A RIVER SUTRA

AMBRRA RIVER RESORT

HOW TO GET THERE

The resort is an hour-and-a-half, by road from Coimbatore or Palakkad (both about 50 km away). Coimbatore is the closest airport. Pollachi (11 km) has a railway junction, but the nearest major rail head is Palakkad.

THINGS TO DO

Relax. Smell the earth, listen to the river and watch the birds. Enjoy the lush green fields and trek up the ghats. The hotel organizes trips to important spots such as Valparai and Top slip for Rs. 250/- per person. There is also a heritage tour to temples in the area.

The dams in Aliyar, Sholayar and Kadamparai are very close by.

TARIFF

A double bed A/C cottage costs Rs. 1,500/- on weekends and Rs. 1,200/- on weekdays. This includes the complimentary breakfast.

Non A/C cottages are available on weekdays for Rs. 850/-. An extra bed costs. Rs. 250/-.

For reservations contact: 9750761001, 9750761002, 9750761008 or

Email: infor@ecotour.co.in or ambrraresorts@gmail.com.

Visit: www.ecotour.co.in

BACKWATER HOMESTAY

                         ANTHRAPER GARDENS

                         A HOME ON THE BACK WATERS

                        HOW TO GET THERE


                        Cherthala is a 45-minute drive from Kochi and 30 minutes from Alleppey


                        THINGS TO DO

Ride a canoe on the backwaters, get a traditional Kerala massage, go fishing, sight-seeing, or head towards the beach.

TARIFF

The rates vary according to season. It ranges from Rs. 4,000/- to       Rs. 6,000/- for single rooms and Rs. 4,000/- to Rs. 8,000 for double rooms.

For details, call” 91-478-2813211 or

Mail: ranibachani@sify.com or

Visit: www.anthrapergardens.com

MISTY HEIGHTS

BLACKBERRY HILLS RESORT, MUNNAR

HOW TO GET THERE

The resort is well connected by road from major South Indian cities such as Cochin (140 km), Madurai (147 km) and Coimbatore (156 km), Alleppey (190 km) and Thiruvananthapuram (302 km).

THINGS TO DO

Go on a sight-seeing trip to nearby waterfalls and dams.

Take a guide and follow adventure trails, go trekking, mountain biking, and explore villages.

Go for hotel-organized jungle camps. The staff helps in organizing traditional games such as pakida, chaturangam and pallankuzhi

Stay indoors for an ayurvedic massage or read books from the small library.

TARIFF

Standard Cottages -Rs. 5,000/-
Deluxe Cottages- Rs. 5,750/-
Luxury Cottages-Rs. 6,500/- plus 15% tax.
The charge for an extra person is Rs. 1,000/-

This information gathered from a news paper.

HERE COMES THE SUN

THE CLARIDGES, SURAJKUND, HARYANA

Surajkund is not so far, after all 45 minutes drive from East Delhi by car.

THINGS TO DO

You can pay a visit to the 2000- year old sun temple surrounded by the Aravallis.

There is also an impressive sun pool with an amphitheater built by Raja Surajmal, after whom the place got its name. A quaint lake offers laid back boat rides under azure skies. If visiting in early February, you can enjoy the famous Surajkund Mela organized by Haryana Tourism.

TARIFF

The Claridge hotel has two introductory offers until September 30.

On weekdays, a one night stays in a deluxe room costs. Rs. 7,150/- excluding taxes. It includes buffet breakfast at oasis.

On weekends, one night and two days stay in a deluxe room costs Rs. 9,000/- excluding taxes. It includes a non-alcoholic welcome drink, sparkling wine with Sunday brunch at Oasis, 15% discount on food and beverages, happy hours at Bluebar, one complimentary massage, and late check out at 4 p.m.

For reservations, contact: 0129-4190000 or
email: resv.surajkund@claridges.com

This message is gathered from diffrent tourism web site.

OOTY

Often Referred to as 'The Queen of Hill Stations', Udhagamandalam, known as Ooty, is one of the most scenic and visited hill stations of India. Nestling at a height of 2240 m in Nilgiri's, Ooty is situated at a distance of nearly 105 Km from the famous city of Coimbatore. The scenery is surely the main attracting factor for tourists, but the other major reason for the huge inflow of the tourists is the salubrious climate that remains throughout the year.

