Three-day Chennai Sight Seeing Guide

A three-day stay in and around Chennai will find you anywhere between Pondicherry and Mahabalipuram.

Starting the day at Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, on the outskirts of Pondicherry, may be singled out by culture vultures. Auroville - a designer village, with lush green trees, cool breeze and sandy roads, will indeed make for an interesting stop. French architect, Roger Arger, designed Auroville, which houses 1,500 residents from 30 countries.

Tersha Water Sports, an exclusive water sports centre, will be well worth your time in the afternoon. Situated on the New Mahabalipuram Road, this is your stop for all kinds of chilly thrills! >From the banana boat ride to the water skis, to the tube cruise, its spill-splash-scream n' shout all the way! Finally a day well spent can be washed down with a splash of waves on the rocks at Pondicherry of course!

The second day's itinerary can be wholly devoted to the East Coast Road (ECR). Fisherman's Cove and ITDC Ashok Beach Resort are excellent options for accommodation on ECR. Kick-start the next day by catching the early morning sunrise at Mahabalipuram seashore. Arjuna's Penance, Shore Temple and the Pancha Rathas are must-see sights. An absolute must is the dance festival held throughout the month of January. The festival has dance performances by the city's leading artistes. You can choose from MGM Dizzee World and Little Folks, which are the major theme parks on ECR. Little Folks is the choice if you have children in tow. MGM Dizzee World has rides for all the family; the Roller Coaster ride is the highlight here.

Hot Kitchen and Basera - Barbecue Restaurant, further down ECR are good spots to indulge your taste buds. You can stay the night if you wish and whip up a star lit romance with the moon tide!

On the morning of the third day you can head back to the city where the Birla Planetorium, Egmore museum, Fort St.George, and the Marina beach will make for a relaxed tour, to temper the tedious travelling of the last two days. If you feel that you haven't intrigued your taste buds enough, you can leave it to Anna Lakshmi - an authentic South Indian restaurant on Anna Salai, to lavish you with a royal banquet. Believe it or not this majestic feast is served on gold plates and real gold cutlery, so you feel like the ancient maharajahs of yore!

Pondering the travel expenses of this fun trip will produce an estimate anywhere between Rs.5,375 and Rs.8,100, the difference being the A/C or non A/C facility of your transportation.

If you feel that you really need to unwind and let lethargy have its way for once, then Food and Fun are the two words, which will launch your rebound into the world of carefree abandon! South Indian flavours waft from any of the restaurants in the Saravana Bhavan chain. Living up to the 'red hot chilli mania' Karaikudi on Dr.Radhakrishna Salai will take you on a gastronomic expedition, with its Chettinad tasties! If you want a hint of western with a generous sprinkling of Indian, then Komala's on Kodambakkam High Road will get you acquainted with South Indian fast food in no time! Dhaba Express on Cenotaph Road, is one of the largest Dhabas in the city with a seating capacity of 450. While you're at it, get your fill of the Indian pizza at any of these places, either Pizza Hut or Pizza Corner on Sterling road. Or step into the breezy ambience of Qwiky's where the famed Cappuccino, Espresso and the assortment of 'snow coffees' reign supreme!

Appetites indulged in, its fun ahoy! If you want to shake a leg -and that's great for an after-meal sort of thing, then hell freezes over on Sterling road, at HFO, where unlimited entertainment wins prime time all the time! Little knick-knacks, curios to take back for friends, mementos that will keep Chennai with you wherever you go? Then do the paces at the city's shopping arcades! Spencer Plaza, the biggest shopping plaza in Chennai, situated on Anna Salai has to be plundered to the fullest!

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