Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, at about 2,133 metres in the Palani hills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district, is one of South India's most beloved hill stations — affectionately called the "Princess of Hill Stations" for its gentle, misty charm, in contrast to the grander "Queen," Ooty.

• Founded by American missionaries and British officials in the 1840s as a cool retreat from the plains, it remains a town of pine and eucalyptus forest, flower gardens, old stone churches and boarding schools, and a famously bracing climate.
• Its centrepiece is the Kodai Lake, a beautiful star-shaped artificial lake created in 1863, ringed by a shaded path where visitors row boats, pedal cycles, and ride horses around its 5-km circumference.
• The mist-wreathed Coaker's Walk, a 1-km cliff-edge promenade built in 1872, offers (on clear days) a spectacular view over the plains far below and the chance of seeing the rare "Brocken spectre"; the Pillar Rocks, three giant granite columns rising 122 metres, the Dolphin's Nose viewpoint, the Bear Shola Falls and Silver Cascade, Bryant Park's flower gardens, and the Berijam Lake in the reserve forest round out the sights.
• Kodaikanal is also famous for the Kurinji flower, which carpets the hills in violet blooms once every twelve years.
• The pine forests along the Pillar Rocks road, the Silver Cascade waterfall on the ghat, and the serene Berijam Lake deep in the reserve forest (permit required) make rewarding day excursions for those staying longer than a weekend in the lake town.
• For vegetarian travellers, Kodaikanal is a treat: the town is renowned for its homemade chocolates (sold at dozens of shops), its fresh hill fruit and homemade cheeses, hot South Indian vegetarian meals and tiffin, and steaming filter coffee against the cool air.
• The best months are September to May, with the misty monsoon a quieter, atmospheric season.