Coonoor is a taluk and a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a beautiful hill station and known for its production of Nilgiri tea. Coonoor is one of the popular Places to visit in Tamilnadu and among the best hill stations near Bangalore.
At an altitude of 6,000 feet above sea level, Coonoor is famous for its verdant environs and for a variety of wildflowers and birds. It is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Toy Train) is one of the oldest mountain railways in India. The train ride in the midst of the Nilgiris, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an unforgettable travel experience. Coonoor is among the must include place in your Ooty tour packages.
Coonoor provides the travellers with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, with its ravines, valleys and waterfalls. The major attraction of Coonoor is Sim's Park, a well-maintained Botanical Garden that houses several varieties of plants found missing in the other Hill Stations. It is spread over 12 hectares. Lambs Rock, Dolphins Nose, St. Catherine Falls, and Law's falls are some popular places to visit in Coonoor.
It is an ideal base for a number of trekking expeditions leading into the Nilgiris. One of the popular trekking trails is to Lamb's Rock that is 9 km from Coonoor. Lamb's Rock overlooks the Coimbatore plains, providing a spectacular view of the tea and coffee plantations. A little ahead of Lamb's Rock is located the Lady Canning's Seat that offers a panoramic view of the Nilgiris. Bird watching is a popular pastime in Coonoor. It houses variety of birds such as thrushes, babblers, larks, cuckoos, robins, vultures, eagles and song birds. Coonoor started attracting more tourists these days due to buzzing over urbanization of Ooty.
A major fruit and vegetable festival is held in the month of May at the Sim's Park which draws a major crowd. The tea and tourism festival is another important festival of Coonoor held in the month of January. The festival attracts tea specialists from all over the world.
The Nearest airport is Coimbatore International Airport about 68 km from Coonoor town. Coonoor is connected by a meter gauge railway line in the world famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway between Mettupalayam and Ooty. Mettupalayam (32 km) and Coimbatore (68 km) are the nearest railway hubs to Coonoor. Coonoor is well-connected by road with Ooty, Coimbatore, Mysore and Bangalore.
South India has always been the popular choice for Indian and international tourists when it comes to a holiday destination. The sea, coupled with great experiences to enjoy, is what has visitors flocking here. While there are endless choices when it comes to picking the perfect holiday destination in South India, there are some that are a cut above. These places are home to some of the best sites and experiences for tourists to enjoy. We’ve listed them all in our guide to the best tourist places to see in South India.