The Most Popular Attractive Destination of India: Chennai Travel Guide

Chennai is the fourth largest city in India. Formerly known as Madras, the city borders the Bay of Bengal on the North Eastern tip of Tamil Nadu State. The main backpacker areas are Egmore station and Triplicane.

Chennai also boasts of several beaches including Marina Beach. Chennai is best explored by road and by the local trains. There are lots of temples and churches in Chennai. The predominant ones being the Mylapore temples and the church at St. Thomas Mount. The food is excellent and you would be amazed by the culture. Chennai has a rich heritage that can be seen in its architecture as well as its music and theater. There is lots to do when in Chennai as there are lot of short trips that can be done to visit neighboring places. Some of these include Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry. The drive to these places along the East Coast Road is a great experience. Accommodation is easily available and there is a variety to choose from. Liquor stores only sell local brands from Chennai. Any other brand would be very expensive and hard to purchase. There are several bars and nightclubs that are a part of the 5 star hotels in the city but most of them close early. However there are a few places which have mid night buffets or 24 hour coffee shops.
The major areas for shopping include Spencer Plaza and City Center.

Almost everyone in the city speaks English and it is fairly easy to communicate with locals and get your point across.

Marina beach is a must visit. It is not the cleanest of beaches, but it is definitely one of the most activity filled areas. Carousals and games for kids, lots of local food vendors, artists. The activity picks up in the evening. Beach is fairly deserted during the daytime.

The city provides a great blend of a more westernized India existing side by side with a more conservative traditional India.