South India 2015

As we began to plan our fourth trip to the subcontinent, we decided it was time to explore South India…

From Mumbai to Chennai via the southern tip of India: we visited Goa, some sites of Karnataka we had not seen before, toured the Western Ghats, got bored in Kerala before getting our fill of temples in Tamil Nadu.

Full map of all South India 2015 pages

Other Things

Thinking of our next destination: Italy and Portugal come to mind, or maybe the time has finally come for a US road trip…

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The Western Ghats

(vero;2015-May-12)

The week we spent in the Western Ghats was definitely a highlight of our trip in South India. We visited Ooty, Kodaikanal and Munnar and have brought back great memories from there. The bus (or train) journeys up and down the Ghats were spectacular and worth the visit in their own rights.

Ooty: the place is quite enjoyable, it feels like a real town with many shops (chocolate!), a lake (although the walk around it is not as pleasant as it could be), botanical gardens and many Indian tourists. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of traffic, which spoils the experience a bit. And of course, this is the terminus of the famous Ooty Toy Train.
Kodaikanal: we liked Kodai very much. The town is pleasant, built on a ridge with good views (Coaker's Walk), the promenade around the lake is nice and there is plenty to see around.
Munnar: this is the place to go for tea and cardamom plantations. The town in itself is horrible: small, unattractive and plagued by traffic, but the surroundings are magnificent.

On the way to Ooty, the first tea plantations appear along the road.

Ooty - St Stephen Church's old cemetery.

Ooty's main attraction, the toy train (see our separate Ooty Toy Train gallery for more).

Leaving the plains, on the way to Kodaikanal.

Scenery around Kodaikanal from Coaker's Walk.

Around midday latest, the clouds come up from the plains and start obstructing the views.

Kodaikanal, the forest on the walk down to Vattakanal.

Spring in the hills, on the way to Munnar.

Hiking in Munnar, view down the valley to the West.

Is it an Heliconia? We are not sure and welcome any suggestion.

Spring in the hills, a festival of colours.

Ipomoea Purpurea, also known as Common Morning Glory.

Higher on the hills, cardamom replace the tea plantations.

View through Cardamom carpeted hills, note the tea bushes in the valley below.

Go back to Riding Ooty's Toy Train or go on to Street Processions or go up to Photos