Coonoor,
a beautiful and serene hill station of Tamil Nadu, lies in the Nilgiri
Hills. Coonoor derives its name from the Coon hill tribe of the region.
Tea bushes, Grassy meadows, 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 Kotagiri.Main Attractions at Coonoor
Sim's Park
The Sim's Park is a famous landmark at Coonoor. The park is a botanical garden, spread over 12 hectares and has a collection of over 1,000 plant species that includes magnolia, tree ferns, pines and camellia. This park was developed partly in the Japanese style and is named after J. D. Sim, former secretary of the Madras Club. The annual fruit and vegetable show, held in May, is the main attraction of the botanical garden.
The Pasteur Institute
The Pasteur institute is another important attraction at Coonoor. It is situated near to the Sim's Park. The Pasteur institute specializes in the research for vaccines for rabies and polio. The institute is open for the visitors only on Saturdays. However, if you want to visit it on other days, you will have to seek prior permission of the Director of the Pasteur institute.
Pomological Station
The Pomological station is a research center of the State Agricultural Department for persimmon, pomegranates and apricot. It is one of the three experimental fruit gardens in the Nilgiri Hills. The other two research centers are Burliar and Kallar. A research center of repute, the Pomological Station carries research on different fruits, which are locally grown. Some of the prominent fruits of the area are apples, peaches, plums, persimmons, apricots, lemons and pomegranates.
How to Reach Coonoor
By Air
The nearest airport from Coonoor is Coimbatore. Coimbatore is connected with Chennai, Cochin, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
By Rail
Coonoor is located on the toy train rail line between Mettupalayam (28 km) and Ooty. The toy train leaves Mettupalayam for Ooty early morning and arrives at Ooty by noon.
By Road
A network of roads connects Coonoor with other major cities and towns of Tamil Nadu. There are regular bus service from Ooty, Coimbatore, and Kotagiri.
