10 USEFUL OOTY SOLO TRAVEL TIPS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP EASIER!

Select from the list, you have different choices for accommodation, Basic Hotel Rooms Cost Starts from Rs 600 to Rs 2500. There are dozens of Hotels offering the best amenities, each with its own style and services

• 2 Star Hotel- Budget Hotels - Rs 900
• 3 Star Hotel - Deluxe Hotel - Rs 1500
• 4-star Hotel - Luxury Hotel - Rs 2500
• Eco-Friendly Hotel - Camping Hotel - Rs 2000

Please check each property facility before check in to the hotel, few provide complimentary breakfast, few provide dinner too.

For foreigners - Please check with the hotel whether they have got permission from the government to accommodate foreigners, its strict rules to maintain certain criteria to accommodate foreigners, Not all hotels in Ooty can accommodate foreigners.

With so many things to do in Ooty we've picked our top 5 experiences that you shouldn't miss if you visit the Ooty

• 1. Ooty Local Sightseeing - You can spend complete one day visiting, Doddabetta, Boating, Gardens (Botanical Garden or Rose Garden). You can hire a private bike to visit all these places, which will cost no more than Rs 1000 including a bike with petrol and sightseeing entrance fees.
• 2. Pykara - Waterfalls, and valley viewpoint, to name few shooting spots, Pykara waterfalls & Lake for Boating, pine forest. You can avail triable trekking but have to join with some group to have safe trekking
• 3. Coonoor - Morning Ooty Heritage train journey, visit Madras regiment (MRC) Military campus, visit dolphin nose and Lamps Rock also called as suicide valley, visit the tea garden take some selfies and make the day memorable
• 4. Mudumalai - Mudumalai forest safari, you can avail early morning drive to Mudumalai, imagine crossing all dangerous roads along with animals on both sides before sunrise, Morning Bed tea on the road sipping with chilled frozen Ooty climate. Having Morning breakfast in the roadside hotel and getting prepared for first safari ride inside the forest in a government vehicle, safari ride will be 45 min deep inside the jungle spot animals (If You are lucky:), and come back to check post or to Ooty for lunch
• 5 Avalanche - Have you heard about Bhavani water before, do you know where the Bhavani water originates, yes you will see upper Bhavani back water originating place, crossing an ancient temple called Lakkadi temple, on the go you will visit cauliflower forest, Toda hut and more in Avalanche

Ooty is safe places until you bring outsiders in the name of guides. Got confused!. Get help from Ooty locale but not from Outstation people like Coimbatore, Bangalore where they usually don't know more about Ooty but pretend to be, There are few accommodations where you will get pissed off, make sure you read the reviews before checking Inn.

You have all banks ATM in Ooty, so avoid bring cash in the wallet, many vendors accept digital payment use swipe machines, always have less cash in the wallet.

Beware of Moneky in a tourist spot, they steal many than humans :), Specially nears valley viewpoints when you keep things in dashboard and windows open in cabs.

Hiring Cabs, there are lots of vendors providing cab services, few say less cost and after getting into the cab they charge you parking charges, driver lunch and more, so with them clearly before confirming the cabs, Agents says less cost initially and get money after you get inside cab.

Unlike yesteryears, many men and women opt for sole travelling. True, a few love sightseeing on their own. However, many choose to go their own way, simply because they have no companions to accompany them at those times. Whatever is the case, if you are a lone traveller too, ensure that your personal safety is never put at risk. The tips outlined below should come in handy at the right time, whether you are a male/female from India or abroad.

Would it not be nice to know that the boarding and lodging is all fixed, along with readily available transport? Of course, it would grant you wonderful peace of mind. Several hotels, motels, lodges or hostels do provide the facility of arranging transport for new arrivals from the airport, bus station, or railway station.

You will have to do a little investigation, before you actually set out on your journey, though. Peruse guidebooks, official websites, etc. To illustrate, if you are planning to visit Ooty in Tamil Nadu, India, browse the Internet for travel and sightseeing information related to the same. Then again, if you are arranging your holiday through a specific travel agent, ensure that you ask all the right questions and obtain all the right answers. Whatever manner in which you arrange your holiday, you will have to plan for essentials to take along, official documents, money, etc. You must even have all your health shots and medications in place, for you never know what you will encounter in a new region.

It is important that you do not place cost above everything else, while booking your accommodation. True, you cannot go in for luxuries that you can well do without, for you would like to spend your limited budget on essentials, gifts, etc. However, you must also take note of things like availability of transportation and meals, comfort, safety, safe drinking water, medical facilities, etc. Then again, it is imperative that you keep the door of your room/suite locked at all times, when you are inside. Have the security chain in place. Above all, do not go for a room on the ground floor, or something at the far end of a corridor.

