Kodaikanal is a beautiful hill station in Tamil Nadu located 120 km from Madurai and 135 km from Coimbatore on the Southern tip of Palani in the Western Ghats.

A British Lieutenant, Ward, first spotted Kodaikanal in 1821. In 1845, the first two bungalows - Sunny Side and Shelton were built by American missionaries with the help of an Englishman, Mr. Fane. Later many American families and the Britishers started settling in this hill station.

The Kodaikanal town has an area of 21.5 sq. km and is at an altitude of 2132 mtrs above sea level. The maximum temperature at Kodaikkanal in summer is 24 deg. C. with a min. of 10 deg. C, during winter it ranges from 8 to 17 deg. C. It rains heavily during October and December. April - June and September - October are considered as the "Seasons" - the season when the tariff for accommodation and supporting services are high.

The Kodaikkanal town nestles around the man-made Kodi lake which spreads out in a star shape over 60 acres of lush greenery. The lake is skirted by 5km of black-topped road which is quite enjoyable either for a walk or for cycling (bicycles are available on hire). This lake was laid out in 1863 by Sir Vere Hendry Levinge who was then the Collector of Madurai. The lake was originally stocked with fish. In 1890 the first Boat Club was formed and today there are 3-4 different Boat Clubs catering various varieties of boats, which are available on hire to the tourists.

To maintain the ecological balance of this scenic hill resort, the Kodaikanal municipality has banned plastic bags in the town and has also prohibited plying of motorboats in the lake. Without the permission of the forest department no tree can be felled here and also no structure beyond 4 floors can come up in Kodai. While these efforts of the authorities are laudable, it would go a long way if they ban the sounding of horns by vehicles which go around the lake. This apart from causing noise pollution, spoils the serenity of the place. The lake is fast getting polluted with the tourists dropping their litter in the lake and also it needs to be deweeded. The government has drawn up a project to clean the lake shortly.

The lake is the focal point of the town and all the prominent sightseeing places in Kodaikanal are in the range of 2-6 kms from this lake. Kodai is also famous for its home made chocolates & cheese.
While taking a boat ride or walking around the road which skirts around the lake, it's a treat to watch all the magnificent bungalows/cottages owned by many corporate big wigs amidst lush greenery.The hill station also boasts of a variety of flowers, including the 'Kurinji' (which blossoms only once in 12 years).