Tamil Nadu is full of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu temples and so many festivals are celebrated in Tamil Nadu which has still retained the culture of the state. This is the 11th largest state in India by area, one of the most populous and one of the most literate state also. Tamil Nadu has cultural heritage sites and multi-religious pilgrimage sites including hill stations, historic buildings and beaches to visit and watch. The state has cities giving the best environment and beautiful destinations. This is the epitome of a full-fledged vacation place which is ought to be covered. Here are the main cities as well as beaches Must visits in Tamil Nadu which must be visited.
Unmissable places to visit in Tamil Nadu, South India.
Main cities to visit in Tamil Nadu.
1. Chennai.
i. Travel Chennai Tamil Nadu which earlier known as ‘Madras’ has about 9 million population making it India 5th largest city after metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata & Bangalore.
ii. You can visit Chennai from November to February when the temperature is fairly moderate from 20 degrees to 24 degrees.
iii. Chennai does not have monuments to watch but the culture will make you love the city.
iv. Chennai has the oldest rocks which is billion years old including Mahabalipuram temple.
v. The state contributes to 40% of retail Gold in India and Chennai has one of the top global auto maker factories.
vi. Chennai has Marina Beach & Nettukuppam beach to offer, Koli hills to relish and Arignar Anna Zoological Park to watch animals with good flora and fauna.
vii. If you are travelling with family, You must visit MGM Dizzee World which is one of the largest and oldest fun parks in India. You can get amazing rides for every age group to rejoice.
2. Mahabalipuram.
i. Apart from beaches, Mahabalipuram gives you Arjuna’s penence which has ancient artworks in the form of human figures as well as images of gods. The site is under UNESCO Worls Heritage Site.
ii. You must visit Sea shells museum where you can find the largest shells which provides 40, 000 types of shells with a wide collection of whale fins, shark teeth etc.
iii. Mahabalipuram mainly has temple and artwork places which includes Thirukadalmallai, Shore temple (which survived the Tsunami), Pancha Rathas and interesting Krishna’s butterball which has not moved even half an inch from its place from last 1200 years.
iv. You must visit Mahabalipuram’s Dance Festival which is celebrated in December or January which shows the classical dances like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Oddissi, Kathakali & Mohiniyattam.
You are Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
3. Kanchipuram.
i. Kanchipuram is approximately 80km from Chennai which has many temples which are must to visit and take blessings.
ii. One of the temple is Ekambareswarar temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva with huge doors and a tall building. The temple is around 3500 years old and shows the culture of Tamil Nadu.
iii. You can visit Kamakshi Amman Temple which is awe-inspiring and gold plated with golden chariot. The temple has 5 acres of land where Navratri, Aadi and Aippasi Pooram, Sankara Jayanthi and Vasantha Utsavam in Tamil month of Vaikasi are celebrated.
iv. You can visit main festivals when the temple is decorated which is must be visited.
v. If you want to have a look at the houses and know the real culture of Tamil Nadu villages, then you must visit to Kanchi Kudi. Kudil means ‘Home’. The houses are even 9 decades old where cultural programs are held.
4. Rameshwaram.
i. Rameshwaram is very famous city which has pilgrimage sites where people make special plans to visit and take blessings.
ii. If you are a traveler or even if you plan to visit with family, you must visit Rameshwaram which is one of the ‘Char Dham’ which is ought to have a ‘tick in your bucket list’.
iii. Temples in Rameshwaram like Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, Kothandaramaswamy Temple, five faced Hanuman Temple which are must to visit. These temple show different stories and altogether positive auras that is must felt.
iv. Rameshwaram gives you an amazing sightseeing opportunity from Adam’s bridge which is also called ‘Ram Setu’. The bridge starts from Dhanushkodi for about 2 km.
5. Thanjavur.
i. Tamil nadu is full of temples and Thanjavur has Brihadisvara Temple, Great Living Chola Temple, Thanjavur Maratha Palace, Sivaganga Temple are one of the main temples to get to know the place.
ii. If you are travelling wit family, Sivaganga Garden is must visit place in Thanjavur. This garden is the most amazing place which is neat and clean and kids can play here whereas people can relax here. The Sivaganga Garden attracts people of every age.
iii. If you are into history and architecture, this place is from early 1600s during the reign of Nayak King Sevappa Nayak. The hall of music is now known as Sangeetha mahal which has beautiful pillars and arches.
