Monkey Falls
Monkey falls, which is at a distance of 65kms from Coimbatore and 24kms from Pollachi on Pollachi - Valparai highway, is a popular tourist destination located at the foothills of Western Ghats. Set in a picturesque surrounding this continuing waterfall is an ideal place to take bathe. As the name suggests, the place has lot of monkeys. There is a small entry fee to the falls and it cost just 2 rupees.

Bhavani Sagar Dam
The Bhavani Sagar Dam, about 80 kilometers from Coimbatore city is an earthen dam, built after India got independence. It is constructed on the Bhavani river, just below the union of Moyar river. Near by the dam, there is a well maintained park specially designed for children with all amenities to play. An orchid garden within the park attracts lot of visitors.

Udumalai Narayanakavi Memorial
The memorial of Udumalai Narayanakavi is located at Poolavadi village of Udumalpet Taluk which is about 84 kms from Coimbatore. Also known as Udumalai Narayanakavi Manimandapam, it exhibits the life history and photographs of Narayanakavi, the rationalist poet, who worked in the fields of cinema, drama and music.

Born on September 25, 1899 to a poor family, Narayanakavi became famous through his lyrics that could be understood even by the common man. His thought provoking lyrics were used in the freedom movement and during the years 1950 to 1972 he wrote lyrics for Kollywood movies. Velaikari, Nallathambi, Poompuhar, Manohara are some of the box office hit movies for which he wrote lyrics and in the movie industry he was affectionately called as 'Kaviraayar'. He passed away in 1981 and the memorial was built in honour of Narayanakavi for his greatest contributions.

Thirumoorthy Dam
Constructed in the year 1966 across the river Palar, the 60 feet high Thirumoorthy Dam is located 50kms from Pollachi and 20 Kms from Udumalpet (Ooty) on the Palani-Coimbatore highway. It has built mainly for the process of irrigation and for generating electricity. The dam is the main source of water supply to the Coimbatore city. Positioned adjoining Thirumoorthy hill, the dam is an excellent tourist spot with a beautifully laid out garden and swimming pool. Boating facilities are also available in the dam. One can visit the place from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Palani
Palani, the known Hindu pilgrimage center in south India is located about 100 km away from Coimbatore in the Dindigul district. Dedicated to Lord Murugan in the form of Dhandayudhapani Swami, Palani temple situated atop the Sivagiri hill (palani hill) at an elevation of 1500 feet above sea level is one of the most sacred shrines here and the third abode of the Lord. Besides this temple, the Palani hills has other shrines and temples dedicated to several Gods and Goddess. These temples can be reached only by climbing steep steps. Recently, for the comfort of the pilgrims, a funicular railway with three tracks and a rope-way have been provided.

Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Indira Gandhi National Park)
Indira Gandhi National Park, previously known as Anamalai wildlife sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats in the Tamilnadu- Kerala border near Pollachi that is about 90 km away from Coimbatore. Preached at an altitude of 1,400 mts above the sea level and spread over an area of about 958 sq-kms, it is one of the three wild life sanctuaries on the slopes of the western Ghats along the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The sanctuary is the home to various kinds of wild life animals like Panther, Elephant, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Tiger, deer, Wild Bear, Porcupine, Wild Dog, Flying Squirel, Jackel, Civet Cat, Pangolin and birds like Rocket-tailed Drongo, Red Tree Pie, Whiskered Bulbul, Spotted Dove, Black Headed Oriole, Pigeon etc. Other attractions here are the grass hills, karianshola, anaikunthi shola, groves, waterfalls, teak forests, reservoirs and dams. The Forest Department organises elephant safaris and jeep rides into the sanctuary. The sanctuary is opened from 6.30am to 6.30pm and December to February is the ideal time to visit this place. 

How to reach there:
Peelamedu airport is the nearest airport to the sanctuary. Pollachi, 40kms from Coimbatore, is the main railway station and one could get trains to Coimbatore and Dindigul from there. There are regular buses from Coimbatore and Palani to Pollachi. Buses are available to the national park from Pollachi and back. Taxis and jeeps are also available. Read more >>>…

Amaravathi Reservoir
The 9.31 km², 33.53 m deep Amaravathi reservoir at Amaravathinagar is located close to Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. Situated around 25 km away from Udumalpet in Pollachi, the reservoir was the creation of the 90 feet high Amaravathi Dam which was built across Amaravathi River in the year 1957. Primarily built for irrigation and flood control purpose, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board during the years 2003-04 proposed to install 4 MW electric generating capacity from the dam.

The structure of the dam and a well laid out park near the reservoir attracts lot of tourists and the place has been developed as District Excursion center for Tourism. Several types of fish, specially the non-indigenous fish, tilapia are preserved in the reservoir. 

Amaravati Sagar Crocodile Farm
Established in 1975 the Amaravati Sagar Crocodile Farm, the largest Crocodile nursery in India is located nearby Amaravati Reservoir in Anaimalai hills at a distance of 1km. Around 430 crocodiles are kept in the captivity, most in the adult size-class. Species like Mugger Crocodiles alias Marsh Crocodiles and Persian Crocodiles can be found here and are sometimes dangerous to humans. The eggs of the crocodiles are collected from wild nests along the boundary of the reservoir and they are hatched and reared at the farm. The farm is managed and maintained by three forest departments.

