5 top destinations to visit in Tamil Nadu

Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Located along the Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations owing to its unique culture, historical attractions, lush green hills, verdant valleys, delicious cuisine as well as spiritual and religious sites. Besides, Tamil Nadu’s fervour during the festivals of Pongal, Thaipusam, and Mahamaham also attracts lots of tourists from around the country and overseas.

The festive season is the perfect time of the year to experience the beautiful culture of the state which is a spectacular opportunity to witness the warmth of the people of the state. And, I consider myself a blessed traveller, as my last two trips to the state were during the festive season. Also, rather than booking a taxi, I decided to use local transport like trains and buses to cover the state. I must mention that local transport is safe and comfortable. The state’s major tourist destinations are well connected to the capital city Chennai and other important cities.

I studied the state thoroughly, routes, festivals, famous places, cities and towns beforehand and planned my travel accordingly. Here are some of the places in Tamil Nadu I visited to experience the unique culture of the state:

Chennai

Tamil Nadu’s capital is also known as the ‘Detroit of India’. A metropolis which has a rich colonial heritage retained in the architecture of British-era museums and monuments. Chennai’s mesmerising skyline is famous for its view of the sky-scraping towers. Chennai is also well known for the white sandy beaches of Marina where the Coromandel Coast runs along the Bay of Bengal making it the world’s second-longest urban beach in the world. In addition, some other tourist’s favourite attractions in Chennai include Fort St George, Ashtalakshmi Temple and Marundeeswarar Temple.

Mahabalipuram

A major port city in ancient Tamil Nadu which is today an ideal destination for pilgrims who want to experience Tamil Nadu’s religious glory. The town is well known for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The Shore Temple, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage site, is a famous temple which holds the shrine of Lord Shiva. Besides, the town also has other famous religious sites such as the Five Rathas which are a set of rock temples, Krishna Cave Temple and Ganesh Ratha Temple.

Kodaikanal

Another popular hill station in Tamil Nadu, Kodaikanal is surrounded by verdant valleys, granite cliffs, waterfalls and lakes. The Kodaikanal Lake, a man-made lake which encircles the hill and lush green forests make it the perfect destination for a summer getaway. Vaigai Dam, Thalaiyar Falls and Kukkal Caves are other famous tourist attractions in Kodaikanal.

Ooty or Udhagamandalam

Known as Tamil Nadu’s natural treasure, Ooty is a lush green scenic hill station situated in the Nilgiri hills. The “Queen of the Nilgiris,” attracts loads of tourists as it is flocked with tea gardens, gushing waterfalls, trekking trails and numerous botanical gardens. It also retains a colonial old charm represented in its architecture. Famous tourist attractions of the hill station are the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty Lake, Emerald Lake and Ooty Botanical Gardens.

Coimbatore

Coimbatore attracts tourists in huge numbers for its camping and trekking trails of the Dhoni Hills, the Vellari Mala, the Perumal Peak and the Thalaiyar Falls. It is also famous for the Adiyogi Shiva statue, Vydehi Falls, Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park and Velliangiri Hill Temple.

Kanyakumari

Tamil Nadu is also home to mainland India’s southernmost tip, Kanyakumari. The city is situated at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is widely known for the gushing Thirparappu Falls, Kanyakumari Beach, Vattakottai Fort and the Chitharal Jain monuments. Kumari Amman Temple, Thanumalayan Temple and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial among other monuments hold a historical significance.