Ooty first came into limelight when British found it in the year 1800. Although Ooty was inhabited way before, it was only in the nineteenth century that it became famous. Ooty was later chosen as the summer capital of the Chennai Presidency. The first railway track in Southern India also came up in Ooty. In fact, you can still take a ride in the one of the last few remaining steam trains in India that still operates here in Ooty. Apart from enjoying the splendors of Ooty leisurely, you can also indulge in some thrilling adventure sports like trekking, para gliding and hiking.

The attractions of the city !

Botanical Garden :

Botanical garden consists of numerous ornamental plants that adorn this garden. Botanical Garden is also the venue for the famous Flower Show held in May every year. The show itself attracts tourist from around the country and from foreign countries as well. The main attraction of the park is a fossil tree trunk which is proved to be more than 20 million years old.

Government Museum :

For all you history and culture buffs who wish to know more about the unique past and present of Tamil Nadu.the Government Museum is a must visit. Situated on Mysore road, the museum showcases items like tribal artefacts, district's ecological details and representative sculptural arts and crafts of this wonderful state.

The Mukurthi Peak & Mukurthi National Park :

Mukurthi Peak and the national park are situated about 40 Km from Ooty. The Mukurthi National Park is located on the South Eastern corner of the Nilgiri's Plateau. The area contains a noticeable population of Nilgiri Thar (Hamitragus hilocrius). The famous silent Valley is located on the Western side of these ranges.

St. Stephen's Church :

St. Stephen's Church is one of the oldest churches in entire South India. It is located on the Mysore road, near the Collectorate and dates back to the days of Rt. Hon'ble Stephen Rumbold Lushington, the then Governor of Madras. He laid the foundation for the church on April 23, 1829, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV. There are stained-glass painting on the Eastern side as well as behind the chancel. However the main attraction of the church is the glass paintings depicting Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On the Western wall, above the paneled doorways, is a large life-like painting of the Last Supper.

Pykara :

Situated about 21 Kms/13 Mile on the Ooty-Mysore Road, boasts of well protected fenced Sholas, Todas settlement, undisturbed grassy meadows and also a good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam and the reservoir attracts many tourists.



Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary :

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Nilgiri's District bordering Kerala as well as Karnataka State. The park is situated at an altitude of 1000 meters and covers an area of 321 sq. kms. The main fauna species found here are Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse, Wild Boar, Parcupine etc.

Doddabetta :

Doddabetta is the highest peak (2623 meters) in the Nilgiri's and is only 10 km away from Ooty. Lying at the junction of Western & Eastern Ghats, it is a must visit attractions for all tourists. The lofty heights of Doddabetta offers beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hills ranges. There is also a telescope house run by TTDC.

What to shop :

Some of the most sought after items in Ooty are Eucalyptus oil, Honey, Cinchona products, coffee and Tea. Most of the shops are open from 9 am to till 8pm. Municipal Market, Co-operative Super Market and Upper and Lower Bazaar Roads are the main shopping destinations of Ooty.

Accessibility :

» By Air : Coimbatore at a distance of 100 Km is the nearest airport which is connected to Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.

» By Road : Ooty is connected by good motor able road to Chennai and Coimbatore. There are regular bus services connecting Ooty to Coimbatore, Trichy and Bangalore

» By Rail : Ooty on the narrow gauge railway is connected to Mettupalayam which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai.

» Close to the wheels :

Chennai - 539 k.m Bangalore - 290 k.m
Cochin - 281 k.m Coonoor - 13 k.m
Coimbatore - 98 k.m Koidaikanal - 236 k.m
Yercaud - 237 k.m

This information is gathered from a tourist web site.

Kodaikanal

The place is Kodaikanal, secludedly situated 2100 meters above sea level, in the beautiful Palani Hills. Kodaikanal is 120 Kms from the bustling city of Madurai and at least tens and thousands of Kilometers from the mundane. Perhaps why those who visited this hill station have come back enchanted and thrilled.

Sky link : The nearest airport is at Madurai (120 km from Kodaikanal).

Rail link : The nearest railway stations are the Kodai Road Railway Station (80-km) and the Palani Railway Station (64-km).

Terrestrial link : Kodaikanal is connected by road with Chennai (520-km), Ooty (264-km), Trichy (197-km), Coimbatore (175-km), Kumili (160-km), and Madurai(120-km). Regular bus services are available from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore. Additional buses ply during the season. Taxis and vans are available for local transportation. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal

Arriving in Kodai town, one is enticed by orchards of pear trees with their graceful branches silhouetted in artistic curves against the evening sky like stark Zen etchings. Buildings with gabled roof dot the skyline. Broken fragments of light from the setting sun are caught and kindled in the wind-rippled water appearing like a myriad lamp floating on the lake. Soon, as though on cue, lights start twinkling all over the hillside, and even the stars pick up the message, and heaven and earth are a riot of light, as though beaming messages of goodwill to each other.

