Places to Visit in Chennai: A Complete Travel Guide to India's Gateway City

Chennai, as the cultural hub of South India, has always been associated with multiple identities. It is celestial and earthly, Insanely deep and laughing sky blue, Serene and tempestuous. It is old and new and intimately connected to the spirit and the world; sun kissed and stormy. Although innumerable travellers would stop here on their way deeper into Tamil Nadu, they will find that much more can be derived from it. The best places to visit in Chennai are truly incomparable, whether you're interested in history, beaches, wildlife or just wondering about art and craftsmanship.

1. Cholamandal Artist's Village.

Cholamandal Artist's Village is one of the most unique cultural centers in all of India, and is located on the outskirts city. Now in operation since 1966, when many of the progressive artists who founded it decided there was a need for an independent, sustainable art center – a living, breathing community. Sculptures stand sentinel-like, studios pulse with the energy of the creative process, and the gallery features pieces that question, question, question and entertain, entertain, entertain.

If the classic museum experience is too passive, look to Cholamandal for an active experience of Indian contemporary art: wander through the open-air installations, talk to resident artists while they're at work (if you're lucky) and take that away from a souvenir shop.

2. V.G.P. Golden Beach

V.G.P. Golden Beach is among the most popular places to visit in Chennai, popularly visited by families and fun-seekers alike. Situated along a long coastline at the East Coast Road, the beach resort offers a mix of the charm of the sea of Bay of Bengal and a variety of organized entertainment which are designed to keep children and adults entertained in their own way.

The beach itself is clean and controlled as compared to many city beaches and is a safe place to relax your fussy day. The rippling water sounds are a good antidote to the fatigue of city life, while the golden sands reflect the afternoon light wonderfully.

3. The village of Nettukuppam

The locality, Nettukuppam is not found on the tourist maps that follow the mainstream and that is what makes the place so charming. The fishing town is small, off the coast at the northern end of Chennai, and gives a candid view of the rhythms of those who come and go from the sea for generations. Boats bring in fresh fish before dawn, nets are laid out on the sand, and air brims with the merry noise of the early morn, the fervor of cookfires amidst woodsmoke, and the briny scent of the sea.

Nettukuppam is a judicious choice for travelers who want to experience a true gem than the very shiny hotels, rest australia's most beautiful destination to book a trip to with a group of authentic tourist. People will be used to seeing inquisitive visitors, and if you're here with the right attitude, almost always will be welcomed with a smile.

4. Muttukadu and Dakshina Chitra 

Both are close enough to the city to be made a great day trip. The Muttukadu backwater lake that is created at the junction between the Buckingham Canal ends and sea is favored by water sports people. Kayaking, windsurfing and they have motorboat rides every week, and backwaters in the calmer parts of the year are a great draw for migratory birds.

Dakshina Chitra is an open-air museum about traditional houses constructed from every part of South India, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, a short drive away. The heritage houses have been carefully taken down from their original sites and reassembled with great care in all details of their architecture. The rambling museum is like a time machine and you will find craftspeople sometimes exhibiting traditional craft skills including pottery making, weaving and wood work. Dakshina Chitra is one such splendidly places to visit in Chennai.

5. Covelong Beach 

Another one of those few places that is conducive to both being laid back and alive is Covelong, better known as Kovalam. This crescent-shaped beach, some 40 kilometres south of the city has established its reputation as one of India's top surfing spots for the waves it presents for those learning or more advanced ones. There are several surf schools providing lessons here and they’re focused on people who have never been on a surfboard!

However, Covelong is more than just its waves. It has a multi-layered flavor with remains of a Dutch fort, coastal residents doing their fishing and a progressive community of beachfront cafes selling freshly harvested seafood. It's a beach where you can forgo checking your phone more than twice during a whole day.

6. The Arignar Anna Zoological Park.

Arignar Anna Zoological Park is the largest zoo in South Asia covering an area of almost 600 acres in the midst of forestlands at Vandalur with one of the best managed wildlife sanctuaries in the country. With more than 180 species of animals, including over 2500 animals, the park can not be missed and offers a safari experience that places visitors in real contact with the lion, tiger, elephant, giraffe and a great variety of reptiles and birds.

The zoo's emphasis on conservation initiatives, especially for threatened animals such as the Lion Tailed Macaque and the Indian star tortoise, provides a sense of mission to what could be a family outing. It's one of those places to visit in Chennai that will make even an experienced traveller think.

7. Tiruvallur 

Tiruvallur is a small town located about 42 kilometres to the NorthWest of Chennai and is very sacred. The main attraction of the towns and one of the 108 Divya Desam, sacred Vaishnava temples of South India, is the Veeraraghava Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Rickety architecture of the temple has set examples of intricate and elaborate Dravidian works with mythological narratives being conveyed through each pillar and gateway.

Tiruvallur also has a connection to Thiruvalluvar, the poet, saint and author of the Thirukkural, an ancient Tamil work with great moral and philosophical values. Tiruvallur is a surreal experience for the lovers of spirituality, literature and local arts and culture.

8. Mahabalipuram

None of the trips would be complete without a visit to Mahabalipuram, which is a place to visit in Chennai and its surroundings. Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 60 kilometres south of the city, is a living museum of artistry of the Pallava dynasty of the 7th and 8th centuries.

The Shore Temple nestling on the Bay of Bengal's shores, with the waves as its backdrop, is one of the most popular buildings in Tamil Nadu. It is clear from the Pancha Rathas – the five massive and monolithic rock-cut temples – that Pallava sculptors were capable of tremendous exercises of imagination and ambition. Arjuna's Penance is a huge bas-relief in carvings on a rock face, which depicts scenes from the Mahabharata, a narrative energy that still surprises scholars today.

