Marudhanadhi Dam

Also called Rat Tail Falls, at about 297 m it is one of the tallest waterfalls in Tamil Nadu, plunging down the Palani hills and visible from the Kodaikanal ghat road.

A picturesque irrigation dam across the Manjalar river, about ten kilometres from Batlagundu in Dindigul district. Set against the backdrop of the Western Ghats, it has calm blue waters and green surroundings. It is a popular local picnic and sightseeing spot.

A roughly 400-acre monsoon-fed reservoir near Athoor, formed by the Kamarajar Sagar Dam and overlooked by the Western Ghats. A noted birdwatching spot, it hosts hundreds of bird species, with coracle fishermen and coconut, banana and cardamom estates along its shores. It is one of the most scenic water bodies in the district.

A roughly 30 m (100 ft) waterfall formed by the overflow of Kodaikanal Lake, on the ghat road about 8 km from town.

A Murugan temple built in 1936, associated with the Kurinji flower that blooms once every twelve years, offering hill views about 3 km from Kodaikanal Lake.

A Hanuman temple at Anaipatti in Nilakottai taluk, reputed to be around 300 years old. It is traditionally said to have been established by Rani Mangammal, the Nayak queen of Madurai. Set beside a river, it is one of the older village shrines of the area.

A small Vishnu temple on a hillock about 9 km south of Palani, just off the Palani-Kodaikanal highway. It is dedicated to Kannadi Perumal, a form of Lord Vishnu. Its elevated setting offers views over the surrounding plains.

A 1 km paved cliff-edge promenade laid out by Lt. Coaker in 1872, offering panoramic views over the valley and plains below Kodaikanal.

One of the oldest Catholic churches in Kodaikanal, built in a distinctive Tamil-French architectural style. The main shrine houses a statue of Our Lady of La Salette, and the grounds include a Pilgrim Hall, the La Salette Grotto and a Way of the Cross. It is a popular Marian pilgrimage site in the hill town.

A remote hamlet in the Palani Hills reached only by a forest trek of several kilometres from the Kodaikanal side. Villagers are known for their hospitality and for selling home-grown spices and fruits such as oranges, butter fruit, guava and passion fruit. It is a well-known destination on the Kodaikanal-Vellagavi trekking route.

A small dam and reservoir near Kodaikanal, also known as Shola Dam, a quiet picnic and film-shooting spot away from the crowded lake.

A 20-acre botanical garden beside Kodaikanal Lake laid out in 1908, home to hundreds of species of trees, shrubs and cacti and an annual flower show.