a tourists comparative assement of Munnar ,kodaikanal , Ooty

KANISHK

Kindly make a brief comparative assessment of Munnar ,kodaikanal , Ooty from tourists point of view. If possible rank them in 1 to 10 scale

rangss

Kodai and Ooty are much the same save for the fantastic train ride to Ooty.

Munnar is more recent of the two and hence a better option...but it is crowded, mind you.

My scale rating:

Ooty: 7 (mainly for the train ride)
Kodai: 7 (mainly because it is cheap)
Munnar: 8.

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...and I took the road less travelled.

KANISHK

Thank u for ranking. I will certainly take it into account duning my visit. any more Reccomendations from any one.

livin-in-india

have only been to kodai and it is nice, but not great.

i hear from everyone around here (the locals of mysore) that ooty is getting overdeveloped. avoid it on weekends when the bangalore people attack.

i totally love coorg, and would probably not write that on-line if it were in the north and at threat for over-tourism. but this is the south, and there aren't as many travelers. so, i say, go to coorg. it is lush, tropical, abundant, full of coffee plantations and forests, delightful wide views, amazing sunsets, and great people.

coorgis, as they are known, are a unique ethnic stock. they think they are pre-islamic arab. as compared to other indians, they are more honest, interesting (to me), global in perspective, respectful, etc. i like 'em. and the women are beautiful. they are lighter and have sharper features.

they drink a lot (which i don't), and love pork (again, i don't). lot of them live posh lives on their coffee plantations.

it is fun to go there and stay with a family on their plantation- try pompeii valley which is the name of three eco-cottages towards the back of a delightful family's down-to-earth estate. enjoy dinner with them, walking in nature. chilling out. the sounds of nature, and thousands of varieties of vegetation outside your window. the father tom who is in his mid-30s is a great guy to hang with.

john.sw

This is an impossible question to answer because "tourists" are not all the same!

I can only speak of Kodai and Ooty...

Some tourists like to go boating on the lake or walking in the Botanical Gardens. Others like to go shopping.

Some tourists enjoy local history and architecture. Others prefer to promenade in the streets, buy a silly hat and go for coffee.

Some like to stay in town, wandering through the markets, when others prefer to explore the surrounding countryside.

Some like trekking, whilst others like to go on a filmy chakkar!

Kodai and Ooty are similar in age, and share "tourist attractions" like their boating lakes.

Kodai has some lovely viewpoints over the plains within walking distance of the town centre - you have to run the gauntlet of gift stalls to get there, but the views are stunning. In Ooty you need transport to get to the high peaks of Ooty at Doddabeta (where the western ghats meet the eastern ghats), the Pykara Falls or the wildlife sanctuary at Mudamulai.

If you're into Bollywood, then Ooty would be your choice. You can visit many of the famous filming places on a coach with other fans for a few rupees.

The Toy Train in Ooty is now a World Heritage site - said to be one of the world's 10 best train rides. It's well worth the experience, but I'm not a railway nut, so wouldn't rush to ride the train again although I'd be happy to take friends for the ride.

For my money, the outskirts of Ooty are where the fun is. Beautiful unspoilt countryside, amazing views, and the peace and quiet that you can't get in any town.

My experience is that Kodai is as cheap/expensive as Ooty, but there is only really one top class hotel (the Carlton) whereas Ooty has several excellent hotels to choose from.

To sum up: it all depends on what your interests are and what you want to do when you get there.

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www.nilgiris.asia your guide to the Nilgiris, Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur

KANISHK

Thank you all for the precious bit of info

himadventures

I am of the view that once a place becomes famous like MUNNAR- avoid it. find something new...few kms. here and there...that will be freah and origional.

MUNNAR,KODAI and OOTY are over crowded.