Marina beach is along the Bay of Bengal and its promenade is 6.0 kilometers long. It is the natural urban sandy beach and is the second longest beach in the world.
Being one of the most crowded beaches, it receives approximately 30,000 visitors each day. The second most visited beach in Chennai is the Besant Nagar Beach.
This is the place where the famous Jallikattu protest held in Jan 2017. It is a unique protest as it’s a people’s movement with no identifiable leader.
The best timing to visit Marina Beach is from 5 AM to 11 PM. After that police will ask people to leave.
Being an important landmark in Chennai, this a very calm place and you can feel relaxed here. Vivekananda House is also called as Ice House. For those who are interested in knowing about Swami Vivekananda, this can be the best destination. Swami Vivekananda stayed here when he visited Chennai.
Timing: 10AM to 12:30 PM & 3 PM to 7:30 PM (All days of the week)
The main God here is Lord Krishna and is located in Triplicane which is very near to Marin beach. Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple is a very old temple that it is built during the 8th century by the Pallavas.
Timing: 5.50AM to 12:30PM & 4PM to 9PM (All days of the week)
During 16th century, Portuguese explorers built this church. Santhome Church is also known as Santhome Cathedral Basilica and it is in Mylapore. The church is built over the tomb of Apostle St.Thomas.
Chennai Citi Center is one of the important landmarks in Chennai. You can have great entertainment here and shop for different things. People of any ages can visit this mall.
The main God here is Goddess Kalikambal and is located in Parry’s Corner. Chathrabathi Shivaji, an Indian warrior worshipped in this temple in 1677 and famous poet Subramaniya Barathiyar has also worshipped here.
Timing: 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (All days of the week)
Light House was built in 1976 and it is one of the very few lighthouses with elevators. The place is well secured to avoid any kind of accidents. You can reach up to the ninth floor and can view the beautiful city and the beach.
Kapaleeswarar Temple is in Mylapore very close to Marina beach and it is one of the historic temples built in the 7th century in Chennai. Lord Shiva is the main God here and the temple has Dravidian Architectural style.
Timing: 5:30 AM – 12:00 PM & 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (All days of the week)
This is a botanical garden and has nearly 500 species of plants including medical and aromatic herbs. It has trees that are 100 years old. Semmozhi Poonga has tree court, golden garden, butterfly garden, fern garden and more.
Chepauk palace is the residence of the Nawab of Arcot. It is built in Indo-Saracenic style. The building was completed in 1768 and it consists of two blocks namely Kalas Mahal and Humayun Mahal.
Thousand Light Mosque is one of largest mosques in India. This mosque was built using the medieval architecture style in 1810. It ranges about 64 meters in height and it has multiple domes.
MGR samadhi is built right on the Marina Beach. The construction of the memorial was started in the year 1988 and inaugurated in 1990 by Janaki Ramachandran, wife of MGR. This memorial is one most visited place in Marina Beach.
This memorial was redesigned by Dr. J. Jayalalitha when she became the chief minister in 1992 and the whole memorial was built with marbles. The former chief minister Jayalalitha was also buried behind the memorial of MGR.
MGR Memorial Timings – 6.30 AM to 9.30 PM (All days)
Anna Samadhi was built in memory of the form CM of Tamil Nadu Dr Anna Durai. He was laid to rest here in the year 1969. The memorial got affected during the 2004 Tsunami and the repair work was done after the Tsunami. There is also a museum attached to this memorial. Dr. Karunanidhi the former CM of Tamil Nadu was laid to rest in this memorial.
Anna Memorial Timings – 6 AM to 10 PM (All days)
Activities & Things to do in Marina Beach
Marina Kart Arena
Near Marina beach, you and your friends can have fun in go-Karting race track. Marina Kart Arena is a joint venture between Tamil Nadu Tourism and Meco Motorsports Pvt.Ltd. This kart track is located in island grounds. The race track here is of 400 meters and the karts are well maintained.
Marina Kart Arena Timing
Tuesday to Friday- 12PM – 9PM
Saturday and Sunday- 11AM-9PM
Monday – Holiday
Marina Kart Arena Price
They charge Rs 280 for baby kart for 8 laps
For adult karts 4 laps they charge Rs 180 and for 12 laps they charge Rs 370
Taste the street food
Street food in the marina is very famous and you must surely taste them while spending time at the beach. Along the shores, there are several shops where you can get food items like, mango with chili powder, corn, bhajji, freshly fried fishes, cotton candy, chenna, chat items, ice creams, seafood, and many more. The must try dish is the thenga manga pattani sundal.
Get Blessings
There are many temples and churches near the marina and you can visit them too. Few temples are Kapaleeshwar Temple, Sri Parthasarathy Swamy temple, Shirdi Sai Baba temple and more. Santhome church is a very famous church here. Just keep in mind the timing of the temple. Many temples are closed during the afternoon.
Horse riding and Balloon shooting in Marina Beach
Horse riding in Marina beach is one of the must do activities. But before taking the ride confirm the price with the horse handler and also the start and end point. This way they cannot charge you more.
Similar to horse riding, balloon shooting is also one of the famous activities in Marina beach. But before shooting confirm the price and the number of bullets you can shoot. If the number of balloons are less, ask them add more in the board.
Taste the naturopathic juices
When you visit the Marina Beach in the early morning, you can see many shops which sell naturopathic juices, vegetable juices, fruit juices, cottonseed milk, and more. People, who come for walking, can drink these juices to have a healthy start for the day
Enjoy Sunrise
When you reach the beach at 5.30, you can see the beautiful sunrise. The place will be less crowded and you can even take photographs of the sunrise.
Visit Lighthouse
Lighthouse in Marina beach allows you to have a majestic view of the beach and the Bay of Bengal. There is also an elevator present for you to climb the lighthouse and you are allowed only till 9th floor. From there you can have a birds eye on the city.
The marina Beach Lighthouse timing are from 10 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 6 PM. Lighthouse is closed on Monday.
Visit the monuments and statues
In Marina Beach there are many statues and monuments that you should not miss. Some of the statues are Labour statue, Bharathiar statue, Kannagi Statue, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Statue, Thiruvalluvar Statue, G U Pope Statue, Bharathidasan Statue, Avvaiyar Statue, Mahatma Gandhi Statue, Veeramamunivar Statue and more.
Similar to the statues, you can also visit the resting place (Samadhi’s) of the former CM’s Anna Durai, M.G. Ramachandran, Dr J. Jayalalitha and Dr. Karunanidhi.
How to reach Marina Beach Chennai?
It is near Triplicane and Chennai City Center can be said as the Landmark to the beach. You can reach the beach either by bus or train.
CMBT To Marina Beach
From Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) there are several direct buses to Marina Beach. The travel distance between CMBT and Marina beach is around 11 Km and it will take around 40 mins of travel. Here are the bus numbers that will directly take to Marina beach from CMBT 27B, S27B and Z27B. All these buses are from CMBT to Anna Square.
Egmore to Marina Beach
Egmore being one of the major railway stations in Chennai gives you multiple mode of transport to marina beach. If you want to travel by train, then you can reach Beach station and from Beach station you can take an MRTS train and get down at Chepauk or Triplicane MRTS station. From these stations you can reach Marina beach in 15 to 30 mins walk.
By bus, the distance between Egmore to Marina beach is around 4.5 Km and it will take around 15 mins of travel. You can use the bus numbers 27B, 29A, S27D, S27B and 27D to reach marina beach from Egmore.
Chennai Central to Marina beach
From Chennai Central, you can again reach Beach station and then take an MRTS train to reach Marina Beach by getting down at Chepauk or Triplicane.
By bus, the distance between Chennai Central and Marina Beach is around 4 KM and it will take around 15 mins of travel. You can use the bus numbers 32A, 102C, 21L to reach Chennai Central to Marina beach.
If not you can also hire a Ola or Uber to reach Marina Beach from any place in Chennai
Best time to Visit Marina Beach
Winter (November – February)
Winter is a perfect time to visit Marian beach. The climate will be cool and you can enjoy the sea breeze. The temperature at this time will be within 20 to 25 degree Celsius. Morning 5 to 6 AM is a fantastic time and you can watch the sunrise.
Monsoons (July – October)
Monsoon season will be full of heavy rains and floods. When you are planning to visit Marina beach during this time you much be much cautious about the rains and floods.
Summer (March – June)
Summer season here has a very high temperature ranging from 27 to 45 degree Celsius. It would be hard even to come outside during afternoons. Traveling will be much difficult.
