Kodaikanal
The Dolphin's Nose viewpoint in Kodaikanal is a dramatic flat rock jutting out over a sheer drop at the edge of the plateau, offering vertigo-inducing views deep into the Palani Hills valley below. The 6-km trail from town through eucalyptus plantation and shola forest patches is a refreshing, easy hike and the viewpoint itself never fails to impress — the sense of standing at the edge of a world-class plateau-to-valley escarpment is genuinely exhilarating.
If hiking rather than driving, the forest trail to Dolphin's Nose starts near the Golf Links area — asking at your hotel for directions is advisable as the trailhead is not well-marked.