One of the most industrialised cities in Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is well-known for its various industries, engineering goods, pleasant weather, friendly culture and hospitable people. The city is situated on the banks of the river Noyyal and is known as the textile capital of South India. The rich black soil of the region has contributed to Coimbatore's flourishing agriculture industry and is in fact also the main reason behind the successful growth of cotton that serves as a foundation for its famous textile industry.

Coimbatore provides the entry and exit points to neighbour Kerala and the ever-popular hill station of Ooty. Tamil is the mother tongue of the natives in Coimbatore; however, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are also some of the other spoken languages. When in Coimbatore don't forget to taste the best of South Indian cuisine with Idli, Dosa, Vada, Chutney, Mysorepa and vegetarian rice meals on a banana leaf!

Best time to visit:

Coimbatore enjoys a very pleasant climate the year round, but the best time to visit the place is from September to March.

Top five places to see:

Siruvani Dam – The Siruvani Dam takes pride in having one of the world's tastiest water, similar to the Nile. It is the chief source of water supply for Coimbatore, with an outstanding panoramic view that makes both, the dam and the waterfalls, extremely beautiful and breathtaking.

Monkey Falls – The Monkey falls make for an ideal picnic spot because it’s splendid scenic beauty. They are one of the most famous and popular tourism spots in Coimbatore. The Monkey Falls are refreshing natural waterfalls and includes a linear stretch of evergreen forests surrounded by rocky cliffs.

Perur Pateeshwarar Temple – This temple is more than 1,000 years old with and is purely dedicated to lord Siva. The deity in the shrine is called as Pateeshwarar and this temple has several ‘Gopurams’ and halls, famous of which is the one with the golden statue of Nataraja.

TNAU Botanical Gardens – The popular Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) Botanical Garden was established in the year 1925 and is spread over 300 hectares. It hosts many varieties of plants, flowers and trees and is a colourful treat for the eyes.

Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park – This Park, rich in flora and fauna, is the largest and best preserved sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, with an area of 958 sq.kms. The tribal communities living in the sanctuary participate in the management as Forest watchers and Anti-Poaching personnel.