Last Updated on May 28, 2020 by hungryoungwoman
Last year, I spent a good month in India with my in-laws and visited some amazing places like Coorg, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, and Ooty. These are actually only 2 states in India; namely, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka which easily accessible by road. Of these road trips, we spent some time touring places to visit in Ooty in 3 days.
Ooty is famous for lush greenery, cold climate, and also once compared to Switzerland by British colonial administrator, John Sullivan. If you’re wondering where is Ooty, this gorgeous place located? It is in the state of Tamil Nadu of India and can be accessible from Chennai or even Bangalore by road or train.
There is also the option of arriving at Coimbatore, the nearest airport, by flight and then driving up the mountain to Ooty. However, unless absolute difficulty, I suggest you either take the road trip or by train to the hill station. The trip itself is beautiful with scenic locations!
In this Ooty travel guide, I aim to cover things to know before going on an Ooty trip, places to see in Ooty, places to stay in Ooty, and give you a brief info about the places near Ooty.
This includes
Best Places to Visit in Ooty in 3 Days
Ooty famous places are gorgeous! Really, if you haven’t been to Switzerland or any of the winter destinations in Europe because they are expensive, then you should head to places like Ooty and Coorg which are surrounded by nature, have a cold climate which won’t make you freeze, and have lesser crowds than famous tourist destinations.
Rose Garden
The Rose Garden in Ooty is similar to the Dubai Miracle Garden. It is also seasonal but open throughout the year. We didn’t know much about it before visiting the actual place and found most roses dying. However, I can just imagine how beautiful it must look when the flowers are blooming.
Ticket price: INR 20 per person
INR 30 for camera
Timings are from 8.30 am until 6 pm every day
Botanical Garden
Another place to devour nature in the Ooty tourist places list is the Botanical Garden. This is what most of the tourists come to see.
The garden is broadly divided into five sections; Upper Garden, Lower Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory, and the Nurseries. Each section having exotic and protected species of plants.
In my opinion, I didn’t feel it was all that amazing as Ooty is already a very “green” town. Instead, a road trip with the stunning scenery is what I would have rather spent my time with. I am only adding this to the Ooty best places list because of its popularity and each traveler’s preference.
Tickets: INR 30 per person
INR 50 for camera
Timings of Botanical Garden, Ooty is from 7 am until 6.30 pm every day.
Ooty Boat House
The Boat House in Ooty is another one of Ooty points of interest. In short, you choose a boat; pedal, row, or motorboat. Pedal boats are done on your own, while rowboats and motorboats have a driver.
Each package is priced differently but no matter what you choose you will be awarded with beautiful views during the entire ride. There were 3 of us so we decided to go on an 8 seater motorboat and shared the cost with another family.
There are separate charges for entry costing INR 30 for each person. You are then supposed to proceed inside and buy a suitable boat ticket.
The boat ride itself is about 15-20 minutes approx after which we enjoyed the little stalls serving street food and souvenirs. We also found some thrills like a haunted house that the kids seemed to be enjoying!
The best time to visit the boathouse would be on weekdays in the afternoon. We were there around 4 pm after and just missed a heavy rainfall that occurred as soon as we were out of the boathouse.
Timings are from 9 am until 6 pm every day.
Chocolate Museum
Like the Swiss have their chocolate, Ooty is also famous for its chocolate museums which are really another name for chocolate shops. Just to clear if you went in expecting a museum about chocolate! (this happened to me LOL)
These chocolates are fresh and melt in the mouth worthy. They come with different nuts or raisins. We bought a couple of these for family back home and they really enjoyed it. Talk about a souvenir you can eat!
These “Chocolate Museums” are all over the place and a quick search on Google Maps will show you the nearest one.
Pykara Falls
If you are traveling from Bangalore to Ooty or Mysore to Ooty, then Pykara Waterfalls are more accessible for you. We initially started from Chennai to Ooty but halted in Bangalore for a night so we had this on our route.
The best time to visit is in the morning as evenings are very chilly especially during the monsoon season where it is better to avoid this place entirely. The waters are unpredictable and can result in high tide.
However, if you aren’t visiting during that time, Pykara Waterfalls is one of the best places to visit near Ooty about 20 km away from the main town. There is also a boathouse and a restaurant where you can spend time after watching the sight.
Klook.com
Pine Tree Forest
After visiting Ooty, I happened to read about this spot that I missed during my visit. Pine Tree Forest is a hidden gem in Ooty which looks amazingly spectacular in pictures. I am yet to visit this place in person but I found some info about it on the Ooty tourism website here that I have saved to explore next time.
Things to know before Ooty Sightseeing
Let me tell you something before you embark on your journey to see Ooty tourist places. I have been visiting this town since childhood only because it was a nearby holiday spot from my grandparent’s place in Chennai. A trip from Chennai to Ooty is about 9 – 10 hours split between traveling on a train and then taxi to our hotel.
The trip from the train station to the hotel was something I would never look forward to nor do I now. The route has sharp turns called “hairpin bends” and the entire journey of going up always makes me sick and nauseous.
This is why I always have to take tablets in advance that wouldn’t make me feel dizzy. If you are like me, I assure that only the trip duration is what you will not enjoy.
I still absolutely hate the thought of the drive upwards and the numerous times it has made me feel sick from childhood but apparently there are people like me around the world.
Other than what’s been stated above, carry warm clothes to Ooty. Evenings and early mornings are very chilly!
Best Place to Stay in Ooty
My family has the Club Mahindra membership so I receive discounts on accommodations as being a direct dependant. We stayed at Club Mahindra – Danish Villa, a lovely hotel with wooden interiors and stone walls.
Hot showers felt like a luxury to come back to after the chilly outdoor trips and satellite television with basic channels kept us company. The downside is that the hotel doesn’t have Wi-Fi (you’re coming to spend time with family so why Wi-Fi?) so working there required me to connect my phone data to the laptop. However, I felt that it was quite nice to switch off for the 3 days in Ooty holiday.
There are a number of hotels that range from affordable to luxurious which will allow you access to the best things to do in Ooty during your getaway. Take a look at some of them below:
Booking.com
Vinnca West Downs Heritage Resort
Fortune Resort Sullivan Court – Member ITC Hotel Group, Ooty
Ooty is just one hill station in India. There are many located in each state and all of them beautiful in their own way.
If you are more of a city person, you will love my guide to a one day trip to Agra or Karnataka itinerary. For a more hidden gems tour, look at how you can explore Ahmedabad like a local.
Have you been to a hill station in India before or to Ooty? Let me know about your experience!
Until then, happy traveling! xx
P.S. If you would like to save and read later, here are some pinnable versions 🙂
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which will give me a small commission if you purchase a product/service. This will not result in any extra cost to you.
Wow, I’d never heard of Ooty, and would never have thought somewhere in India could be compared to somewhere in Switzerland. Thanks for opening my eyes.
Yes, Ooty is a must visit place in india
I’d actually never heard of Ooty before! But a place with lots of chocolate shops? Count me in!
I just wondering, the taste of the food, is that nice?
Yes, you’ll mostly find South Indian food around. But you also have other internation options in case you don’t fancy it.