TRAVEL SPECIAL .....PLACES YOU MUST VISIT IN SOUTHERN INDIA

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT IN SOUTHERN INDIA





Wish to escape the Urban Jungle and spend some time relaxing? 

Visiting the following places might just help you achieve that

OOTY

Ooty or Udhagamandalam is situated 95 kilometers from Coimbatore International Airport. When in Ooty, you can visit the Ooty Lake, St. Stephen's Church, Botanical Garden, Stone House, Fernhill Palace, Murugan Temple and Rose Garden. Kamaraj Sagar Lake, Pine Forest, Pykara Waterfalls, Doddabetta Peak and Catherine Waterfalls are some other places that can be on your list. The tiny toy train making its way through the Nilgiri Mountains to reach your destination can be a fun part of your visit; the kids are going to love the experience. The place has a certain colonial charm which will take you back in time.

Munnar

“This beautiful hill station in Kerala is known for its tea plantation-lined mountains, exotic spices and greenery.

The Mattupetty Dam with its lake and Indo-Swiss farm is bliss redefined. Keep a day to explore the splendid wilderness and rare fauna of Eravikulam National Park,“ says an expert from Make My Trip. Located 1600m above sea level, this place used to be the summer resort of the British government during the colonial era, traces of the colonial era can be witnessed even now.

Coorg

Coorg or Kodagu is known for its coffee and rolling green hills. Madekari Fort, Abbey Falls, Iruppu Falls, Nagarhole National Park and Omkareshwara Temple are the popular tourist destinations. Nikhil Medappa a sound designer from Mumbai says “I went to coorg in September. The place is lush green and sipping on a cup of coffee while admiring the beauty of the place is the best thing to do. If you are looking for some calm and wish to escape the hectic city life then this is the place for you.“

Yercaud

Located 4970 ft. above sea level, Yercaud is a lesser-known hill town in Tamil Nadu. You can visit the Big lake, Servaroyan Temple, where you can witness the cave temple of Servaroyan and idols of river deities.Plus there are coffee plantations, trekking jaunts, a botanical garden, the Killiyur Falls that you can visit. “If you wish to visit some offbeat places then locales like Pallakad and Bekal are emerging strongly on the radar. Poovar Island is also an ideal remote getaway location,“ says Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head Leisure Travel & MICE of a travel and travel related financial services company.

Kodaikanal

A simple town with a number of things to offer -Kodaikanal Lake, Bryant Park and Coaker's Walk are amongst the top destinations that tourist visit when here. The Bear Shola Falls, Pine Forests, the infamous Guna Caves, the Silver Cascade Waterfall and Dolphin's Nose are some attractions in and around Kodaikanal.Kodaikanal has managed to retain its old world charm despite the popularity and commercialisation.

Hampi

The ruins of Hampi has been gaining popularity amongst travelers. It can be a quick weekend away since you may only need a day or two to explore the place, however, if you plan to linger around then planning a longer trip would be helpful. If you visit the place in January, you can experience the Hampi Utsav. Make sure you also visit Sanapur Lake.

“I was on a business trip to Bangalore and thus over the weekend decided to visit the UNESCO world heritage site Hampi.Best way to see this place is by foot or by hiring a bicycle. You can visit the Garuda Stone Charriot, Vithala Temple Gopuram, Virupaksha Temple which is the oldest site,“ says Suresh Srinivasan a Marketing profession from New Delhi.

Pooja Mahimkar Oct 31 2017 : The Economic Times (Mumbai)