What to expect
Pillur Dam
Pillur Dam is built across the Bhavani River near Mettupalayam and was constructed between 1961 and 1966 with assistance under the Colombo Plan. Ringed by the Nilgiri foothills and dense forest, its reservoir is a scenic spot supplying water for domestic, agricultural and hydro-power use. It is a popular half-day outing combined with the surrounding hill scenery.
Practical guide
Plan Pillur Dam
Who's going?Tailor Pillur Dam to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseMettupalayam
DistrictCoimbatore
Best timeOctober to March is the cooler, drier…
Time neededAbout an hour
EntryFree
Places to visit5→Pillur Dam is planned from Mettupalayam, one of the travel bases in Coimbatore district. Use Mettupalayam for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
Getting there
How to visit
- Base yourself in Mettupalayam or nearby in Coimbatore, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Timing
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
Weather in Pillur DamSeasonal guide
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Today at Pillur Dam
Sunrise6:13 am
Sunset6:33 pm
Golden hour best light5:33 pm–6:33 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:33 pm–6:58 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 279°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 83%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Pillur Dam
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Pillur Dam — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
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Top experiences around Mettupalayam
4 more places around Mettupalayam, each worth a day of its own.
activityBlack Thunder
15.9 km · ~27 min by cab
A large water and amusement theme park near Mettupalayam at the foot of the Nilgiris, popular with families for its rides and pools.
activitySirumugai (Bhavani Sagar gateway)
12.4 km · ~21 min by cab
A riverside town on the banks of the Bhavani river en route to Bhavani Sagar, known as a gateway stop for the Nilgiris and Mettupalayam region.
heritageSri Vana Bhadra Kaliamman Temple
15.0 km · ~25 min by cab
This temple in Mettupalayam is dedicated to the fierce goddess Vana Bhadra Kaliamman and is a locally revered shrine on the route toward the Nilgiris. It is known for its annual festival and Amman worship traditions. It serves as a devotional landmark for the Mettupalayam area at the foothills of the Nilgiris.
heritageBaralikadu Ecotourism Centre
720 m · 9 min walk
Baralikadu is a small tribal village and forest-department ecotourism centre near the Pillur reservoir in the Coimbatore Forest Division, hemmed in by dense forest along the Bhavani River. Its main draw is guided coracle rides on the reservoir accompanied by forest staff, along with a lunch prepared by tribal women. It operates on weekends and holidays and is a growing community-based eco-tourism destination.
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Pillur Dam — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeOctober to February; post-monsoon for full reservoir
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Pillur Dam
Near Mettupalayam (~30 km N of Coimbatore); nearest railway Mettupalayam (~20 km); Coimbatore International Airport (CJB) ~45 km
Getting around Pillur Dam
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Pillur Dam
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Pillur Dam
On the map
Where Pillur Dam is
Good to know
Pillur Dam — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Pillur Dam?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Pillur Dam?
Entry: Free. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Pillur Dam?
Base yourself in Mettupalayam or nearby in Coimbatore, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Pillur Dam?
About an hour.
What else is near Pillur Dam?
Nearby you can pair Baralikadu Ecotourism Centre (720 m), Sirumugai (Bhavani Sagar gateway) (12.4 km), Sri Vana Bhadra Kaliamman Temple (15.0 km), Black Thunder (15.9 km).
Read before you go
Pillur Dam guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Pillur Dam itself yet. These cover Mettupalayam, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Tamil Nadu-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Tamil Nadu.
Guide
Coimbatore: Temple Hills, the Adiyogi and the Road to the Ghats
8 min read · Read →
Guide
Pollachi Travel Guide: Coconut Country and the Gateway to Valparai
7 min read · Read →
Story
Valparai: tea country and wildlife in the Anamalai hills
6 min read · Read →
Itinerary
Coimbatore & Valparai in 3 Days
8 min read · Read →
Itinerary
Coimbatore to Ooty in 2 Days: Temples, the Toy Train and Tea Country
8 min read · Read →
Guide
Wildlife and Tiger Reserves of Tamil Nadu: A Field Guide
9 min read · Read →
Image credits
- Pillur Dam:Rehman Abubakr via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0