Things to do in Coimbatore: Exploring the "Manchester of the South"

Surrounded by verdant green farms at the foothills of Velliangiri Mountains in the Western Ghats, Adiyogi Shiva Statue is the world’s biggest bust statue dedicated to the celebrated Hindu deity Shiva, which is carved out of 500 tonnes of steel. Located in the Isha Yoga Complex in Coimbatore, the sculpture stands tall at a height of 112 feet. The statue was recognised by the Guiness World Book of Records as the “largest bust sculpture”. You should definitely include visiting here in your bucket list of top things to do in Coimbatore.

Arulmigu Patteeswarar Swamy Temple, or the Perur Pateeswarar Temple, is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Patteeswarar located at a distance of 9 kilometres from the city of Coimbatore. The grand temple has immense religious, cultural and historical importance for the followers and devotees of Lord Patteeswarar who visit from all over the world to offer their prayers. This temple is also commonly known as the temple dedicated to Lord Nataraj. The ancient artwork, paintings, sculptures and carvings attract art lovers too. Be sure to include visiting here in your list of things to do in Coimbatore.

The Marudhamalai hill temple is located at a towering height of 500 ft in the highland on the Western Ghats. The Marudhamalai temple has its main deity as Lord Muruga and the temple attributes quite delightful facilities to the habitu making their visit a comforting one while offering their prayer to the deity. The major feature of this hill is that it grows important medicinal herbs, which is used extensively in making ayurvedic medicines. Visiting here is one of the top things to do in Coimbatore.

Only 65 km away from the hustling and bustling city of Coimbatore is the peaceful Monkey Falls. Enveloped between evergreen forests and rocky cliffs, the alluring waterfall brings together the entire scenery. Anyone in earshot of the humming Monkey Waterfalls is inevitably drawn to these melodious sounds. The water swishes across the rocks joyfully and dives into a pool of water as clear as cellophane. This soul-swelling magic of witnessing this waterfall in all its glory will surely follow you all the way home. Making a visit here is definitely one of the best things to do in Coimbatore.

Coimbatore is an urban hub where you can relish traditional South-Indian preparations, as well as indulge in the western influences over the food here. So while you can enjoy a South-Indian platter which has essentials like Idli, Dosa, Chutney, Rice, Vada, Sambhar, Rasam, Upma, Sweet Pongal, Payassam and more, you can also make the most of a number of coffee pubs and fast food joints here. Other popular items here are Halwa, Biryani, Mysorepa (a sweet dish) as well as delicacies of North-Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines. Have a meal at Shree Annapoorna restaurant to get the taste of authentic Tamil cuisine.

Within half an hour's drive from the city of Coimbatore stands the shrine of Vinayagar at Eachanari dedicated to the Elephant God Ganesh. The temple follows typical Dravidian style architecture and is imbibed with a peaceful spiritual vibe around it. The story of the deity follows a myth that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The tale of a cart getting stuck in the mud and a temple being created as per the God's wish a common and recurring folklore heard in many places all around India. It is more or less the same here as well.

The Siruvani falls and dam is situated some 37 kilometers to the west of Coimbatore city amidst the lush green Western Ghats. The river is clean and offers to its visitors some sensationally tasty water. With a phenomenal all-encompassing contour, both the dam and water falls is extremely alluring and astounding. The dam is interwined by underways and aqueducts for harnessing the hydel energy for power generation and irrigation purposes.

Masani Amman Temple is a temple dedicated to Masani Devi, who is also known as Shakti Devi. It is located in the Panchayat Town of Annamalai in Coimbatore district it also referred to as Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple or Annamalai Masani Amman Temple. The vibe of the temple is, thus, highly spiritual and draws devotees in large numbers. One of the unique features of the temple is the large idol of Goddess Masani which is 15 feet long and is set up in a lying posture. Many devotees also come to seek blessings from the goddess for good health and happy family life.

Gedee Car Museum is one of the few places in India where one can find cars made in Britain, Japan, France, Germany and America under one roof. The collection of cars is exceptionally well maintained, and all the relevant information about the vehicles on display is mentioned for visitors to learn. So if yoy are an automobile freak, taking a tour of this museum is one of the prime things to do in Coimbatore. Along with the cars built internationally, there are a few Indian cars as well including the prototype of a low car designed by G.D.Naidu. The collection has antiques and some new and rare versions of automobiles

Kovai Kutralam falls is an exhilarating water fall located in the scenic region of Siruvani. The water fall is about 37 kilometers away from Coimbatore city and the water fall is predominantly manifested for its exaltedness. The water fall is set in the deepest fragment of the impenetrable woodland and due to this reason vacationers are not conceded to visit the falls after 5 pm. Tourists cannot make their visit to this falls anytime because only few numbers of buses are available to visit the place. With a sterling panoramic view, the dam is a place that will leave you not just enchanted but also fill you with inner joy.

