Top Tourist Places To Visit in Ooty

Ooty is a popular hill station in Tamil Nadu, situated in the Nilgiri Hills. The name is shortened from Ootacamund, the anglicised form of Udhagamandalam. The place is also referred to as Udhagai. The name has been derived from ‘othakal-mund’ which means ‘house in mountains’. Thought it was initially occupied by the Toda community, Ooty was established under the British regime as the summer headquaters for Madras. The economy of this hill station receives the maximum contribution from tourism and agriculture.

This city had been titled ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ by the British for its immense beauty and splendid views of the valleys and Nilgiri Mountains. Ooty has a very hospitable climate throughout the year. The average maximum is 25 degree Celsius. Honeymooning couples, nature enthusiasts and people who want a recluse from the city life flock this place round the calendar. The number of tourist attractions in and around is more than most hill stations of India.

Climate & Geography

Ooty is a hill station located in the Nilgiri Mountains. It is situated at an elevation of 2,240 m, located 80 km north of Coimbatore. The climate of this place is subtropical highland which keeps it pleasant throughout the year. Summers are very moderate while winters are somewhat cold. Monsoon showers range from moderate to heavy and enhance the beauty of this town immensely. This is because many new plantations grow at this time.

Transportation

Ooty is very well-connected with the rest of the country and internationally also.

Air: Coimbatore Airport is the nearest one; around 3-4 hours’ drive away. There are direct flights from many major cities of India, Singapore and Colombo.

Rail: A night train runs from Chennai to the Nilgiri Mountains, named The Nilgiri Express that connects to Ooty.

Roadways: Ooty is situated on National Highway NH 67 that links it to other cities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Regular bus services are available from many cities to travel to Ooty.

Local Transport: This hill station can be covered through taxis, tourist cabs, auto rickshaws and town buses. All these modes are readily available.

Shopping & Entertainment

The popular products from this region are tea, eucalyptus oil, chocolates, honey, spices and gourmet cheese. Tourists should be careful when buying and be certain about the authenticity of the products. Horse riding and playing golf at the club are some of the ways to entertain oneself apart from revelling in the beauty.