Coimbatore

Understand

Coimbatore is known for its various industries, engineering goods, textile mills, educational institutions, health care facilities, pleasant weather, friendly culture and hospitality. There are significant minorities of North and West Indian origin in the city, making it cosmopolitan. The people are friendly and courteous. Coimbatore is an orthodox city. It has developed in terms of wealth, but the general populace is still down to earth. People here don't have a flashy lifestyle. Most of all the Coimbatoreans are known for the respect displayed in language towards everyone. The city has pleasant, moderate weather throughout the year, with the exception of summer, and so, is similar to a resort town. It is an information-technology hub with new initiatives from the state government.

Talk Tamil is the mother tongue of the majority of the people in Coimbatore. The Tamil spoken here is called Kongu Tamil. Other languages spoken include English, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Urdu. Unlike other cities in India, few people in Coimbatore can speak Hindi. English is commonly understood and spoken.

Getting there

The city has six major arterial roads and three National Highways, NH-47 (Kanyakumari–Salem), NH-67 (Nagapattinam–Ooty) and NH-209 (Bangalore–Dindigul) passing through the city. The city has a civil airport at Peelamedu and an Air Force base at Sulur. Broad-gauge trains connect it to all parts of India. A bypass tollway was built to avoid unnecessary traffic into the city.

By plane 1 Coimbatore International Airport (CJB IATA) (approximately 7 km from the centre of the city, connected mainly by the airport's own prepaid cabs). The airport has two operational terminals: one for departure and one for arrival. It has regular flights from many Indian cities and some international flights, e.g. from Singapore, Colombo and Sharjah. (updated Nov 2020)

By train 2 Coimbatore Junction (CBE). The major station in the city, well connected by trains from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram. Other train stations in the city include Podanur Junction and Coimbatore North Junction. (updated Mar 2025)

By bus There are four major bus stations in Coimbatore from where bus services are available from all major places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh. All bus stations are inter-connected with local bus services throughout the day.

3 Singanallur Bus Station. For buses from Madurai, Trichy, Karur, Tanjavur and nearby towns. 4 Gandhipuram bus stand (Central bus stand). Intra city buses are available. Route 20A connects the bus stand to the airport. For buses from the east and north-east, from Erode, Gobichettipalayam, Tirupur, Salem, Sathyamangalam and surrounding areas. There are no direct buses to Ooty. For Ooty one has to make a break at Mettupalayam. (updated Mar 2025) 5 Ukkadam Bus Station. For buses from Palakkad, Trichur, Cochin, Trivandrum, Palani, Pollachi, Udumalpet and other nearby places. (updated Mar 2025) 6 Mettupalayam Bus Stand. Located in the northrn part of Coimbatore. Buses to Ooty is available from this bus stand, (updated Mar 2025)

Getting around

Coimbatore has a network of public transport consisting of bus, autos, app taxi and app bikes

Bus: Coimbatore has a well network of intra city busses originating from Gandhipuram bus stand and Singanallur Bus Station Auto: Autos are readily available. However there are no fixed rates, so do fix the price before boarding. The prices are subject to bargaining App Taxi & Bike: Red Taxis and Rapido Bikes are readily available

See

Parks 1 VOC park (near Gandhipuram). The park includes a zoo and a children's park. Evening is the best time to visit the park. Nehru Stadium is nearby and also there are few small playgrounds for basketball, tennis, badminton, etc. Adult ₹3, child ₹2.