To illustrate, if you were planning to travel to Ooty, you would discover an astounding 750+ hotels, all proclaiming to offer the best of amenities and facilities! Regardless, you just have to examine the ‘stars’ to realise what you may expect. Some provide meals only at certain times of the day, while others offer food facilities throughout the day and night. Then again, some hotels refuse to admit people from overseas, because they have not received a permit from the Indian Government. This is something that you will have to explore before you reserve your accommodation.

With all kinds of gadgets flooding the marketplaces nowadays, it should not be too hard to keep in touch with family members, friends, etc. Smart phones offer the choice of GPS tracking, online maps, etc. Then again, if you have come to a certain place, such as Ooty, for instance, from elsewhere, you might have to spend heavily on roaming charges. The simplest option would be to rent a phone, or have a local data card in place.

Do let your loved ones or close friends know about your daily itinerary. Even your hotel manager had better remain informed about your whereabouts, such that he/she can help any person coming in search of you. This is especially for times, when you plan to go hiking into the wilderness or parkland, all by yourself. Know the route, and adhere to it. Additionally, it should help if you become acquainted with a few basic terms and phrases in the local language. For instance, learn how to ask for directions, say thank you and please, etc. Finally, take the help of experienced people, when hiring cabs, taxis, etc.

Now, do not go overboard with your desire to prove that you are a brave and bold traveller! This means that traversing the streets alone at night carrying a backpack, or showing off an mp3 player/iPod in public, grants the impression that you are an easy target. Furthermore, when you are busy listening to music, you block out other sounds that are occurring in the vicinity. Will you be able to sense even the slightest of danger?

Then again, if you are a female, do adhere to a certain dress code. Note that all nations have their own cultural and religious beliefs. Even diverse states in India adhere to certain practices. You do not want to stand out in a crowd, and attract attention via your liberal attitude or alien behaviour. In fact, it would be best to make some new friends soon after you arrive at your destination. There must be solo travellers like yourself, or groups that you can trust, especially if everyone is planning to follow the same sightseeing plans. No, you do not need to be with ‘companions’ all the time, especially in the daytime. However, whenever it is necessary, follow the adage that there is safety in numbers. As for tour guides, trust the experienced locals and not hired strangers. Finally, whenever you book transport, take note of the license numbers. If you wish to, take photos too, without bothering about hurting the driver’s feelings! Your personal safety should always take precedence. To sum up, learn to be ‘smartly’ alone, without rousing suspicions!

With ATMs all over the place and digital payment being one of the easiest options, you do not need much nestling inside your purse or your wallet. In case, you are from overseas, exchanging of currency is possible at some banks. Even the small amounts that you are carrying should be distributed. Hide some notes on your person, some in your wallet/purse, and some in your travelling bag. Keep a credit/debit card well hidden too.

As for valuables, do you really need any, while travelling? In case, you have brought some along to wear at social gatherings, request the hotel to keep it safe in their lockers.

Have documents pertaining to health and vaccinations, bookings/e-tickets, credit card information, etc, as well as your visa and passport safely locked up, until you leave. Also, have copies of everything done, prior to travelling. Even if you lose something, there is always a copy to help the local police hunt for the original. Additionally, you will be able to get on with your activities, with the aid of the copies. Ensure that you have a copy of your passport with you at all times, wherever you go. You do not require the copies of other documents.

Every popular tourist destination offers a documented list of places to visit, along with directions to reach them. It does not matter whether you are travelling in India or abroad. Your trip will prove worthwhile! To illustrate, if you were to choose Ooty as your vacationing spot, you will definitely find plenty of attractions too! In fact, the very first trip may increase your thirst to visit it repeatedly in the future too!

It could be that you love being near a body of water. Well, then, you must not miss Emerald Lake, with its heavenly natural beauty! True, you may not engage in boating, but the mind will experience a serenity and calmness as never before! Furthermore, you should be able to obtain beautiful pictures of the place, especially with few tourists around to disturb the harmony of the environment. In case, you would still love to engage in a boating experience, visit Pykara waterfalls. If other people are ready to accompany you, you may even trek in and around the pine forest nearby. It would be best to go in the morning. Pykara is the epitome of clean and green! You might visit the Mukurthi dam too, which is opposite the Ooty national park. Apart from these, there is Bhavani Lake with the Lakkadi temple nearby, Avalanche Lake with the cauliflower forest and Toda hut in the nearby vicinity, etc.

If you would like to hobnob with fauna and flora in the wild, you must opt for the Mudumalai Jungle Safari. The National Park is home to over 500 species of animals, birds, insects, reptiles, etc. At the same time, be realistic. You may not be able to view every species during your trek. After all, the animals decide for themselves if they wish to reveal themselves to you or not. Regardless, it should prove to be a great trip. Furthermore, Ooty, by itself, is a large botanical garden, with greenery everywhere! For an urbanite like you, this should be a heartening sight!

Other noteworthy spots are the botanical gardens, the military campus, Lamps Rock, Dolphin Nose, and so on. Once you begin your sightseeing, you may even begin to feel that your stay is too short, and you would like to lengthen it!