Activities |
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Chennai |
If truth be told, modern-day Chennai is a dusty, chaotic and unattractive city - and is primarily used as a transit-point for travellers looking to access the close-lying areas of Pondicherry and Kerala. Accommodation options in Chennai are limited, shopping is not really worth the considerable stress of negotiating its roads and downtown areas, and there is not a great amount to see and do in the city itself.
Still, for travellers looking to access India's southern regions, and especially those who want to travel through the famously friendly and temple-strewn state of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is a useful entry-point to India - usually offering cheaper airfares than flights to Mumbai (especially for visitors arriving from the east).
Excursions
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) is a gracious seaside town on India's east coast. Known as the 'French Riviera of the East', Puducherry certainly displays its strong French heritage: the old quarter of the city retains its original design, with a grid of quaint, tree-lined rues and boulevards flanked by stately villas, bakeries and fine restaurants. Indeed, as there is not that much to actually do in Puducherry - despite relaxing on the pretty beach, and enjoying the sublime promenade - you are strongly encouraged to embark on a bit of a 'restaurant tour' of the city, perhaps the last place in India that you'll find excellent European cuisine (and wine-lists to match). A bit of an anomalous Indian city - in terms of its architectural character, its pace of life, and its gastronomy - a visit to Puducherry makes for an interesting contrast to the hectic, dusty cities of Tamil Nadu.