A leisure trip to Pondicherry-the French Town

While travelling from Chennai to Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram is on the way. Mahabalipuram is known for its temples and monuments built in the 7th century. It is also a UNESCO heritage site. The famous places to visit in Mahabalipuram include the Shore Temple, the Panch Rathas, the Light House and the Mahabalipuram beach. If time permits, you can also take a peek into the Crocodile Bank which is very near to Mahabalipuram temple. The sight of more than a hundred crocodiles just lazying around will simply amuse you.

Rock beach/ Promenade

As the name suggests, the beach is full of rocks. It has a small stretch of sand as well. Also, it is the perfect place to witness the sunrise. But one needs to wake up really early to see the beautiful sun rise from the blue sea with the wind playing with your hair. The feeling is magical! The place is also perfect for an evening walk, but it remains crowded generally.

Paradise beach

Paradise beach does complete justice to its name. Its like a beach on an island, covered with white sand, water on all sides and shacks to chill around. It is a perfect place to have a romantic time and this beach is not very crowded.

Well there are other beaches also, like the Serenity beach, the Ousteri canal and the Auroville beach.

Auroville

If you are looking out for peace and soltitute, Auroville is the place to be. It is a township in itself with the golden globe, Matrimandir situated at its heart. If possible, try and book a slot of meditation in the Matrimandir. Auroville also has a lot of other things to offer like stay, various well-being workshops, a sound garden and not to forget, some of the restaurants offering the yummiest dishes.

Cathedrals/ churches

Pondicherry is also a home to a lot of cathedrals that are beautiful and divine. Some of them are Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges.

Places to eat

Some of the places that had absolutely lip smacking food and should be on your must-visit list:

1. Taka's pizza (White town)

2. Tantos pizzeria (Auroville)

3. GMT ice-creams (Gandhi beach)

4. Cafe PY for its beautiful ambience (White town)

5. Indian Coffee House (White town)

6. Cafe des Arts (White town)

How to move around in Pondicherry

The easiest way to move around in Pondicherry is to rent activa or bicycles. There are a lot of rental shops in the main market in White Town from where you can rent them.

Other things that Pondicherry has to offer

Well Pondicherry has a lot to offer to every kind of tourist. Temple Adventures in Pondicherry offers scuba diving in the magnificent Bay of Bengal for those seeking out for some adventure. There are also surfing lessons when the weather is conducive.

Pondicherry also has stores like Nalli and Pothi's which offer some of the best Kanjeevaram silk sarees and is the home to the the Hidesign store. There are also a lot of local markets to purchase the local stuff. One should definitely stop buy and shop from the Auroshikha store which supply handmade incense sticks and a lot of other aromatic items like soap, mist, candles, etc.

There are a lot of other places to explore like the Aurobindo Ashram, the Aurobindo paper factory, the botanical garden, the New Light House, the Manakula Vinayagar Temple, the French Consulate, the Pondicherry Museum and a lot more.

What a trip it was! Pondicherry is truly a place which has a lot to offer- food, beaches, adventure sports and the calmness. It's French legacy is preserved in its French Quarter, with tree-lined streets, mustard-colored colonial villas and chic boutiques; indeed a sight to behold!