When you’re looking for places to visit in Kodaikanal, Bryant Park shows up in the top 10. Bryant Park is a nature park in Kodaikanal hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India that was set up in 1908 by H.D.Bryant.
This famous park occupies over 20 acres in Palani Hills right opposite Coakers Walk and is at a distance of 500 metres from the East side of Kodaikanal Lake.
After over 20 years of maybes, the Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary was officially opened in September 2013. The nearest airports are Madurai and Coimbatore. You can book a cab from Madurai to Kodaikanal or from Coimbatore to Kodaikanal. There are many available at the airport itself. Alternatively, you could arrange for a pre-booked cab from the resort you are staying at.
Bryant Park is open to everyone during the day with a minimal entry fee and a small extra fee of INR 50 for cameras. That’s less than a dollar.
The best time to visit is from April to June when the park turns into the brightest display of flowers. With over 300 varieties of plants and shrubs, and over 700 varieties of flowers to look at, it’s easy to spend half a day here.
The cactii roses looked so fresh and green. My sis took so many pics of them and all the other beautiful flowers, I wanted to share more of them here. But for now, just these 30 odd. 😉
The variety of nature’s bounty displayed here – including grafts and hybrids – make it a botanists paradise.
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One Eucalyptus tree dates back to 1857 while the Bodhi tree in the centre has religious importance to locals. Some cut flowers grown in the park are exported across the globe.
The month of May sees the flower festival where more flowers are put on display and prizes are awarded to those from the local villages that compete. Horticultural students are also trained in budding, pruning, potting and grafting here.
The greenhouse houses more exotic species that delight the eyes, but we’re not allowed to take pics inside. There were a few tourists who tried to take pics, but the watchful guardian of the greenhouse plants ensured that they deleted the pics. All other parts of the park were open to photography. There were even a few photo shoots happening at the time we visited.
The best time to visit is definitely not on the weekends. You’ll see hordes of locals picnicking here on Saturdays and Sundays, making it a bit too crowded.
Try visiting during the week to avoid the bustling crowds and you’ll enjoy spending hours enjoying the beauty of the flames of flowers or even having a lazy picnic in the shade of the tall trees. Although Kodaikanal isn’t as lovely as the other hill stations in Himachal Pradesh; for the flowers, Bryant Park is a good site to see at least once!
How do you get to Bryant Park in Kodaikanal?
Find the park at Lower Shola Rd, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM
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I’m an East Indian foodie and travel blogger from Bombay, India. I’ve travelled across parts of Europe and Asia, and love writing about my experiences with people and cultures. And naturally, I love food, wine, and travel, and have an endless bucket list of places to go to, and experiences I must blog about.
I also love baking and experimenting with food, with a little help from my family. If you must know, my favorite things are nice rainy days, the smell of cakes in the oven, playing in the snow, glasses of wine, and dark chocolate.
More info about me here!