Coonoor, a beautiful and serene hill station of Tamil Nadu, lies in the Nilgiri Hills. Coonoor derives its name from the Coonoor hill tribe of the region. The main attraction of Coonoor is the Sim’s Park. Tea bushes, Grassy meadows, arrecknut trees, profusion of Sunflowers, Marigolds and Rhododendrons characterize Coonoor. Coonoor is basically a small tea estate town where the weather remains pleasant all through the year. Based on its relief, the town is divided into upper and lower Coonoor. Coonoor is one of the three popular hill stations in the Nilgiri Hills, the other two being Ooty and Kothagiri.

History: The Nilgiri hills have been the home of the Toda tribe for centuries. Coonoor began to develop as a tourist destination in the 19th century when the British made the region a popular hill station. During summers Coonoor enjoys a mild climate while the burning sun scorches the surrounding plains.

The British gentleman, who discovered these hills in 1819, returned the following year to build the first bungalow. Attracted by the temperate climate, the British elite lost no time and established their settlements in the hills. With them came tea plantations. The construction of a railway line accelerated the development of this region.In those days the rail track from Chennai ended at Mettupalayam. From there the journey to the hills had to be undertaken on pony or bullock cart. In August 1891, the Governor of Chennai laid the foundation of the Nilgiri railway.

The concourse was ready within three years, after which a new company undertook the project. In 1897, the line reached Coonoor and was officially inaugurated the following year. By 1908, the line was extended up to Ooty. Today the train is a major attraction and Coonoor attracts a large number of tourists round the year.

Places to see
Sim's Park The park is situated in a deep ravine on the Northern side of Coonoor Railway Station at an elevation of 1768 to 1798 mts. The park can be divided into eight major sections. The natural shola with winding footpaths all over the higher slopes of the park is the most distinctive and picturesque feature of this park. This apart a number of individual tree specimens planted in a scattered fashion all over the place, lend a special charm to the park, specially when they bloom in different seasons throughout the year.

Pomological Station This is one of the three experimental fruit gardens in the Nilgris maintained by the Horticultural Department. The other two are Burliar and Kallar on the Coonoor - Mettupalayam ghat road. Apples, Plums, Peaches, Persinments, Lemons, Apricots and Pomogranates are grown here for the purpose of research. Surplus fruits and fruit based jams are sold to the public.

Silk Rearing Station Adjoining the Pasteur Institute there is a Silk Rearing Station maintained by the Central Silk Board. The Sericultural experts at this station may be contacted for special assistance.

Laws Falls The Place is a beautiful picnic spot, situated at Coonoor-Mettupalayam Road at the distance of 7 Kms from Coonoor. The height of the falls is about 180 feet. There are vast stretches of undisturbed sholas and it is a paradise for Naturalists.

Lamb's Rock It is 8 Kms from Coonoor on the way to Dolphin's Nose. It commands a grand view of the Coimbatore Plains. It is a favourite place for tourists.

Lady Caninng's Seat From Coonoor it is 9 Kms. It is marked by a small house and commands panoramic view of the tea estates and the plains.

Dolphin's Nose The view point is 10 Kms from the town. The Nose is a unique rock of tremendous proportions which looks like a Dolphin.

The Droog This is also a picnic spot which is used by Tippu Sultan as an outpost. It is 15 Kms from Coonoor and stands 6000 feet high overlooking the plains. Three kilometers of trekking has to be done to reach the point

How to reach
By Air The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away. You can catch a direct flight to Coimbatore from Chennai, Kozhikode, Bangalore and Mumbai. Indian Airlines flies Delhi-Kochi via Mumbai and Coimbatore. The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away. You can catch a direct flight to Coimbatore from Chennai, Kozhikode, Bangalore and Mumbai. Indian Airlines flies Delhi-Kochi via Mumbai and Coimbatore.

By Rail Nearest broad gauge railway head is Mettupalayam (46 kms). Major broadgauge railway junction is Coimbatore. It is connected with all major cities. Mettupalayam to Ooty, is connected by a Mountain Railway which is 4 hours journey.

By Road There is a regular bus service from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Calicut, Kanyakumari, Tanjavur, Tirupati and Cochin. Buses ply regularly to Mudhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Kotagiri, Coonoor and Doddabeta.