Chennai Destination Guide

A sprawling metropolis with a wonderfully cosmopolitan character, Chennai is a popular tourist destination. It is also a centre of arts and culture, apart from being the most important industrial and business hub of South India. It is well connected by air, rail and road and serves as a gateway to South India. There are numerous tourist attractions in and around Chennai catering to diverse tastes and interests. Ornately designed and rock carved ancient temples, colonial era churches, historic sites and monuments, museums, gardens and wildlife parks, and excellent beaches are some of the attractions that make Chennai an outstanding destination.

Come visit ‘the Gateway to the South,’ with its long sandy shores, clear skies, historical landmarks and parks.

Use this Chennai destination guide to plan what you want to see and do during your holiday. A perfect way to do this is by taking a local Chennai tour. And be sure to check out some general India travel information in our India Country Guide.

Click on the links to the right or scroll further down the page to find out more about the most popular Chennai attractions!

Things to See & Do in Chennai

Emergency Numbers
Police - 100
Fire - 101
Ambulance - 102
Traffic - 103

Government of India Tourist Office
154 Anna Salai, Tel: 8510459, 8524785, 8524295; Airport Counter (Domestic Terminal) Tel: 2340386; (International Terminal) Tel: 2345801. 24 hrs. Email: goirto@md3.vsnl.net.in

Tamilnadu Tourism development Corporation (TTDC)
143 Anna Salai, Tel: 830498.
ITDC, 29, Commander-in-chief Road, Tel: 8278884.

Dept. of Tourism
Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Panagal Building, Saidapet, Tel: 459488, 451694.

The Chennai Marina Beach is 13 kilometres long and is one of the longest beaches in the world. Its wide sandy stretch is very popular with the local population and tourists alike and is a wonderful place to relax as the breeze provides welcome respite from the sultry weather in Chennai. Though devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the beach has more or less been restored to its old glory. Many Chennai landmarks like the University of Chennai, Senate House, Presidency College, Ice House and Chepauk Palace are located along the beach drive.

Built by the British East India Company in 1640, Fort St. George is the first British fort in India. The city of Chennai evolved around this fort as people started settling in its vicinity. The fort, located on the coast, has a chequered history and has had to withstand many a siege particularly during the 18th century. At present it serves as the administrative headquarters of the Tamil Nadu legislative parliament. It also houses the St. Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church in India, built in 1680, and a museum displaying objects from colonial times and portraits of former governors of the fort.

Located in Thiruvanmiyur in South Chennai, Kalakshetra (Temple of Arts) is a premier academy dedicated to the teaching and preservation of traditional values in classical dance, fine arts and music. Founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale, a protégé of Annie Besant, in 1936 to revive interest in and encourage classical dances, particularly Bhartanatyam, Kalakshetra has since gained national and international reputation and now has students from all over the world learning Indian classical arts. Set in a 100 acre campus, the school uses traditional teaching methods, whereby a guru teaches a small group of students, and has trained some of India’s best dancers, the likes of Alarmel Valli, Yamini Krishnamurthi and Leela Samson. Performances are regularly staged in the traditionally styled Koothambalam or auditorium.

Situated adjacent to the Raj Bhavan (the Tamil Nadu governor’s residence), the Guindy National Park is an extension of the grounds surrounding the residence. Extending to an area of 2.82 sq. km, the park is quite small but is unique in that it is located within a metro city. A major part of the park is thickly forested and has a small population of spotted deer, black bucks, jackals and other animals in residence. The park is also home to a variety of birds.

Adjacent to the Guindy National Park, the Snake Park holds a collection of venomous and non-venomous snakes as well as crocodiles, caimans, gharials and chameleons. It is very popular with visitors and kids and the hourly lecture sessions are very informative.

One of the oldest temples in Chennai, the Parthasarathi Temple was built in the 8th century by the Pallava kings and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. Additions and renovations were made to the temple in later years by the Chola and Vijayanagara kings. The temple is known for its elegant architecture and its gopuram or arched gateway is especially pleasing to the eye. Located near the beach at Triplicane, the temple now spreads over an area of 1.5 acres.

The Kapaleeswarar Temple is thought to date back to the 8th century, even though the present structure is much newer and was built in the 17th century. Some of the inscriptions found on the walls inside the temple are more than seven centuries old. Situated in Mylapore, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the biggest and most visited in Chennai. A fine example of Dravidian style architecture, its gopuram (arched gateway) is an incredible 37 metres tall and is full of intricate carvings depicting mythological tales. The annual temple festival is a huge event and attracts devotes from far and wide.

The museum housing books, photos and other articles relating to the great Hindu spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda is a major tourist attraction and is run by the Sri Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Vivekananda stayed in this building when he visited the city in 1897. Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and writings influenced many great leaders; his works, many of which are sold here, are still in great demand. The imposing building on Marina Beach, dating back to 1842, is also known as Ice House as it was once used to store ice blocks brought from the USA.

A place of great historical and archaeological importance, the Gudiyam Caves is also a wonderful picnic spot and attracts quite a few visitors despite the fact that getting there involves a four kilometre walk. Apart from the 16 rock shelters you can see pre-historic tools, weapons, stone idols and statues. Situated 17 km from the Poondi reservoir in Chennai, the rugged tracks near the caves attract trekkers in droves. The place is also home to a variety of birds that find the caves and forests nearby ideal nesting places.

Elliot's beach, a pleasant beach in the Besant Nagar locality of Chennai is an ideal place to cool off and have a picnic. It is also a good place to go for a swim.

Amusement park rides

There are some wonderful amusement parks in Chennai providing a lot of fun and entertainment. Places like Kiskinta, MGM Dizzee World and Dash-n-Splash are really popular with kids and grown-ups alike.

Visit Museums

The museums in Chennai are very well kept and are really worth a visit. Be it science, history or art, Chennai has it all in the likes of the Government Museums, National Arts Gallery, Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre, Cholamandal Artists’ Village and the Birla Planetarium.

Shopping

Anything one needs is available, and Chennai shopping here is great fun, particularly at the local markets with all the haggling and the bustle. Pondy Bazaar, Anna Salai, Mount Road, Burma Bazaar and Ranganathan Street are a few of the popular shopping areas.

Dining out in Chennai

Being a cosmopolitan city, Chennai has its fair share of fine dining establishments serving local and international cuisine. But no visit to Chennai is complete without sampling the delicious traditional South Indian cuisine on offer here. Dishes like Dosa and Vada are very popular with locals and visitors alike and are quite safe to handle even for those not accustomed to Indian food.