Tamil Nadu
India Travel Guide to the State of the Far South

TAMIL NADU

India is a country to explore and be adventurous in. In southern India, Kerala is the prime destination for tourism. Just over its border, however, the state of Tamil Nadu offers visitors a chance to experience a part of India that is far less altered by tourism, and which has some of the most beauitiful scenery in the country.

If you cross over the Keralan border in the Western Ghat mountains, you may notice that the language of the people changes, and signs are less commonly translated into English. You may also observe how many more Hindu temples and shrines there are as you pass through the towns and villages.

This guide covers a few destinations in Tamil Nadu India. It is not a comprehensive state guide, but is meant as a 'companion' to the Kerala section of this website. The places covered in these pages are ones that we have travelled to, and so all the advice here is based on first-hand experiences.

Across The Border From Kerala

Ooty

In Tamil Nadu's district of The Nilgiris, Ooty is the best known hill station of Tami Nadu and is sometimes referred to as the 'Queen of Hill Stations.' The town of Ooty is chaotic (as with so many Indian towns) but the surrounding hills offer peace and solitude in the lovely emerald green landscape of the Blue Mountain region of the Western Ghats. Easy to access from Wayanad in Kerala.

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Coonoor

Quieter than Ooty and only 17 kms further south, Coonoor offers visitors a chance to explore the green hills, visit working tea factories and buy the local brew. Coonoor is connected with Ooty via the Nilgiri Mountain steam train which climbs past hills, forests, waterfalls and tea fields a it makes its way through the Nilgiri hills.

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Kodaikanal

The small town of Kodaikanal sits at 2100m above sea level in Tamil Nadu's Western Ghats. Often in or above the clouds, Kodai is wonderfully located amid dense pine forests, deep and rocky valleys and streams that cascade down the mountainside. Getting cosy in front of a fire is one of the great pleasures of a chilly Kodai night. Easily accessed from Munnar in Kerala.

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The 'Southern Tip' of India

Kanyakumari

India's southern most point where the waters of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet in one of the longest sea horizons you are ever likely to see while in India! The town is rough around the edges, feels very exposed and is undeniably romantic in a surreal sort of way because from whichever direction you come, this is the end of India.

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If you want to travel to Tamil Nadu India, get familiar with Indian transport by taking a look at our getting around India page. This page includes useful tips on train travel, buses, tuk tuks and more.

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