Museums 2 GD Museums (in Avinashi Road). (Daily 9AM to 6:30PM. Closed on Monday. Also closed on Republic Day, May Day & Independence day). Interesting collection of inventions by G.D. Naidu, who is also referred to as the Edison of India. The complex houses three museums: Experimenta Science Centre, Gedee Car Museum and GD Science Museum. The museums are located in the same complex and has separate tickets. The museums also offer a ticket combo. Combined Tickets: Combo A (Gedee Car Museum + GD Science Museum): Adult (above 18 years): ₹175, Child (5 - 17 years): ₹80 Below 5 years: Free. There is discoint for group (min 20 & max 30) booking. Combo B (Experimenta Science Museum + GD Science Museum): Adult (above 18 years): ₹300, Child (5 - 17 years): ₹170 Below 5 years: Free. There is discoint for group (min 20 & max 30) booking. 3 Gedee Car Museum. The museum was founded by GD Gopal in 2015 as a commemoration of his late father, Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu. Tickets: Adult (above 18 years): ₹125, Child (5 - 17 years): ₹70 Below 5 years: Free. There is discoint for group (min 20 & max 30) booking. (updated Mar 2025) GD Science Museum. Interesting science experiments. There are the History of Industrialisation in Coimbatore exhibition and an old motor bike which G.D.Naidu learned to assemble from a British officer after which he became interested in engineering. A gift shop is attached with the museum, where one can buy interesting toys from Germany. It is appropriate for children. Tickets: Adult (above 18 years): ₹75, Child (5 - 17 years): ₹30 Below 5 years: Free. There is discoint for group (min 20 & max 30) booking. (updated Mar 2025) Experimenta Science Centre. The museum aims to stimulate curiosity, develop an inquiring mind and enable children & adults to learn science in an informal and fun-filled manner. There are a variety of interactive exhibits and exciting tasks to amaze and thrill the audience. Tickets: Adult (above 18 years): ₹250, Child (5 - 17 years): ₹150 Below 5 years: Free. There is discoint for group (min 20 & max 30) booking. (updated Mar 2025) 4 Gass Forest Museum, Forest College Campus. Natural history museum with exhibits and artifacts related to forests and their wildlife. It is housed in a heritage building, which is more than 100 years old. The museum was established in 1902

Do

There are three good water theme parks. The entry fees are ₹800 to 1000 for adults, while children get a discount of ₹100-300 per head. Black Thunder (near Ooty foot hills). Kovai Kondattam (en route to Siruvani Dam). Isha Yoga Center Coimbatore, Velliangiri Foothills, Ishana Vihar Post (about 35 km from Coimbatore, 1 hour's drive without traffic), ☏ +91 83000 83111, [email protected]. This yoga centre is an ashram in the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains beside the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Visitors can participate in yoga programmes and ceremonies in the temples. The centre is set in 150 acres of thick forest. Includes a Shiva temple and the Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple. (updated Mar 2017) 1 Race Course. A place for food and recreation. Ideal for morning and evening walk. There are various installations, which include the Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Red Fort and many more. A traffic island on the southern side houses a statue of a racing horse complete with a jockey. (updated Mar 2025)

Buy

ATMs are available throughout the city, with most concentrated in the commercial areas like R.S.Puram, Trichy Road and Avanashi Road. Shopping in Coimbatore is concentrated in the areas of RS Puram, Cross-Cut Road and the Town Hall Area (Oppanakara St, Big Bazaar St, Raja St). Coimbatore, known as the Manchester of South India, is famous for textiles. Shops sell Kanchivaram, Benares and designer sarees at Cross-Cut Road. Coimbatore is also known for its numerous jewellery stores situated along Cross-Cut Road and Town Hall Area. Lee, Arrow, United Colors of Benetton, Levi’s, Reebok, Adidas, Puma, Crocodile, etc. have retail outlets in D.B. Road. There are several huge textile showrooms in the city (RmKV, Pothys, The Chennai Silks, Shree Devi Textiles, Sri Ganapathy silks, Kalyan Sarees, PSR Silks) that sell ethnic wear for the whole family. Brookefields Mall in Brooke Bond Road is the biggest shopping mall in Coimbatore has branded shops for cloths, apparels, foot wears, eateries (including KFC), cloth showrooms (RmKV), etc. It has a six-screen multiplex cinema. Nilgiris is South India’s leading chain of retail stores. They have an outlets in R.S. Puram and at Trichy Road. They stock most of the up-market food items like frozen and tinned foods, offering a wide range of grocery, general merchandise and personal-care products. They also offer Gouda, Colby, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Havarti, Feta, Haloumi and Camembert cheeses made by Acres Wild Cheesemaking Farm, which is in Coonoor. Sri Krishna Sweets specializes in Indian sweets and is famous for its Mysurpa (a sweet made from lentil flour and ghee).