Must Try Restaurant Near Marina Beach Chennai
Marina beach is popular for its sea food. There are many restaurants providing sea food and you can notice shops in the beach itself where you can get fresh fishes and other sea food like prawns, crabs and more.
Here are some of the famous restaurants and fast food joints near Marina Beach
1. Titanic fast food
Address- Marina Beach, Triplicane, Chennai
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
2. Sundari Akka Kadai
Address- Marina Beach Road, Near Marina Swimming Pool, Triplicane, Chennai
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
3. Spartans Fast Food
Address- Marina Beach, Triplicane, Chennai
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
4. Sagar Vihar Restaurant
Address- Marina Walk, Marina Beach, Mylapore, Chennai
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
5. Marina Treat Sea
Address – Marina Beach, Triplicane, Chennai
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
6. Nair Mess
Address- 22, Mohammed Abdullah 2nd Street, Opposite Chepauk Stadium, Chepauk
Cuisines- South Indian
Category: Vegetarian & Non- vegetarian
We have tried our best to provide you with authentic information. If you have more information to add, kindly use the comment box below. Like our blog? kindly care to share.
Rameswaram is a well known Temple town in Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. This town is a part of Pamban Island which is also known as Rameswaram Island. The whole island is connected by the Pamban Bridge to the Mainland India.
Not only it is a temple town, this place has a lot of significance in terms of History and theological status and also has many kinds of ancient mythology stories with it. One can see the reference of Rameswaram in one of the biggest and ancient Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’.
Rameswaram also called as south Kasi, it is one of the prime sacred places for Hindu people. It is one of the Char Dham followed by Badrinath, Dwaraka, and Puri in India.
Best Time to Visit Rameswaram
The summers are not advisable time to visit Rameshwaram.The best time to visit Rameshwaram is during the winter season. The winter season starts from October and lasts till February. During this period the climate is quite pleasant. The weather will be perfect to visit all the holy places in and around Rameshwaram.
Rameshwaram Temperature and Weather
Rameshwaram being a coastal town, the temperature might not vary much throught the year. However, the summers starting from March to June are harsh and it will be quite humid.
The temperature in Summer can cross 40 degree Celsius. And in winter the temperature in Rameshwaram will be around 28 to 30 degree Celsius.
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The Ramanatha Swamy Temple is one of the ancient temples and prime pilgrimage sites in India. Here the main deity is Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam.
There are two different lingams presents inside the temple. First, the main Lingam – Ramalingam is said to be formed by Goddess Sita from sand and another one which is known as Vishwalingam is said to be brought by God Hanuman from Kailash.
The Temple is a thatch hut until the 12th century and then the concrete temple is constructed by Sethupathy rulers from 12th to 16th century. But it is believed that the main temple architecture is completed by the 17th century and then extensions like corridors and other parts are completed by the 18th century.
The Temple interiors and architecture is one of its kinds. The majestic Raja Gopurams at the east and west wing and the Huge Gate Towers at the north and south wing and the longest corridors with magnificent pillars and beautiful sculptures, make this temple a fascinating place to visit.
More than 15 acres of land is used for the construction of the temple. There are three corridors in the temple. The First and oldest corridor is housed with the main deity Shiva and his consort Parvathavarthini Amman.
The second corridor is housed with 108 shiva lingas and a Ganapathi idol. The third corridor which is also the second largest corridor in the world, has 1212 pillars at the height of 22 feet with beautiful carvings.
For Hindu people, this temple has great significance in their religious belief. It is one of the Char Dham places in India, where a Hindu needs to visit at least once in their lifetime to attain mokhsha.
Rameshwaram Temple Timings: 4:30AM–1PM and 3–8:30PM
Rama Setu or Setubandhanam is otherwise known as Adam’s Bridge is another mythology and geographically defined site in Rameswaram Island. According to the ancient epics, this bridge is built by the Vanara Sena (ape army) under the supervision of Nala to help Lord Rama to cross over the sea between India and Lanka to rescue his wife Goddess Sita from the demon king Ravana.
Still today, this Bridge has always been in the debate of whether it is a man-made bridge or naturally formed one.
Rama Setu is 50 km long from the tip of Dhanuskodi city of India to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. It separates the Palk Strait from the Gulf of Mannar.
Normally, the sea around Rameshwaram is not deep and has no waves. You can see the tip of Adam’s Bridge from Dhanuskodi as the depth is only around 1 to 10 meters.
Agni Theertham is one of the most visited holy water bodies of 64 Theerthams in Rameswaram Island. People who want to visit the Main Ramanathapuram Temple and bath in 22 Theertham inside the temple has to bath in this Theertham first.
The belief is that Goddess Sita set fire herself to prove her purity to her husband Lord Rama, the Agni god( The God of Fire) appeared in that place and confirmed that the Sita is pure and sinless.
But this made Agni God make a sin by touching a married and sinless woman, so he worshipped Lord Shiva here and took bath in the nearby theertham to clear up his sins. And so this place is referred to Angi Theertham.
Taking a holy bath at this theertham is believed to clear off the sins and bad karma of a person. Besides the holy bath, here people do rituals like prohithams, yangnya and tharpanam to the dead people in order to offer them Moksha.
And another belief in this place is if childless couple bath in this theertham and visit the temple for blessings, they will be blessed with a child.
When people talk about Rameswaram, one of the first thing people remember is the Pamban Bridge. This 100 years old Bridge is one of the prime attractions in Rameswaram. It is constructed to connect the Mainland India to the Pamban Island by Railways.
The bridge measures 2.345 km long and it takes 10 whole minutes to cross it. It was the longest Sea Bridge in India until Bandra Worli Sea Bridge opened in 2010. It has another specialty is that the center part of the Bridge opens up for big ferry movement.
The view of the sea with hues of green and blue while traveling on the train is one of its kind experiences to anyone. People who visit Rameswaram will try to travel at least once in the train to fascinate the Pamban Bridge and its view.
House of Kalam is a must visit place in Rameswaram. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, The Missile man of India is a Former Indian President and also a Scientist, a visionary and an inspirational person.
He is known for his achievements, principles, and humbleness. House of Kalam is his ancestral home where he born, grew and lived with his family.
After his death, the two-story building is renovated and presented as a Museum in the first floor, where one can see Abdul Kalam’s childhood photographs, his younger age achievements, medals, awards, certificates, Doctorates and honors given to him.
This place of the house turned into a museum is an epitome for inspiration and full of memories and service of Late APJ Abdul Kalam to India and world.
Footwears and taking photographs are restricted inside the museum. And one can also visit Late APJ Abdul Kalam burial place – the memorial place in Rameswaram to pay tribute in his respect.
The memorial of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27/7/2017. This memorial was built in a plot of 2 acres. DRDO took the initiative to build this memorial and it was built in 9 months.
The memorial has documentary about Kalam’s life and has life size photographs of the former president. The memorial was build on the resting place of Dr kalam and it is located right on the road after you cross the Rameshwaram bridge and in the entrance of Rameshwaram.
Jada Theertham is another well known holy water body from 64 theertham in Rameswaram. Pilgrims also visit this Theertham to take holy bath in their tour.
The name Jada Theertham came from its connection with the Mythology history- when Rama returned to Rameswaram after killing Ravana, he washed his hair (Jada) in this water tank before going to the Shiva Temple to perform rituals.
People also believe that this is the place where the mighty Bird Jatayu died after Ravana chopped the wings of Jadayu when it was fighting to Save Sita.
There is a temple dedicated to Lord Rama in this place. There is another temple called Kaveri Theertham dedicated to Lord Kapardis Vara near to this place.
This small temple is filled with interesting sculptures and paintings which give the devotees a great experience and also the temple is built below a Huge Peepal tree which is believed that Goddess Sita and Lord Lakshmana took rest.
Sugreevar Theertham or temple is another temple nearby Gandamandana Parvatham dedicated to Lord Sugreevar, the king of vanara sena.
According to the legends, the vanara sena King Sugreevar has great importance in the War between Rama and Ravana as he helped Rama with his army to defeat Ravana.
And near to this Theertham, there is a pond named Sita Kund, which is full of beautiful Pink Lotus dedicated to Goddess Sita.
The Viloondi Theertham is located in the Thangachimadam village in Pamban Island, a 6.8 km from Rameswaram town. It is one of the 64 Theertham in Rameswaram.