Continue Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
6. Dhanushkodi.
i. A mentioned earlier, Dhanushkodi is at the southern tip of Rameshwaram which is for 2kms. This is a historic bridge and has stories from the past.
ii. It is said that this bridge was made by around 10 million monkeys who used stones and trees to make the bridge.
iii. There are stll debates over the ‘Ram Setu’, whether this was made or is natural. But there are proofs that says that this was a man made process. Between all of the discussions, visit the bridge and watch for yourself why this is so famous and attract people.
7. Kanyakumari.
i. Vivekanand Rock Memorial is must place to visit in Kanyakumari where Swami Vivekanand got enlightened so the place has a statue of swami vivekanand.
ii. It has a great architecture and a museum is made inside which depicts the spirituality and purity of the memorial.
iii. Kanyakumari is a place where you do not need any transport to go but to take walks and relish the beauty of nature.
iii. The place opens at 9:00am in the morning and closes at 5:30pm in the evening.
iv. The ticket for Vivekanand Rock memorial is Rs. 20/- per person.
8. Ooty.
i. Ooty offers you with the finest landscapes and sightseeing which are perfect to relish and enjoy.
ii. You must visit Ooty lake which is a perfect destination for picnic & boating. The beauty of Nilgiris mountains engulps you in its beauty. The lake timings are 8:30am to 5:30pm. The entrance fee for lake is Rs. 5/-.
iii. The Botanical garden in Ooty is in around 22 hectares of land and full of flora & fauna. You can take walk and observe the beauty of nature. The timings for Botanical garden are 8:30am to 6:30pm. The ticket is for Rs. 20/- per person.
iv.You can also take a toy train ride in Nilgiri Mountain Railway which is a World Heritage site. It is a famous ride which has also been seen in films, one of them is the song ‘Chhaiya chhaiyya’ where Sharukh Khan sing and dance on the roof of the train. You can get the train from Metupalaiyam at 7:10am to Ooty at 3:00pm.
Keep Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
9. Kodaikanal.
i. Kodaikanal means ‘Seen in Summer‘ in Tamil and also called ‘Princess of Hill stations’.
ii. If you are travelling with a group seeking for adventure, Bear Shola falls are best for you to trek. The place has beautiful water fall which gives you peaceful feeling after all the trek. Silver Cascade waterfall is also an option for you if you want to bathe in cold water and enjoy the waterfall.
iii. For the people who like cleanliness and love lakes, Berijim lake is must go. The beautiful and serene view is withing the forest region.
iv. Every place has some point and Kodaikanal has old suicide point which has a great view.
10. Coimbatore.
i. The ‘Manchester of South India’ is the place called Coimbatore. This is because of the textile industry extensive running in the state.
ii. You must visit the very famous temple in Coimbatore which is Pateeswarar temple dedicated to lord Shiva.
iii. Coimbatore has vegetable and flower market which is must see in order to get the essence of culture and know the people of the place. You can also visit the local cloth market which has trendy and cheap clothes.
iv. Isha Yoga centre is the place where you can get mental peace and has a huge lord Shiva statue where you can do yoga and meditate. You can spend as much time as you feel here and feel peaceful and calm.
You are Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
Beaches in Tamil Nadu
-
Marina Beach in Chennai.
i. Marina beach is the 2nd longest beach in the world with a stretch of 12km long stretch and the beach has a history to read.
ii. You can do fun activities in the beach like Kite flying, Pony riding, buying artifacts etc.
iii. If you love photography, the beach will give you a good time. You can shoot the best of the landscapes and the portraits of people. Candid images in this landscape are amazing to capture
2. G.P Golden Beach in Chennai.
i. Golden Beach in Chennai has resort where you can have fun and if you are with family, you must visit the place as it is the best fun destination in Chennai.
ii.The Golden beach gives you the luxurious and most unique holiday experience which you cannot forget in your life. The beach pampers you with the scenic beauty and prove to be the best vacation.
iii. You can have the sea view room where you can enjoy the sunrise & sunsets and enjoy every moment you stay. The resort also has banquet halls, luxury suits and a spa house.
