Explore Tamil Nadu With Beach
DAY 01 - ARRIVE CHENNAI
Arrive Chennai international airport
Meeting and assistance at the airport
Transfer by car to your hotel
Check in at the hotel
Time to relax after your international flight
At around 1400 hrs set out to explore the city of Chennai
Visit Government Bronze museum (closed on Fridays) where you can see some very interesting and rare bronze statue collections and some very rare and interesting sculptures at the Amaravathi Gallery.
Drive along the old part of Chennai
Walk through George Town and explore how British developed this once small fishing Hamlet to become the first modern city of India
Drive to Fort St. George. Walk through the fort and visit St. Mary's church - the first Anglican Church in India
Visit St. Thomas Cathedral
Walk along the market near Kapaleeshwara temple
Return to your hotel in Chennai
It would be a great option to have dinner at Rain tree restaurant at the Taj Connemara hotel to give you the introduction to South Indian cuisine.
Overnight at the hotel in Chennai
DAY 02 - CHENNAI / PONDICHERRY
Breakfast at the hotel
Depart around 0800 hrs to Pondicherry
Arrive Pondicherry at around noon
Check in at the hotel in Pondicherry
You will then have time in the evening to walk around this once French station of business in India which even now have traces of French stay in India
In the evening visit Aurbindo Ashram
Later walk around the beach promenade
Overnight at the hotel in Pondicherry
DAY 03 - PONDICHERRY / TANJORE
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning say around 0730 hrs leave for Tanjore
It is a long but very interesting day
You will first visit Natraja Temple in Chidambaram
Later drive to Gangaikondacholapuram where you will explore the architecture of the chola style temple from the lawns
Leave for Tanjore with enroute visiting Darasuram - a very good example of Dravidian architecture
Arrive Tanjore and check in at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel in Tanjore
DAY 04 - TANJORE / CHETTINADU
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning visit Brihadeeshwara temple - known for its architectural excellence
Later visit Bronze gallery at Tanjore Palace complex
Drive to Chettinadu
You will first sample an excellent Chettinadu cuisine at an outside hotel before checking in at your hotel in a Chettinadu village
Later in the day explore this sleepy little village with more than 1000 palatial houses.
In the evening visit a village temple
Overnight at the hotel in Chettinadu
DAY 05 - CHETTINADU / RAMESHWARAM
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning leave for Rameshwaram
Know as one the two important pilgrimage centres a Hindu has to visit once in his / her life time - you can see the activities of pilgrims.
Check in at the hotel
In the afternoon walk along the temple to see the activities of the pilgrims
Overnight at the hotel in Rameshwaram
DAY 06 - RAMESHWARAM / MADURAI
Proceed on a pre breakfast tour to Danashkodi the south eastern tip of India and from where the northern tip of Sri Lanka is only around 16 miles. The legends say that Lord Rama - the hero of the epic Ramayana had built a bridge over the palk to retrieve his wife kidnapped by the king of Sri Lanka. Geography till date stays at the Palk has some thing underground which restricts movement of ships along this straight and hence the sips travelling from east of India to west of India has to go around Sri Lanka
Return to the hotel
After breakfast check out and leave for Madurai
Arrive Madurai and check in at the hotel
In the evening visit the market and suggest dinner at an restaurant overlooking the temple gopurams
Overnight at the hotel in Madurai
DAY 07 - MADURAI / TRICHY
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning leave for a visit of Madurai visiting the famous Meenakshi Amman temple and The Palace of Tirumalai Nayak.
After lunch leave for Trichy
If you are interested to visit temples, you can visit Narthan malai and Kudumiyan Malai enroute to Trichy
Arrive Trichy and check in at the hotel
In the evening visit Rock Fort temple - it is situated on a small hill lock. You can have a panoramic view of Trichy town and later visit the market near the temple
Suggest dinner at an outside restaurant
Overnight at the hotel in Trichy
DAY 08 - TRICHY / MAHBALIPURAM
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning visit Srirangam - you will be able to see the activities of Hindus performing religious rituals on the banks of river Kaveri at Amma Mandapam
Later visit the temple complex of Sriranganathaswamy
Later proceed to Mahabalipuram
Arrive Mahabalipuram around evening
Check in at your beach resort
Overnight at the hotel in Mahabalipuram
DAY 09 - MAHABALIPURAM / KANCHEEPURAM / MAHABALIPURAM
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning proceed to Kancheepuram - 02 hours drive one way
Visit Kailasanthar temple, Varadaraja Perumal temple and Ekambareshwar temple Kancheepuram is also known for its variety of silk from which the grand wedding silk sarees are made.
Return to Mahabalipuram
In the evening walk around the main street of Mahabalipuram where you can find crafts man carving stones
You can choose to have dinner at one of the many sea food cafes or return to your hotel to have a quite dinner
Overnight at the hotel in Mahabalipuram
DAY 10 - MAHABALIPURAM
Breakfast at the hotel
In the morning take time to visit Arjuna Penance, Five Rathas and Shore temple
Rest of the afternoon at the beach resort
Your departure will be on Day 11 and hence you will be transferred according to the time of your international flight. The departure from Mahabalipuram might be during late night and early morning of Day 11