Welcome to the Queen's Princess!! [Plz see the photos for a different view on Coonoor!]
This review is definitely not for those who book cottages and sit by camp-fire and having ravish food style.. but surely for a common man who has an adventure adrenalin running through his generation..and wants to enjoy as the saying goes "when you are in rome.", if you want to really enjoy what the Queen and her Princess can do to our hectic busy souls.. read further...
Well, first the connectivity or access methods:
By Road - From Coimbature [Gandhipuram Bus Stand, last shelter, opp to Railway Reservation Counter] , you can take a bus [either direct plying govt. buses or changing bus at mettupalayam, through govt. bus or private bus, which flies [yeah, you read it right, they fly every few minutes..!] or take a cab [ a one way drop to coonoor trip for 4 members will come around 250rs to 300 rs depending on ur bargain effectiveness!
By Train - From coimbatore rly station take the scheduled passenger train [hope the time factor plays a spoil sport...!] or reach mettupalayam for a night stay or early morning before 5:30am. .bcoz the first NMR leaves mettupalayam by 7:10, if you are lucky enough to reserve tickets, no problem, else, there's a problem of ticket counter getting closed due to tickets sold out.. like House full in theatres..!
If you're travelling by train, the scenic beauty, it brings is beyond imagination, and the moment, the NMR hooks into rack and pinion [the special track in between the narrow gauge rails], the first shake up of our body and the puff puffs coming from the steam engine locomotive is worth watching and to experience..! you'll wonder the speed it takes gradually after leaving the Mettupalayam station and heading towards those gigantic Western Ghats..!
If you are a nature lover, definitely, you'll hate the mankind and the disaster it brought upon the Mother Nature by cutting trees and tormenting the hills slope for vegetation or for something...!
By Road - with 14 Hairpin bends, the forest engulfs us all the way. Oops.. Now you are at coonoor!
What's special there? well to begin with, first its not over populated like Ooty, second still after 5pm, you can see the sun sets behind the hills, and slowly the chillness begin to flow.. the entire town will be in dark till the lights of many color comes alive and makes one think like- is that hills are pampered with colored diamonds?
Good bakers like Indian Bakery at the Coonoor Bus Stand, offers the most crunchy snacks and hot cakes, the special hill snack - varky - as the locals calls it, is a must for every traveler to taste one.. if you're planning to buy any snack such as veg or egg puffs, biscuits, coconut toffees, hot cakes, bread, mixtures, sweet and salt biscuits, go to Indian Bakery.. the taste will surely remind you for years and compels you to relive the moments you spent at Coonoor.
If you are a vegetarian, consider yourself as lucky, as Hotel Sri Lakshmi, at market entrance, offers variety of vegetarian foods at affordable costs. The main thing is - Hygienic preparation and courteous staff's with their serving styles. Consider yourself in little wandering, if you are looking for a Non-veg food. So far, i've never came upon any hotel offers non-veg or dont have enough roomy to accomadate a family..
And if you're looking for some "real" refreshments, you better buy your own brands at Coimbatore itself as at Coonoor, you've to search a wine shop, like searching a black cat in dark room, worst, even you find it along the left side of the canal in market, the brands are not familiar for you, and definitely wont suit your body condition. If you want some decent bar, there's one in the left upside road, on the left side of Hotel Lakshmi, on first floor you can have somewhat decent bar like.. for your refreshments..!
The most affordable yet decent stay at Coonoor is Hotel Venkateswara, situated just opposite the Century old Railway station [1893].. Ground floor is old styled and mostly have indian style bathroom, whereas, from first floor, the rooms got more bigger [of course, the rent too.. ground floor comes less than 400, frist floor starts from 500rs per day], an annexe attached with this lodge is converted into a restaurant now.. you can too check there for your tasty buds.. [but frankly, I've yet to check it out, so I cant give comments of any]
The first thing you must do before starting sight seeing tour is - make yourself comfortable by walking around the city.. Start with visiting the Railway station, see in how many movies, advertisements, this station came as a Hero.. [ex: Fairever cream, a maniratnam movie - uyire..etc]. then if you have some more time, take the steps leading to Mount Pleasant, right side the Railway quarters and left side, private properties.. just climb slowly and frequently turn back to enjoy the Coonoor valley that falls behind you. If you;ve reached top, dont worry, there's a little park on upside, sit and relax, enjoy ur kids playing over there, and after either you can choose, the same steps to come down or take the road that runs down [it'll end up in the traffic police beat], or book an auto for Rs.20 to take you down to market. Simple.
If you have still able to walk, visit the local market that runs through the petty shops like a zig-zag, catering to customers from fish stall to flower stalls.. a real market, in deed. The best places to visit in Coonoor - Dont miss Sims park. Mini buses are too plying between coonoor and simspark. enjoy the flowers and walk ways.. go for a boat ride in that small pond.. you'll wonder whether water is more or the fishes in those are more.. such amount of fishes within millimeter gap, they'll be roaming that tiny pond. Try to take a photo snap from those pro - they know the best lighting, best backgrounds.. all for mere rs.30/-.
Lambs rock, Dolphin nose, and Lady Cunning See rock are too "not to miss" types.. whereas Lady CunningSee rock features one highlight, that's if you are lucky enough, you can see the NMR is snailing underneath the valley, if you are on time. The climate is very nice and we feel always [during second season] that we are in AC room, even you walk all the time, you wont sweat a bit. That's the funny yet surprising fact of this Coonoor. Catch the first train to ooty which leaves coonoor by 7:45 am at morning [again, remember the ticket counter issues]..
In entire Hills, Coonoor is the best place to stay and round other places, it's affordable and adorable. I'll continue to update with more info.. in my next review.
