Namita Gupta struggles to find another colour on a weekend getaway to Coonoor, Tamil Nadu's second largest hill station lined with lush tea estates and thick eucalyptus forests
Namita Gupta struggles to find another colour on a weekend getaway to Coonoor, Tamil Nadu's second largest hill station lined with lush tea estates and thick eucalyptus forests
Type: Leisure
Best from: Bengaluru
You need: 2 days
You are going to be starved for colours on this holiday. That's if you are driving down to Tamil Nadu's second largest hill station in the Nilgiris from Bengaluru. Green is the only hue you are offered, although in a million variations. The road is lined with lush tea estates, green pine and cedar trees, the thick eucalyptus vegetation lending an aromatic quality to the air, and a stray bison or giant Malabar Squirrel leading you to jam your brakes because it has suddenly decided to cross the road. 
Don't leave Coonoor without taking a walk through one of the many tea
estates that dot the hill station
The nippy weather tends to fuel even the most frugal appetites, and so, before we set out to explore the popular weekend getaway, a scrumptious snack was in order. At our homestay, we had an angel in the guise of a cook. There was nothing Sindhu couldn't make well, but her Kozhi Curry, Beef Roast, Meen Moily, Veg Stew, all wolfed down with freshly steamed Appams, made a meal fit enough for the Gods. It wasn't surprising then that the visitor's diary had a jotting by an expat guest named Robert who lamented: "Why did I have to marry Linda? Sindhu's cooking could keep any man happy."u00a0
If you do manage to lift yourself from a lazy chair after a hearty meal (we succeeded after several tries), take a walk down to the Ralliah Dam just off the Coonoor-Kotagiri road. A naturalist's dream, the area is home to rare birds and trees. Don't forget your binoculars. The rare Advadab and a dozen Bulbuls were within distance, but it was spotting the giant Malabar Squirrel, a native of the Nilgiris, nibbling on green beans, that thrilled us.u00a0 
Locals sell fresh carrots at the market
On our way back from the dam, we decided say hello to Peter uncle, an 84-year-old gentleman who owns the last house on the hill. Because the world is shrinking, and you can't escape celebrities (or their relatives, as in this case), we realised he was musician Leslie Lewis' (of Colonial Cousins) father-in-law.
The local market is a good pit stop if you want to pick up fresh packs of tea and spices. The Nonsuch is the best variety of local tea you can buy, and gets its unique name from the fact that there is 'no-such' tea to match its taste.
The Sim's Park downhill was hosting the annual fruit show that weekend, and was bustling with locals and tourists amid a sea of colourful fruit and vegetables.
We stayed at: Eden Garden, a homestay that offers a 360-degree view of the Western Ghats from its cottage windows. The Tudor-style English architecture spiked with influences from Kerala lend it an inviting warmth.
The natural rose wood flooring and sun-drenched patio give it a colonial charm.
No televisions here; just the sound of crickets and cicadas as the evening sets in.
Getting there
By road from Bengaluru, allow at least 6 hoursu00a0 driving time. Regular bus services run between Coimbatore, other cities in Tamil Nadu and Coonoor. From Bengaluru, take the Mysore road, continue via Maddur and Bandipur. The nearest airport from Coonoor is Coimbatore Airport, at a distance of 70 kms.
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Fact file
Coonoor is the second largest hill station in Tamil Nadu. It is naturally divided into Upper and Lower Coonoor and is surrounded on all sides by theu00a0 majestic Nilgiris.
The pristine orange sunset is your only escape from green
Stay
>>Lamlin Cottage, a cozy holiday home in Ooty, perched atop Tiger Hill, 10 minutes along the meandering road to Coonoor. It overlooks the valley.
For: Rs 3,500 a night
https://www.ootycottage.com/
>>Bison Country Resort, near Beulah Farm in Bandomai village has a few self-contained cottages.
For: Rs 2,500 a night
>>Eden Garden
For: Rs 5,000 a night
https://www.mahindrahomestays.com/
Excursion
For those of you not quite satisfied with leisurely walks, take a day out for an adventure
getaway to Bheemeshwari (Cauvery Fishing Camp).
The camps here are tailor-made for adventure lovers and include The Inca Walk (Burma Loops), The Commando Drop (Zip-Line), The Mad Monkey Crawl (Parallel Walk), trekking, kayaking and coracle ride. The package includes a buffet lunch, professional charges, forest fees, equipment charges and taxes. Rs 1,540 (per head) for a day. 
The bison we spotted on one of our evening walks
Coonoor to Bheemeshwari: 200 kms (3 hrs by road)
Bangalore to Bheemeshwari: 100 kms (1.5 hr drive).
Call: Vinod on 9740399660. https://www.bucketlist.in/
Drop by at the eucalyptus oil distillery
One part of Coonoor fuels a very different economic enterprise ufffdthat of Eucalyptus oils. It's an important and colourful part of the estate land's history. A quick visit to the distillery can give you a peek into how the oil is extracted. The new leaf growth rich in eucalyptus oil is cut and stuck in a huge cast iron tub with water while a fire burns underneath to give it a boil. The leaves are then discarded and a fresh lot is put in. The fragranceu00a0
that emanates from the concoction is divine.
Tiny shops that line the road outside the distilleryu00a0 sell soap and massage oil. The shopkeepers will be happy to offer you a quick lesson in the oil's healing properties.
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