Ooty

Ooty, short for Ootacamund and officially Udhagamandalam (உதகமண்டலம் Utakamaṇṭalam), is a popular hill resort in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The name Udhagamandalam is derived from the Toda word "othakal-mund" which means "house in mountains". Ooty stands at 2,240 m (7,347 feet) above sea level in the Nilgiri mountain range. Here you can escape the heat of the region around: The weather is quite pleasant at a mean of 20-25°C during the day around the year. Ooty is in the Niligiris District which was one of the first places in India to get rid of plastic carry bags, so if you are heading there, remember to carry your own reusable bags, not plastic.

Ooty (Tamil: [uːʈ(ː)i] ; officially Udagamandalam (Tamil: [uðɐhɐmɐɳɖɐlɐm]), anglicized: Ootacamund , abbreviated as Udagai, Tamil: [uðɐhɐi]) is a town and municipality in the Nilgiris district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 86 km (53 mi) northwest of Coimbatore, and is the headquarters of Nilgiris district. Situated in the Nilgiri hills, it is known by the epithet "King of all the Hill Stations", and is a popular tourist destination. Originally occupied by the Toda people, the area came under the rule of the East India Company in the 18th century. It later served as the summer capital of Madras Presidency. The economy is based on the hospitality industry serving tourism and agriculture. The town is connected to the plains by the Nilgiri ghat roads and Nilgiri Mountain Railway.