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Voykit pocket guide · India
Devala
Skip Devala unless you are a tea-plantation enthusiast or need a quiet stop between Gudalur and Kozhikode: half a day is enough for the gene pool garden and a short trek.
Devala is a tiny tea-town in the Nilgiris, 16 km from Gudalur, with one notable sight — the Tropical Gene Pool Garden — and a few short walks through tribal settlements. It has no lodges and only a couple of eateries. Most travellers use it as a brief detour on the way to or from Kozhikode.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (heavy rain, leeches on trails)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High ₹4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Short autorickshaw ride | ₹20 |
| Shared autorickshaw return | ₹5 |
| Meal at Gold Hotel or Pandallur restaurant | ₹100–200 |
| Tea at a roadside stall | ₹10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CCJ · Calicut International Airport
- About 2.5 h by road; check for direct buses or hire a taxi.
Typical fares
- Gudalur → Devala, autorickshaw
- about ₹100, 30 min (check)
- Devala → Pandallur, autorickshaw
- about ₹50, 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Autorickshaws are the main transport; short rides about ₹20, shared return trips about ₹5. Walking works for the garden and the Kuruman Colony Road trek.
See and do
Known for
- Tea estates
- Tropical Gene Pool Garden
- Kuruman tribal colony trek
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gudalur | Autorickshaw or bus, about 30 min | About 30 min |
| Ooty | Bus via Gudalur, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Coonoor | Bus via Ooty, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
| Kozhikode | Bus or taxi, about 2 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Pandallur
- 10 km (6.2 mi) from Devala; Bijo Lodge is the main option. No lodges in Devala itself.6.2 mi (10 km) from Devala; Bijo Lodge is the main option. No lodges in Devala itself.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | எவ்வளவு?evvaḷavu? |
| Where is the bus stop? | பஸ் நிறுத்தம் எங்கே?bas niṟuttam eṅkē? |
| Tea, please | தேயிலை, தயவு செய்துtēyilai, tayavu ceytu |
| Thank you | நன்றிnaṉṟi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs in Devala; carry cash from Gudalur or Kozhikode.
- Rainy season (Jun–Sep) brings leeches on trails: wear long pants and carry salt or a leech repellent.
- Gold Hotel is the only eatery in Devala; Pandallur has three more options.
Devala is very safe; the main risks are leeches in the wet season and the lack of cash points. Drive carefully on the winding ghat roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Devala yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tea estates
- Tropical Gene Pool Garden
- Kuruman tribal colony trek
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Devala, revision 5282380 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5282380
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Devala
இந்த முகவரிக்கு என்னை அழைத்துச் செல்லுங்கள்
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All services112
Tamil is the main language; some Malayalam spoken near the Kerala border.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/devala). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.