Vattakanal - The Bliss Test
Vattakanal or better known as 'Vatta' by most or 'Little Israel' by the villagers that observe a large number of Israeli tourists that flock there from October onwards. Vattakanal is located in the Dindigul District on the southern tip of the upper Palani hills in the state of Tamil Nadu in India along the eastern coast of the western ghats.,It is located along a range that has been labelled 'one of the top 25 biodiversity hotspots of the world' as many rare and endangered plants and animals of the country are found here. Tourism is the main form of income for the villagers of this region and people looking for a heavenly getaway into nature choose Vattakanal as a holiday destination. A paradise of flowers and foliage with clouds rising from the valleys under you rather than over!
Vattakanal undegoes variations of a tropical monsoon climate. Winter months of November through February in Vattakanal are usually dry. During January though, there are ice formations on the foliage and temperatures drop down to freezing at night and early morning sometimes. There is some amount of rainfall every month during the rest of the year. Summer Months or season months in Vattakanal are between April and June with temperatures ranging from 10 to 20 degrees and dropping down to an average of 8 to 17 degrees in winter when colder. I would always recommend plenty of warm clothes like socks, woolen vests and a great pair of trekking shoes for hikers, as well as rainwear for the unpredictable yet beautiful weather in the Palani mountain range.
Outskirts of Vattakanal Village- Being less populated with fewer tourists than its adjoining sister town of Kodaikanal all walks through the Palani mountain range are serene and green in the summers cold, moist and quiet during the winters. Every evening there is always a crescendo of frogs that croak together at twilight to the night. A sound to pay attention to!
The simple village of Vattakanal has no shops for tourists but one can buy freshly picked avocados and passionfruit from the 'Dhabbas' or street eating places nearby. Fresh bread is available once a week from a German Bread maker who makes house visits. Other kinds of fresh bread can be bought from 'Econut' in the town of Kodaikanal nearby. While there are no commercial shops in Vattakanal, the local handicrafts and jewelry can be bought in the nearby town of Kodaikanal which can be reached by Taxis that wait for tourists on the main road.
Including travel, food and stay and depending on ones mode of transport, a one week holiday in Vattakanal can range anywhere between INR 4000 to 6000- if you have arrived by train across the country and lived backpacker style - to INR 8000 to 12000 - if one has chosen flights and moderately expensive accommodation along with tones of shopping of fresh fruits and food!. Not to forget, for long term housing, renting a house is also an option with expenses ranging from INR 3000 to 6000 a month as it does in most small villages around the south of India. It is most advisable and popular for writers. photographers and creative people to choose the latter option.
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