Things To Do In Mahabalipuram While Stopping On Your Way To Pondicherry

Mahabalipuram, or Mamallapuram, the historical town on the East Coast of India, is only about an hour's drive from Chennai. I am not a fan of long road journeys and decided to make a pit-stop here on my way to Pondicherry from the Chennai Airport. I knew there were a lot of things to do in Mahabalipuram but I just never expected this kind of architectural beauty. I later found out that it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its beautiful monuments and structures from the Pallava Dynasty, that date back to the 7th century.

Things To Do In Mahabalipuram

You can walk or cycle around the town. Here are the things to do in Mahabalipuram that are absolutely unmissable:

1) 'Pancha Rathas', a complex with five rock-cut chariots signifying the five Pandavas and the cave temples

2) Visiting the old Mahabalipuram Lighthouse, constructed around 1887, is one of the most fascinating things to do in Mahabalipuram.

3) The Sea Shore temple and the Mahabalipuram beach