The name Kodaikanal means the "gift of the forest". Situated in the state of Tamil Nadu, among the Palani Hills, Kodaikanal is one of the unexplored destinations of southern India. With its intoxicating air, breathtaking scenery and serenity that you can hardly find in any other hill station, Kodaikanal is an ideal summer resort for the travel buffs of the southern plains.

The Lake - is a star shaped lake spread over an area of 24 hectares and has been wonderfully landscaped. Boating facilities are available and the 4km long promenade skirting it is very popular.

Flora & Fauna Museum : located at the Sacred Heart College is a 6km hike from the town centre, but definitely worth a visit. The Orchidarium here has about 300 species of orchids and other exotic plants.


Astrophysical Observatory : built in 1889, this laboratory stands on the highest point in the area. The observatory is used mainly for research in meteorology and solar physics. It also houses a small museum.

Bryant Park : is a botanical park situated on the eastern side of the lake. It was landscaped and stocked by a British officer after whom it was named. Cut flowers are exported from here. In month of May, the annual horticultural show in held here.

Kurinji Andavar Temple : is a small temple located 3km northeast of the Lake and is dedicated to Lord Murugan.

Water Falls : there are numerous waterfalls in the area such as Bear Shola Falls, Silver Cascade, Fairy Falls and Glen Falls, which are popular picnic spots.

Coaker's Walk : is a one kilometer walk from the lake that offers good views. It derives its name from Lt. Coaker, who had prepared the map of Kodaikanal. There is a Telescope House here from where visitors can have a panoramic view of the valley and nearby township.

Pillar Rocks : located about 7km from the lake, there are three rocks magnificently jutting into the sky to a height of about 400ft. the views from here are spectacular.

Accommodation

Kodaikanal offers good accommodation facilities to the tourists. The TTDC run Hotel Tamil Nadu on Fern Hill Road is one example where comfortable accommodation is provided to tourists.

Coonoor

The serene hill station of Coonoor lies in the arms of the Nilgiri Hills. In fact Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1800 m. Geographically speaking, Coonoor lies at the head of Hulikal ravine.This picturesque retreat is covered by grassy meadows, tea bushes, a profusion of sunflowers, marigolds and rhododendrons, all growing wild. Coonoor is essentially a small tea garden town where the weather remains pleasantly cool throughout the year.

Links with the world Coonoor does not have an airport of its own. The nearest airport is in Coimbatore. Coonoor is on the toy-train line between Mettupalayam (28 km) and Ooty. The toy train leaves Mettupalayam for Ooty at 7:45 am and arrives at Ooty at noon. The total time taken on the return trip back to Mettupalayam is about 3½ hours. However, this train service is often disrupted during the heavy monsoon season. Coonoor is well connected by bus with Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri.

Sim's Park

The Sim's Park is an important place to visit in Coonoor. It is a 12-hectare park, having a collection of over 1,000 plant species, including magnolia, pines, tree ferns, and camellia. The botanical garden developed partly in the Japanese style got its name after J. D. Sim, the secretary of the Madras Club in 1874. The key attraction of the park is the annual fruit and vegetable show held in May.

The Pasteur Institute

Very near to the Sim's Park, the Pasteur Institute came into existence in 1907. It specializes in the research for vaccines for rabies and polio.

The institute can be visited only on Saturdays. However, on other days, one can visit the institute with the prior permission of the Director of the Institute. The tour of the Institute is guided.

Pomological Station

The institute is a research center of the State Agricultural Department for persimmon, pomegranates, and apricot.

Accommodation

Coonoor is strategically located and is bestowed with the natural extravaganza of luxury. Regal and memorable ambience echoes with beauty & brilliance. The city of Coonoor offers it's visitors a gamut of hospitality which includes following hotels; Monarc Ritz, Ritz Road ; near Sim's Park, Blue Hills, Mount Road ; 1 km from central bus stand, Sri Lakshmi Tourist Home, Kamrajpuram, Rock by, Taj Garden Retreat, Hampton Manor , run by Taj group, YWCA Guest House, Wyoming, near the hospital.