It's also become a charming town, and a place to consider staying overnight instead of heading just for a half-a-day at the beach, thanks to the beach shacks, stone-carving workshops and relaxed coastal vibes.

9. Pulicat Lake 

The second largest brackish water lake in India "Pulicat Lake" lying on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh is a bird-lovers paradise because it is a haven for migratory waterfowl. It also attracts greater flamingos, pelicans, painted storks and many other varieties of terns and waders, which come in flocks from October until March; bird watchers come from near and far to see them.

The Portuguese remains located at the town of Pulicat in the natural setting come as a bonus. The road that descends to the lake, passing through the casuarina trees and the salt pans, is pretty focussed and restrained. It is a place that requires dedication and perseverance in order to uncover treasures—those not uncovered the faster you go.

10. The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary (VBS) is one such sanctuary, and is one of the oldest bird sanctuaries in Asia, as the local conservation efforts were begun as early as the 18th century, located about 75 kilometres southwest of Chennai. Large numbers of birds - more than 40,000 - of almost 40 species, including open-billed stork, spoonbills, night herons and little cormorants, use the sanctuary from November to February.

The size of the sanctuary is accessible enough for foot traction and a watchtower at the edge of the sanctuary offers an unrivalled view over the nesting trees. It is one of the humbling experiences of nature to witness, as I did, so many birds going about the business of raising young, either chipping out, squabbling over food, or simply sitting in between the embarrassing and unavoidable instances of species anxiety.

11. Kanchipuram 

There are no other such interminglings of sacred architecture as in the city of Kanchipuram, in India. This ancient city, also about 70 kilometres from Chennai, was the capital of the Pallava kingdom and the Chola and Vijayanagara empires. Today, it still hosts more than 100 temples, including most prominently, the Kailasanathar Temple, the Ekambareswarar Temple and the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, which are visited by pilgrims and sightseers all year round.

The Kancheepuram handloom silk sarees are also renowned for their craftsmanship, which has been passed down through generations. The silk used here is more coarse, the zari work is more complicated, and the colours used are more vivid than anywhere else in India. A visit to one of the weaving cooperatives (where you can observe the whole process from thread to the finished product, woven textile) is a learning experience about craft that cannot be captured by any museum showcaps.

12. Crocodile Bank 

Founded in 1976 by the late herpetologists Romulus Whitaker, the mission of Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Vadanemmeli in the East Coast Road was to save crocodiles from extinction. This program, started as a conservation breeding, has become a well-known and international institution and has more than 2000 crocodiles, gharials, mugger crocodiles at different species.

A remarkable collection of snakes, some of the most venomous found in India, are also housed at the Bank. Educational presentations on the ecology, behaviour and conservation status of these reptiles are given by the experts. It’s something of an adventure for the children, especially, and it imprints itself on their minds for years.

13. Sadras Beach Resort 

Another picturesque beach, Sadras Beach Resort, features quiet sands and echoes from Portugal.

Near Kalpakkam is Sadras, another coastal locality that is quite popular among travellers who have already visited other, more popular beaches. The beach is fairly level and long with an extended fine sandy profile, it's clean and not the place for a lot of people. A Portuguese fort ruins is nearby, an unobtrusive reminder of trading history that was once brought to life here along the coast.

The nearby resort area is ideally located for a night (or two) out of town and altogether deceptive: lazy, simple, and even idyllic. It's a place that you end up leaving a little bit more of yourself than you came.

14. Marina Beach 

Marina beach is another place in Chennai that one simply will not find a mention of not paying a visit. Marina is the longest natural urban beach in India with a purview of around 13 kilometres of the Bay of Bengal and also the longest natural urban beach on the planet. It's not the cleanest beach on this list, or the most picturesque in the traditional sense of the word, but it’s definitely one of the more 'vibey'.

Joggers and people practicing yoga or going out to fish are out at the early morning hours to experience life on the Marina.Morning on Marina is for the joggers, yoga fans and fishermen. Mid-morning prosperity finds the promenade with families, street food sales and all the good scrumdribble you can have a city that has become a family living room. The nights are wonderful  when the sun sets, the sea changes color from copper to gold, and the beach transforms into a stage for kites and laughter and into a roasted corn stage.

The statues of erstwhile leaders of the Tamil Nadu government along the promenade, the lighthouse at the southern end and the nearby aquarium, lend some texture to the experience. A visit to Marina is not solely for pleasure but for the people of Chennai, it is a ritual they do every day at least once, preferably at both dusk and dawn.

Plan Your Visit with Paradise Yatra

Approach Chennai with curiosity and flexibility, and you'll be rewarded. It is best to tour between November and February when the weather isn't too humid nor too hot. During monsoon season, (October especially, November too) heavy rains may fall in the city, but that can also ship the city an attractive lush and washed appearance.

From Paradise Yatra, we specialize in making itineraries that mix familiar and dynamic components. There are heritage safaris and circuits to see places such as Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram, either along the East Coast Road stopping at Covelong and Crocodile Bank, or a birdwatcher's circuit which combines Vedanthangal and Pulicat based in Mahabalipuram.

From UNESCO centres to fishing villages and crocodile sanctuaries to silk weaving co-operatives, the places to visit in Chennai are simply amazing. It's just a matter of giving the city and its environs time to come out and play. Then, Chennai will reward you more than what you deserve.