This theertham is a well near the coastal line of the sea. Though sea water is present near the well, the water inside the Theertham tastes like pure sweet water. It is said that while returning to the Ayodhya after all the rituals and Shiva pooja in Rameswaram,
Lord Rama’s wife Sita felt thirst and asked him to arrange water to drink to her and whole army. So Lord Rama released an arrow from his bow and created a spring with sweet water near the sea to quench their thirst.
There is a small shrine near to this Theertham for God Shiva as Thrayambakeshvarar. And the other temples near to this place are Ekantha Ramar temple and Sri Balathandayuthapani Swamy temple.
Lakshmana Theertham is one of the 64 Theerthams in Rameswaram and sacred place to take bath by the devotee. As the name suggests, this shrine is dedicated to Lord Lakshmana.
Here the Lord Lakshmana installed a Shiva linga to workship to remove his sins and took bath in the pond. The sculpted and painted temple with beautiful bond near to it makes it a great place to visit.
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Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Also you can see idols of Lord Rama and Sita which was brought to this place from Dhanuskodi during the 1964 cyclone.
Here the God Hanuman has five faces, which can be seen fully covered in senthooram (vermillion). The five faces are God Narasimha, Lord Adivaraha, Lord Garuda and Lord Hayagriva on the sides along with the Hanuman face in the middle.
The tale for this unique idol comes from the Ramayana itself. When God Rama along with his brother was in war with Demon Ranava, Ravana asked help from Mahiravana the king of Pathala Loka to kill them.
So the Pathala king kidnaps Lord Ram and lakshman by disguising himself as Vibhishana, brother of Ravana and took them to pathala loka. In search of missing lord Rama and his brother, God Hanuman reached Pathala Loka. To save the Lords, god Hanuman has to kill Mahiravana, he came to know that demon Mahiravana can only be killed by extinguishing all the five lamps situated in different places at once.
So Lord Hanuman took the form of Panchamuk (five face look) to lit the five lamps all at once. He extinguishes the lamps and then saved His lords from the demon.
Here the people come to worship God Hanuman to get blessings to protect them from bad eyes, evils, and enemies. And another main interesting thing here is you can be a spectator of floating rocks that are said to be used for formation of Rama Setu near Dhanuskodi by the Vanara Sena.
Gandamandana Parvatham is another most visited place by the tourist and devotees in Rameswaram. It is also known as Ramar Padam or Rama Foot temple dedicated to Lord Rama. In this temple, you can see the Lord Rama’s Footprints in the chakra.
This small hill is the highest point in the whole of Rameswaram Island; from here you can see the whole Island in 360-degree view. The scenic beauty of sunset and sunrise, breathtaking aerial view of whole place makes it a great place to visit.
Timings: 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM / all days
It’s another famous Hanuman temple in Rameswaram. The folklore of this temple is; Hanuman explored Sri Lanka in search of Goddess Sita, he founded her and took some of her jewels as a proof to show and flew back to Rameswaram to tell the news that Sita is alive and safe to Lord Rama.
And this is the place where the Hanuman met Rama and that’s why this temple of Hanuman is called as Saatchi Hanuman Temple. People visit his temple to get the blessing for great health and life.
The Kothandaramaswamy temple is one of the ancient temples in Rameswaram, it is believed to be built more than 1000 years ago.
The main deity is Lord Rama with a bow and other idols are Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, and Vibhishana. It is located in Dhanushkodi, the abandoned town of Pamban Island. The 1964 cyclone completely devastated the whole town, but this ancient temple withstands the strong cyclone.
This is the place where Rama met Ravana’s brother Vibhishana after he is thrown out from the Lanka Kingdom. Before defeating Ranava, he made Vibhishana king here in this place. And also another part of the script says that this is the Nandavanam, where Lord Rama stayed with saint Bhringi for few days
Nambu Nayaki Amman Temple is a temple dedicated to Goddess Nambunayaki situated on the way to Dhanushkodi and 8 km far from the main temple of Rameswaram. This temple is built around the 14th century and maintained by the local people.
People believe that a blessing from this goddess will cure any kind of ailment and disease, and also get blessed with a child for childless couples.
Based on history, it is said that two saints named Dakshina Duruvan and Pachima Duruvan performed penance here for Goddess Parvadhavardhini blessings. Goddess pleased with their efforts graced before them.
After that, the two saints continued to live here and treat ill people. Another story states that king Sulodharan, the ruler of Sinhalese worshipped Nambunayaki Goddess to cure his ailments and by the grace of this goddess, he becomes healthy and built this temple.
This place is surrounded by beautiful gardens and a big banyan tree which offers a beautiful view and a cool breeze around the sand dunes.
There are many water tanks near to the temple, which is believed to have medicinal properties and helps in curing the ailments.
Timings: 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m
Pamban Beach is located near the fishing port and it is in the starting point of Pamban island. You can get to see a wonderful view of Pamban Bridge and also Indira Gandhi Roadway Bridge from this beach.
This beach is well organized and having recreational things such as Huts, Swimming pools, swings and a children’s park for entertaining purpose. But this beach is not suitable for bathing, swimming or diving as it is full of rocks.
Kunthukal Beach is situated in a small village in Pamban Island called as Kunthukal Village and 12 km from Rameswaram town. The main occupation of the people here is fishing.
Kunthukal Beach is counted as Paradise to beach lovers, the crystal clear water with green and blue hues in low tides and amazing seashores with fishing boats around make it the best place to hang out and have fun.
Near to this beach there are amazing places like Vivekananda memorial and Marine museum cum interpretation center. And also one can indulge in swimming, bathing and playing around the calm seashore. Boating and water sports activities service is yet to start.
Vivekananda memorial is situated in Kunthukal Beach. This memorial hall is dedicated to the Saint Swami Vivekananda; the orange colored building has a 6 feet high Swami Vivekananda statue along with King Baskara Sethupathi inside the main hall.
Around the hall, you can see the different portrait, speeches and whole life history of Swami Vivekananda. And there is a meditation hall in this building available for the visitors.
When Swami Vivekananda reached this place during his padayatra in India, inspired by his knowledge and personality the king of Ramanathapuram King Baskara Sethupathi sent him to the Parliament of Religions meeting at Chicago in 1893 to give religious addressing in behalf of India.
And after the successful speech in the US meeting and attending some other US lectures and meeting he came back to this same place after 4 years.
Before this memorial, there was a pillar in honor of Swami Vivekananda, but now government inaugurated the memorial hall in remembrance of great saint Vivekananda, along with interpretation cum museum and aquarium.
Ariyaman Beach which is also known as Kushi Beach is a popular beach near to the Rameswaram. It is located in the Sattakkonvalasai Village in Mandapam Block, Ramanathapuram.
The main attraction of this beach is that is the part of the Palk bay of India and it’s a 2.5 km long beach. This would be the perfect place to hang out with your friends, family and loved ones to have a nice weekend and picnics.
This place offers a lot to its visitors like water sports activities, children’s park and museum along with tasty foods in the stalls. From here you can see visit nearby places like Erwadi, mandapam beach, and some other local temples.
Undoubtedly, Rameswaram Island is a paradise with many beautiful beaches. And one such exotic beach is Olaikuda Beach near to the main Rameswaram town. Olaikuda is a fishing village in Rameswaram.
Though it is a fishing place, you can see the beach has a very clean and calm atmosphere making it the best place to spend some time. This beach is surrounded by coral reef and seaweeds & eel grasses along the shore.
What you can expect here? It has all the elements to be enjoyed by any kind of person, the calm beach to spend nice time, scuba diving for water sports enthusiast, boating and sunbathing along the shore for beach lovers.
And even one can see Australian birds such as Seagull, flamingos, etc at the season time for bird lovers.
Next to the Olaikuda Beach, you can find this another small beach called Sangumal Beach. This place is also well known among the locals as a great place for fishing and tourist especially foreign tourist visit here and enjoy the amazing sunrise and sunset.
Though this place is not fit for bathing or any other activities, one can find boating facilities here to see coral reefs present in the Palk Strait.
People who visit Rameswaram will never let a chance to visit this deserted place called Dhanuskodi often known as the Ghost town in Rameswaram Island.
This town is declared as an uninhabitant place by the government of Tamil Nadu after it is severely attacked by the high-intensity cyclone in 1964.
Now Dhanuskodi is one of the hot spots in Pamban Island that attracts many tourists and visitors every day. It is located in the Palk Strait region and it is the land border between India and Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka is just 15 km away).
The endless blue sky meeting with the vast sea is just an amazing view to experience in this place. Though the sea is not safe to bath or for swimming you can enjoy the tranquility and fell off the sea and breeze.
