Planning to visit Ooty? Here’s what a Malayali living in Ooty has to say

Whether to visit Ooty or not has been one of the most debated topics on social media among travel enthusiasts lately. Those who have recently been to the hill station say it is better to avoid the trip now. However, ardent ‘fans’ of the mesmerizing beauty of Ooty were quick to drop comments refuting such opinions. Meanwhile, a few Facebook pages like ‘Sanchari Travel Forum’ wrote that many Malayali travellers had to face unpleasant experiences in their recent Ooty trip. “Those who wish to chill in Ooty’s cold weather should instead fix an air conditioner in their homes. If you go to Ooty, all you can ‘enjoy’ is getting stuck in long traffic blocks or falling prey to unreasonably high room rents or hotel charges. Even if you overcome these obstacles, it would be difficult to enjoy the beauty of Ooty with a peaceful mind. The place is swarming with tourists! Women and children might especially find the trip harrowing as the bathrooms in most hotels remain locked. Moreover, Ooty is going through severe water shortage; so, it would be advisable to think about the quality of water that may be used in hotels for cooking,” read one of the posts on the page.

Temperature
Ooty is incredibly cold at night. The maximum temperature during the daytime is 27 degrees Celsius. Most places are crowded and the authorities have imposed restrictions on vehicles. Meanwhile, visitors hope that the crowds would subside once the e–pass facility is launched. Travellers who had recently visited Ooty were unimpressed and said that other than the cool climate, everything else seemed ordinary and lacklustre.

This is what a Malayali living in Ooty has to say
Some people say that tourists are not able to enjoy the cool weather and the serene beauty of Ooty as they do not have a clear idea about the places to visit. A comment that came on a social media page called Ooty Home reads, “Most Malayalis end their trip after visiting the botanical garden, Karnataka garden and the boat house. There are very few people who enjoy almost all the iconic spots in Ooty. Besides, people get disappointed as they have no idea about the places that are worth visiting. For instance, some places in Ooty are colder while some others aren’t as cold. So, tourists who arrive in Ooty for a one-day trip may not be able to visit all these places. I have often noticed such people talking to others as if they have visited all the places in Ooty.”

The netizen says there are many places within a five-kilometre radius where tourists could enjoy trekking and spot wild animals like bison, wild boars and tigers. “Besides, there are many fabulous places where you could visit with your families. Moreover, Ooty is all set to welcome the ‘season’ with its iconic flower show and dog show. The flower show is from May 10 – 20. So, it is true that the room rent would soar during this period. You may even see people sleeping in their vehicles that are parked on the roadside due to a shortage of accommodation. Interestingly, there are people who are willing to splurge money to book rooms for high rates.”

It is also a time when businessmen market the rooms, as per the comment. “So, it is better to book the rooms in advance. Ooty would surely be crowded during the season. Those who plan to visit Ooty must start a bit early to avoid the traffic. Water bottles of up to one litre is allowed (five-litre cans too are allowed). Try not to bring alcohol or other intoxicating items as there would be checking at many spots. A hefty fine of Rs 12,000 would be charged on the spot for drunk driving. As a Malayali living in Ooty, I wish to share this information with the travellers who are planning to visit here,” goes the comment.
E – pass
It is known that only up to two hundred e – e-passes would be allowed in a day. The e–pass could be availed only when the website gets activated.