Ooty Reviews - Summer escape and more for South India

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
It is best to avoid the regular hot-spots as these tend to be crowded and polluted. However, among these, the Doddabetta Peak, the highest in the Nilgiris is worth a visit. One should make a trip to Pykara (20km), the site of a dam with a beautiful stream forming a nice picnic spot. The Botanical Garden is worth a visit too for its sprawling lawns. Shop around for tea, Ooty chocolates and local trinkets.

Activities & things to do
Mentioned above - Dodabetta Peak, Botanical Gardens. if time permits, make a trip down to Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary - it's advisable to stay overnight so one can catch wildlife sightings early in the morning. There are quite a few resorts around here. Hope on the mountain train for a short trip, say from Ooty to Coonoor to get a feel of this unique rail system.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
Ooty can be accessed by road from either Mettupalayam or Mysore-Mudumalai. The mountain train runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty, but this journey through scenic urroundings could take as long as 4-5 hours. Take a ride upto Coonoor and then take a bus from there - Ooty has a good bus network. Though summer is the ideal time to visit, it is also the most crowded - see if you can visit in Oct-Nov; ideal.