Top Slip
Top slip, a small park and the medicinal plant conservation area on the Anamalai mountain range is located 65 kms from Coimbatore at an elevation of 800 feet above the sea level. Separated from the Nilgiri Hills by the Palghat Gap on the north, top slip is a small site within the Indira Gandhi National Park, contiguous to the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) to its west and to the Eravikulam National Park (Kerala) and Chinnar Wild life sanctuary.

It is an ideal place for bird watching where one could find birds such as Wynaad Laughingthrush, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, White-bellied Treepie, Malabar Trogon, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Black-throated Munia, Great Hornbills, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Oriental Bay Owl, Mountain Imperial Pigeon etc. It is also the home to world's rarest primates, the Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Indian Chevrotain, and rare Brown Mangoose and Asian Elephants. Natural vegetation of top slope includes wet evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forest, montane shola-grassland, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, thorn forests and marshes. Hopea parviflora, Mesua ferrea, Calophyllum tomentosum, Vateria indica, Cullenia excelsa and Mangifera indica, Machilus macrantha, Alstonia scholaris, Evodia meliaefolia, Ailanthus and Malabaricum and Eucalyptus grandis gives the forest a thick cover.

Top slip is opened for visitors daily from 6.30 am to 6 pm with the entry fee of Rs. 50/-. Sethumadai checkpost is the entry point. Safari trips are operated by the forest department between 8 am and 5pm which lasts for about 90 minutes and it charges Rs. 40/- per person. Private vehicles are not allowed for the safaris. One can go on a trek inside the park for a maximum of 4 hours with an official guide and the rate is Rs. 70/-. Booking can be done at the reception center of the park. Accommodation facilities are provided by the wildlife department which consists of dormitories and lodges For thrill seekers, accommodation is available in tree house. It can be booked in advance on Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm from the Wildlife warden office. The ideal time to visit top slip is between May to June and October to February.
Contact Address:
Wildlife Warden Office,
178 Meenkarai Road, Pollachi
Phone: 04259 222-5356/04259 238360

Valparai
Known for tea plantations, Valparai, located 3,500 feet from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain range is about 95 km away from Coimbatore. There are around 40 steep, hairpin bends to reach this destination. Popularly known as Cherrapunji of South India, Valparai stands majestically with green spread mountains and forest all around. The place has several tea and coffee estates, 15 tea factories, waterfalls and dams namely Sholayar, Neerar and Kadamparai. The place receives the highest rainfall during the monsoon season and it is not advisable to visit here at that time. Indira Gandhi Wild Life Sanctuary, Monkey falls and Aliyar Dam are on the way to Valparai. 

Kotagiri
One of the oldest and largest hill stations in Nilgiris, Kottagiri is located in an 'open-terrace' massif at a height of 6511 feet above the sea level. The place is about 30 km. east of Udhagamandalam, 23 km. from Coonoor 33 km. from Mettupalayam and 16kms from Ooty. Earlier known as 'Kota-Keri' or (Kota-gherry) literally means the street or lines of the house of the Kotas was once used to be the summer resort of the British. The kotta settlement there was shifted to Aggal hamlet (2kms away) after the government had acquired the land in 1911. There is a temple dedicated to Kamataraya deity and the annual festival which falls on Arudra Darshan day is of great importance to all the Kotas. 

Kotagiri is a perfect locale for the tourist with several destinations like kodanad view point, longwood shola, rangaswamy pillar and peak etc. Consist of two water falls, Catherine fall located 8kms from Kotagiri, gives a magnificent view of Dolphin's nose and surrounding country. Kodanad viewpoint, the little village offers a stunning view of the plains and the eastern slope of Nilgiris and is situated 18 km east of Kotagiri. From here, one could enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Thengumarahada, the Bhavanisagar dam, the tea estates and the river Moyar. Covering an area over116 hectares, Longwood Shola is a major section of shola forest and an integral part of Nilgiri eco system. The conical and sacred hill, Rangaswamy Peak stands at a height of 5855 feet above sea level has an extraordinary isolated rocky pillar raising to a height of 400 feet. 

One could visit Kotagiri at any time, as the climate is pleasant through out the year. Tourist homes and hotel are available for the accommodation purpose.

