Weekend getaways from Chennai

13 weekend trips from Chennai

1. 1

   Mahabalipuram

   55 km · 1.5 h via the ECR; frequent state buses along the ECRNovember–FebruaryHeritage, beach resorts, families

   See the Shore Temple, the Five Rathas and Arjuna's Penance, part of a UNESCO-listed group of 7th–8th century Pallava monuments, early in the day before the heat. Stay at an ECR beach resort and stop at the DakshinaChitra heritage village on the way. The sea here is rough, and swimming is unsafe on most stretches.

2. 2

   Puducherry

   150 km · 3–3.5 h via the ECR; trains via Villupuram (3.5–4 h)November–FebruaryCouples, cafés, surfing lessons

   Walk the Promenade and the French Quarter lanes at dawn, take a surf lesson at Serenity Beach and visit the Matrimandir viewing point in Auroville. Book White Town rooms early; Saturday rates are much higher than Sunday's. Traffic back into Chennai on Sunday evening can add two hours, so start back by early afternoon.

   Plan Puducherry
3. 3

   Kanchipuram & Vedanthangal

   75 km · 1.5–2 h via NH-48; suburban trains via ChengalpattuNovember–February (birds at Vedanthangal November–March)Temples, silk shopping, birding

   Spend a day on the Kailasanathar, Ekambareswarar and Varadharaja Perumal temples, and buy silk at weavers' cooperatives rather than commission-led showrooms. Vedanthangal bird sanctuary, about an hour away, fills with painted storks, pelicans and egrets after a good monsoon; go at dawn. Kanchipuram hotels are plain, so many travellers stay in Chengalpattu or on the ECR.

4. 4

   Pulicat

   60 km · 1.5–2 h via Ponneri; suburban trains to Ponneri, then 20 km by roadOctober–MarchLesser-known pick, flamingos, boat rides

   Hire a fishing boat on India's second-largest brackish-water lagoon to see flamingos and pelicans in winter, and visit the 17th-century Dutch cemetery in Pulicat village. There are very few hotels, so most people treat it as a long day or pair it with a night at a resort near Ponneri. Go with a local boatman and check that life jackets are on board.

5. 5

   Tiruvannamalai & Gingee

   190 km · 4 h via Tindivanam and Gingee; trains via Villupuram or KatpadiNovember–FebruarySpiritual trips, fort climbs

   Walk the 14 km girivalam path around Arunachala hill, visit the Arunachaleswarar temple and Ramana Maharshi's ashram, and climb Gingee Fort's Rajagiri citadel (about an hour up) on the way. Stay near the ashram road so you can walk everywhere. Full-moon nights and the Karthigai Deepam festival bring lakhs of pilgrims; book weeks ahead or avoid those dates.

6. 6

   Tirupati & Tirumala

   140 km · 3–3.5 h via Tiruttani; several daily trains from Chennai Central (about 3 h)Year-roundSpiritual trips, families

   Book a Special Entry Darshan slot on the TTD website before leaving, and give Tirumala a full day for darshan, the Silathoranam rock arch and Akasa Ganga. Stay in Tirupati town or TTD cottages on the hill. Phones and footwear go into lockers before darshan, and the traditional dress code is enforced.

7. 7

   Yelagiri

   230 km · 4 h via NH-48, Vellore and Vaniyambadi; Chennai–Bengaluru trains to Jolarpettai (3–3.5 h), then 30 minOctober–MayFamilies, budget hill break

   A modest hill at about 1,100 m, reached by 14 hairpin bends, with boating on Punganoor Lake, a walk up Swamimalai hill and fruit orchards. Paragliding and adventure camps run in some months; ask locally. It is small, inexpensive and quiet, so expect a resort-based weekend rather than a sightseeing one.

8. 8

   Yercaud

   360 km · 6–6.5 h via Salem; trains to Salem (4–5 h), then 1 h up the ghatOctober–JuneCoffee estates, couples

   Boat on Yercaud Lake, watch sunset from Lady's Seat and Pagoda Point, and stay in a coffee-estate cottage on the Shevaroys. The 20-hairpin ghat from Salem is straightforward in daylight. It gets crowded during the May summer festival and is quieter in October–November, after the rains.

9. 9

   Kolli Hills

   360 km · 6.5–7 h via Salem and Namakkal; trains to Salem or Namakkal, then about 2 hOctober–FebruaryAdventure, lesser-known pick

   The 70 hairpin bends from Karavalli are the first test; the second is the 1,000-plus steps down to Agaya Gangai falls. Add the Arapaleeswarar temple and the pepper and jackfruit farms. Stays are limited to a handful of resorts and lodges, so book ahead and carry cash.

10. 10

    Kodaikanal

    520 km · 9–10 h by road; overnight train to Kodai Road or Dindigul, then 2.5–3 h up the ghatMarch–June and September–OctoberFamilies, lake walks, long weekends

    Walk Coaker's Walk, cycle around Kodai Lake and drive to the Pine Forest and the Guna Cave viewpoint. Stay near the lake so you can walk in the evenings. It works as a weekend only with an overnight train each way, and vehicles have needed an e-pass in recent seasons, so check before driving.

11. 11

    Thanjavur & the Chola temples

    340 km · 6–7 h by road; overnight trains from Chennai Egmore (7–8 h)November–FebruaryHeritage, temple architecture

    See the Brihadeeswarar temple in the soft afternoon light, then drive to Darasuram and Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the other two Great Living Chola Temples on the UNESCO list. Stay in Thanjavur or Kumbakonam, where simple meals at the local messes are worth seeking out. Temple floors are walked barefoot and get very hot at midday, so go early or late.

12. 12

    Tranquebar (Tharangambadi)

    280 km · 5.5–6 h via the ECR, Puducherry and Chidambaram; trains to Mayiladuthurai, then 1 hNovember–MarchLesser-known heritage, quiet beach

    A former Danish trading town with Dansborg fort, 18th-century churches, colonial streets and an empty beach. Stop at Chidambaram's Nataraja temple and row through the Pichavaram mangroves on the way. There are only a few places to stay, including a heritage hotel on the seafront, so book early.

13. 13

    Nagalapuram

    75 km · 2 h via Uthukottai; no trainAugust–JanuaryStream treks, adventure

    Trek upstream along a rocky stream to a chain of clear pools and small falls, with plenty of scrambling and swimming. Go with a registered trek group, since the forest department restricts entry and has closed the area at times. Avoid it after heavy rain, when flash floods are possible.

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