Chennai is metropolitan and capital city of Tamil Nadu state in India. It has a population of 9 million spread across an area of 426 square kilometers. It is located on the south-east coast of India. The Bay of Bengal lies towards the east of the city. It is home to a rich and varied heritage filled with alluring historical places. You have many places to visit in Chennai from temples, malls, beaches, museums and historical, sculptures and carvings to full fill your eyes and heart with a trip to Chennai.
Chennai is also called Detroit of Asia due to presence of Major Automakers nearby city. It is well connected by land, rail, air and sea transportation. It is also home to many industries, software technology parks, research institutes, universities, and libraries. You can find the Chennai travel guide here with the details on time to visit, places to visit and stay during your trip to Chennai.
1. Best time to visit.
The best time to visit Chennai is from November to February when the temperatures are cool with pleasant weather. Since school holidays are around the corner, you may consider getting your tickets from cheap flights from Singapore to Chennai! You can travel to the city to enjoy the magnificent tourist places. The temperatures during this period hover between 28 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.
2. Reaching Chennai.
Chennai has an international airport which enables to get connected to major international cities and services of major international airlines. It is located around 19 Km away from the city. You can also plan to reach metro cities in India and then fly to Chennai. It is very safe to reach Chennai by air travel as snowstorms and blizzards do not occur. However, when flights might be rescheduled or delayed during heavy monsoon rains.
3. Transportation in Chennai.
Chennai has a host of the local transport network. It is covered by Metropolitan Transport through their fleet of buses. It is also serviced by local trains, overhead metros and plenty autos, cabs services from private vendors. You may not find many services during late nights after 10 pm.
4. Top tourist spots in Chennai.
Chennai has a long list of tourist spots, and you may need at least a weeks time to visit all these places. You have heritage places like National Art Gallery, Government Museum, MGR Memorial, Fort St. George. You can plan to visit the Anna Zoo, the Guindy National park, and Vedanthangal bird sanctuary if you like to visit places of wildlife.
Chennai has a long coastal on the east side. The Marina beach is the longest beach in Asia and 2nd longest in the world. There are other small beaches near Chennai. The Covelong Beach and Mahabalipuram beaches are little away from the city are known for their pristine waters. Its adjacent town Mahabalipuram, which is 57 km from Chennai is famous for rock temples, rock chariots and historical sculptures built by Pallava King.
There nearest waterfalls and hill stations are situated a few hundred kilometers away from Chennai. There are a lot of shopping malls in and around the city which has many international branded accessories.
5. Places to Stay.
Chennai has a wide range of hotels and lodges which are available for every range of price. You can find accommodation as simple as bed and breakfast to star-rated hotels. Most of these hotels serve Indian, Chinese and continental dishes at their in-house restaurants.
6. Culture of Chennai.
Chennai is incarnated with a rich culture visible through its traditional dance, Carnatic music and performances in theatres. The city is well known for its gorgeous and traditional sarees. You can find multicultural and multi-religion blend in the city. Pongal, the harvest festival is celebrated with much joy and enthusiasm. You can also find traditional food served at many of its restaurants with varieties of rice, coconut milk, tamarind rice. These delicious dishes leave a lingering taste that you remember for long.
7. Languages of Chennai.
Tamil is the primary language spoken here. A majority of the people also speak English well. You can also find a small section of people speaking other languages like Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi.
You can note that the city of Chennai is filled with tourist spots, convenient transportation, good accommodation, and pleasant weather can make you visit again and again.