Tourist Places Near Chennai: The Best Day Trips From the City

Once you have covered the city itself, there are some excellent tourist places near Chennai that make for easy day trips or a short overnight escape. Most are within three hours by road, which makes them very doable even on a short holiday. Here are the ones worth your time.

Mahabalipuram, 60 Kilometres South

Mahabalipuram, also called Mamallapuram, is the closest and most popular of the tourist places near Chennai, and for good reason. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has the seventh century Shore Temple sitting right on the coast, the Five Rathas carved from single rocks, and the giant relief carving known as Arjuna’s Penance. The drive along the East Coast Road is a treat in itself, and the town has good seafood restaurants if you want to make a full day of it.

Pondicherry, 160 Kilometres South

A former French colony, Pondicherry has a completely different feel from Chennai, with tree lined streets, colonial villas and the peaceful White Town near the promenade. It is a longer trip, around three hours by road, so it works best as an overnight stay rather than a rushed day out. Auroville, the experimental township nearby, and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram are both worth building into your visit.

Kanchipuram, 75 Kilometres West

Known as the city of a thousand temples, Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism and home to the Kailasanathar and Ekambareswarar temples, both important examples of Pallava and later Dravidian architecture. It is also the source of the famous Kanchipuram silk saree, so combining a temple visit with a stop at a weaving cooperative gives you a good look at how this heritage still runs through the town today.

Pulicat Lake, 60 Kilometres North

Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, straddling the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh border. It is a quieter, less touristy option than the other places on this list, best known for the flamingos and other migratory birds that arrive between November and February. Boat rides on the lake and the old Dutch cemetery at Pulicat town add a bit of history to the trip.

Vellore, 145 Kilometres West

Vellore is best known for two very different sights, the imposing 16th century Vellore Fort with its temple, mosque and church all within the same walls, and the Sripuram Golden Temple on the edge of town, a Lakshmi temple covered in gold leaf that glows spectacularly in the evening light. It is roughly a three hour drive and works well as a full day trip if you leave early.

Yelagiri, 230 Kilometres West

For a change of pace and altitude, Yelagiri is a small hill station in the Eastern Ghats with rose gardens, a lake for boating, and cooler weather than the plains below. It is further than the other options on this list, closer to four hours by road, so it suits a weekend trip rather than a single day, but the drop in temperature and the trekking trails make it worth the distance.

Planning Your Trip

Most of these tourist places near Chennai are best reached by hired car or taxi, since public transport connections can be slow and indirect. Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram are easily done as single day trips, Pulicat and Vellore work well as long day outings, and Pondicherry or Yelagiri are better suited to an overnight stay. Whichever you pick, book your driver or car in advance during the cooler months, when everyone else has the same idea.

Keep exploring Chennai

• A Guide to Chennai’s Neighbourhoods: Where to Go and Why
• Mahabalipuram: The Complete Guide to the Shore Temple Town
• Weekend Getaways from Chennai: The Best Trips Near the City
• The Best Hotels in Chennai: A Local’s Guide to Where to Stay
• Hill Stations Near Chennai: The Best Weekend Escapes
• Chennai to Tiruvannamalai: Temple Town Trip and Girivalam Guide