subject: Kodaikanal, Popularly Known As "the Princess Of Hill Stations", Is Located At A Distance Of About 50 [print this page] Kodaikanal, popularly known as "The Princess of Hill Stations", is located at a distance of about 500 kms away from Bangalore. Kodaikanal is one of the most excellent hill stations in the whole of southern India. It is situated at a distance of 7,200 feet above sea level amidst the beautiful Nilgiri Mountain Ranges of the Western Ghats. Kodaikanal town is situated on a plateau above the upper Palani Hills at a height of 2,133 meters between the Parappar and Gundar Valleys of the Western Ghats. It is in the centre of this valley that the Kodaikanal Lake, a manmade lagoon of 5 km circumference, is situated.
Kodaikanal is a travellers paradise. The main attractions in Kodaikanal include Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Bear Shola Falls, Green Valley View (popular as suicide point), Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Pillar Rocks, Guna caves, Silver Cascade, Dolphin's Nose, Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple and Berijam Lake among others.
Travelling from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is moderately easy. Though both the cities are not directly connected by air transport, proximity of Kodaikanal to Madurai (126 km) and Coimbatore (180km) airports makes the air travel easy. There are direct flights from Bangalore to Coimbatore and Bangalore to Madurai. Both airports provide passenger services like restaurants and pre-paid taxi services. Taxis are available from both airports to Kodaikanal. They charge upwards of INR 4,000. Travel time from Coimbatore to Kodaikanal by cab is around 5 hours, amidst scenic settings. Time taken to reach Kodaikanal from Madurai by car is approximately three and a half hours.
Rail connectivity from Bangalore to Kodaikanal is fairly good. Two trains, Nagarcoil express and Tuticorn Express connects Bangalore to Kodaikanal (Kodai Road station). The train takes approximately 10 hours time to reach from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. Advance booking of train tickets is recommended in case of travel with elders and children, especially during the peak seasons April to June and September to October. Online booking and instant confirmation of tickets are possible in these trains.
Traveling from Bangalore to Kodaikanal by road is the most convenient as many buses ply between these towns. These buses are run by both private and government agencies. Private providers provide different types of buses like airbus, AC luxury seater, AC sleeper, Semi sleeper, and 2 X 2 coaches. The bus tickets cost to the upwards of INR 300/- depending on the facilities provided. Travelling by bus is recommended to backpackers and lone travellers.
Hiring taxi is another alternative to travel from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. Private taxis with or without A/C are available in plenty. They charge a tariff ranging from INR 8,000 to INR 14,000 for a round trip.