Parambikulam Wild Life Sanctuary
Sprawling over an area of about 285sq.km, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is tucked away in the valley between the Nelliampathy ranges and the Annamalai ranges. The sanctuary is located in Palakkad district of Kerala and Coimbatore airport is the nearest airport which is at a distance of 55kilometers. The most protected ecological piece of Anamalai subunits of Western Ghats, this virgin valley is the home of rare and exotica fauna and offers a scintillating sight of rare wild animals like leopards, wild dogs, sloths, wild boar, barking deer, spotted deer, langurs, porcupines etc. It also has one of the largest population of gaur (also know as Indian bison) and mugger crocodiles have seen on the banks of the reservoirs. Popularly known as 'Nature's own abode' this sanctuary attract tourists to enjoy beauty of nature. Apart from the thickly wooded stands of bamboo, rosewood and sandalwood, Parambikulam had an abundance of teak tree. The prime attraction here is the oldest and Asia’s largest teak tree, Kannimaram, which is 40m in height and 6.4m in breadth (girth). It is located about 5 Km. from Thunakadavu (headquarters of Parambikulam sanctuary). The hilly and rocky terrain gives a mystical touch to the sanctuary and it is drained by several rivers, including Parambikulam, Sholayar and Thekkedy.

For providing a better view of the sanctuary, two watchtowers are located at Anappadi, 8km from Thunakadavu, and Zungam, 5km from Thunakadavu. Boating facilities are available at the reservoir. The best season to visit the sanctuary is from September to May.
Contact Address : 
Ecocare Centre,
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary,
Anappady, Thunakadavu (PO), Pollachi (Via), Palakkad, Kerala - 678661.
Phone: 04253 – 245025
E-mail : Contact

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudumalai National park, located about 160kms from Coimbatore in the middle of Bandipur and Annamalai sanctuaries, is spread over an area of 321 sq.km at an elevation of 1000 m. Rich in various flora and fauna, Mudumalai is the home to various animals such as macaque, common langur, Tigers, leopards, chital, panther, bonnet macaque, sloth bear, python, barking deer, four horned antelope, otter, crocodiles (mugger), giant flying squirrel, sambar, hyena, wild dog, etc. It has one of the largest populations of elephants in the country. The flora in this sanctuary includes dense groves of Bamboo (Bambusa Arundinacea), thick forests of Natural teak (Tectona Grandis), eucalyptus, blooming trees like Indian Labumusum, Aredesia, Solanancea etc. Read more >>>...

Conoor
Coonoor, the second largest hill stations in Nilgiris is located on the eastern side of the southern extremity of the Doddabetta range at an altitude of 1839 meters. This idyllic picnic spot, surrounded by tea plantations gives a beautiful view of Nilgiris hills and it is a perfect place to spend holidays. Situated at a distance of 19kms south of Ooty and about 110kms from Coimbatore, it is an ideal place for trekking and hiking. Bird watching is one of the popular past time here where wide variety of bird species like cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiris verditer can be spotted. Visitors can enjoy a ride in the toy train that connects Coonoor with Mettupalayam and Ooty. The best season to visit Coonoor is during the winter, i.e in the month of October to March.

The main attraction of Coonor is the well maintained botanical garden called Sim's Park, exhibiting over 1000 varieties of rare and economically valuable species of plants. Other picnic spots in and around Coonoor include Lambs Rock, Lady Canning's Seat, Dolphin's Nose, St Catherine Falls, Law's Falls, Ralliah Dam and Droog.
How to get there: Coimbatore is the nearest airport, located at a distance of 100kms from here. The nearest broad gauge railway station is at Mettupalayam that is 46 km away.  Read more>>>

Ooty
Known as the 'Queen of hill stations', Ooty alias Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiri district, situated in the Western Ghats at a height of 7,500ft. It is located at a distance of 105 km away from Coimbatore. The place Ooty or Ootacamund derives its name from the local Toda word Udhamandalam meaning village of huts. This hill station has splendid green downs and lofty hills of extraordinary scenic beauty and is endowed with a salubrious climate similar to the English summer. Botanical garden, Ooty lake, Doddabeta peak, Pykara, Stone house are some of the tourist attraction here. Read more>>>

Thirumoorthy Temple
Situated at the foot of Thirumoorthy Hills, adjoining the Thirumoorthy Dam, Thirumoorthy temple also known as Amalingeswarar temple is a major pilgrim center which is about 50kms from Pollachi and 20 Kms from Udumalpet (Ooty) on the highway from Palani to Coimbatore. The presiding deity here is called ammlingeshwara. Nearby to the temple, there are some waterfalls and a perennial stream flows by the side of the temple. The main festivals celebrated at the temple are the Amavasai Pooja and Pournami Pooja.

A myth is associated with this place. According to local belief, once Lord Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu (Thirumoorthikal) came here to test the devotion of the sage, Athari Maharshi and his wife Anushiya devi. Overwhelmed by their appearance the couple offered them tribute but the gods refused to accept their offerings and demanded that Anushiya devi should offer the tribute in nudity. Accepting their demand, she changed the thirumoorthi's into 3 years old babies with her power and devotion and fed them. Pleased with the couple, the trinity blessed them and the place came to be known as Thirumoorthy hills. 

Sangameshwara Temple
Sangameshwara temple is an important pilgrim centre located at Bhavani at a distance of 121kms from Coimbatore and 12kms from Erode. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva in the form of Sangameshwar with his consort Vedanayaki. This 1000 years old black stone temple is believed to be built by Kongu's state kings. Three rivers namely Bhavani, Cauvery and the invisible Amudha are merging at Bhavani and hence the place is known as 'Triveni of South India'.