Lawyer life at Coonoor, Wellington, Ooty

Budget Trip from Delhi to Coonoor and Ooty.

3 nights

Currency INR

1. 10000 air tickets. ( Last minute booking)
2. 8500 accomodation ( last minute reservations)
3. Auto per day Coonoor sightseeing 700.
4. Cab Coonoor - Kotagiri sightseeing 2000.
5. Cab Coonoor to Ooty - Pykara sightseeing 2500.
6. Airport pick and drop (Coimbatoor <----> Coonoor) 4000 total.
7. Airport pick and drop ( Home to IGI Terminal 3) 2000 total.

The people

In Coonoor everyone is mindful of their carbon footprint. The drivers give way to uphill traffic even though they drive at high speed since they have a broader view of uphill vehicles they break their momentum at hairpin bends. How very considerate!

 
I want to partly say that its little known, unexplored, no traffic kinda town but then I dont want  to lest it becomes one streaming with traffic. September is an off season. You will get bookings if you go there directly and book accomodation. I didnt want to take the chance and pre-booked online for 3 nights. I was the only guest at the hotel for the 3 nights! 

It's so quiet that by 5pm all the activities are over.  The first night I did hope that I don't encounter spirits at night. I didn't :)

 The people here are very warm, friendly and honest. Not money minded or cheats. The cab fare is usually fair and the same. I had compared charges of  2 - 3 different cab drivers/ services. The hotel staff and my cab drivers went all out of their way to provide a safe and happy travel (solo woman traveler). There was no curiosity or judgment about a solo traveler. No questions asked. Locals speak very good English and Hindi.


Weather

In Coonoor, September is very pleasant. No sweaters are required. Just a warm stole will do even during the night. There are no ACs. The air is clean and cool. The houses have very beautiful gardens with colourful claypots. Night time is for unceasing sound of crickets.

For pictures follow the link on Facebook.
facebook pictures

For phone numbers of Cab drivers inbox me.

The nearest airport for Coonoor - Ooty - Wellington is Coimbatore ( 2 hrs drive for Rs. 1700-2000, AC cab). The return flight from Delhi to Coimbatore cost me around 10,000. If you're traveling by Spicejet then they dont club check-in and hand-baggage weight. On my return I paid an extra 2400 for 6 kilo excess (from all the organic tea, coffee, spices, aromatic oils and honey shopping). I paid an extra 1200 for a priority premium ticket with extra leg room. It was an all women crew flight!

Spicejet was a good flight because the head airhostess was a genuinely warm and caring person. 

After a quick Search on Google for stay with Wi-Fi and breakfast I zeroed in on MGM HILL RESORT  close to to Wellington police station. The location was good, but the property is not really a resort and it does not match upto the standard of a 3 star resort. The food was not good as there were no catering for an only guest. The only good thing was that the staff Mr. Ravi tried to make up for all the cons. He was very helpful in co-ordinating my sightseeing with the travel agency.

The entire Coonoor town can be covered in 10 to 15 minutes. There is an upper Coonoor and lower Coonoor town. The latter is crowded, good for basic groceries - amenities shopping. So it really doesn't matter which property you book. If I were to plan the trip again, it would be a room or homestay in a tea estate in outskirts.

Ladies, you will find a luxury Salon "Paris Luxury"  which is as good as a Luxury Salon in Delhi. They have all the services. There are other spa centers also but the female therapist leaves by 5 pm. So you might want to book an appointment.

In upper Coonoor, you find fine dining restaurants and a fancy supermarket ( store) called Nilgiris. The good thing I found in the store was homegrown dark chocolate and tea, nicely packaged. Most products here are  made in Tamilnadu or India. You will only enjoy this town if you forget your metropolitan big city ease, expectation and convenience.

The best thing about Nilgiri administration is the zero plastic rule. They have no plastic water bottles but they have water ATMs. You pay 5 INR and take water in your own container bottle on the go. In the restaurants  I prefer, regular water here and my tummy is still fine. Regular water is rich in minerals and will replenish your body's mineral reserves.. 

Day - 1

After I, landed in Coimbatore airport, I rode for 2.5 hrs to Coonoor. Then slept since I took an early morning flight. Rejuvenated, I took an auto and did some evening sightseeing at Coonoor & Wellington. ( Recce - gauging local distances, absorbing the culture, marking sunset and sunrise times.) There is no self drive concept. Network connectivity is very good given that its a hilly terrain. 

