The popular hill-station of Ooty (short for 'Ootacamund') is
located in the "Blue Mountains", also known as the Nilgiris
Mountains. Ooty was founded by the British and was used as a
weekend retreat for British colonial rulers. It also served as the
summer headquarters of the Madras Presidency, as it offered
somewhere cooler during the fiercely hot summer months.
Among the many popular sights in Ooty are the Government
Botanical Gardens. Laid out in 1847, the picturesque botanical
gardens are set out over approximately 22 hectares.
The hillsides around Ooty are covered in tea plantations, with
occasional colonial mansions set in generous grounds overlooking
their estate and sprawling plantations. The region has been
producing tea for over 100 years - the local tea is known for its
dark, aromatic varieties.