Visit Kovai: 5 Best Places To Explore In Coimbatore (2024)
Coimbatore is a famous tourist attraction in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore is also known as Kovai. It is a quaint town tucked away into the heart of the Western Ghats and encircled by Ooty, Palakkad, Pollachi, Tiruppur, and Mettupalayam, some of the most beautiful places in all of South India. Coimbatore is known for its lush green forests, valleys, gushing brooks, and waterfalls.
Visit Kovai: 5 Best Places To Explore In Coimbatore
If you are planning a trip to Tamil Nadu, then a visit to Coimbatore is a must. Let the smell of coffee and spices, the beautiful misty air, and the lush green surroundings fill your soul as Coimbatore welcomes you to some of its best attractions.
1. Adiyogi Shiva Statue
One of the most identifying attractions of Coimbatore is the larger than life Adiyogi Shiva statue. This statue is known to be the world’s biggest bust statue dedicated to the famous Hindu deity, Lord Shiva. The scenic beauty of the statue is increased manifold by the surrounding lush green farms at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains. Located in the Western Ghats, the statue has been carved out of 500 tons of steel and is located inside the Isha Yoga Complex in Coimbatore. The sculpture stands proud and tall at the height of a majestic 112 feet.
The Guinness World Book of Records also recognizes the statue as being the ‘largest bust sculpture’ in the world, being 34.3 meters tall if you exclude the plinth. It is also 7.63 meters wide and 45 meters long. The statue has been designed by the founder of the Isha Foundation himself, the famous Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev himself. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself inaugurated the statue on February 24, 2017.
The Adiyogi Shiva Statue was constructed with the purpose of inspiring and promoting the practice of yoga, and the statue was called ‘Adiyogi,’ meaning ‘the first yogi.’ This is because many people know Lord Shiva as the originator of yoga in the world.
The statue is situated inside the Dhyanalinga complex, and the statue is just a short 7-minute walk from the temple. For those who don’t want to walk, there are many open rickshaws and modified bullock carts that ferry you to the Adiyogi statue.
2. Vydehi Falls
The Vydehi waterfalls are located just 35 km away from the main Coimbatore city. If you are visiting Coimbatore, then you must make a point to visit the Vydehi Falls. This popular and most recognized waterfall in India is known far and wide for its sheer magnificence.
The waterfall attracts a huge number of visitors from all over the country due to its beauty and scenic attraction. You can hire a taxi or cab to drive to the Vydehi waterfalls. This scenic spot is ideal for taking pictures, and the serenity of this trip offset by the magnificence of the waterfall will stay with you for a long time.
3. Monkey Falls
The beauty of Coimbatore is marked by the many waterfalls that surround the town. Monkey Falls is another beautiful and majestic waterfall that is located near the Aliyar Dam, in the heart of the Anamalai Hills mountain range. The place is known for its super chilled water and exciting rapids – providing a grand spectacle.
Keep in mind, though, that you need to take permission from the Forest Department officials located in Pollachi to enter the Monkey Falls area. The place surrounding the waterfall is also ideal for picnic and trekking and is today one of the most popular tourist spots in and around Coimbatore.
4. Kovai Kondattam
Another popular place to visit in Coimbatore is the Kovai Kondattam amusement park. Located around two kilometers from Perur in Coimbatore, Kovai Kondattam is the ideal place to spend a fun-filled day of unending entertainment with your family and friends.
One fact that sets Kovai Kondattam apart from other amusement parks is that it is an eco-friendly theme park. The park was constructed by the popular Tamil actor Vijay and today caters to a huge base of visitors with its dry and water-based rides. This place is not only a very popular picnic spot for families with small kids, but it is also an ideal spot for parties, conferences, corporate bookings, and even wedding receptions.
Due to the sheer number of rides at the Kovai Kondattam Park, you can end up spending hours over here without even coming to realize the time.
Some of the most famous rides here are the Wave Pool, Aqua Dance, Dashing Cars, the Hara-Kiri, Rock Climbing, and the video parlor. Some of the other attractions here are the kids’ pool, family pool, waterfalls, water slides, family train, Chair-O-Plane, Giant Wheel, merry-go-round, etc.
The park also has an amphitheater that holds live performances from time to time.
5. Marudhamalai Hill Temple
How can a trip to Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu be complete without paying obeisance at the beautiful Marudhamalai Hill Temple? The Marudhamalai Hill Temple is situated at an astonishing height of 500 feet in the highland in the Western Ghats. People from all over Tamil Nadu and South India come to pay their respect to the main deity Lord Muruga here.
Local state government officials have allowed vehicles to pass through the Marudhamalai Hill Temple, and the devasthanam of the temple has also permitted three buses to come up from the low slope of the hill to reach right to the temple on the top of the hill.
Another major feature of this temple is that the hill it sits on is also a growing ground for several important medicinal herbs that are widely used to make various Ayurvedic medicines.
Coimbatore can prove to be a once in a lifetime trip. Surrounded by nature, a trip to Coimbatore is a must to experience a holiday like never before. Trekking, camping, visiting an amusement park, meditating at the Adiyogi Shiva Statue, and exploring the various majestic and scintillating waterfalls here, there is something for everyone in Coimbatore.