Eat

When visiting Coimbatore, taste the food and "Siruvani Water". Coimbatore is an ideal stop to rest while on the way to Ooty, Bangalore or Kerala. Sample the best of South Indian idlis, dosas, vada, chutney and vegetarian rice meal from the Annapoorna Chain of Veg Restaurants, Shree Anandhaas Chain of Veg Restaurants, Aaryaas Veg Restaurant and non-vegetarian food from Kovai Biriyani Hotel, Angannan's, Anjappar, Sampoorna, Rayappas and Thalappas restaurants. Try Krishna Sweets, too, the sweets chain started in this town. Western coffee pubs and fast food outlets Subway, Domino's, Pizza Hut, Baskin Robbins, Marry Brown, Barista, Cafe Coffee Day, and Boomerang are present, too.

Ajmir, Near TownHall ManiKundu. Serves excellent mutton (beef) and chicken. Don't forget to taste their mutta poriyal and chicken fry that is great. It offers beef and chicken dishes. ₹250. Brookfields Plaza, Brookbond road, R.S.Puram. Has everything from dresses to food like KFC, Rmkv, lifestyle, reliance trends. China town, Nehru stadium in the road between the park gate (ParkGate Ground it will be on a thalluvandi). Only in the evening. Serves excellent Chinese items like chili pork, dragon chicken, and their lumpfu soup ₹400 for two. Dhabas. Dhabas are famous in Coimbatore. They have a variety of foods and attached bars. There are many dhabas in Coimbatore. There was a dhaba near Maharaja World and one near Ramani's Mayuri, Chinnavedampatti. Most of the bars have individual huts accommodating about ten patrons apiece. They are evening hangouts. Four season, Non sakthi highway at karattumedu. Only in the evening till midnight. Serves vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and beer; it is nice for parties. Try the Kerala chicken kudal. price ₹300 for two. FUN Republic, peelamedu, near krishnamal college. Has Coimbatore's first McDonald's restaurant. Hari Bavan, RTO Road & Gandhipuram 4th Street & SO Bunk, Peelamedu. Serves nonvegetarian food. At lunch there are four types of gravy (fish, mutton, chicken and Nattu Kolli). Try the karandi (omelette) and their side dish. Available only for lunch. Hotel Blue Berry (I), Opposite VLB Arts College, Kovaipudur., ☏ +91 9952566746. 8AM to 10PM. Specialist in biriyani (mutton, chicken and fish). Serves a variety of nonvegetarian curries. Takes function orders and entertains home deliveries. Chettinad and Chengudu Chicken are standouts. Price ₹200 for two. Hotel Muthu Rowther (HMR), Athupalam, Ukkadam (Fort) (Walkable from Ukkadam Bus stand, next to Athpalam bus stop). Morning, afternoon, evening. Excellent place for non-vegetari

Drink & nightlife

Liquor cannot be found in the department stores or malls. It is regulated by the state government of Tamil Nadu and available through retail outlets controlled by state-owned body TASMAC and in some star hotels and bars. These shops usually close around 22:00, and it is hard to find an overnight party house in the city. Siruvani water in Coimbatore is considered one of the tastiest natural unprocessed waters on the planet.

Sleep

Budget There are many budget hotels near the railway station and bus stand with single rooms between ₹150-350/day.

