Overview

The gateway to the South India – Chennai (in Tamil Nadu) is culturally distinct from any other Indian city. The indigenous culture of this city invites globetrotters. Celebration of artwork and beauty exemplified through sculptures, classical dance & music, handloom clothing and traditional gold ornaments is the essence of the place. The city has a lot to offer for differ types of travelers. Beautiful beaches, glorious temples, historic churches, museums, galleries, planetarium etc. Some prominent places to visit can be Basilica of the National Shrine of St.Thomas, Wallajah Mosque, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Sri Ramakrishna Math and Valluvar Kottam Memorial. Wildlife lovers can explore the Arinjar Anna Zoological Park, the Guindy National Park & Snake Park and Pallikaranai wetlands. The southern heat and clamorous traffic are the sights of this city, yet for many travelers, it is a destination in itself to visit on a India day tour. One will also find boutique & luxury hotels, contemporary restaurants and happening pubs & bars in T Nagar (Thyagaraya Nagar), Nungambakam and Alwarpet, the southern and southwestern suburbs of the city.

How to visit:

By road: One of Asia's largest bus stations is in Chennai, the CMBT. There are seven different state owned corporations which drive buses to and from various destinations within South India. There are hourly buses for places like Tirupati, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli etc. Prepaid taxis, cabs auto rickshaws are available for hire just outside the station.

By rail: Chennai Central (code MAS) and Chennai Egmore (code MS) are the two main long distance train stations. There are daily trains from most of the big cities of India. The Egmore station covers most of the places in Tamil Nadu and a few important places outside it. The long trains to Egmore stop at Tambaram and some at Perambur. These two stations serve the suburban areas of Chennai.

By air: Chennai International Airport is located at a distance of 7 km from the main city. Both, international and domestic flights land at different terminals: the international flights arrive at the Anna Terminal whereas the domestic flights at Kamaraj Terminal. These two terminals are located at a distance of only 150 metres from each other.

Fast Facts

Location - Tamilnadu, South India

Places of Interest - Gandhi memorial, Kalashetra, Mylapore temple, Marina beach Fort St. George, Government Museum, Valluvar Kottam, Snake Park.

Best time to visit - October to April

Language - Hindi, English, Tamil

Festivals - Pongal, Dance & Music Festival

Chennai Location Map