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Dec
30
Chennai Travel Guide
Filed Under India
A trip to Chennai
Located on the Bay of Bengal’s Coromandel Coast, Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is India’s fourth largest metropolitan city. It features various historic sites as well as a jaw-dropping beach and has an international airport and two main ports. Chennai stages one of the world’s largest cultural events, the yearly Madras Music Season where hundreds of artists perform. The city presents a lively theatre scene and the Tamil movie industry is also based here. Known for its sport venues, Chennai hosts the Chennai Open, an ATP tennis event. It is furthermore one of the globe’s few cities that accommodate a national park within its limits.
Flights to Chennai
Located in Meenambakkam, 4.4 miles south of the city centre, Chennai International Airport (MAA) is the third biggest international gateway into India and the country’s third busiest airport, serving over 50 different airlines. Both national and international flights connect main hubs in South Asia and South East Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe. Outside the three terminals, local train and Metro bus services, taxis and auto-rickshaws are available to take passengers to the city centre.
Chennai has an extensive public transport system, and the most popular means of intra-city transport are buses, trains and auto-rickshaws. The bus service is generally considered efficient; however, the buses can get extremely packed at times. The Chennai suburban railway network and the MRTS suburban train system are further transport options between major locations, while mini-bus services, vans (‘maxi cabs’), tourist taxis, metered call taxis and auto-rickshaws are all available throughout the city.
Sightseeing in Chennai
In and around Chennai, there are various tourist attractions worth visiting; the spectacular Marina Beach is stretched over an area of eight miles and is the world’s second longest beach. The St George Fort was built in 1653 and houses St Mary’s Church, the city’s oldest church. Another colonial structure worth seeing is the 14th-15th century Santhome Cathedral.
Chennai is home to several historic temples including the Kapaleeshwar Temple, which is the city’s oldest temple and dedicated to Lord Shiva, while Parthsarthy Temple is devoted to Lord Krishna. The National Art Gallery houses a fine collection of old paintings and sculptures. An ambivalent experience is a visit to the Snake Park where you can watch a huge collection of snakes and other reptiles.
Fun by night – eating, drinking and partying
Chennai is renowned for Tamil cuisine, its rich traditions offering a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. The city is also well-known for its various restaurants that serve light meals or tiffin (rice-based dishes) served with steaming hot coffee, a most popular beverage here.
Chennai is famous for its classical dance shows and for Bharatanatyam, the classical Indian dance which originated in Tamil Nadu. A significant cultural centre for Bharatanatyam is situated in Kalakshetra, on the beach to the south of Chennai.
Night crawlers will not be disappointed by the city’s nightlife entertainment on offer. A great number of pubs and bars serve your favourite drinks from a selection of exotic beverages, while late night activities take place in Chennai’s nightclubs, most of them placed in luxurious hotels where you can dance away the night.
Fun by day – shopping and activities
Chennai is known for its numerous traditional handicrafts, stone carvings and magnificent jewellery, not to forget the beautiful Kanchipuram silk saris. You can pleasantly acquire these at the popular shopping centres in Ranganatha Street and Anna Salai. Other leisure time activities include water sports, fishing, hiking, golf and tennis.
Daytrips
Several places of interest can be easily accessed from Chennai as a daytrip. The sleepy seaside town of Mammalapuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features some excellent examples of southern Indian temple architecture.
Within the city is the charming Guindy National Park, which acts as the lungs of the city and is home to many species of trees as well as some endangered animal species, such as bonnet monkey, Indian civet cat and spotted deer.
Flanking the coast is Pondicherry, once a chic French Boulevard town, and now a place of palm-lined resorts, quaint fishing villages and quiet backwaters. Close to Pondicherry lies the charming village of Auroville, which is run entirely on solar energy and is famed for its yoga classes.
Set on the Palar River is the lovely temple town of Kanchipuram, which is well known for its silk saris and impressive temple architecture. Visit the beautiful Varadharaja Perumal Temple or the Kamakshi Amman Temple, or simply stroll among the excellent hand-woven sari shops.
Must-see attractions
Chennai’s attractions are spread out and it can be a good idea to take an air-conditioned taxi around the hot city in order to fit them in. Featuring beautiful stained glass windows and wooden carvings of Christ, the Basilica of San Thome will make you feel as though you have been transported to the heart of Europe.
For a more traditionally Indian temple, head to Kapaleshvara Temple to witness some of Tamil Nadu’s devotees worshiping inside the stunning Dravidian architecture dating back to the 13th century.
Explore the maze of streets in George Town on foot and soak up the history of the 17th century textile industry. The nearby colonial High Court building is still in use and visitors can take a guided tour of the illustrious courtrooms.
If you want to escape the bustle of the city, the Theosophical Society gardens make for a lovely retreat. The Adayar Banyon tress is regarded as being 400 years old, and the 18th century Huddlestone Mansion features some interesting relief detail.
Best time to go
As Chennai experiences a hot and humid climate for much of the year, it is most popularly visited during the winter months between October and February. Although the humidity is moderated by the sea breeze, in summer temperatures soar to over 40ºC, with the hottest months being May and June. The five-week long Music Season, held every December, is a wonderful time to visit and soak up local culture.
Rainy day suggestions
With heavy downpours being the norm between September and December, it is always a good idea to have some indoor attractions planned on a trip to Chennai. To view some of India’s finest bronze sculptures, head to the Government Museum, or else watch a performance at the beautiful Museum Theatre. The Fort Museum contains a selection of fine art from the colonial period and will appeal to art buffs.
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