19 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Mahabalipuram

At a distance of 2 km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, the Shore Temple is an ancient temple situated on the shore of Bay of Bengal in Mahabalipuram. It is one of the most photographed monuments of heritage in India, and among the must-visit Mahabalipuram tourist places.

Shore Temple was built in the 7tcentury CE by Pallavas during the reign of Narasimhavarman. It is one of the oldest temples in South India constructed in the Dravidian style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'. It is one of the must include places in Mahabalipuram trip.

Shore Temple is a structural temple built with blocks of granite. It is so named because it overlooks the Bay of Bengal. The Shore Temple .....

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At a distance of 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (on Mada Koil Street), Arjuna's Penance or Bhagiratha's Penace is the name of a massive open air bas-relief monolith dating from the 7th century CE. Measuring 96 feet long by 43 feet high, the bas-relief is also known as The Descent of Ganga. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

In one interpretation, a figure in the bas-relief who is standing on one leg is said to be Arjuna performing an austerity Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war.

The bas relief is situated on a rock with a cleft. Figures within the cleft are said to represent the River Ganges and Shiva. This provides the basis for an alternative interpretation, rather than Arjuna, the figure performing austerities is said to be Bhagiratha.

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At a distance of 0.5 Kms around Mahabalipuram Bus Station, there are 14 rock-cut carves and Mandapams in and around Mamallapuram. Mythological scenes are depicted on these architectures. These caves have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

Following three are important Mandapams:

1) Krishna Mandapam - This is the biggest among the Mandapams and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The sculptures inside this Mandapam beautifully picturize the myth of Lord Krishna during his brave and energetic adulthood.

2) Mahishasuramardhini Mandapam - The battle between goddess Durga and the buffalo headed demon, Mahishasura is beautifully inscribed.

3) Varaha Mandapam - the side walls have large sculptured panels depicting Vishnu as Varaha, the boar, holding up Bhudevi, the earth goddess.

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At a distance of 1.5 Kms from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled - each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.

The Pancha Rathas shrines were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I. Each temple is a monolith, carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite.

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At a distance of 2 km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, the golden sandy Mamallapuram Beach is a serene beach situated near the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is identified as the one of the most pristine beaches in Tamilnadu, and among the must-visit places during your Mahabalipuram tour.

Lies on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, the Mahabalipuram Beach is a picturesque place bounded by the shimmering sea and rolling hills. The beach stretches for about 20 km and comprises some rock-cut sculptures which are pleasing to the eyes. It is a perfect place to relax and give yourself a break from the hustle-bustle of city life. This is one of the famous Mahabalipuram places to visit for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts as well.

This charming beach is one of the perfect places .....

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At a distance of 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (on Mada Koil Street), Krishna's Butter Ball is a huge boulder near the Ganesha Ratha. It rests precariously on a narrow rock base. Legend has it that several Pallava Kings attempted to move it, but all the kings and their elephants could not shift the boulder even by an inch.

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At a distance of nearly 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, Ganesh Ratha Temple is located towards the north of the Arjuna's Penance. It is a temple carved out from a rock to resemble a chariot and is built in Dravidian style of temple architecture. It was once dedicated to Lord Shiva. But when the original lingam was removed, the temple came to be known as the temple of Lord Ganesh.

It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

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At a distance of 1 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (situated in East Raja Street), the Sculpture Museum is famous for its elaborate collection of sculptures and images of god and goddesses of Hindu mythology. There are more than 3,000 sculptures can be found in this museum. All the sculptures bear the historic significance and the tales of the by-gone days. In the display of the museum there are sculptures made of wood, metal, brass and cement. There are creations of ancient artists to the contemporary ones.

Not only Hindu mythology but the Buddhists sculptures and images too, exist in the temple town. The monolithic statues, the Rathas (chariots), sculptured relief and their miniature can be seen in the museum.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM on all days

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At a distance of 5 Kms from Mahabalipuram (on Chennai - Mahabalipuram Road), Tiger Caves are situated in a coastal village on the Kovalam Road.

This is a magnificent mandapa which contains a shrine dedicated to goddess Durga which has big beautiful figures in front. The deposition here is on the battle of Goddess Durga and Mahishasura. There are number of charges in this Mandapam from that of the Mahishasura Mardini Mandapam. The figure of somaskanda is found in Athiranachanda Mandapa to the south of Tiger care.

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At a distance of 13 kms from Mahabalipuram (towards South) and 68 Kms from Chennai, Sadras is an outstanding beach resort that takes advantage of the beautiful landscape. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit around Chennai.

The beaches that surround Mahabalipuram are encompassed by beautiful, green casuarinas groves. The contrast of the vibrant green with the sparkling white beaches is breathtaking, and a sight that numerous tourists want to experience.

There is an old ruined Dutch Fort and a Dutch cemetery with finely carved headstones at Sadras as well.

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At a distance of 23 Kms from Mahabalipuram and 35 Kms from Chennai (on Chennai - Mahabalipuram Road) Covelong/Kovalam is a famous beach resort and one of the popular tourist places to visit near Chennai.

It was originally just a small fishing village, but now also expanded to become one of the most famous beach resorts in South India. You can still explore the old sea port that used to exist there. Numerous quality beach resorts can be found at Kovalam. The beaches at that location are absolutely exquisite, and are greatly enjoyed by all that visit there. It is also to these beaches that the well-known Olive Ridley Turtles travel to every year to hatch their eggs.

Swimmimg and wind surfing are popular activities at this beach.

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At a distance of 18 Kms from Mahabalipuram (on Chennai - Mahabalipuram Road) and 40 Kms from Chennai, The Crocodile Bank was established by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker in 1976.

