Which is best – Ooty or Kodaikanal?

Geographically speaking, the Nilgiris Mountain that houses Ooty is located on the Western Ghats. Kodaikanal, on the other hand, is located on the Palani Hills, which is a part of the Eastern Ghats. Though the towns are on opposite sides, they both enjoy similar climatic conditions. Both the hill stations have plenty of forest cover and sightseeing spots.

When you’re deciding whether to travel to Ooty or Kodaikanal for your holiday, the distance and travel time are major factors that you need to consider. The nearest airport and railway station to Ooty is Coimbatore. Busses ply regularly from Coimbatore to Ooty. There is just one train from Chennai that travels up to Metupallayam that is located at the foothills of the Nilgiri Mountains. Travelers can travel up to Metupalayam in the train and take the Heritage train up to Ooty or go by bus. Taxis are also available from both Coimbatore and Metupallayam to Ooty.

The nearest airport to Kodaikanal is Madurai. The nearest railway station is Kodaikanal Road, which is at the foothills of the mountain. From here, you need to take a cab to the hill station. There are also buses that ply from many locations in Tamilnadu to Kodaikanal.

The next thing that you will think about after the travel distance is the things you can see and do in Ooty and Kodaikanal. There are plenty of tourist spots in Ooty such as Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, Pykara, Avalanche, Emerald Lake, and Doddabetta. If you have three to four days, you can also travel to Coonoor, Kotagiri, and Mudumalai. All these places are nearby on the Nilgiri Mountains. You can plan the places to visit based on your available time.

When compared to Ooty, there are not many tourist places in Kodaikanal. The lake at the center of the town is one of the major attractions. The other popular sightseeing places in Kodaikanal are Bryant Park, pillar rock, Kurinjiandavar Temple, Silver Cascade, and Kukal Cave. As for the things to do, in both places you go for boating, cycling, horse riding, hiking, trekking, and shopping.

The best time to visit Ooty is between March and May and again between September and October. If you want to visit Kodaikanal, you can plan your trip between March and September.

You can explore Kodaikanal in two days. As for Ooty, you may need 2 to 5 days. In two days, you can visit the major attractions in and around Ooty town. The remaining days, you can visit Coonoor, Kotagiri, or Mudumalai depending on the number of days you have.

The budget is also a major factor that you need to consider while planning your trip. On average, you will need a higher budget for Ooty compared to Kodaikanal. The expenses also depend on whether you are travelling during peak season or off-season. There are many budget hotels as well as resorts in Ooty and Kodaikanal where you can stay. To save on expenses, preferably book early. You can also save by booking tour packages in Ooty or Kodaikanal. These packages include accommodation, sightseeing, as well as pick up and drop. If you are not familiar with Ooty or Kodaikanal, then it would be a great idea to go for a tour package to save your time and money.

As we told you earlier, there is no end to the discussion of which is better - Ooty or Kodaikanal. Ooty is more commercial compared to Kodaikanal. At the same time, you may not have as many attractions and activities in Kodaikanal compared to Ooty. The crowds may be less in Kodaikanal but you have more options in Ooty. So, think of what exactly you want to do during your holidays and plan your budget to decide whether you want to travel to Ooty or Kodaikanal.