GIVING TIME A BREAK

Kodaikanal, Pollachi, Valparai, Wayanad, Mysore...

If you’ve never been to these places around Coimbatore, you have not met the right tour guide. There’s the Crocodile Farm in Amravathi Dam that is worth a dekko. Not to mention a stay in the many tree houses in Annamalai wildlife sanctuary. If you are a fan of hilly weather, nothing like Valparai and its streams, waterfalls and dense forests. But of course, who can miss the Queen of Hills, Ooty. Visit it during April to June and don’t forget to watch the annual flower show at its terraced Botanical Gardens. The list is endless...read on.

POLLACHI

At a distance of 40 km away from Coimbatore lies Pollachi. It is the second commercial centre of Coimbatore district. The Mariamman temples and Subramanya temples are famous here. The five-hooded cobra, a Yali with a chain inside its mouth and the Zodiac signs are some of the sculptures in the temple stones.

Distance — 40 Km

TTDC — 230-3176

Best time to visit — MAY-Jan.

TIRUPUR

This is a textile city. Hosiery centres are aplenty in this city. Just 50 km from Coimbatore, T-shirts and other banian materials are stitched here and sold overseas. There are thousands of banian textiles in Tiruppur. This is the place where the great Kumaran, who fought for the country’s freedom, lived. He died holding the national flag in his hands.

Distance — 50 Km TTDC — 230-3176 Best time to visit — all through the year

METTUPALAYAM