Kodaikanal
Discover Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal is a hill station in the Palani Hill Range. It offers beautiful surrounding nature and considerably lower temperatures than other places in Tamil Nadu. It lies 7,200 ft (2,200 m) above sea level in the Dindigul District amongst the Western Ghats of India. In Tamil, Kanal means "forest", but Kodai, or Kodi can be pronounced differently and could mean "the end", denote a "creeper", mean "summer" or "gift". Most people today therefore go with "Gift of the Forest". Kodaikanal is termed as the "Princess of Hill stations." Agriculture and tourism are the major parts of its local economy. Unique to the Western Ghats, the Kurinji Flower is in full bloom around December once in 12 years, and it bathes the valley in a beautiful sea of blue. The name Nilgiri (blue mountains) was derived from the blue colour. It was last in full bloom in 2018.
Taste of Kodaikanal...
In the town and district you can barely buy bottled mineral water under 5 litres. Your accommodation may provide drinking water. But while walking through the streets and while visiting the natural beauties, you may not find bottled water in a handy size. Throughout the town are a few "water ATMs" which are made for bringing your own bottle, not for drinking directly from them. There is a shop near the bus stand, where you can get some standard Indian whisky, beer, vodka, etc. There are cottages and bungalows in addition to hotel rooms. If you stay somewhere 3-4 km from main city you might get cheaper cottages and bungalows with good view. But if you stay near the lake, you do not need to worry about food and you can have a nice walk in the evenings. You will see lots of monkeys in some parts of Kodaikanal, so be extra careful when moving with kids and carrying food. Try to ignore monkeys while passing by. Any abrupt move from you may convey the wrong message to these unpredictable creatures. Don't leave cash or any valuables in the hotel room. Cross check all hotel, restaurant and lounge bills for errors. Prefer to eat healthy breakfast so you don't get hungry quickly while exploring the high-altitude region or to not get lured into the various chocolate shops in town. Drink plenty of water and consume vitamins, especially when arriving from a flight. It will save you from dehydration and keep your immune level high.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe closest airports to Kodaikanal are Tiruchirappalli 150 km, Madurai 120 km and Coimbatore 175 km. You can get regular flights from Mumbai, Tiruchirappalli, Bangalore and Chennai. From any of these airports you can hire a private taxi, cab or take train and bus to reach Kodaikanal. Trains are available in frequent intervals but you can choose to go by private taxi if you are in real hurry. The nearest railway station is Kodai Road, at a distance of 100 km. From Kodai Road station, one can travel only by road. Taxis are available for hire up to Kodaikanal but since these might be the only mode of transport here, the prices are often not negotiable. Another railway station that is quite close is Dindigul Railway Station. It is easier to come to Kodaikanal using this station, as Dindigul is a much bigger city. Once you get off at the Dindigul Railway station, you can get an auto rickshaw to come to the Dindigul Bus Stand....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The central region of Kodaikanal is highly compact which makes it easy to get around on foot. Though auto-rickshaws are not available in this part, tour operators and taxis are there to take you to different sightseeing destinations. The charges of taxis are fixed and significantly high. The minimum fare for a taxi ride is ₹300 (Feb 2026) with 3 km included. There is a drop charge of ₹500 (Feb 2026) for the village Vattakanal. Inside of Kodaikanal you can take a regional bus, which goes to another town or village, for example along the road north to Vilpatti, west to Poombarai and east to Perumalmalai. The fare is about ₹7-10 (Feb 2026). If you think that you are fit enough to challenge the hills then you can hire mountain bikes from different bicycle stalls around the lake. The biggest grocery store is 10.23467377.4953641 Reliance Smart Point followed by 10.2368477.4953592 MSM Stores and 10.2387777.4968743 Star Supermarket.
Where to Stay
There are cottages and bungalows in addition to hotel rooms. If you stay somewhere 3-4 km from main city you might get cheaper cottages and bungalows with good view. But if you stay near the lake, you do not need to worry about food and you can have a nice walk in the evenings. You will see lots of monkeys in some parts of Kodaikanal, so be extra careful when moving with kids and carrying food. Try to ignore monkeys while passing by. Any abrupt move from you may convey the wrong message to these unpredictable creatures. Don't leave cash or any valuables in the hotel room. Cross check all hotel, restaurant and lounge bills for errors. Prefer to eat healthy breakfast so you don't get hungry quickly while exploring the high-altitude region or to not get lured into the various chocolate shops in town. Drink plenty of water and consume vitamins, especially when arriving from a flight. It will save you from dehydration and keep your immune level high.
Money & Budget
The biggest grocery store is 10.23467377.4953641 Reliance Smart Point followed by 10.2368477.4953592 MSM Stores and 10.2387777.4968743 Star Supermarket. There is a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM near the petrol pump at the Seven Road Junction which accepts other banks cards as well. In the town and district you can barely buy bottled mineral water under 5 litres. Your accommodation may provide drinking water. But while walking through the streets and while visiting the natural beauties, you may not find bottled water in a handy size. Throughout the town are a few "water ATMs" which are made for bringing your own bottle, not for drinking directly from them. There is a shop near the bus stand, where you can get some standard Indian whisky, beer, vodka, etc.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
You will see lots of monkeys in some parts of Kodaikanal, so be extra careful when moving with kids and carrying food. Try to ignore monkeys while passing by. Any abrupt move from you may convey the wrong message to these unpredictable creatures. Don't leave cash or any valuables in the hotel room. Cross check all hotel, restaurant and lounge bills for errors. Prefer to eat healthy breakfast so you don't get hungry quickly while exploring the high-altitude region or to not get lured into the various chocolate shops in town. Drink plenty of water and consume vitamins, especially when arriving from a flight. It will save you from dehydration and keep your immune level high. Even though, Kodaikanal is surrounded by greenery, it has got its share of pollution issues. Diesel vehicles run in plenty and pollution can be felt within city areas. As like any other Indian city, burning and dumping of garbage in open is very common. Exercise care.