Dunag Springs Service Apartments (Dunag Springs), 12/24 Dunag Springs, Padmanabha Nagar, Civil Aerodrome, SITRA (200 m from Coimbatore Airport), ☏ +91 4399031-32, +91 9952431081. 29 furnished apartments at three locations (Airport, Nehru Nagar, Ramanathapuram) in town on daily rental. Wifi enabled 25-seat, air-conditioned conference hall & gym facility available with in-house pantry service. From ₹125. Guestlines Service Apartments, Sivaram Nagar, Sungam bye pass road,Coimbatore, ☏ +91 4222302280. 15 fully furnished rooms with free Wi-Fi and gym. Guestlines is just about 1.5 km from the Coimbatore railway station. ₹2000. Hotel City Tower, 56 Sivasamy Road, ☏ +91 422 2230641. standard A/C double room ₹1250, deluxe A/C double ₹1500. Kanimani lodge, 427, 100 Feet Road Gandhipuram Coimbatore (opposite to karpagam complex), ☏ +91-0422-2526343, +91-0422-3042525. Near bus stand, five minutes walk to cross cut road. Well maintained and good service. Kiscol Grand, # 245A, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road,Tatabad, Gandipuram, ☏ +91 422 4555999, +91 8508664444 (mobile). Breakfast, dinner or lunch. 24 hr Wi-Fi, 2-way airport transfers, fruit basket & cookie platter on arrival. Automated massage chair. (updated Apr 2020) Railway Retirement Room, inside railway station. ₹175. (updated May 2015)

Splurge

There any many 4- and 5-star hotels in Coimbatore, including:

1 Aloft Coimbatore Singanallur, 483 Kamaraj Road, ☏ +91 422 665 6000. (updated Oct 2019) 2 Jenneys Residency, 2/2, Avinashi Road, ☏ +91 422 433 5777. (updated Oct 2016) 3 Le Méridien Coimbatore, 762 Avinashi Road, ☏ +91 422 236 4343. (updated Oct 2019) 4 The Residency Coimbatore, 1076, Avinashi Road, ☏ +91 42222 41414, [email protected]. (updated Oct 2016) 5 Vivanta by Taj - Surya, 105, Race Course Road, ☏ +91 422 668 1000. (updated Oct 2016) ZIBE by GRT Coimbatore, 427/2B, Avinashi Rd, Peelamedu, ☏ +91 422 452 9999. (updated Sep 2018) Radisson Blu, No. 164-165, Avinashi Road Peelamedu, ☏ +91 422 2226000, [email protected]. From ₹4,400 per person per night. (updated Sep 2018) Fairfield by Marriott Coimbatore, 469/2B Airport Road, ☏ +91 422 664 4300. From ₹4,165 per person per night. (updated Sep 2018) ibis Coimbatore City Centre Hotel, Lakshmi Mills Junction Puliakulam Road, ☏ +91 4227117666, [email protected]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. From ₹2429 plus tax of ₹438 per night per person. (updated Sep 2018) WelcomHotel Coimbatore by ITC, 1266/14, West

Go next

Picnic spots Coimbatore is surrounded by hill ranges and hence several picnic spots for day trips exist. Some of them are: Kovai Kutrallam waterfalls (45 km), Monkey falls (75 km), Athikadavu stream (40 km), Kallar river banks (55 km), Topslip town (90 km), Malampuzha dam (60 km), Thirumurthy waterfalls near Udumalpet(65 km), Dhyanalinga Yogic temple and Isha Yoga centre (35 km), Velliangiri hill temple (37 km), Marudhamalai hill temple (20 km), Vydehi waterfalls (35 km), Bhavani Sagar (55 km), Kodiveri (75 km) and Karunya (32 km). Most of them are not very well known to outsiders and if you go on a working day, the tranquility would be an added advantage. And most of these roads are good, compared to Indian standards.

Other places Mysore, a city of palaces and gardens. Botanical Garden opposite to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, on the way to Marudhamalai temple. Crocodile Park in Amaravathi is near Udumalpet (65 km). There is also a dam nearby. Hill stations are Ooty (80 km), Valparai near Pollachi has sightseeing and picnic spots, Kodaikanal (180 km). Sanctuaries are Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary(150 km), Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary (100 km), Top Slip. Silent Valley national park inside Kerala is one hour's drive from Coimbatore. Tea plantations at Ooty or Munnar.