Kodaikanal Lake
About
A star-shaped lake sitting at 2,285 metres, Kodaikanal Lake is the town's centrepiece and the place everyone ends up sooner or later. You can walk the 5 kilometre path around it, rent a pedal boat or rowboat, or just sit on the banks and watch the mist come and go. It is not a dramatic or overwhelming sight, just a genuinely lovely one, and the pine trees around the edges make it feel like nowhere else in South India.
Highlights
What makes this place special
The Walk Around the Lake
Five kilometres around the edge of the lake, pine trees on one side and the water on the other, and almost no traffic. Most people do it in about an hour but there is no reason to rush. The light on the water in the early morning is particularly good and the whole loop has a quietness to it that is hard to find elsewhere in Kodaikanal once the day gets going.
A Boat on the Lake on a Cold Morning
Renting a pedal boat or rowboat and getting out onto the water is one of those simple things that ends up being a highlight of the trip. The lake sits at over 2,000 metres, the air is cold, the hills ring the water on all sides, and there is nowhere you need to be. It sounds ordinary and feels anything but.
Things to Know
- •Boating is available on the lake at reasonable rates. The walkway around the perimeter is open and flat, good for an easy morning or evening stroll. The area around the lake has cafes and small shops nearby. Early mornings before the day visitors arrive are the best time to be here.
