Tamil Nadu Travel

The various sports and activities available in Tamil Nadu can make for excellent incentive travel trips. Angling is a sport that is gaining popularity in India, and the water courses available in the state offer some excellent opportunities for fishing.

Bhavani Puzha, Aradha Puzha, Parsons Valley stream and reservoir, Kings Dhar stream, Western Catchment reservoir, Thirupanthurai, Emeri Puzha, and Silent Valley streams are favoured places for trout fishing. In the Kodaikanal Hills, carp fishing is recommended in the Kodi Lake. In addition, the state's 900-kilometre-long coastal line provides for ample marine fishing.

Thirty-five kilometres south of Chennai lies Muttukadu, which is one of the best locations for windsurfing -- thanks to friendly surf and steady winds offshore. Local tour operators can provide necessary sails and windsurfing equipment. There is even the chance to try surfing on backwaters. Good boating facilities are also available, as well as many other water sports, including jet skiing and canoeing.

Tamil Nadu offers unique opportunities to enjoy accompanied treks through the hills and enjoy some of the most beautiful views in India

Kodaikanal - otherwise known as Kody, is an idyllic hill station getaway for many tourists, and is famous for its breathtaking beauty. It boasts of a star-shaped lake surrounded by mountains, and the peace makes for a refreshing contrast to the rush of the city.

The well-known Coaker's Walk offers fantastic views of the surrounding plains and Pali Hills, and reaches a superb vantage point, the Kurinji Andavar temple, which provides a splendid view of the panorama that embraces Kodaikanal. Some of the popular picnic spots at the resort are the Green Valley View, Pillar Rocks, and Bear Shola Falls.

The flora and fauna are lavish in this region, and the Shenbaganur Museum has an amazing orchid collection. The rarely found Kurinji flower grows around Kodaikanal, though it blooms only once in 12 years and was last seen in 1992.

The Nilgiri hills are a trekker's paradise. Apart from the ecological attractions, the Nilgiris abound in a variety of treks that can vary from gentle rambles to exhausting and exhilarating climbs over the hills to some of the most inaccessible, but breathtaking locations.

Trekking pamphlets are available with the Nilgiri Wildlife and Environment Association (NWLEA). The easiest treks are indicated and can be followed without supervision. However, the more difficult ones are usually led by a guide who can be hired for incentive groups.

India is full of golf lovers, and there are many excellent courses throughout the country. In Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore Golf Course offers a scenic, 18-hole (6,817 yards, par 71) course, giving its players a tough and challenging round. Magnificent course slopes with irrigated fairways and large, velvet-smooth greens offer some of the best golfing facilities in India.

Chennai has two well-known golf courses - the Madras Gymkhana Club, founded in 1886; and the Cosmopolitan Golf Annexe at Saidapet. The Madras Gymkhana Club is unique as it is situated within the 2,400 metre oval of the Guindy race course, and offers a challenging game.

The fairways at Guindy are flat and fast, encircled by the out-of-bounds race track. The greens are lush and well-maintained and also strategically located, mostly along the track. Hazards on the course not only include thick roughs, bunkers and water tanks, but also unpredictable obstructions such as race horses on their workouts.

The Cosmopolitan Golf Annexe at Saidapet has a par 72, 18-hole course. Spread over an area of 75 acres, a variety of trees run along the fairways which are tight for the first nine holes but open out for the back nine, and makes for a challenging and rewarding game.

Spa and Health Incentives

India offers many complementary forms of medicine, from massage to meditation, many of which have become exceptionally popular around the world. Especially popular is the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It combines massage with herbal treatments and acupressure to alleviate many ailments and maintain general health.

Many of the top hotels have exclusive spas attached, but an exciting and unique travel incentive option is a stay at one of the exclusive Ayurvedic resorts, which offer a huge range of treatments and also instruction in the art form for those who are interested.

Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort is the premier centre for this form of therapy and is located in 50 acres of beautiful, landscaped gardens. The five-star facilities offer package stays that can include a visit to the Coimbatore Golf Course, for those who wish to combine relaxation with sport for an incentive group.