And this place also has some mythology significance as stated in Indian Epic – Ramayana. It is the place where Lord Rama with his Brother Lakshaman, God Hanuman and army built the bridge known as Ram Setu.
After the victory over Ranava and saving his wife, all returned to this place and Vibishana, the new king of Lanka requested Rama to destroy this Bridge. On his request, Lord Rama broke the bridge using his bow. This is the reason why this place got its name as “Dhanush means Bow and Kodi means end”
Timings: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm
Entry Fee: Free (but transportation cost is applied and depends upon use type of service)
Kurusadai Island is a small uninhabited island. It is a protected Island as this island is surrounded by various kinds of precious Coral reefs and marine biodiversity as it is in the Gulf of Mannar area. And also this island is a part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
Civilians are generally not allowed in this region to wander as it is well protected for its marine life importance. This island is a great place to explore for marine biologists and nature lovers. Here one can see the most precious living fossils in the earth known as balanoglossus organism is present near this Island.
Even though it is restricted for civilians, people can visit this place after getting permission from the fisheries department.
Kurusadai Island never misses to give a visual treat to its visitors. From here you can see the beautiful and colorful coral reefs chains in the sea, the beautiful site of Rameswaram Island and Pamban Bridge.
Sometimes you can also see dolphins and sea cow known as Dugong along the shore. Sea life museum at Kunthukal Island is also another place to visit to know about the marine biosphere in here.
Planning a trip to Rameswaram? You can check Makemytrip.com for the best discount on hotel prices in Rameswaram.
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area consisting of 22 islands extending from Tuticorin to Dhanushkodi area.
The marine national park is full of rare and precious types of coral reefs chain. There are also different kinds of Seaweeds and seagrasses in the park.
This place is a paradise for Marine enthusiast and biologist to study the marine biodiversity.
The Reverse includes forest, beaches, estuaries, mudflats, and Islands. Several places in the park is restricted, but you can see the underwater world by using Glass bottom boat service provided by the tourism department.
If you are lucky you can get to see marine mammals like dolphins, Dugong (sea cow), whales and many kinds of fish species.
If you are a marine life lover and want to see different species of sea life then you must visit Sea World Aquarium located near to the main Rameswaram bus stand.
In this Sea World Aquarium, you can get to see different types of marine life such as rabbitfish, clown fish, snakefish, crab, lobster, shark, octopus, sea lizard.
CMFRI Marine Aquarium is another most amazing Marine life aquarium located in Maraikkaayar Pattinam, Rameswaram. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute is a Research and development center to study the marine biosphere near the Palk Bay of India.
It is also one of the biggest aquariums in Southeast Asia. With huge commercial level glass, housing with different kinds of marine life and species, one can get a lifetime experience in this aquarium.
You can get to see the some of the marine life kept for research and study purpose. You can see different species of fishes, sponges, corals, worms, sea cucumber, and crabs; and also endangered marine species.
Museum Timings: 9.30 AM to 4.30 PM | Sunday closed
Rameswaram not only has various temples, but it is also having some of the other interesting places to lure the tourists. Water Bird Sanctuary is one such tourist’s attractions.
Arichamunai Bird Sanctuary which is located at Dhanuskodi is near to the Rameswaram town. Kanjirankulam and Chitrangudi Sanctuaries which is located near Ramanathapuram city offer a wide scope of sightseeing for bird lovers and nature lovers.
Due to the many water bodies, tanks and islands near Pamban islands, native birds and foreign avian birds find this place attractive.
Australian and European native birds come to this place during the migrating season. Some of the birds we can found there are Ibis, Storks, Pelicans, Herons, and Egret.
The paradise for bird watchers is best to visit during October to January when monsoons hit these places. Take the tour in the evening to experience a great live natural experience with flora and fauna around.
Timings: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Best Time: October to January
Fee: N/A
How to Reach Rameswaram
Rameswaram town is well connected from all the major cities in Tamil Nadu. You can reach this Island through the very famous Pamban Railway Bridge or by Indira Gandhi Road Bridge.
The major cities near Rameswaram are Ramanathapuram (59 km), Madurai (169 km), Tiruchirappalli (230 km), Thanjavur (246 km), Tirunelveli(226 km) and Kanyakumari (309 km).
Nearest Airport to Rameswaram
There is no Airport in Rameswaram. The nearest airports to this town are Madurai International Airport in 175 km and the domestic Tuticorin Airport in 195 km.
One can take a flight to Madurai or Tuticorin airport from any place in India to reach Tamil Nadu and then can reach Rameswaram by car or bus.
Rameswaram Railway Station
Rameshwaram is well connected with major metro cities through train. The nearest major railway station to Rameswaram is Madurai.
There are several direct trains to Rameswaram from major cities like Madurai, Chennai and Kanyakumari. You can visit the IRCTC website for reliable train timing and booking.
Rameswaram By Road
Rameswaram is easily reachable from major cities like Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, Kanyakumari and Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu by road.
Rameshwaram To kanyakumari
Many people who visit Rameswaram from North India do go to Kanyakumari, as both are very important Hindu pilgrimage center.
if you are traveling by road, then the best route to take is the East Coast Road. From Rameswaram, you need to travel via Sayalkudi and Vembar. Before Tuticorin, you need to take a diversion to Tirunelveli and from than you can take the regular National highways.
You can reach here either by Private vehicle/transport or by using Public Transport of state government. You can check for tickets in private buses at Goibibo.com
Food and Restaurants in Rameshwaram
The pilgrimage Town Rameswaram has a lot to offer to satisfy our food palate. There are more vegetarian restaurants here as this is prime religious place for Hindu people.
Here you can find high end to small Restaurants, messes, and roadside eateries in every nook and corner of the Rameswaram streets.
Here you can get South and North Indian cuisine. You can eat popular traditional Indian dishes like Idly, dosa, vada, upma and Pongal.
There are also some local restaurants here that serve seafood.
Some of the Famous Restaurants in Rameswaram are,
Ahaan – The Restaurant
Category: Vegetarian & Non-vegetarian
Shabari Restaurant
Category: Pure vegetarian
Hotel Guru
Category: Pure Vegetarian
Ram Nivas Restaurant
Category: Vegetarian
Ambika Marvadi Bhojanalaya
Category: Pure Vegetarian
Hospitals in Rameswaram
Some of the best hospitals located in Rameswaram are,
Government Hospital, Rameswaram
Address: Madurai-Rameswaram Road, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu 623526
Government Malaria Hospital
Address: Madurai-Rameswaram Road, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu 623526
Sankara Nethralaya
Address: NH 87, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu 623526
Phone: 04652-225392
Raj clinic
Address: GP Rd, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu 623526
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Manapad is a costal village located 60 km away from Tuticorin and 18 km from Thiruchendur. It has unique costal lines that produce beautiful waves throughout the year.
Manapad is famous for its cross in the beach, which has happened in 14th century. In 1540, a Portuguese ship caught in wild storm, while sailing.
The captain of that ship prayed the god to save them from the broken mast. As they escaped from the danger, he builds a cross for thanking the god. After few years St Xavier came to Manapad for his missionary activities and built the shrine at the same place, where the cross was built but by the captain.
Best Time to Visit Manapad
Winter (November to January) is the perfect time to visit Manapad. At this time, it has pleasant temperature around 26°C. Tourist can experience the amazing sightseeing at this season. Also, Christmas is celebrated in a grand manner her in Manapad.
Manapad Beach is one of the oldest beaches, which was used for trading in ancient days. After the construction of Tuticorin port, the trading was stopped. Now it is one the peaceful beach to visit to have wonderful sight seeing. Manapad has unique costal lines that produce beautiful waves throughout the year.
This is an old church, which was built in the year of 1581. It is located atop of hillock close to the sea and it gives you pleasant experience with quite unique scenery. Holly cross church is famous for the feast of Exaltation of the Holly cross that is celebrated every year on September.
Manapad point is located 24m above the sea level at Kulasekharapattinam. This is well known for Water sports like surfing. This is the main reason for the name “magnificent Manapd”, which is given by foreign tourists.
Activities and Things To Do In Manapad
Water Surfing
In Manapad, surfing is a very popular activity and it is ideal palace for surfing and Stand up Paddle (SUP). This attracts many tourist and foreigners to visit here. There is an option to learn the surfing. This really gives you a best experience like never before. Women can also enjoy the place by doing paddle boarding. In addition to this, Manapad is also a best place for, snorkeling, sailing and scuba diving.
