attractions in Ooty are Government Botanical Gardens, Ooty Rose Gardens, Dodabetta Peak (highest peak), Annamalai Temple, Lord Muruga temple, Ooty Lake and tea and spice plantations.

There is no dearth of accommodation in Ooty. Accommodation is not very expensive as compared to other cities in India.