Kodaikanal Things to Do

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Vattakanal Falls---Kodaikanal

This Falls known as Vattakanal and its on the way to place called Dolphin Nose. Visiting any falls in Kodaikanal will be great only during Monsoon season and around December. When we were there flow of water was not that good and the stream was completely dirty.

I want to see Kodaikanal during monsoon. I will definitely return to this place to enjoy it to the fullest potential. As always you will find few shops around this place.

We can see this place from far as stream of this falls is covered with fence but at one place its cut open so if water is not flowing that time we can go down and take this picture.

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Upper Lake View Point--Kodaikanal

Upper Lake View is 3.2 Km from Coaker's Walk on the way to Green Valley View and provides a magnificent view of the Kodaikanal Lake.This place can be visited during day to have glimpse of star shaped lake. During evening this place is completely deserted. This point is near to Solar Observatory. And after visiting solar observatory this place can be visited. There are few shops as other places in Kodaikanal

Except view of lake nothing special about this place.Worth visiting.

Pine Forest--Kodaikanal

On the way to Guna Cave at two place we can see this Pine Forest Plantation. Which is for no reason converted to Tourist Place. If you love this place you can stop it otherwise move on to check out next tourist destination. There is nothing great about this place, we can take pictures which may look good. There are two places where people stop to see this plantation. First place we hardly see anyone and second one is crowded by people and taking pictures at this place will be difficult.

I mean there will be someone back in the frame all the time, but at the same time if you are with you hubby then you will always get help from people to take your picture together.

Anyways good place to spend some time. Can be visited.

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Guna Cave--Kodaikanal

ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.


Guna Caves is the local name for Devil’s Kitchen, a deep bat-infested chamber between three naturally arranged imposing boulders (Pillar Rocks). Intially it was known as Devil's Kitchen and once Kamal Hassan shot his movie called "Guna" here in this cave its now better known as Guna Cave.

Now this place is out of bound for people to visit. We can have look from far and its completely blocked by fence around this place because of some mishaps happened at this place. One is one merchant named A.Shenbaga Nadar from Madurai died here in 1955 and his body recovered at a depth of 500 feet after one day.In other pictures you can see the memorial erected in the memory of this Merchant and now its destructed by people. And also 12 students who went for adventure at this place died and none of them returned back. These incidents made authority to isolate this cave from civil people.And from parking to this place you have to walk for around 1 km out of which half of the passage is not even and chances of tumbling are really high so just make sure you are in good health and have good footwear with good grip on the ground and enjoy this place.

I went to this place with family if I would have gone alone then I could have tried to go through alternate route which I think difficult to find. But still if you want to see this cave then you can search on internet. There are some people brave enough who went there and took pictures.

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Sucide Point/Green Valley View

This place we can have best view of Kodaikanal Valley, scenic beauty for this place is just awesome.Its also known as "Suicide Point" as depth of valley from this place is around 5000 ft and it will make sure if any one tries to jump from here will not survive to tell the story about his jump. Its easy to locate and its just next to Kodaikanal Golf Club.

Again to have look of valley it depends upon mother nature. Most of the time this place covered with thick fog.Passage to this point in too much crowded with stall on both the side of the walk.The small semi circular view point is protected by a wall and high fence, but it is usually torn down by unscrupulous Tourists who want to have a "better" view into the Valley. Going beyond the fence is very dangerous and not advisable.
Another problem would be plenty of Monkeys, so beware of your eatables. The pathway leading to the viewpoint is full of shops loaded with home made chocolates, fancy ornaments.

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Pillar Rock Kodaikanal

Three granite boulders each vertically measuring a height of 400 feet stand shoulder to shoulder. It is located 8 Kms from the lake and one the best panoramic view of valley can be enjoyed from this place. The chamber between the two pillars is called Devil's kitchen. I dont know why they call it Devil's Kitchen.

And again Fog plays its roll here.When we reached there we were just disappointed as nothing was visible. Then we just took few snaps in that fog and waited there in a hope that it will clear. Once you go there you will find one guy sitting with few snaps of pillar's rock and other tourist destination, he got 10 pictures and its just 10Rs. of 0.25 cents. At one point we thought of buying it and I thought of I will scan those pictures for updating on VT. Finally our patience paid off and I got these stunning pictures. I just loved these pictures.

At the entrance to this place you will find lot of shops as like other places in Kadaikanal. And on some internet pages so many good things were written about garden at this place. There is nothing called garden here and this place is managed by Indian government and as always its very ill maintained.

This place is on the way from Green Valley point. The route follows

Green Valley view--Pillar Rocks--Guna Caves

Solar Physical Observatory.

Oh my Godddddddddddd I missed this place I was not able to go inside. This place was on top of my list before going to Kodaikanal but the opening hours was nowhere written on internet pages.

So its open only on Fridays that also only in morning for 10-12, so guys keep this in mind, I am writting this here to bring into attention.

Anyways better luck next time. This place is near to upper lake view point so plan in such a way that once you go for this place you cover upper lake view also.

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Stunning Sunrise

And here come the difficult part of my Trip to Kodaikanal taking photographs during sunrise/sunset. Taking pictures during sunset was not that difficult but for sunrise, taking pictures was not that difficult, getting up early to do so was the most difficult part. All these pictures I took during early morning. Cooled was too much at that time of the day and above that wind was blowing fast that made things worst during taking thiese pictures.

I took this pictures sitting at Hotels lawn, I think Villa Retreat and Hotel Kodai Resort in Kodaikanal are the only two hotel where you can take some good pictures with out covering city buildings and ofcourse Hotel Carlton is best near Lake but same time its very expensive. Anyways enjoy some of my pictures.

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Tibetan welfare Association

There are few shops around Kodaikanal lake which sale winter clothing and owned by Tibetan nationals who immigrated from Tibet not just to earn money but to breadth air in freedom. Once we started our uphill journey to kodaikanal city I saw at some places hills were written with SAVE TIBET slogans. I was little amazed at first instance and to my surprise I found shops around lake owned by Tibetan people.

During my stay in Gujarat state of India, I saw these people selling winter clothing during winter in various cities of Gujarat. But to see them here in Kodaikanal it was really surprising. And all these shop people settled in tamilnadu since last 10-15 years. They were all able to speak good Tamil language and talking to them brought some hardship they were facing in their country to live free life and struggle for freedom. And all these facts about Tibet is not hidden from world. I hope some day they will get what they want.

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Activities around Kodaikanal Lake



1) WALKING-- Approximately around 5 kms of pavement is available for walking. During morning and evening we can see local and tourist walking around lake on this path. And I think this is best way to enjoy scenery around lake and have some physical activity. It will take time to go around this lake but the path is really good. Carry bottle of water along with you and enjoy lake and shops around this lake.

2) CYCLING-- We can hire cycle for some time for very nominal fee. This is also the best way to move around lake. I did not took bicycle instead I walked around lake and took some good pictures.

3) HORSE RIDING-- Near lake we can find place/stand for Horse riding. Riding horse is not that expensive but Horse keeper will not take us around lake instead he will take us just for 1 kms and come back to stand. Which I think for the money they are charging is less but if you just want to have fun then its alright.

4) SHOPPING--Around lake you will find lot of shops for Eating, Home made chocolates which is very famous in Kodaikanal ( you can have taste of it, its not expensive but not that good ), Local Masala Chai of Kodaikanal. I just loved that Kodaikanal Chai. I hope you will enjoy too. There are few shops that sell winter clothing and this winter cloths sold by Tibetan people is really good quality.