Chennai (Madras) Travel Guide

Facts

Name: Chennai (Madras)
Area: 426 sq. km. (164.5 sq. mi.)
Population: 10,270,000
Language: Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, English
State: Tamil Nadu
Currency: Rupee
Time Zone: UTC+5:30 (IST)
Religions and Beliefs: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism

Situated on the coast off the Bay of Bengal, Chennai, previously known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. As the fourth metropolis in India, Chennai is celebrated for its large-scale commerce, industry and cultural heritages. With a history of more than 300 years, the modern-day Chennai developing from a tiny fishing village is a blend of urban villages, unique European-style architecture, old Hindu temples, sumptuous commercial buildings and glorious beaches. The well-known attractions that should be on Chennai travel list include Government Museum, where there are lots of stunning bronze statues, ancient relics, life-size dinosaur carcass, etc. on display; Santhome Church - an ancient Roman Catholic landmark; as well as the Marina Beach that is scattered with fine colonial buildings.

Best Places to Visit

1. Government Museum
2. Marina Beach
3. Santhome Church
4. Madras High Court
5. Bronze Galley
6. Kapaleeshwarar Temple
7. Fort St. George
8. Vandalur Zoo
9. Elliot’s Beach
10. Fort Museum

Tourists can plan their Chennai travels covering most highlights within 3-4 days. Established over 100 years ago, Government Museum collects amazing artifacts like a huge number of coins, industrial art objects and Neolithic agricultural tools. Marina Beach is India’s longest natural urban beach, where visitors can find vendors selling knick-knacks and tasty snacks, as well as admire the nearby colonial architecture. Santhome Church is a beautiful Roman Catholic Minor Basilica that contains relics of St. Thomas, one of the Apostilles of Jesus Christ. In addition, Madras High Court, Kapaleeshwarar Temple and Vandalur Zoo are also popular destinations in Chennai.

Best Time to Visit Chennai: October to February

Winter, the best time to visit Chennai, is from October to February. Chennai is located in the equator and coastal areas, so the weather most of the year is hot and humid. However, the temperature remains pleasant from October to February, ranging between 19°C and 27°C (66.2-80.6℉). Its proximity to the coastline can also cause occasional rainfall, but it won’t greatly impede your Chennai travel planning. Remember to take an umbrella with you! The hottest time of the year is from the end of May to the beginning of June, with the highest temperature of 38-42°C (100.4-107.6℉). Please avoid it!

Ranking List of Chennai Food

1. Idli
2. Dosa
3. Chaat

Being the staple food of Chennai, Idli is a type of savory rice cake, made by steaming a batter with fermented black lentils and rice. It’s usually served with sambar and coconut chutney as breakfast. Dosa is made from a fermented batter, with the main ingredients of rice and black mung bean. Dosa tastes crisp, light and they are available at a price of ₹30. Chaat, a common appetizer and a favorite snack in Chennai, includes varieties of delicious street chaat flavored with aromatic spices and tangy sauces, such as Aloo Chaat and Papdi Chaat. Atho, Uthappam and Sundal should be also tried.

Best Restaurants in Chennai

1. The Flying Elephant: No.39 Velachery Main Road, Chennai
The Flying Elephant offers a wide range of cuisines from Northern Indian to Italian, all cooked in five open kitchens. Guests can also enjoy a lively atmosphere and DJs on weekends.

2. Seasonal Tastes: 154 Velachery Main Road, Chennai
It’s a 5-star restaurant with sophisticated setting, averagely costing ₹2,500 for 2 people, where you can enjoy exquisite plates, like Mutton Rara and Tomato, Onion & Chilli Salad.

3. Jamavar: The Leela Palace 175 Lobby Level Adyar Seaface, Chennai
The vegetarian-friendly restaurant serves traditional dishes from across India in an opulent interior. Signature dishes include the Black Dal and Kumarakom Fish Curry.

Where to Stay in Chennai - 74 % People Choose Hotels near T. Nagar

1. T. Nagar: 74%
2. Pallavaram: 16%
3. Near Marina Beach: 9%

As the best area to stay in Chennai, T. Nagar is the intersection of packed streets and also a bustling shopping district, with multistoried shops, food stalls and restaurants, as well as a wide range of accommodation options, including guesthouses, lodges and hotels. Housing graceful Pallavaram Hill and close proximity to Chennai Airport increase the accommodation popularity of Pallavaram area. Pallavaram Bus Stop is a blessing for tourists to reach the main road and some other prominent landmarks. Staying in the sea view room near Marina Beach, visitors can enjoy the beautiful ocean, and it is also convenient to stroll around the beach.

Transportation in Chennai

Located about 21km (13 mi) southwest of city center, Chennai International Airport (MAA) operates non-stop passenger flights to domestic and international cities like London, Paris and Colombo. The busiest domestic routes from Chennai are New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata, taking about 2h 50min, 1h, 1h 45min and 2h 20min. The downtown is easily accessible from the airport by taxi, public bus and metro, respectively costing ₹350-500, ₹38 and ₹10-60 according to distance. Chennai Central Railway Station (MAS) is the main railway terminus in Chennai, taking 10h 10min to Madurai, 8h 45min to Mysore, and 6h 10min to Bengaluru.

For inner Chennai travel, metro, taxis, buses and auto-rickshaws are all convenient means of transportation. Tourists can take Blue Line from the airport to the central city, High Court and Green Line to St. Thomas Mount and Nehru Park. Buses are a cheaper way. The price of the regular bus varies from ₹7-15, and that of a luxury bus from ₹15-30. Auto-rickshaws usually charge ₹25 within 2 km, ₹12/ km for extra distance.

Top Shopping Markets

1. Pondy Bazaar: Thyagaraya Road, T. Nagar, Chennai
As Chennai’s one of the busiest market areas, Pondy Bazaar provides almost all kinds of stuff such as clothes, accessories, handbags, crockery, toys, musical instruments, electronics, etc.

2. T. Nagar Market: Ranganathan Street, Chennai
Widely known for cheap price shopping, it’s the most popular market in Chennai, where you can get wide ranges of products like jewelry, footwear and silk Kanchipuram sarees, etc.

3. Phoenix Market City: 142 Velachery Main Road Velachery, Chennai
Here visitors can find around 250 international and domestic retail brands, a multiplex cinema, a game zone, clothes & coffee shops, and good options for fine-dining.