I got the Alleppey - Dhanbad Express from Cherthala at 6.30 am and the train reached Coimbatore at 12 Noon. I just missed the Mettupalayam passenger train. The nest passenger was at 3 pm, so I opt travel by bus. Bus No 32A goes from Coimbatore Railway station to New bus stand (for Ooty bus) Rs 3/ Rs 60 by auto.

Cherthala - Mettupalayam : 275 km, Rs 124 in SL M/E. Coimbatore - Cherthala : 239 km, Rs 113 in SL M/E.

Mettupalayam is at the base of the Nilgiri hill range and has plenty of good-cheap hotels. Ooty is 55 km away via hairpin curved ghat raod. Black Thunder Water theme park, 4 km from Mettupalayam on the Ooty road. Entry Rs 400. The route goes via Burliar, Coonoor, Lovedale and Wellington. The famous Defence Staff College is located at Wellington.



Bus travel is cheap in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore - Mettupalayam : 80 min by bus/50 km, Mettupalayam - Coonoor : Rs 13, Coonoor - Ooty : Rs 6, 23 km

Ooty - Gudallur : 50 km
Ooty Circuit bus fare Rs 60.
Route : Central Bus STand-Children's Park - Boat House - Botanical Garden - Dodabetta peak - Tea Museum - Rose Garden junction (near Alankar theatre/Hotel Saphire Paradise/Hotel Alkapuri).

Tea Museum cum factory, Doddabetta tea factory, Melkodappamund, Ooty : Entry Rs 5 (2 km before Doddabetta junction on the Kothagiri road)
One can see the Home made Chocolate production. The Ooty view point has a telescope and has good views of the hill town. video



Telescope House, Doddapetta : Rs 5 (9 km from Botanical garden/ 3 km from Dodabetta junction - on the Ooty - Kothagiri road)

Where to Stay

Amritha Lodge, Annaji Rao road, Mettupalayam - 64130, Ph : 04254 229102.
Hotel Ragavendra, Eldee complex, Coonoor - 643102, Ph : 0423 2235333.

Where to Eat

Hotel Sri Lakshmi, TDK Pillai road, Coonoor -2, Ph : 2238889
Hotel Aaryas, Near bus stand, Mettupalayam
Hotel Maruthi, Near bus stand, Mettupalayam, Ph: 222955

Distance from Mettupalayam in km

Sathyamangalam 43
Anoor 22
Avinashi 41
Covai 36
Tiruppur 53
Erode 101
Coonoor 32 (90 min)