Travel Guide is our new series of ‘What to Expect’ when you’re visiting India. It will give you a Heads Up on what to do to ensure your trip is hassle-free! The list will also help you make the most of your time here.
Read on the find out ‘What To Know’ and what things to see in Chennai. Chennai is also known as the City of Temples. Chennai is not every tourist’s first pick but the city does have some cool things to offer on your visit to India!
Top 7 Things To See In Chennai
#1. The Beaches, Of Course!
Chennai is known for its multiple beaches; that are often crowded on weekends and holidays as everyone steps out to enjoy a day out at the beach. You too should definitely make time to spend few hours at the beach, soaking in the sun and enjoying the cool water. You will also find shacks and trucks offering food, keeping in mind Chennai’s humid weather conditions, mango dolly’s (The Indian version of popsicles) are your best bet!
Heads Up! While the beaches may seem messy to you, do not take the chance of littering in the water. The locals are very attached to their beaches and keep a close watch, especially on foreigners. Chennai is trying to do their bit to clean up their city, beaches included!
Also Read: 7 Reasons to Visit The Royal State of India – Rajasthan
#2. The Tamil Film Industry
The people of Chennai are extremely proud and connected to Tamil film actors. ‘Kollywood’, as they call it synonymous to religion for them and they worship their silver screen Gods. If you like action movies, make sure you ask around for DVDs for the best Tamil action movies, download the subtitles and enjoy!
Heads Up! Like we mentioned, the people of Chennai worship their film actors. So if you have any negative remarks or even any constructive criticism about a particular actor or movie, make sure you double check what the remark is as well as who you’re speaking to. (Our suggestion is to keep mum, it’ll save you the trouble!)
#3. Temple Etiquette
Chennai has some beautiful temples and museums that reflect the age old history of the place. Some structures are so exquisite they will leave you admiring them for hours on end. Make sure you do your research on historical places you’d like to visit, and if need be get yourself a tour guide to walk you through the history of the place.
Heads Up! Foreigners while visiting often forget that temples are areas of prayer and worship. Many people look for peace and quiet to meditate and pray, so ensure you don’t violate any of these rules- maintain silence while admiring religious places.
#4. The Party Scene
Chennai wouldn’t be the best place to go partying, as the music is a mix of many languages. Also, Chennai used to be a dry state post-independence and even though the ban has been lifted, liquor is only served at shops called TASMACS (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation)
Heads Up! Don’t keep your hopes up about a crazy party night in Chennai. Try doing other things like visiting interesting restaurants (Chennai has loads of them!) grabbing some filter ‘kaapi’ (Coffee) or just watching the sunset by the beach!
#5. The Dress Code
Although the place is very hot, people of Chennai still dress up in full attire and appreciate Indian and ethnic wear over other kinds. While Chennai’s high temperatures and beachy coastlines may give you vibes similar to Goa- the people and dress codes are poles apart!
Heads Up! Make sure you don’t wear anything short or revealing else you will be met with multiple judgmental and petrifying stares. No matter how tempted you feel to get rid of the extra clothing to avoid the sun- drop the idea and dress wisely and decently. (You can still always be fashionable!
#6. The Transport
Chennai can be quite troublesome with respect to finding your way around the city with public transport, mainly because of language barriers. Try learning a words here and there to communicate common issues, it would help while talking to the localites.
Heads Up! The auto drivers are known to loot foreigners in terms of charging high amounts even for nearby distances. Either book transport beforehand or make sure you check the rates on apps like Ola/Uber and negotiate accordingly. Don’t let them take you for a ride (metaphorically).
#7. The Weather
The temperature in Chennai is mainly hot and while this gives you the freedom of covering as many touristy spots in Chennai as you can, it always increasing the time spent out in the sun. Further, if you’re from a cold place you will love the sunny, hot days.
Heads Up! Stay hydrated! And by this we do not just mean keep drinking water but also, carry your own water! You can never fully trust the water here, even if its sealed. So we recommend carrying water from your hotels or buying purified water to avoid any sort of illnesses!
So looks like you have almost everything covered in this Full Chennai Travel Guide! Remember these little notes on What To Know while visiting Chennai and you will be just fine. There will always be some unexpected occurrences on your trip, embrace them too- everything becomes a memory in the end!
Hope the Chennai travel guide was helpful and would prepare you for the trip better. Read more Travel guides about other places in India on Yeh Hai India .
