Travels in Chennai

Chennai is the southernmost metropolis of India. This city is famed for its extremely rich culture and heritage, and is in fact known to house some of the oldest artistic traditions of the nation. Travels in Chennai are also quite popular due to the plethora of ancient architectural wonders housed by this cosmopolitan city. This rapidly flourishing city essentially houses neighborhoods that predate the colonial history of the nation more than 1500 years, and features incredible attractions that are definitely worth a visit.

Here are some of the major reasons why you must definitely visit the city of Chennai for your next holidays:

• Home to one of the oldest living classical languages of the world: Chennai is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, which has been the home to the Tamil language for more than two thousand years. At certain ancient structures of Chennai, you can find scriptures in a language that dates to a time even before the Roman Empire.

• Features a number of ancient temples: Chennai is considered to be one of the most important spiritual centers of India. Right from Tambaram’s Dhenupureeswarar Temple to Mylapore’s Kapaleeswarar Temple, people can find a number of renowned temples in the city that also provide a glimpse into the antiquated religious architecture of the nation. Many of these temples date back to the 7th or 8th century.

• The Marina Beach: The crowning glory of Chennai, the Marina Beach, is famed to be the second-longest urban beach on the planet. This 13-kilometers-long vibrant beach would be a great destination to visit and explore. The sunset and sunrise views witnessed from this beach are especially quite incredible. 

• A bird-watcher’s paradise: The suburban area of Chennai is visited by a number of rare migratory birds. The Pallikaranai Marshlands within city limit, as well as the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary on the outskirts, are two of the most popular destinations for bird watching in the region. At Vedanthangal Sanctuary, people can even get the chance to see rare species like the Large Egret and the Grey Pelican.

• Turtle Walks: The beaches in and near Chennai are some of the very few coastal areas of the nation where an endangered species of turtles known as Olive Ridleys come to breed every year. During their hatching season, “turtle walks” are organized along the beaches. 

• Scrumptious delicacies: The southern part of India, including Chennai, is renowned for its unique cuisine and intensely flavoured curries. Travels in Chennai are quite popular for the delicious idli, filter coffee, dosa and many other delectable delicacies. The Karaikudi Chettinad cuisine found here is also incredibly popular.

• Shopper’s wonderland: Housing both grand malls and traditional markets, Chennai would be the perfect destination to visit for people fond of gorgeous silks and sarees, as well as gold jewellery. In Chennai, you can also find high-quality steel items at relatively cost-effective prices compared to other parts of India.
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• Wildlife: There are a number of incredible wildlife and nature parks located in the city, such as the Guindy Park and Snake Park. You can find many rare and interesting species in these parks.

Due to the hot and humid climate of the city, it would be a prudent option for people to visit Chennai during the winter months to enjoy a comfortable weather there.

Author bio: The author of this article has been a part of the tourism industry for around a decade or so. He has worked with some of the major travel agencies over the years. He has recently started his own blog. Through his blog, he provides valuable insights and interesting facts about the tourism sector, as well as talks about the top tourism destinations of India.