Places to visit in Pondicherry in a day
A beach holiday in India is not quite what we see in movies, web series or advertisements. Glamorous surrounding with colorful umbrellas and beach decks, characters in stylish swim wear, surf board in hand! You may not find all that, however, what’s offered in abundance are the bounties of nature – the vast ocean, enchanting views, balmy breeze and the company of loved ones.
ORIENTATION
Pondicherry itself is not exactly a beach holiday, as it lies against a rocky seafront of the Coromandel coast. The place is an amalgamation of a beach destination peppered with a rich history and culture, of French colonies and the famous Aurobindo Ashram.
The best way to reach Pondicherry is by road, as it is a four hours drive from Chennai and seven hours from Bangalore.
An intermingling of French and Tamil culture is visible in the unique architecture of some of the houses in Puducherry (another name for Pondicherry). You’ll find this fusion in the cuisine also. There are of course the famous French colonies consisting of French designed homes and cafes.
For tourists staying for a day, here are the top places to visit in Pondicherry in a day :
Promenade Beach
The beaches in the city stretch from the Puducherry main beach, to the Rock beach and the Promenade beach. As mentioned earlier the coastline of Pondicherry is rocky, so don’t expect to find sandy expanses where you can do a whole series of activities. What you will surely get are fabulous views from the seaside promenade .
For best experiences visitors can walk along the boulevard, adjacent to the ocean, admiring the sights around. As traffic is not allowed here, you will be undisturbed by the noise and pollution of automobiles. Though only one or two sea facing cafes are there, you can choose to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and snacks, watching the frothy waves dash against the rocky shore.
For sandy beach experiences – the three main beaches Paradise, Quiet and Serenity, lie not in Pondicherry itself, but about 12-15 kms away.
Paradise Beach
To reach Paradise beach take the ferry down the charming Chunnambar river. Boat services are available that pick up tourist from the Chunnambar park lying 8 kms south of the city. Paradise beach is basically an island, comprising of a giant sandbar between the river and the sea. People spend few hours on this gorgeous beach and then return by evening to the mainland. There is nothing much to do here in the nights, just basic facilities and one or two of not very good restaurants.
OTHER BEACHES
The Serenity and Quiet beaches are true to thier names, are nice beaches. These being closer to Auroville, hence frequented more by foreigners and Aurovillans. Though also attract hordes of tourists for their quiet appeal.
If you’re in Pondicherry just for a day, I would advice tourists to visit the Aurobindo ashram in the afternoon. It’s sweltering during this time and it’s best to stay indoors. Later you can head to Auroville and the beaches nearby. Set aside the morning hours for the Paradise and Promenade beach.
Aurobindo Ashram
Aurobindo ashram, situated on the Rue de la Marine is worth visiting. The world-renowned ashram has the relics of the great saint from Bengal Sri Aurobindo and the French Mother. They were responsible for the creation of Auroville, giving Puducherry the international character that it now enjoys.
It feels so peaceful visiting the ashram. It’s central courtyard decked up with the most exotic flowers. Absolute silence is maintained and people sit in this serene ambience and meditate.
A universal symbol of harmony, peace and freedom, Auroville is 14 kms from Pondicherry. People from all over the world have made this experimental township their home. The impressive golden-dome like structure that comes into sight from far is the `Matri mandir’. It’s a one km walk from the main entrance, where visitors need to collect their free passes. If you wish to visit this center of serenity and meditation from inside there are fixed timings, and you need to pre-book 3-4 days in advance.
Though Pondicherry has many more sight-seeing spots, all cannot be covered in one day. This post `Places to visit in Pondicherry in a day’ prioritizes the best and must see places.
Let’s take a step forward in adopting eco-tourism, here’s my article on sustainable travel and all that you need to know.
https://travelsimplygo.com/sustainable-travel-trends/
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