Yercaud is the hill station in the Shevaroy Hills above Salem, sitting at about 1,600 metres and offering the kind of cool air and shaded roads that become very appealing when the plains are at 38°C. It is less visited than Ooty or Kodaikanal — no toy train, no bustling bazaar, considerably fewer tourists — which is the main reason to choose it.
The town itself is built around a small lake where you can rent boats or simply walk the perimeter path through coffee and orange plantations. The Botanical Garden nearby has a modest collection of plants and is a good place to spend a quiet hour. The Shevaroyan Temple at the top of the highest peak in the range (1,623 metres) requires a walk of about 3 km from the end of the road and is an important pilgrimage site; the views from the summit are wide. Kiliyur Falls, 4 km from the town centre, drops roughly 300 metres through forest — the path down to the base is steep and can be slippery but the waterfall itself is impressive, especially after the monsoon.
The road up from Salem — 20 km of ghat with tight hairpin bends through forest — is itself half the experience. Share jeeps and SETC buses make the run regularly; a taxi gives you more flexibility to stop for views on the way up.