Places to visit :

• Ooty lake : OOTY lake is favourite tourist spots of the visitors. The lake covers an area of one and a half square miles, with a railway running along one bank. The large graveyard of St. Thomas's church, built in 1870, overlooks the lake. It has the tallest memorial of Ooty, a huge pillar surmounted by a cross, over the grave of William Patrick Adam, the Governor of Madras Presidency, who died in Ooty in 1881. Paddle boats or rowing boats are available for boating enthusiasts.

• Botanical Gardens : The Marquis of Tweeddale established the Botanical Gardens in 1848. The gardens lie on the lower slopes of Dodabetta peak, the highest point in Ooty. Clipped bushes in the form of elephants, with raised trunks, and other animals greet the visitors, all over the Gardens.  More than a thousand different species of plants including thirty odd varieties of eucalyptus. The Roman Catholic Cathedral, recently enlarged, can be seen on the road from Charing Cross to the Botanical Gardens.

• Charing Cross :It is a road junction with markets around it. A short walk from Charing Cross is the Spencers departmental store, which still sells its own Planter's Special cigars, made of Indian tobacco.

• Ootacmund Club :It is the most elegant British club. The British influences are very strongly found here.  The Ooty hunt, hunt for jackals is one of the main attractions of the club. Wenlock Downs, at Ooty Gymkhana Golf club offers an ideal place for a game of golf.

• Ooty races : This is the other major attraction. The Ootacmund Derby is the climax of the season, and attracts top Indian jockeys.

• Dodabetta, literally 'Big Mountain', is the highest peak in Tamil Nadu, and a motor road takes you to the top, from where you can see as far as Coonoor and Wellington.
• About three kilometres away, is the Kandal Cross, which has a full size crucifix secured on a huge boulder, and a fragment of the true cross.
• Kalhatti Falls, which drop some 131 feet down, are about 12 km from Ooty.
• About 26 km from Ooty is Avalanche, known after an avalanche in the area in 1823. This is one of the best spots for trout fishing, and rods can be hired here from the trout hatchery.
• A 7 km walk from Avalanche is the MacIvor's Bund.
• Ahead of this is Mukerti Peak, at an altitude of 8031 feet, which is also a part of Nilgiri Tahr Sanctuary, created in the most remote part of the mountains.
• Other areas of attraction around Ooty, are Mukerti Lake, Pykara Lake, Tiger Hill and Marlimun Lake. The famous Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is just 67 kms from Ooty.

When to Visit : The best time to visit is April to September. April to June is the local tourist season, so it is somewhat crowded. A major tourist attraction is the flower show which takes place in the first week of May every year.

How to Get There :

• Air: The nearest airport is at Coimbatore, which has daily flights to and from Madras, Bangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.
  

• Train: For a magnificent view of the hillside covered with forests, a train journey is recommended. The Nilgiri Express leaves Madras at night, reaching Coimbatore in the morning, and continues to the small town of Mettupalyam, at the foots of the mountains. From Mettupalyam, it connects to the Nilgiri Passenger which takes you to Ooty.

• Road: There is a regular bus service from Bangalore (300 km), Mysore (170 km), Coimbatore (105 km), Calicut (187 km) and Cochin (281 km).

• Local Transport : Ooty has taxis, three wheeler scooter rickshaws, local buses, and during the season, guided tours to take you around the city. Fixed prices for standard tourist sights are listed at Charing Cross taxi stand.

Where to Stay :
There are many hotels in the area, and the best should be booked in advance especially during the season. Good hotels include:

Hotel Savoy of the Taj Group (Tel. 423 - 2572, 2463, 3073, Fax: 3318)

Fernhill Palace (Tel: 423 - 2055, 3097, 3098).