Kite Surfing
Blue lagoon is a shallow lagoon that separates ocean from the shore. The wind speed in this place is very high. This is one of the best places for kite surfing and kayaking in Manapad.
Walk through the village
It helps to know about the heritage of Manapad. This gives you the new experience by visiting churches, palm leaf society. This is the journey through narrow village, which introduce you rich and historic culture of this village.
Hotels to Stay in Manapad
Manapaad, being a small village does not have many hotels to stay. However, there is a resort named Manapad Surf Resort. It’s a heritage bungalow with six bedrooms and modern bathrooms. The rooms are well furnished and this resort has an open terrace restaurant and serve both local and international cuisine.
The nearby domestic airport to Manapad is in Tuticorin (58 Km), which has two flights to Chennai per day (SpiceJet Airlines). Madurai (170 km) and Thiruvandram (150 km) are other place near to Manapad that has airports and it has frequent flights from major cities of India.
Thriunchedur railway station is nearest to Manapad. Chendur Express is direct train from Chennai Egmore. There are many passenger trains available that connect major stations Tuticorin and Thiruneveli. From Tuticorin there are direct trains to Chennai (Pear City Express), Coimbatore (Coimbatore Tn Link Express) and Mysore (Tuticorin Express).
From Thiruneveli Jn, you can have direct trains to Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai (Nagercoil Express)
By Road
There are frequent buses and travels are available to Thiruchedur from major cities. From there you can hire a taxi to reach Manapad.
Distance from Important Cities
Chennai to Manapad – 655kms (approx 11 hrs)
Pondicherry to Manapad – 527kms (approx 9 hrs)
Madurai to Manapad –197kms (approx 4 hrs)
Trivandrum to Manapad – 176kms (approx 4 hrs)
Kochi to Manapad – 342kms (approx 8. 30 min)
Bangalore to Manapad – 638kms (approx 11 hrs)
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Poompuhar beach is a nice rocky beach with less waves. This beach is good to visit to watch sunrise and sunset.
Poompuhar beach is the remaining of the glorious Chola kingdom. Visiting this place will goose bumps for people who have read about Cholas and this city.
Poompuhar History
Poompuhar is a town, which was once called as Kaveri poompattinam, an ancient port city. It is located near the end of the Kaveri River in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. Poompuhar has served as a capital of Chola Kings.
Kovalan and Mathavi from the famed tamil epic “Silapathikaram” or the “Epic of anklet” lived here. It has been the capital of Manuneethi Cholan, Karikal Cholan and Sembiyan, the most prominent South Indian rulers.
It has previously served as a harbour during Sangam Period. Most of the parts in the old town has be destructed as a result of tsunami struck around 500 AD.
Best Time to Visit Poompuhar
The best time to visit here is definitely during the months of November to March. It is the best season to visit the town as the temperature will be much milder. The temperature ranges from 25°C to 34°C. In this season, harsh summer gives way to cool and comfortable winter.
Silappathikara Art Gallery is an educative art gallery, which depicts the entire story of Silapathikaram. It is very close to Poombuhar beach. Since, the lightings will not be good, hence you need some source of light inside the gallery to take the photos.
The sculptures present here are carved by the sculptors of Mamallapuram Art College.
Entry Fee: Rs.5 per adult and Rs.2 per child
Timings: The gallery is closed for lunch from 1 PM to 2 PM.
The museum is very small and is located nearby the Silappathikara Art Gallery. It has a collection of few old coins and objects excavated at the nearby places.
In addition to this, there will be goddess Kannagi Statue and Poompuhar memorial pillar near to the beach.
Poompuhar lighthouse will guarantee you a clear and amazing view of the location. This lighthouse will be a good tourist place, if maintained properly. There will be circular steps to reach to the top. It shows the right direction for fishermen during the night time.
This temple built in 13th century by Maravarma Kulasekara Pandiyan. Masilamani Nathar Koil is located near to the sea shore, where the sea waves often touches the temple. There are also several other temples but this old temple adds the beauty of the beach and impresses all the tourists to Poompuhar with its architectural richness.
It is located in Tharangambadi, which just 24 Kms from Poompuhar. The church was built by Dutch settlers in 1701. It provides you a sight of architectural design from the renaissance era.
It is built by British in 1792 and it was one of the most historic attractions near Poompuhar. It will be in a Danish architectural style and resembles the typical gateways in Europe.
It is one of the famous forts in Tamil Nadu with Danish architectural style. Danish Fort was built in 1620 AD. This displays many decorations and carvings.
Danish Governor Bungalow is the biggest building in Poompuhar town. It was built in the year 1784 and currently it is the office of Tamilnadu Tourism Department.
Pallavanaeswarar Temple is a gracious Lord Shiva temple located just opposite to Pallavanaeswaram excavation site. This is the 10th Shiva temple on the northern bank of Cauvery. This temple has big linga, which gives a divine experience. It is the birth place of the renowned saint Pattinathar.
Vaitheeswaran Kovil is located just 22 Km from Poompuhar. Here the lord Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar and it is believed that the prayers to lord here can cure diseases
Swetharanyeswarar Temple is located in the town of thiruvengadu near sirkazhi, which is just 6.7 Kms from Poompuhar. This temple is well known for its unique incarnation of Lord Shiva. Generally, the town itself unique for the pool structures in the temple. It is one of the six temples along the banks of river Cauvery.
Things to do in Poompuhar
Poompuhar is a prominent place for religiously inclined travellers.
Get the blessings
Chitra Pournami is an important festival in this beach, which is dedicated to Lord Chithra Gupta, who is believed to record the good and bad deeds of everyone. It happens during the full moon. The Holy dip in the mouth of Kaveri River is celebrated during new moon. People believe that their sins will be forgiven, when they bathe in the Rivers.
Amazing view
The beach starts from Kaveri River and expands towards Neithavasal around 3 Kms. From here, you can clearly see and experience the river Cauvery flowing in to the sea. Generally the sand in the beach spreads around 3 Kms, but now in order to stop the erosion some granite stones have been placed making it as one of the most important tourist destinations of Tamil Nadu.
How to reach to Poompuhar?
By Air
The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, which is located at a distance of 141 kms from Poompuhar. There are many flights operating daily between Trichi, Madurai and various other important cities of India and Sri Lanka.
By Rail
There is no straight train to Poompuhar. The nearest railway station is Mayiladuthurai and sirkali railway station, which 21 Kms and 24 Kms away from Poompuhar. There is also another option Thanjavur Junction, which is located at a distance of 104 Kms from Poompuhar. From there, you can reach here easily by taking the highways NH36.
By Road
There are numerous buses plying at regular intervals to poompuhar from major cities of tamil Nadu. The best option is to reach Tanjore or Mayiladuthurai and Sirkali and from there you can take a local bus. This is the best and easy option to travel.
Hotels To Stay in Poompuhar
Poompuhar is a small town, there is no option to stay. You can either stay in Mayiladuthurai or Chidambaram and visit Poompuhar.
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Velankanni is one of the heritage cities in Tamil Nadu. It is a home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, one of the Roman Catholic Shrines. Velankanni Beach is a beautiful beach, this being a pilgrim center, the beach is mostly crowded.
As it is mostly crowded, one cannot expect the beach to be very clean. This beach very famous for watching and sunrise and sunset. There are also several local vendors set shop in the beach. So, here you can shop for some local stuff.
Velankanni Church History
The history says that the Virgin Mary has visited the place twice between the 16th and 17th century. When she appread for the first time Virgin Mary asked some milk for the baby (known to be Lord Jesus). This location is then marked for the construction of a chapel. Again Virgin Mary has reappeared with the baby in hand and asked butter milk to a boy resting under the banyan tree. She told the boy to go to Nagapatinam and inform a important person to build a church in her name in Velankanni and this is how the church was built.
The town is greatly affected by a natural disaster Tsunami, happened in 26 December 2004. It has swept away hundreds of shops, homes, pilgrims and pilgrimage centres.
Velankanni Festival and Feast
Velankanni feast and festival happens between August 29th to September 8th every year. Each year more than 3 million people visit the church during the velankanni feast. The 11 day festival will end on September 8th with the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. During the final day the prayers are offered in several languages including Tamil, English, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi and other major languages.
Best Time to Visit Velankanni
The best time to visit Velankanni beach is in the months of August – September. The temperature will be 24°C to 29°C. Velankanni Church Feast will start at the end of august and lasts till September first week. On 8th September the feast ends with a holy mass. There will be more crowds during these days.
