Besides the Kodaikanal Lake, the top places to cover when you take a trip to Kodaikanal include:
Bryant Park
Built by H. D. Bryant, a forest officer from Madurai, in 1908, it is a botanical garden that covers an area of 20.5 acres. The park has around 325 species of trees. It has a special section dedicated to flowers with about 740 varieties of roses alone. It is also home to a Bodhi tree and a eucalyptus tree.
Coaker’s Walk
A kilometer-long paved pedestrian path that runs along the edge of the steep slopes of the southern side of Kodaikanal, Coaker’s walk was constructed by Lt. Coaker in 1872. Taking this path on a clear day, you can view the Pambar River in the southeast, Dolphin’s Nose in the south and the towns of Madurai and Periyakulam too.
Green Valley View
Located close to the golf course, Green Valley View delivers a panoramic view of the plains, and the Vagai Dam, 1500 meters below to the south.
Solar Observatory
At a height of 7,687 feet, the Solar Observatory in Kodaikanal is the highest location here. Set up in 1899, this observatory is owned and managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. There are public tours to the astronomical science museum on campus, organized by the facility. The observatory is open to the public each Friday for a few hours.
Devil’s Kitchen
Featured in the Tamil movie Gunaa, this is a cave with bat-infested chambers between the Pillar Rocks. Although interior portions of these caves are now prohibited for public visits, you can still see some sections here.
In addition to sightseeing in Kodaikanal, as a part of the tour package, you can also indulge in shopping. The area is especially popular for its homemade chocolates, eucalyptus oil, plums, and pears. You can also shop for woolen clothes at the Tibetan refugee bazaar.