Yercaud

A coffee-estate hill station in the Eastern Ghats nicknamed the "Poor Man's Ooty", with Yercaud Lake and Ladies' Seat looking out over the plains.

Yercaud lies north of Salem in Tamil Nadu, India, in the Shevaroy Hills of the Eastern Ghats at about 1,500 m. It is the most popular hill station in eastern Tamil Nadu, nicknamed the "Poor Man's Ooty" because it is cheaper and smaller than Ooty. The British established coffee plantations here in the 19th century, and the hills are still covered in coffee estates, pepper and citrus groves. The town is small, and the main sights centre on Yercaud Lake in the middle of town: boating on the lake, with Anna Park and the Deer Park on its shores. To the southwest are Ladies' Seat, the Rose Garden and the Botanical Garden; to the southeast is Pagoda Point; to the north are the highest point, Servarayan Temple, and Bear's Cave; and outside town, Kiliyur Falls is reached by steep stone steps. If you like driving, take the roughly 32 km loop road past viewpoints such as Manjakuttai and Karadiyur and tribal villages. The climate is mild year-round, with summer highs around 30°C and winter nights around 13°C. October to May is the best time; the waterfalls are fullest after the monsoon, and the Summer Festival flower show is held in May; April–June is peak season for visitors from the plains, and hotels fill up at weekends. Getting there: the nearest city and railway station is Salem (about 30 km), from where buses and taxis take about 1 hour up a ghat road with 20 hairpin bends; Salem has a small airport, but most visitors come by train or car from Bengaluru (about 230 km) or Chennai (about 360 km). Allow 1–2 days. Nights in the hills are cool, so bring a jacket, and avoid driving the ghat road after dark.

Top sights

Where to eat