Velankanni Church is one of the important religious place in Tamil Nadu. As it is declared as the holy city by the Pope, the church holds an important place all over the world. Around 20 million pilgrims visit the church every year.
The church was constructed in the name of Our lady of Health, but the church is also called as Arogya Madha Church and Madonna of Velankanni.
The church has three chapels with an admiring gothic style of architecture. The mass timings of the church will vary to main shrine and the lower Basilica.
Velankanni Church Mass Timings
The Mass timings differ in Main shirne and the Lower and Upper Basilica. The morning prayer starts at 5.40 AM and the mass starts at 6.00 AM in main shrine on Weekdays.
The Sunday mass in velankanni church starts at 7.30 AM.
The church building was constructed in 23rd in 1962. It is also called “Lourdes of the East” and it is the first hall which has the name of Basilica that existed in Athens. The word ‘Basilica’ is derived from the Greek word ‘Basilike’ and it originally represented a Royal Hall. But now, the word means a large and beautiful hall. Generally in olden days, the kings from all over the world particularly in Rome have constructed large halls for administrative purposes.
The three miracles of Our Lady of Good Health:
Appearance of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ to the sleeping Shepherd Boy
Curing the weak buttermilk vendor
Rescuing the Portuguese sailors from heavy sea storm(the ship was sailing from Macao in China to Colombo)
During the start of the festival season, the holy flag will be hoisted and lowered during the end. There will also be special trains during the festival season.
The morning star church is the new attraction built near to the church (Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health), which is 500 ft long, 150 ft wide and 40 ft high. You will get blessings and feel satisfied by visiting the lady God. The church has accommodation for around 10,000 devotees. There will be beautiful arches inside and outside the church. This place is well known for its cleanliness. There will be entry and exit points in all the four directions. Now there are many churches in surroundings of the velankanni church like Infant Jesus church, church of confession and much more.
The museum is dedicated to the miracle happened in the 16th century (the appearance of Virgin Mary). It is located at the Basilica and it is a treat for the eyes. The museum has some of the greatest collection of the exhibits, where you can gain some valuable knowledge about the churches. The pets are not allowed inside the museum. Inside the museum, there is one book stall, where you can buy a complete guide and book of velankanni. You can see various shops selling other small items and there is a special counter to buy “Blessed Oil”. There are also some handicraft shops in the ground floor, which is operated by women who’s life’s are affected by tsunami.
Entry: Paid
Pets: Not Allowed
Food: Available (Paid)
Lady’s Tank Church is the first place where the Mother Mary appeared before the milk vendor in the 16th century. Here you can get the holy water and on the left side of the church, you can see lots of cloth cradles. It is believed that when couple ties the cradles with complete faith in God and asks for a child in return, they will definitely receive the blessings of Mother Mary.
Holy Path is nothing but a sand road, which connects the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health and Lady’s Tank Church. You can see lots of devotees give their offerings by crawling on their knees from Basilica to Lady’s Tank Church.
The tower is located just near to the road. This tower is built in memorial of the lives lost the devastation caused to the town by the Tsunami in 2004. It is one of the “must to see” places list during the visit to velankanni.
The temple is located at a distance of 13 Km from Velankanni . This temple has 80 feet high Rajagopuram. It is the main temple and the Sikkal Singaravelan temple is found inside the temple. The main deity is lord Shiva. Lord Murugan, Hanuman, and Perumal also present here and offer blessings to the devotees. A saint poet Arunagirinathar, the creator of Thirupugazh sung here celebrating Lord Murugan of this place. In addition to this, there are also other Hindu religious temples such as Ayyanar Kovil, Chinnathumbur Kaliamman Kovil, Veeran Kovil, Sri Muthumariamman Temple and others, where you can get divine and peace.
Things to do in Velankanni
Recharge your spiritual energy
Visiting the shrines like Church for Our Lady, Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health and much more will recharge you spiritual energy. You will feel serene and peaceful when you visit the church. It is believed that if you have faith in God, irrespective of the religion, you will receive what you ask. You can also confess and be pure when you leave.
Boating
You can enjoy the boating near Vellaiyar River. It is located just 100 meters from the velankanni beach and you can reach there by walking itself. As the river joins directly into the Bay of Bengal, it will give you a unique and amazing boating experience.
Enjoy the scenery
There will be shining waters, golden sand shores and palm trees around the beach. This tempts the tourists and pilgrims to capture them in their cameras. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the beach by either sitting on the sand or in the nearby playground.
Take a walk and taste the local seafood
A walk in the beach makes you feel fresh and energised. In addition to that, there will be many food shops near the beach. You can watch the sun set across the coast while tasting the special foods and spend your vacation with utmost satisfaction. There are also some handicrafts and textile shops, where you can buy things to remember the journey.
How to reach Velankanni?
By air
The nearest airport to Velankanni is Tiruchirappalli International Airport. The distance between Tiruchirappalli International Airport and velankanni is 156 Km. From there, you can hire a taxi or cab to reach here directly.
By rail
The nearest railway station to Velankanni beach is the Velankanni railway station. It is a terminal railway station belongs to Tiruchirappalli railway division of the Southern Railway zone. There are numerous trains operating from Velankanni to Chennai and other major cities. There will also be special trains operating from major cities of India during special occasions.
By road
Reaching Velankanni by road transport is the best option. There are several regular TNSTC and private buses ply from Velankanni to Bengaluru (484 Km), Chennai (326 Km), Coimbatore (367 Km), Madurai (242 Km), Nagercoil (454 Km), Thoothukudi (337 Km), and Tirunelveli (374 Km). You can also see short distance buses operating to Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Tiruvarur, Kumbakonam, Pondicherry, Karaikal and Nagappattinam from Velankanni.
Price Range:
From Chennai: Rs. 340 – Rs. 440.
From Bangalore: Rs. 460 – Rs. 550.
Hotels To Stay in Velankanni
Velankanni being a small town has a very limited option to stay. But still it has options for all set of travellers ranging from budget to luxury traveler. Here you can book a double sharing room for as low as Rs 500 per night to Upto Rs 4000 per night. Here some of our recommended hotels to stay in velankanni.
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Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (meaning a great wrestler city) is along the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. It was an active seaport during the 7th century. Now, it has become one of the famous tourist spots in the Country and declared as the UNESCO world heritage site.
During Pallava rule, Mahabalipuram was the capital region. Due to the interest of Pallavas in the architecture, this place is filled with monuments. They are experts in rock-cut architecture as well as stone architecture. Narasimha Varman-I and Narasimha Varman-II, rulers of the Pallava Dynasty is responsible for such an amazing architecture in Mahabalipuram. These monuments belong to the 7th and 8th century.
Best time to visit Mahabalipuram
Winter (November – February)
These four months have pleasant climate and this is best time to visit Mahabalipuram. This climate helps you with sightseeing and traveling. The warm days and cool nights will help you to enjoy the place.
Monuments in Mahabalipuram represent the culture and architecture of the Pallavas. The rock-cut temples in Mahabalipuram are one of the achievements of Pallavas in the South Indian Architecture. There are 400 monuments and Hindu temples in this place. These are classified as Ratha temples, cave temples, structural temples, and rock reliefs.
The Ratha temples look like chariots. These Rathas belongs to 7th century. Diorite and granite stones are used in the Ratha temples. Among the Rathas Pandava Rathas or the five Rathas are very famous. The Five Rathas represent the characters from the Epic Mahabharata, namely, Arjuna, Bhima, Dharmaraja, Nakulan, Sahadevan, and Draupadi. First, you can see Dharmaraja Ratha followed by Bhima Ratha, Arjuna and Draupadi Rathas, and Nakula Sahadeva Ratha. Among these, the latter three Rathas are incomplete.
Ganesha Ratha is separate one at a distance of 1 kilometer from the Five Rathas. It is similar to
Bhima Ratha. Pidari Ratha represents the South Indian Dravidian Architecture and Valayankuttai Ratha represents North Indian Nagara-style architecture.
Cave temples also called as Mandapas are a very important place to visit in Mahabalipuram. The famous cave temples here are Mahishasuramardini Mandava, Panchapandava Cave Temple, Krishna Cave Temple and Varaha Cave Temple.
Mahishasuramardini Cave Temple – Goddess Durga is prominent God here and is located near to Lighthouse.
Panchapandava Cave Temple – The temple is near the Arjuna’s Penance and this is incomplete.
