Coonoor

Population: 46, 000
At an altitude of 1850 metres, Coonoor is the first of the three Nilgiri hill stations Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Kotagiri and Coonoor that you comer to when leaving behind the soughern plains. Like Ooty. it's on the toy train line from Mettupalayam.
While Kotagiri had the Kotas, and Ooty the Todas, so Coonoor was home to the Coon hill tribe.
This now bustling town appears rather squashed between the hills. and it/s only after climbing up out of the bustling market area with the bus and train terminals that you\'ll get a sense fo what hill sations were originally all about. For this reason. too. most of the better accommodation is in Upper Coonoor.

Getting There & Away:

Coonoor is on the toy train line between Mettupalayam and Ooty (18km) for train details see the Ooty section. Buses to Kotagiri level every 15 minutes.

Place to Stay & Eat:

The YWCA Guest House in Upper Coonoor is the best budget option Open to men and women it';s a handsome old colonial house with two wooden terraces and views over Coonoor.

Yercaud

This quiet hill station (altitude 1500 metres) is 33 km uphill form Salem.Surrounded by coffee plantations in the Servaroyan hills, it/s a good place for relaxing, trekking, or boating on the town/s artificial lake.

Place to Stay:

The Hotel Tamil Nadu on the Yercaud Ghat Rd near the lake has rooms for Rs 300 and for Rs 400 with air con. Dorm beds cost Rs 25. Prices go up considerable in the high season. Alternatively you could try the Hotel Shevarys or the Township Resthouse.