Tourism
Couched amidst those gorgeous blue mountains of southern India, there is something special about the erstwhile British township of Ooty. Year after year, it draws tourists, adventure enthusiasts, honeymooners and the film industry like bees to nectar. Sure, many wise travelers believe that Ooty is a dump yard, a degraded, over-rated hill station, and so on. Nevertheless, the wiser one will see how Ooty can soothe strung-up nerves and become the backdrop for a wondrous holiday.
Ooty nestles in an amphitheatre created by four majestic hills. Doddabetta, Snow don, Elk Hill and Club Hill. These hills are part of the Nilgiri ranges that are really the meeting point for the Western and the Eastern Ghats. But why the blue mountains one would naturally wonder at the name. Do rest assured, when the lavender-blue flowers of the famous Strobilanthes cover the hills in floral profusion, it would be time to stop wondering, for it is these funnel-shaped blossoms that are the reason for the name.

The great charm of Ooty is not so much the specific tourist destination; it is, in fact, the long lovely walks that it offers. Anywhere you go, the serenity of the Nilgiris will be all around you. Specially the strategic points from where one could either see Ooty or the view all around, like Snow don, Ketty Valley, the Wenlock Downs and, of course, Doddabetta. Further, one could hire a horse either near the boathouse or at the Savoy. for a slightly more exhilarating excursion in and around town.
   With a large number of popular hill stations of the Himalayas snuffed out or made inaccessible by violence and political upheaval, Ooty is now a hot spot for the filmwallah. So you must not be rattled to find your peaceful walks punctuated by sudden crowds and an outlandishly attired couple running around a grove of eucalyptus tree. The eucalyptuses are quite a part of the Ooty landscape. They even fuel a small oil industry, so it is common to find eucalyptus oil in the shops at Ooty. These tall, lanky trees seemed much at home on the slopes around. Many a traveler may feel that Ooty and the Nilgiris lack the awe, mystique and drama of the Himalayas. One can only feel sorry for the cynical traveler who failed to catch the pulse of Ooty' s charm. More so the Nilgiris. For the lush green serenity of these southern hills of India would be difficult to find anywhere else. A summer of peace and uncluttered, cool days is what the Nilgiris offer, with their resonant echoes of a rich and tangible Dravidian culture.

Sightseeing

Move around the town and revel in the scenic surroundings. The Botanical Garden is an ideal tourist spot besides being a source of information about the regions flora. For those who like to enjoy boat rides and fishing, a visit to the Ooty Lake is a must. Besides these, there are various view points like Lambs Rock, Kodanadu and Dodabetta Peak that offer fascinating views of the surrounding plains and hills.

Excursions

Excursions around Ooty prove to be an equally interesting experience. A visit to the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary gives you an idea of the regions fauna and fauna. The trip to hill stations of Kotagiri and Coonor complement the visit to Ooty. Some of the other places you can go out for excursion are Kalhatty Waterfalls, Sims Park, Dolphins Nose, Mukurthi, and Avalanche.

Transportation

By Air: The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away. You can catch a direct flight to Coimbatore from Chennai, Kozhikode, Bangalore and Mumbai. Indian Airlines flies Delhi-Kochi via Mumbai and Coimbatore.

By Train: Trains connect Udhagamandalam indirectly to the rest of the country. One can take a train up to Coimbatore and then the enchanting Nilgiri Mountain Railway, better known as the toy train. It is one of the few remaining diesel engine trains and although it spits up huge dark clouds of pollution, it is a major tourist attraction and a reminder of the Indian railways' glorious beginning. The nearest broad-gauge railway head from Udhagamandalam is in the minor Mettupalayam, which is 46 km away. Mettupalayam is connected to Udhagamandalam by a four-hour journey on the Mountain Railway. The major broad-gauge railway junction is Coimbatore. Coimbatore is connected with all major cities.

► more details go to next page