Ooty - Holidaying At The Queen Of Hill Stations

Ooty, which is also known as Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam, is one of the most popular hill stations of South India. Located in the Nilgiri District of Tamil Nadu, Ooty is fondly called the 'Queen of Hill Stations' because of the wonderful setting it displays. Ooty, with its natural scenery, thick forest reserves and national parks is also famous for its tea plantations and oil extraction industry (which extracts oil from eucalyptus trees, lemon grass, geranium, clove and camphor) among others.

Even though Ooty was initially inhabited by the Todas, it came under the command of the East India Company by the end of the 18th century. Currently, Ooty is more or less dependent on the tourism and agriculture sector for its ecomomy, along with a very small percentage of manufacturing industries like medicines and photographic film for its economic growth.

The major tourist spots that are to be found in and around Ooty are Government Rose Garden, Ooty Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake, the Stone House, Toda huts, Fernhills palace, the Ooty Mountain Railway, St. Stephen's Church, Wax World, Ooty Golf Course and the Tribal Museum, to name a few.

Ooty is placed deep within the Nilgiri hill ranges, which is also called The Blue Mountains. The place got this sobriquet because of the blue coloured cloudy mist given off by the eucalyptus trees that swathe the area, and also due to the kurunji flower, which blooms every twelve years, giving the slopes a lovely bluish tinge. There are no written historical evidences to show that Ooty was a part of any kingdoms or dynasties. But it is believed that it was Tipu Sultan who first extended his border to Ooty by constructing a hideout-cave like structure here.

Some other well-known tourist spots situated near Ooty are the Doddabetta Peak, Pykara falls, Pine forest, Wenlock Downs, Kamaraj Sagar Dam (Sandynalla reservoir), Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park, Needle hill viewpoint, Parsons Valley Reservoir, Emerald Lake, Avalanche Lake, Porthimund Lake and Upper Bhavani, to name a few.

As a prominent tourist spot, there are numerous Ooty Hotels striving to cater to the lodging needs of its visitors across all categories like budget hotels, deluxe hotels, luxury hotels and resorts among others. Almost all hotels here have in-house multi-cuisine restaurants that serve authentic Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines. They are conveniently placed in every parts of the town and offer homely accommodation along with basic amenities.

The best time to visit Ooty is during the summers when the climate would be pleasant and cheerful. It is also the best time to undertake outdoor activities like hiking and exploring. There are numerous packages in the offing to explore this beautiful hill station at ones own leisure.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Ooty---Holidaying-At-The-Queen-Of-Hill-Stations/4173898

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