Varaha Cave Temple – Varaha is Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar is sculptured in this cave temple.
Krishna Cave Temple – This represents Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan hill.
Other cave temples include Trimurti cave temple, Tiger Cave Temple, and Atiranachanda Cave Temple.
The descent of the Ganges is also called as Arjuna’s Penance. It is the most famous rock reliefs in Mahabalipuram. This represents the descent of River Ganges to the Earth. This was carved in the remembrance of the success of Narasimhavarma1 .
The temple is built with granite rock by Narasimhavarman II and it is the first shore temple during Pallava period. The main deities in this temple are Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. You can also notice Goddess Durga in Lion Vahana.
This temple is also called as Ulaikannisvaram dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is known as the old lighthouse since this place was used by ships as a landmark. This temple is over a hillock and it is damaged.
Mukundanayanar temple has granite walls and it is constructed in Ratha like structure. This temple was explored only before few decades. Before which it was buried under the sand.
Krishna’s Butter Ball is also known as Vaan Irai Kal. It is a granite boulder weighing 250 tons approximately, a height of 6 meters and 5-meter width. This is the famous tourist attraction here. According to mythology, Lord Krishna loves to steal butter and this boulder is said to represent it. Therefore, it is named so.
Mahishasura Rock is located near sea shore temple. It has some unfinished carvings in it. Most visitors don’t recognize it. Take time to have a glance at this rock.
From Mamallapuram Lighthouse, you can have the entire view of the place. It now opened to tourists from 2011 after an issue in 2001. The sight of the beach from this lighthouse is marvelous.
Mahabalipuram beach is the most popular beach in India. It has a pleasant climate and is famous for sunbathing. There are several beach activities which you can try here.
Also known as Thirukadalmallai is the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Sri Sthala Sayanaperumal Temple was built by Pallavas and it has Dravidian style architecture. The lord is found in the sleeping position. Goddess Nilamangai Thayar usually found over the flower Lotus is noticed to sit on the floor.
Timing: 6:30 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 8:30 PM (All days of the week)
This museum has stone sculptures, wooden sculptures, and paintings. There are nearly more than 3000 sculptures and you can come to know about various gods and mythological characters in the Hindu religion. It also has Buddhists sculptures.
The construction of Maritime Heritage Museum was started in 2013 and it is the best place for those who love marine technology. It has details about marine and naval technology. It has models of the ship, submarine simulator, silk route, models of airplanes, old boats, and more.
Timing: 9:30 AM to 6 PM (Open all days of the week)
Lighthouse Heritage Museum was open to the public in the year 2014. You can look briefly at various parts used in the lighthouse. It consists of old lamps, lighthouse model, lighthouse internal operation model, and much more. The lighthouse show conducted by the museum helps people get to know more about the lighthouse.
From Mahabalipuram, this place is at a 50-kilometer distance. Alamparai Fort was built during the Mughal period in 17th century. Later it was taken over by the French. The location is awesome and one should not miss this while visiting Mahabalipuram. It extends to 15 acres and it is made up of limestone and bricks.
Crocodile Bank is the reptile zoo and also a herpetology research station. It comprises of reptiles like crocodiles, lizards, snakes, turtles. The bank has 17 species of crocodiles. The snake farm here is the place where antivenom is produced.
Timing: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM (Monday is a holiday)
Entry Fee: Rs. 60 for Adults and Rs. 30 for children (below 10 years)
Covelong beach is in the Kovalam which is a fishing village and it is 23 kilometers from Mahabalipuram. Along the coast of Bay of Bengal, this beach is popular for fishing. You can do activities like swimming, surfing, and other sports. Every year in this beach Olive Ridley Turtles visit to hatch eggs.
It is in Tirukalukundram, 15 kilometers from Mahabalipuram. Lord Shiva is the main deity in the temple located in the top of the hill. The foothill temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. According to belief, two vultures have been visiting this temple daily and fed by the priest.
For those seashell lovers, this India Seashell Museum is the largest in Asia. It has 40,000 rare seashells and provides information about them. Maya Bazaar, which is a boutique having jewelry and other things made from pearl and seashells. You can also try sea-food in the restaurant located in the museum.
Timing: 8 AM to 8 PM (All days of the week)
Entry Fee: Museum – Rs. 100 and Aquarium – Rs. 40
Things to do & Activities in Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram is a place of historical importance. The architecture, its beauties, and uniqueness cover the heart of the tourists. This place is a photographer’s delight. There are several things to capture in your camera like the monuments, sculptures, beach, and many more.
Explore the sculptures
If you have a great interest in architecture, this location is a heaven for you. There are several types of monuments each having its own importance. Walk around and find the different architectural style and also about the Puranas of Hindu religion.
Shopping
A great place for items made from seashells. You have a variety of shops selling jewelry, sculptures made from granite, soapstone, wood and more. There are many souvenirs like seashell mirrors, home decoration items, and gift items. You can also find tablecloths, sandals made from leather, and pashminas.
Taste Fresh Seafood
One of the must do things in Mahabalipuram is to taste seafood. There are several restaurants near the place where you can get spicy and tasty seafood. Don’t miss the street food also. Some of the best restaurants to have seafood are Moonrakers, Santana and Hotel Guru.
Have Fun In Beach
Mahabalipuram offers a great chance for you to carry on various beach activities. Some of the activities you can take part are Kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, and many more adventurous sports. Make your trip a thrilling one by trying these sports.
Visit the temples
Take time to visit various temples near Mahabalipuram. You will notice the shore temple while visiting the beach. Other temples include Perumal temple, Karukathamman Temple, Mukunda Nayanar Temple, Sri Ponniyamman Temple, Sthala Sayana Perumal Temple, Sri Chenganmaaleeswarar Shiva Temple and many more.
Cycling
Cycling is one of the famous activities in Mahabalipuram. Hire a bicycle and travel in and around Mahabalipuram. Cycling in such an environment will be really a rejoicing experience. You can come to know about various places on the way.
Spend time at the beach
Walk along the shores of the beach and get into a splendid moment with climate and location. You can also try sunbathing. You can go horse riding and several such excitements are there.
Fishing
If you are passionate about fishing, there are fishing safari available in Mahabalipuram. Nearly 2 hours you can spend in the water and you can get to know about the lifestyle of the fisherman.
How to reach Mahabalipuram
The place is located 60 kilometers from Chennai. Since the city is well connected, it is easy to reach Mahabalipuram.
By road
If you come to Chennai by bus, then from CMBT, there many buses. The roads are well maintained and you can relish the travel.
By Rail
The nearest big railway station is Chennai Central Railway station. From here you can hire a cab or reach CMBT and take a direct bus to Mahabalipuram.
By Air
Chennai International airport is 58 kilometers from Mahabalipuram. After reaching the airport, you can either hire a cab or board metro train to CMBT and take a bus.
Tharangambadi, which is now called as Tranquebar is a small town in Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu. The name Tharangambadi is known as “Land of singing waves”.
From 10th century to 13th century, the town was ruled by Chola Dynasty. Then it was captured by Pandiyas in 14th century. In 15th century the thanjavur king, Raghunatha Nayak was the ruler. During these periods, the town was an active international trading port and the main trading hub for Arab and Portuguese traders. It was also most popular among Moravian entrepreneurs, German theologists and Muslim traders.
But from 1620 to 1845, Tharangambadi was a small Danish Colony in India. When the Danish Fort construction began by the Danish Captain, Ove Gjedde after signing of a treaty, the Danish East India Company marked its establishment. After all, the treaty was all about the export of pepper from India. Then eventually company took over the town by the year 1777 and then by British in 1801.
Best Time to Visit Tharangambadi
The best time to visit Tharangambadi is during the months of November to march. The temperature will be ranging from 24°C to 36 °C, making it as the best season to visit Tharangambadi
The Fort Dansborg is established after the signing of the treaty between Danish East Indian Company and the former ruler of Thanjavur, Nayak Raghunatha. It was built after 1620 and used for storage and residential purpose till 17th century. There is also a museum inside it displaying the Danish settlement artefacts.
The museum is inside the Danish Fort resembling the Danish settlement. There are many Danish artefacts inside the museum. There are also many Glass objects, porcelain ware, steatite lamps, decorated terracotta objects, Danish manuscripts, Chinese tea jars, lamps and much more. The collections of the museum are wide and expensive with stones, figurines, sculptures, swords, dagger, spears, sudai, wooden objects and a part of a whale skeleton.