It houses several different species of Indian and African alligators and crocodiles. They are kept in open pools that are made to resemble their natural habitat. This Crocodile Conservation Center is the most popular site to visit at Crocodile Bank.

A snake farm is also located at this site. Anti-venom is produced here. The process of extracting the snake venom is a popular tourist attraction, and it allows the Irulas, the snake catcher's tribe, to make a living.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM. Entry Fee is Rs 30.

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At a distance of 14 km from Mahabalipuram, Thirukkalukundram or Tirukalukundram is a temple town situated near Mahabalipuram. It is one of the popular places to visit near Chennai, and among the must-visit places as part of Mahabalipuram packages.

Thirukkalukundram is famous for the Vedagiriswarar temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The word Thirukazhukundram comes from the Tamil words Thiru (Respectful), Kazhugu (Vulture/Eagle), Kundram (mount). The town is also known as Pakshi Theertham (Bird's Holy Lake) because of a pair of birds -Most likely Egyptian vultures- that are believed to have visited the site for centuries. These birds are traditionally fed by the temple priests and arrive before noon to feed on offerings made from rice, wheat, ghee and sugar. Legend has it the vultures represent eight sages who were punished by Shiva with two of them leaving in each .....

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At a distance of 16 kms from Mahabalipuram, this holy shrine is one among the 100 temples called Tirupathy.

Lord Narayana came here as a Brahmachaari, answering the prayers of Kalava Rishi and married 360 young daughters of the Rishi in one year. On the last day, he is said to have merged them into one and given darshan with Goddess on his left. Having married one girl a day here at this temple, the Lord is called 'Nithya Kalyana Perumal'.

At this temple, one finds the Lord in a unique standing posture facing East. While one leg is on the ground, the other is on Adhisheshan and his wife. And he is seen balancing Goddess Agila Valli on his left thigh. This place is called Thiru- Idanthai (Thiru-Goddess, Idanthai-left side), which in course of time became ThiruVidanthai.

Garuda Sevai during the Tamil month of Aani, Pooram during the month of Aadi, Spring festival during the month of Vaigasi are the important events.

Timings: 6 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 8 PM.

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At a distance of 36 Kms from Mahabalipuram, Mudaliar Kuppam is an emerging backwater destination. Speedboats, pedal boats and motorboats are available for hire, and kayak & banana boating are introduced recently.

There is an island approximately 4 km from the Raindrop Boat House and tourists are allowed to spend time in the island (tents are also available on rent). There is no good place to eat in Mudaliarkuppam. It is recommended to carry food.

This place attracts lot of crowd on weekends. Houseboat Timing: 10 AM to 6 PM.

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At a distance of 53 km from Mahabalipuram, and 89 km from Chennai, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a protected sanctuary situated at Vedanthangal near Mahabalipuram. It is one of the oldest water bird sanctuaries in India, and among the popular weekend getaways from Chennai.

Vedanthangal literally means 'the hamlet of a hunter' in the local Tamil language. It was so named as being a famous hunting grounds for the local landlords during the 18th century. Realizing this ornithological importance of the region, the British government declared it as a bird sanctuary in the year 1798, making it the oldest of its kind in the country. And, among the most popular places to visit near Mahabalipuram.

Covering a total area of 30 hectares, the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a popular migratory home .....

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At a distance of 31 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station and 27 Kms from Mahabalipuram (on East Coast Road between Chennai and Mahabalipuram), Muttukadu is a backwater destination and excellent picnic spot.

Muttukadu offers wide range of water sports options like Boating, wind surfing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, etc. The windsurfing regatta held every February attracts worldwide watersports lovers. TTDC (Tamilnadu tourism Development Corporation) has introduced boathouses in Muttukadu.

Training programs are available in windsurfing and other water sports activities.

Dakshina Chitra, located at a distance of 2 Kms from Muthukadu is a famous heritage centre. The architectural and cultural heritages of the South Indian states are showcased here. The architectural features of each state, the typical homes of each region of South India are built here.

Timings: 10 .....

Distance (From Mahabalipuram): 27 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mahabalipuram - Including Travel): Half Day to Full Day
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At a distance of 21 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station and 40 Kms from Mahabalipuram (situated on East Coast Road between Chennai and Mahabalipuram), VGP Golden Beach is the only resort in Chennai city limits. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Chennai.

This Beach cum Amusement Park is developed by The Tourism and Entertainment Corridor of Tamil Nadu, and offers wide range of entertainment options like Gokarting, Dashing Cars, Water Chute, Giant Wheel, Break-dance, Dragons belly, Super trooper and many more. Kids can enjoy the special sight seeing of Jurassic Park and Aquarium. There is an Art Centre which sells handicrafts and articles made out of sea shells.

The sea facing Swimming pool is an extra attraction. The beach is clean and ideal for sun-bathing. The Resort has a Multi-cuisine .....

Distance (From Mahabalipuram): 40 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mahabalipuram - Including Travel): Full Day
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At a distance of 68 km from Vellore, 65 km from Mahabalipuram, 75 km from Chennai, 108 km from Tirupati & 127 km from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram or Kanchi is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district. It is one of the most popular weekend getaways from Chennai and among the major places to visit in Tamilnadu.

Kanchipuram is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu. Kanchipuram has a rich history and it's one of the oldest cities in India. The temples of Kanchipuram are known for their grandeur and great architecture. The architecture of Kanchi monuments was trendsetting with great sculpture work and unique style and became a benchmark for South Indian architecture. This is another popular attraction to visit as part of Chennai tour packages.

The .....

Distance (From Mahabalipuram): 66 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mahabalipuram - Including Travel): Full Day
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