Gass Forest Museum is a natural history museum in Coimbatore located inside the premises of the Forest College Campus. The museum has several relics of wild and domestic animals stuffed and preserved to make them look real. It invites a lot of tourist influx all through the year. If you are a history buff or nature enthusiast, you should definitely include visiting here in your top things to do in Coimbatore.

This revered hill temple is situated some 40 km away from the city Of Coimbatore. The temple has essentially been dedicated to lord Siva and sits on the Vellingiri Hill which has an imperial altitude of 6000 feet. The Vellingiri hill temple is contemplated to be the most conspicuous worship abode in and around coimbatore and an immense number of tourist groups visit this hill temple to offer their prayers. Furthermore, the hill is known for its exorbitant natural resources. Apart from that it offers mesmeric views of the hills and township below. Be sure to include visiting here in your bucket list of things to do in Coimbatore.

Spread over an area of around 300 acres in Coimbatore, TNAU Botanical Garden boasts of some rare varieties of trees, shrubs and herbs. The garden is very well-maintained and vibrantly blooms with flowers including roses, marigold, carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies etc. This is one of the famous attractions of the city and visiting here is one of the topmost things to do in Coimbatore.

VOC Park and Zoo, also known as the V.O.Chidambaranar Park and is an Amusement Park and Zoological Garden mostly visited by locals of Coimbatore for recreational purposes. The park and zoo is a preferred picnic spot for families who get their kids to have a wonderful time and introduce them to the world of animals. The park has a play area for the kids, an aquarium and a Jurassic Park where not just children but even adults can have fun. It is a perfect place to get the imagination running to build stories. The zoo houses over 500 animals belonging to about 30 species including birds, mammals and reptiles.

Brookefields Mall is an attraction famous for shopping and recreational activities in Coimbatore. From apparel to shoes and accessories, you name it, and they have it. It is a perfect place to buy stylish and trendy outfits or to put a look together for an important event. The mall also has many other facilities that tourists can use for recreational purposes and get a glimpse into the happening lifestyle of Coimbatore. Other than shopping, Brookefields Mall also has a food court that serves cuisine of various varieties.

The Vydehi water falls is situated some 35 km away from the Coimbatore city. People who pay a visit to Coimbatore must make it a point to visit the Vydehi water falls, as it is one of the most familiar water fall and is highly known for its magnificence. The falls has pulled towards itself a large number of visitors because of its scenic attraction and beauty. People can avail a taxi or cab to pay a visit to the extravagant Vydehi water falls. People can indulge into utmost pleasure of the scerenity of the place and can make their trip worth remembering by visiting these falls. Visiting the magnificent falls is one of the top touristy things to do in Coimbatore.

The Anubhavi Subramaniar temple is one of the most famous temples situated in close proximity to Coimbatore. With a spiritual aura known for its uniqueness, this temple is visited by vacationers and locals alike. One of its main attraction is the natural outflow, which expels water 12 months a year. A miraculous discovery, the temple is quite popularly known and people never fail to make it a part of their sojourn.For all those who have utmost faith in spirituality and divinity and great hopes in religious beliefs, this temple is the place to be when in Coimbatore.

Located in the centre of the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India; the Sree Ayyappan Temple is a significant temple that is dedicated to Lord Sree Ayyappa. This temple in Coimbatore has been built on the same lines as of the original Sabarimala Temple in Kerala and thus is rightly honoured as the second Sabarimala Temple by devotees. The Ayyappa Temple has been built following the traditional styles of architecture and is a pure delight for architecture lovers, history buffs as well as religious devotees. Visiting here is one of the prime things to do in Coimbatore, not only for pilgrims but also for tourists.

Kovai Kondattam is an amusement park located about 2 kilometres away from Perur, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. A fun-filled destination ideal for spending hours of unending entertainment with friends and family, Kodai Kondattam is an eco-friendly theme park. This destination is not only a popular picnic spot but is also an unlikely venue for conferences, parties, receptions and corporate bookings. Visiting here is one of the most thrilling things to do in Coimbatore.

Established in 1936, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve or Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park is an initiative of the government to preserve the rich flora and fauna of the Nilgiris. The park boasts of over 430 species of 25,000 plants in addition to several species of mammals, reptiles, birds etc. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2002.