The town Gate is one of the famous monuments, which is in King’s Street, is also well known for the Danish name Landporten. It is the main entrance of the Tharangambadi, where the road leads you to the Tranquebar beach. The gate is constructed as a part of building the defensive wall during the 1660s. The present gate is the new one; the old original gate was destroyed in the year 1791.
The Bungalow is just located nearer to the beach. It is the only option for tourists, who love to eat both Continental and Indian cuisines. From this Bungalow, the beach view, sunrise and sunset are amazing. The bungalow is located very close to the Fort and gives you a lovely insight on the Danish culture. It also portrays the entire history of Danish settlement. There is also a small Danish built Post office and an Old Danish Cemetery around the corner of the bungalow. You can also stay in this bungalow with prior booking.
The temple was built in 1306 by the Pandya King Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan and dedicated to Lord Shiva. This 700 years old temple attracts lots of pilgrims with its unique architecture, which is a combination of Chinese and Tamil Architecture. This is one of the oldest monuments, which survived the massive natural disaster, Tsunami in 2004. You can see the old inscription on the temple, which proves the temple dates back to 14th century.
Zion Church is one of the oldest churches in Tharangambadi, built by Rev. Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg in the year 1701. He is the first Protestant missionary and the church is the first Protestant church in India. The first five Indian protestant converts of the Danish mission were named inside the church. The church is still working and has daily prayers and services. The building lies inside the beautiful compound with greenery and it is well maintained by the servicemen.
The church is built in the year 1718 by the Royal Danish missionary Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg in the Danish architecture style. It is located in the Kings Street and is still working. The church services will be conducted every Sunday. Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg is well known for not only spreading the Christianity, but also for his good achievements in just 13 years. Some of them were First School and Orphanage for children, women empowerment and tailoring school, Tamil dictionary printing, First ever printing press to India and much more.
This complex has the First ever printing press in India. The first book published in this press is the Bible in Tamil. It also houses a prayer hall.
Activities & Things to do in Tharangambadi
Get the blessings
There is Sri Angalamman Temple and Masilamaniswarar Temple near the beach. These are the 10 centuries old famous temples in Tharangambadi. The believers can reach to these temples and get the blessings of the beloved Gods. In these temples, you will experience the serenity and divinity of the god very well.
Take a walk along the seashore
Taking a walk along the seashore makes you forget all your past stress and lets you relax. You can see many local people come here just for walk and relaxing in the beach.
The beach gives you an amazing view, when the rocky shore welcomes the vibrant waves. Although there are no entertainment activities or water sports in this beach, you can enjoy by watching the sceneries. The beach offers the mesmerizing view of the sunset and sunrise.
Enjoy the culinary delicacies
You can see lots of food stalls selling local sea foods in the beach during the evening. There will also be food shops which sells other snacks items. Children will love to eat snacks in the evening; hence you can buy them near the seashore itself.
Visit the artefacts
The natural beauty is a real paradise to the tourists. Apart from the natural beauty, the beach has many artefacts and even it is one of the main tourist attractions in Tharangambadi beach. Danish Fort and the Danish Museum are some of the capable artefacts that attract every tourist.
How to reach Tharangambadi
By Air
The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, which is located at a distance of 147 kms from Tharangambadi Beach. There are many flights for Trichi from all major cities of India from. From the airport, you can hire a taxi to reach the beach directly.
By Rail
There is no railway station in Tharangambadi. The nearest railway station to Tharangambadi is Mayiladuthurai(29.2 Km), Chidambaram(51.4 Km) and Nagapattinam(33.8 Km). From all of these stations, there will be plenty of buses plying at regular intervals. Reaching here by train is the economic way.
By Road
The best and frequent way of getting to Tharangambadi is by bus. There are several buses operating from major cities of Tamil Nadu to Tharangambadi like Thanjavur (97.6 Km), Bangalore (449 Km), Thiruvarur (54 Km), Chennai (271 Km), and Karaikal, Pondicherry (13.4 Km). You can get regular buses from all over the major cities.
Hospitals in Tharangambadi
Tharangampadi GH
Category: General
Address: Tharangambadi, Tamil Nadu 609313, India
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Phone: +91 4364 289 273
Thiruchendur is a small coastal village located in the Tuticorin district. Earlier Thiruchedur was known as Kapadapuram. In 1649, Dutch attempted to takeover Thiruchendur from Portuguese.
But Portuguese defeated them with the help of Madurai Nayaks. Thiruchendur was also ruled by Cheras and Pandyas.
This is the place where Lord Murugan killed demon Surapandman. And this event is popularly celebrated as Soorasamharam till date. During the Soorasamharam, the act is played on the beaches of Tiruchendur. Thousands of people will be present during the event to get the blessings of Lord Murugan.
Best Time to Visit Thiruchendur
Winter (November to January) is the perfect time to visit Thiruchendur. At this time, it has pleasant temperature around 21 to 25°C.
This is the time when the famous Soorasamharam will be enacted in Thiruchendur. It is a must event to get blessings of Lord Murugan and to see Thiruchendur in its complete glory.
Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is the second “aaru padai veedu” of Lord Muruga. This is the only murugan temple, which is located on the seashore. Thiruchendur is the place where the Lord Muruga fought and defeated the asura Surapadma and worshiped Lord shiva after the victory.
In most of the ancient temples the rajagopuram will be on the eastern side, but Thiruchendur Murugan temple is the only temple that has its rajagopuram on the western side. The rajagopuram is 137 feet high and has nine storeys. And to depict the 9 storeys, there are 9 kalasams at the top of the gopuram.
Some of the famous festivals grandly celebrated in this temple are
Vaikasi Visagam in the month of May and June
Skanda Sasti Festival – This festival is grandly celebrated for 7 days during the month of October and November
Masi Festival – This festival is celebrated for 12 days during the month of Febraury and March. It is believed that around 3 lac people visit the temple during the Masi festival.
Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is open on all days from 5.10 AM to 9.00 PM
Nazhi Kinaru is one of the must visit places in Thiruchendur. It is a tradition that after taking bath in sea and in Nazhi Kinaru the devotees should go into the temple to have a dharsan of Lord Murugan.
This well is 14 feet wide and very near to the sea, but surprisingly this well has fresh water and not salty sea water. It is actually a natural wonder
This is situated on the seashore, which is on the northern side of the Thiruchendur murgan temple. Valli’s Cave has stone mandapam with 16 pillars. Recently, it was renovated with granite flooring and new paintings.
Pancahalamkurichi Fort was built by the famous tamil warrior king Veerapandiya Kattabomman. It is believed that the fort was built during the 18th century. During the war in 1799, king Kattabomman was defeated and was hanged in a tree near Kayathar. There is a memorial for him in Kayathar. After the defeat of Kattabomman, the fort was taken over by British and destroyed.
It is also believed that Kattabomman’s brother tried to recapture the fort again and in the process British completely destroyed the Fort. And the nearby lands are destroyed using castor oil, so that the lands are sutable for cultivation.
There are 9 srivaishnava temples near Thiruchedur, which is known as Navathirupathi. They are srivaikundam, thenthirupathi, thiru puliankudi, thiru kurugoor, thiru kulanthai, thiru koloor, twin thirupathi, thiru varagunamangai. People who visit Thiruchendur visit Navathirupathi to seek blessings.
It is located around 10 kms from Thiruchendur in Melaputhukidi. There is natural spring of fresh water, where the water flows throughout the year. It is surrounded by many plants and cashew nut trees. There is an ayyanar temple situated on the bank of ayyanar sunnai.
Kulasekarapattinam is an ancient port which has featured in many sangam literatures. Even this port was mentioned by Marco Polo in his journals. The famous Mutharamman temple is located here; it is 300 years old temple. This temple is very famous for its dhasara celebrations. During the dhasara festival, it is estimated that nearly a million people come here dressed as various goddesses and perform the rituals.
In other parts of India, Dhasara or Navaratri is celebrated for 9 days. But in this temple it is celebrated for 12 days.
How to Reach Thiruchendur
By Air Tuticorin airport is the nearest to Thiruchendur, which is located at the distance of 27km. Currently there are two flights(SpiceJet Airlines) are available from Chennai International Airport per day.
By Train
Thiruchendur railway station is nearby junction. Chendur Express is the direct train from Chennai. There are passenger trains available from Tuticoirn and Thirunelveli Junction.
By Road
Thiruchendur is well connected by road to all the major cities. Frequent bus facilities available from Chennai, Tuticorin and Thirunelveli.
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