Ooty, short for Ootacamund (an anglicized name for Udhagamandalam), is a popular hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. Udhagamandalam means abode of clouds in Sanskrit. Ooty stands at 7,347 feet (2239 m) above sea level in the Nilgiris mountain range. Located in the mountainous range called the Blue Mountains or Nilgiris (in the native tongue), it draws swarms of tourists every year. The weather is quite pleasant at a mean of 15 to 20 °C year round, dropping to lows of 0 °C during winter. The hill town suffers from rampant commercialization and erosion of natural resources. The tourism industry has placed an enormous strain on the natural resources resulting in pollution, water shortage and bad roads. The landscape is quite unlike the rest of India, marked by rolling hills covered with dense vegetation, smaller hills and plateaus covered with tea gardens, and eaucalyptus trees. Many portions of the hills are preserved as natural reserve forests, and special permits are needed to camp in noncamp sites. Ooty is not the destination in itself, as much as it is the focal point of attraction. Auto touring the surrounding country side is certainly a must do. The hilly region also houses smaller towns like Coonoor and Kotagiri. These towns are less than 1 hour away from Ooty, and enjoy the same natural climes, but have fewer tourists and cheaper prices.
Air : The nearest airport Coimbatore is about 90 km away and is serviced by flights to Bangalore and Chennai. From Coimbatore, there are frequent buses as well as private cabs that will readily ferry you up hills to Ooty.
Rail : The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This provides services to many of the populated areas of the district including Coonoor, Wellington, Aruvankadu, Ketti, Lovedale and Ooty etc.
Bus : Nilgiri district is well connected by roads to all major towns and cities of Tamil Nadu and its neighboring states. The Nilgiri Ghat Roads link the district with the nearest cities in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The Nagapattinam - Gudalur state Highway Passes through this district.
Botanical Gardens : The Botanical Gardens were established in 1848, by the Marquis of Tweeddale. The gardens lie on the lower slopes of Dodabetta peak, the highest point in Ooty. The gardens are formally laid out with lily ponds, and there are clipped bushes in the form of elephants, with raised trunks. Here, a thousand different species of plants including some thirty types of eucalyptus, are to be found. The Roman Catholic Cathedral, recently enlarged, can be seen on the road from Charing Cross to the Botanical Gardens.
Charing Cross : Charing Cross is a road junction with markets around it. A short walk from Charing Cross is the Spencers departmental store, which still sells its own Planter's Special cigars, made of Indian tobacco.
Ootacmund Club : Ootacmund Club is the most exclusive, and best preserved of all the former British clubs. The Ooty hunt, which still rides to hounds, in pursuit of jackals, is one of the main offerings of the club. A good game of golf can be had, at the Wenlock Downs, of the Ooty Gymkhana Golf Club.
Ketti Valley : It is the 2nd longest in the world - offers exquisite views for miles, especially on a cold crisp winter morning.
Ooty's famous buys are tea, fruits, spices, tribal art and hand-made chocolates. Charing Cross, resembling an English town square, is the beginning of the main shopping area. A reliable place for picking up handicrafts is Poompuhar, the TN state emporium. You will find it on Commercial Road. Do take home the home made chocolates, they are really yummy and come in all shapes and sizes!
Ooty has many wayside eateries, but it is better to stick to the larger ones. Some of the recommended ones are: Hotel Fernhill Palace (on Fernhill), Hills Palace and Impala Lodge (Commercial Street), and Blue Hills (Coonoor Road).
The walks, pony rides and boating will leave little time for anything else. But for those interested, the Gymkhana offers golfing. Thankfully, it's open to all, not just members and their guests. There are no amusement parks in Ooty, but Mettupalayam just a stone's throw away, boasts of Black Thunder, one of the first water theme parks in India. Tuck into bed, that's what Ooty does. There are no nightclubs or pubs. Most restaurants too don't entertain after 11 pm.