Tourism in india

Some of the major tourist attractions in Coimbatore include:

Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary: The sanctuary has a rich bio-diversity and is situated between the Bandipur and Annamalai sanctuaries and forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve. It is one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in the Country, the major attraction being the elephant. Other animals that abound the sanctuary include Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Deer, and Snakes.

Kodaikanal: It is situated 138 km from Coimbatore at the top of Palini Hills and is one of the most poplar hill stations in South India. Kodaikanal has some picturesque places to visit like Bear shola falls, Silver cascade, Kodai Lake, Bryant park, Coaker's Walk and Kukkai caves.

Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary: The sanctuary situated along the Western Ghats has an exotic collection of fauna which includes elephant, gaur, tiger, panther, sloth bear, pangolin, black headed oriole, green pigeon and civet cat. The sanctuary also has a large number of crocodiles in its Amaravathy reservoir.

Thirumurthy Dam: The dam is situated at the foothills of the Thirumurthy Hills and is about 20 km from Udumalpet. There is a perennial stream which flows by the side of the Amalingeswarar temple which gives an additional beauty to the place. Situated near Pollachi at a distance of around 90 km, the Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary forms an interesting excursion from Coimbatore. The sanctuary, situated at an altitude of 1,400 metres in the Western Ghats, is home to different kind of animals and birds like elephant, gaur, tiger, panther, sloth bear, deer, wild bear, wild dog, porcupine, flying squirrel, jackal, pangolin, civet cat and birds like rocket-tailed drongo, re-whiskered bulbul, black-headed oriole, tree pie, spotted dove, and green pigeon. The Amaravathy reservoir in the Annamalai has a large number of crocodiles. Annamalai also has many places of scenic beauty such as Karainshola, Anaikunthi shola, grass hills, waterfalls, dams and reservoirs.

The city also has a large number of temples to visit. Important among them include the Perur Patteeswara Swamy temple, Marudha Malai Temple, Arulmigu AranganathaSwamy Thirukoil, and the Arulmigu Eachanari Vinayagar Temple.

The VOC park is named after the famous freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram. It is an interesting place to visit along with children. The park is maintained by the Coimbatore Corporation. There are several attractions for the young ones. Some of the main attractions within the park include the aquarium, having a good collection of different species of fish, a mini zoo and models of prehistoric dinosaurs. Apart from these children can also enjoy themselves on swing, slider, seesaw, toy train and other play equipment.

This University is definitely an interesting place to visit in Coimbatore. It is situated about 5 kms away from the Coimbatore railway station and is considered as one of the best institutions of its kind in South Asia. The university includes a botanical garden which is the main source of attraction here. It is located towards the west of the city center and is sprawled over an area of 300 hectares. The garden here owns a wide range of species of flowering plants and trees.

Perur, a small town, situated about 6 km from Coimbatore is famous for the holy Perur Temple. This temple is considered one of the seven Kongu Sivalayams. The outer buildings of the temple was built by Karikala Cholan, a ruler of Madurai in the 17th century but the inner shrine is much older. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the extraordinary features of this temple is the figure of a sepoy (Indian soldier). The figure of the sepoy is loading a musket carved on the base of the pillar near the entrance, wearing identical dress to that of the Aurangzeb's soldiers. The significance of Perur temple in earlier days is unfolded in the poetic creations of Arunagiri Nather and Kachiappa Munivar.

The Marudhamalai Temple is located on a hillock about 12 kms from Coimbatore Railway Station. The temple of Marudhamalai, dedicated to Lord Subramanya, is one of the most visited temples in the region. Large number of devotees flock the temple because it is believed that the residing deity Dandayuthapani performed several miracles here. Thai Poosam and Tirukarthigai festivals are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety at this temple.

The Forest temple is located about 3.5 km north of the Coimbatore Railway Station. The College is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the country. The museum of the College is a must visit. This museum has an interesting collection of different minerals, rocks, pests, snakes, insects and fossils of plants and animals. The museum also has a special advisory counter offering service to promote businesses related to plant husbandry. The college also trains forest rangers.