Charming, pretty Coonoor is a quiet little hill station in the Nilgiris. The green hills of Coonoor are radiant with tea plantations, gardens and flowers. The whole hill station has an unpolluted, unhurried grace, making it quite the place for a peaceful sojourn. Though the town has traditionally been over shadowed by big brother and popular neighbour Ooty, Coonoor is definitely less commercialized and has a more predictable climate. The drive to Coonoor is breath-taking and winds around a dozen hairpin bends.
The market and commercial heart of the town is in Lower Coonoor and the residences are clustered in Upper Coonoor. Most of the bungalows are old-fashioned with lattice windows, red tiled roofs, manicured lawns and rose bushes. This scenic hill station makes for a lovely honeymoon destination, the sprawling tea gardens and the lush green hills. So travel to Coonoor and get one step closer to heaven.
How to Reach Coonoor?
By Air : The nearest airport is at Coimbatore 110 kms away, from where you can drive up to Connoor in about 2 hours.
By Rail : Lower Coonoor is connected by mountain rail but the nearest broad gauge railway station is in Mettupalayam (46kms). The Toy Train that plies between Ooty and Mettupalayam passes Coonoor. The Toy Train is a really fun and interesting experience. The journey is scenic and only takes about 3.5 hours.
By Road : Coonoor is well connected by road to all major towns and cities of Tamil Nadu. Regular buses ply to Coonoor from Ooty, Coimbatore and Kotagiri.
Best Time to Visit Coonoor
The best time to visit Coonoor is from October to February when the weather is pleasant and conducive enough for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
During the summer season, ranging from March to May, Coonoor experiences minimum temperature of 15°C and maximum temperature of 25°C. The summer season is followed by the monsoon season that stretches from June to September. Coonoor receives low to medium rainfall but it tends to get humid hence avoid visiting Coonoor at this time.
Things to do in Coonoor
The outdoor enthusiast will plenty of things to do in this lovely little hill town. Coonoor offers walking and trekking trails for the energetic, picnic spots for the slightly relaxed holidaymaker and absolutely fabulous scenic beauty all round!
Be sure to sample the food in the local restaurants and buy some tea to take back home!
Places Near Coonoor
The nearby places to visit are Ooty which is a popular hill station and lies 19 kms away and has several points of tourist interest including the Botanical gardens and a lovely lake where one can go boating. Trekking trails abound in this area and so do opportunities for horse riding.
The little town of Wellington just a few kilometers away is a quaint place of hills and dales and is well worth a days visit!
Hotels in Coonoor – Choice is Yours
There are numerous hotels in Coonoor ranging from 3-star, 4-star and 5-star deluxe to budget hotels.