Coonoor is one hill station that leaves a lasting impression in the minds of a visitor, evoking memories of childhood where things were simpler and filled with wonderment. You are lost in awe when you come to this hill station, which is in proximity to the world-famous Ootacamund hill station. At 1,850 m above sea level, the overall ambience of this sleepy little town makes one fall in love with it instantly.The economy of Coonoor is mostly based on the flourishing tea trade. Most of the local population depends on the cultivation, processing and selling of tea for their subsistence. Home-made chocolate is another speciality of the Nilgiris and Coonoor is no exception. You can get home-made chocolates on every other street of Coonoor and they are not to be missed. Coonoor is also famous for its horticulture and floriculture industries. Several rare species of orchids and other flowering plants are grown and sold in Coonoor’s floriculture farms. Observing varieties which you cannot find anywhere else in the world serves as a fulfilling experience!
An experience that any and every visitor to the Nilgiris should not miss out on is the train ride to Coonoor and furthermore, to Ooty. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is esteemed as a World Heritage Site, along with the Darjeeling mountain railway as ordained by UNESCO. This is one of the few places in the world where the rack and pinion system is used.
