Tamilnadu

Tamilnadu is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the west by the majestic Western Ghats. Tamilnadu has borders with Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The state of Pondicherry, a former Union Territory, lies within Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu has vast open spaces interspersed with hills, wildlife sanctuaries, temples, lakes, waterfalls and many more tourist spots. Tamilnadu has a great history of three great kings who ruled the Chera, Pandya and Chozha empires. These great kings patronized construction of great Temples like Thanjavoor Periya Koil, Madurai Meenakshi Temple, Mamallapuram Temple and many hundreds more. Performing arts like dances, music etc and literature flourished under these kings. Tamilnadu has today thrown its doors open for industrialization and IT ventures. Tamilnadu has a great position in the tourist map of the world and boasts of a fine network of arterial roads, railways and airports. Tamilnadu has great ports in Chennai and Tuticorin. The great harvest festival of Pongal is celebrated with gaiety and joy throughout Tamilnadu.

Kodaikanal

Situated at about 8000ft above Sea Level, Kodiakanal is the queen of hill stations and offers the unbeatable combination of really exhilarating weather and a view of thick green forests, populated with a good number of wild animals. Kodaikanal has a number of tourist attractions like the Lake, the Silver Cascade Water Falls, the Pillar Rocks, and the Coakers Walk etc. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, jungle lodges and home stays abound in Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal is approachable by road from Madurai, Palani etc.

Ooty

Ooty or Udhagamandalam is a renowned hill station, known for the famous rack and pinion Railway from Mettupalayam. The rail route winds through the picturesque mountains at a snail’s pace, enabling the travellers to enjoy a most beautiful and panoramic view of the dales and valleys. Leading up to Ooty we have small stations like Lovedale, Kothagiri etc. Ooty has magnificent botanical gardens, Lake and the Mudumalai Wildlife sanctuary. Ooty has several high class hotels, resorts and fully-furnished Jungle cottages. Ooty is a four-hour drive from Coimbatore, the nearest city.

Madurai

Madurai is the most famous of the many temple towns of Tamilnadu. The Madurai Meenakshi Temple built during the rule of the great Pandyan Kings, stands tall smack in the middle of the town. The Thirumalai Naicken Hall, The Vaigai Dam and the 24-hours open shopping districts are famous spots in Madurai. The weather is hot and sultry. But the sights and sounds of the city, especially during the Chithirai Festival, are worth the effort. Madurai has an Airport, Railway Station and is well-connected by Road to all the towns and cities in Tamilnadu as well as Kerala. There are a good number of reputed hotels and home stays in Madurai.

Chennai

Chennai is the capital of Tamilnadu and has grown into a sprawling metropolis dotted generously with shopping malls, entertainment hubs, multiplexes, theme parks, cinemas and of course a string of good beaches. The Marina beach is one of the longest beaches of the world. The Elliots’ beach offers quiet evenings away from the madding crowds of the metropolis humming with activity. Chennai is an IT hub and has several international players with development centers offering employment to tens of thousands of IT-skilled Indians. Sriperumbadur, near Chennai is fast growing into the Detroit of India, boasting of several Indian and MNC car manufacturing units. Chennai has great tourist spots like the Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry (just a little over 2 hour’s drive), Valluvar Kottam, The Vandalur Zoological Garden and the Snake Park in Muthucadu. Chennai has some of the best hotels and resorts and beautiful beach resorts etc.

Rameswaram

Rameswaram is 572 kilometers away from Chennai. It is an island situated in the Gulf of Mannar. The famous Pamaban railway bridge is one of the longest railway bridges over the Gulf of Mannar and offers breath-taking view of the sea as the train chugs through. Dhanushkodi and Pamban are some of the biggest fishing villages in Asia. The Third Corridor is one of the Nine Wonders of the world. Built with precision and fine engineering skills, the pillars all are in fine line without even an error of even a fraction of a millimeter. Rameswaram has adequate number of hotels and lodgings.

Theni

Theni is a picturesque town nestling in the hill ranges bordering Kerala. The climate and the soil permit cultivation of vegetables, pulses and other produce. The water supply from the Mullaperiayar dam in Kerala is perennial and enables the farmers of Kambam and Theni to rely on farming for their livelihood. Theni lies in the route from Madurai to Kottayam and is well-connected by road. Apart from lovely farm lands, it has tiny waterfalls and lakes.

Tuticorin

Tuticorin or Thuthukudi is the second port in Tamilnadu. Tuticorin is famous for its pearls. Divers are a common sight in the pearl farms here. Natural pearls occur here in abundance. Tuticorin is the largest salt-producing region in Tamilnadu and has a comfortable safe harbor for trading ships. Tuticorin offers great views of big-time fishing and other industries.

Vedanthangal

This Water Birds Sanctuary is situated around 75 kms from Chennai. The bird life (resident & visitors) includes Cormorants, Darters, Herons, Egrets, Open billed Stork, Spoonbill and White Ibis, Little Grebe, Indian Moorhen, Black Winged Stilts, a few migratory ducks and occasionally Grey Pelicans. November to February is the ideal season to visit the sanctuary. This is a must visit for bird lovers.

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