Continue Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
3. Elliot’s Beach near Chennai.
i. The Elliot’s beach is when the Marina beach comes to an end. The story of the name is that it s put on the name of Edward Elliot who was once chief magistrate and SP of Madras.
ii. The beach has full security with policemen so people are not drown and to prevent any mishappening.
iii. This beach is calm and peaceful with all the cleanliness around, you can also stroll on the beach and is best for longwalks.
iv. The Elliot beach is very famous among the local people of Tamil Nadu and is a must visit destination.
4. Dhanushkodi Beach in Rameshwaram.
i. Dhanushkodi can be found out on the tip of Pamban island which shares the border with Sri Lanka.
ii. This was a devastated city earlier and had no roads but only sandy region was left after the cyclone was hit in 1964. Everything was washed away and the remains can be seen even now.
iii. The beach had 15km stretch and people can enjoy the low tides of the stream but should be aware of the high tides which comes unexpected.
iv. If any chance, you come here in October or November, you can see sea gulls, flamingos and more migratory birds which are beautiful and amazing to see.
v. Take a bike and ride it on shore, the thrilling experience will make you love Dhanushkodi beach.
5. Poompuhar near Chidambaram.
i. An ideal place for picnic with family or friends and even with your better-half. The scenic beauty fills you with more love.
ii. The beach has black sand and has a monument engraved with bathing scene.
iii. There are not much activity to do here as compared to other beaches but gives a beautiful landscape and you can enjoy with the company you have.
iv. You can also stay in cottages provided by the tourism department with economy rates.
6. Thiruchendur in Kanyakumari.
i. The smallest but very beautiful district of Tamil Nadu is Kanyakumari. It gives you handful of places to visit and you will love the place and would recommend to everyone to visit the city.
ii. Kanyakumari is a beautiful city which can be seen on foot and it has so many places to visit which is Thiruchendur beach.
iii. The beach has pristine water which is clean revealing the beauty of the place.
7. Sadras Beach Resort near Mahabalipuram.
i. Sadras Beach is approximately 13kms from Mahabalipuram. You can spend a good time at the beach by strolling around.
ii. The main thing on this beach is this has less tourists and people can have peace of mind here. The sunset and sunrise of the beach is worth watching.
iii.You cab also visit Sadras fort which has remains from the Dutch dynasty. You can also click pictures if you are a photography lover and want professional pictures.
Keep Reading : Must visits in Tamil Nadu.
8. Covelong Beach near Mahabalipuram.
i. Beaches are one of the best things you can experience in this life. The sound of waves give you such sounds which gives you the best music.
ii. You must attend the music and yoga festival at Covelong beach which has an amazing atmosphere to have fun. You can see stalls decorated on the beach and people playing volleyball.
iii. You can learn surfing and enjoy the moments and Covelong beach will be proved a good picnic spot for family and friends.
iii. It can be a real fun if you plan beforehand and visit the place. The place keeps on having the events which are great to attend and you will definitely have fun here.
9. Besant Nagar Beach in Chennai.
i. One of the most prominent beach in Chennai, you can see kids playing and enjoying here.
ii.You can mostly see young crowd of college here and spend time cracking jokes and having fun with eachother.
iii. You can have easy-on-pocket food from stalls here which you would want to have enjoying the beach. Try sea food which is famous and relish from soul.
iv. You can also build sandcastles at the beach and enjoy you time with your family, friends or better half.
10. Sanguthurai Beach in Kanyakumari.
i. As the picture shows, this is a very beautiful beach which has beautiful sunset and sunrise and is full of greenery.
ii.You can collect sea shells here which can be exciting if you like collection of particular things.
iii. This is the place where you can play games, read books or just listen to music. Stroll, walk or jog at beach and make your time worth at the beach.
Tamil Nadu is a place sustaining all the cultures from the past. Be it dancing, singing, maintaining historic places or forts and taking care of the places is of a great deal on the part of local people. Tamil Nadu is a place with greenery and fresh air and you can get the peace of mind. There are so many stories you can ask the local people regarding the places. The places we mentioned are the famous and must visit cities and beaches of Tamil Nadu. If you have not been to the amazing place, we recommend you to feel the culture of Tamil Nadu which keeps you loving the state more. If you are home loving person and do not like to go out much, must remember, the ideal is to feel at home anywhere, everywhere!