Day - 2

I had a lazy morning and started my day at 11am for drive to  La Maisin heritage homestay boutique (Rs 12000 per night) surrounded by tea gardens, suggested by a friend. The estate is  owned by Indian French couple who like to do their own gardening, poultry farming. I could not meet them but the visitor's book spoke highly of them.
The cottage lobby was warm and cozy with a lot of  bookshelves and paintings,  Indian statues of brass,  cotton furnishings beautifully laid out.

La Maisin had homegrown organic food, farm fresh rich in colours and flavours. The food is amazing the preparation is simple yet delicious, just like a home away from home.
There is no set menu,  food will be served as if you are a guest in the house and whatever 4 to 5 dishes are prepared. (Rs. 1000 for a vegetarian french / Italian / Indian cuisine.)

The hosts had stepped out for lunch, when I reached and so I was free to look at the estate on my own accord. You will have no guide there. Just figure it out. I made friends with the donkey, swans, ducks, chickens, cows and the birds there.
Go with an open mind, be patient and let yourself be surprised.

La Maisin is in Kotagiri, adjoining town to Coonoor. I stepped out of the estate being absolutely inspired by nature and slow life.

I wouldn't spend 12000 per night on a homestay. I'd rather check in to the ease and luxury of a 5 star.

The most important contrast you'll realise is the rating of hotels. Don't believe the stars on Google. 3 star here will give service of 2 star. 5 star would be like a 3 star at best.

On my way I also stopped at Stavka which is private residence of the great Field Marshall Manekshaw.  Lush green, beautful exotic garden lead upto the hill where a  well-maintained, palatial bungalow stands majestically tall. Its cozy. A beautiful valley view to add to that. The bungalow of course now is inheritance of his two daughters and I happened to say hello to the two Labradors  in the kennel. I could imagine how the great Field marshal Manekshaw led a royal lifestyle.

From there I made a quick stop at SIM's park.  I chose to carry on and travel towards Tiger hill which is again a view point. It was a cloudy day.
View points are not great if it's cloudy.
You will find lot of tea shops and aromatic oil factory outlets.

Later, I stopped at McIver for tea where a lot of Bollywood shootings take place ( eg. Kapoor and sons).  The salad was amazing here.
The rooms at McIver get pre-booked in advance at about 4000 per night.  If I were to visit again I'd book a suite here for the valley view.

Coonoor is a very quiet place and meant for the content soul looking for a home away from the busy metropolitan cosmopolitan hustle. 

It's so inspiring at every level. The organic food replenishes the body, the sights of tea garden replenish the soul, the song of birds replenishes the heart and mind.

The stillness of this place is intact. There are no loud  DJs - pubs, clubs or live band or shopping malls nor showrooms. It's just beautiful small nest in nature.( Friday night at Hopscotch was satisfying with the DJ playing Daler mehendi songs whilst DSSC wives break a leg on tunak tunak tunak tunak tun tarara.)

Field marshal manekshaw surely chose the best place to retire in.

Day -3

All the spots are a hike or a trek up and down the hill. Wear sports shoes only. No other footwear will be comfortable. For senior citizens the hikes can be strenuous. Dont overdo. 
The most important thing to keep in mind while walking on a hilly terrain is " to be mindful of everystep" "be sure footed".

- Pykara lake - don't skip the boating. Rs. 835 for 8 persons.
- Catherine waterfalls (Pykara) - cascading waterfalls. A short doable hike.
- Pykara shooting spot where you can see the valley view and hilly grasslands. Short hike, don't skip.
- Pine hill forest ( skippable).
- Cairn Hill (skippable)
- Fern hill Palace 15000 per night. If you want to visit Ooty, stay here. It was built by Maharaja of Mysore and is like a luxury 5 star resort.
- Oldest church - St. Stephens.
- Chocolate factory.
- Dodabhatta peak - highest peak in South India with 360 degree valley view. Got cloudy by the time I reached. Monsoons!

- Lunch at Place to Bee - great food, nice ambience, organic food, built on a concept to help indigenous tribal communities.

Average Lunch / dinner expenditure would be around Rs. 1000/- in McIver, LaMaisin, Place to Be.

Do try the toytrain from Coonoor to Ooty, I didn't. Local bus frequency is good but I preferred cab for multiple locations.

Its an unexplored, unconventional, less popular ( hence less crowded and less traffic ) tourist spot in India.The people are very courteous, supportive and protective of  solo women travelers.  I have  built new associations and I carry on with an attitude of gratitude. I might visit again.

The coffee is as good as any premium foreign brand we buy (instant coffee).

The aromatic oils are 100 % undiluted.
The spices are very good and very very reasonably priced.
Ladies, go ahead and splurge !