QUICK TOUR OF PONDICHERRY & YELAGIRI (FROM CHENNAI)

At a distance of 6 km Pondicherry Bus Station, Chunnambar Boat House also known as Plage Paradiso is famous for its backwaters and it's a popular boating venue and is. Located on the Cuddalore main road, the backwater is situated at a point where the Chunnambar River meets Bay of Bengal. Paradise beach is usually reached by boat from Chunnambar Boat House.

Chunnambar Boat House is ideal for boating and also a great picnic spot. The backwater houses a nice resort managed by the Pondicherry Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (PTTDC), known as Chunnambar Beach and Backwater Resort. The resort offers a range of fun and entertainment options include trekking, yachting, backwater boat trips and beach games. The boating options include motor boats, speed boats, sail boats, rowed boats, water scooters, paddled boats and pedaled boats. Accommodation facility is available on tree top houses.

Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM. Ferry .....

At a distance of 8 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Paradise Beach, also known as Plage Paradiso, is an isolated beach located at Chunnambar. This is one of the most famous Pondicherry Beaches and also one of the best places to experience Pondicherry Tourism. Paradise Beach is another popular attraction not to miss in a Pondicherry tour packages.

The beach is extremely attractive as the sands are very clean and the water is crystal clear. The Paradise Beach is situated close to Cuddalore main road and it houses the famous Chunnambar resort.

Visitors have to cross the Chunnambar backwaters by boat to reach Paradise Beach. These boats leave from Chunnambar boathouse around 6 km from Pondicherry. The beach has shelters and palm trees for shade and protection from the sun and rain. There is one small bar which serves .....

At a distance of 3 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, The Manakula Vinayagar Temple is one of the famous ancient temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is a popular pilgrimage site in Puducherry.

Manakula Vinayagar Temple was in existence before the French came and settled in Pondicherry and the idol of Lord Ganesha is locally known as Vellakkaran Pillai. The French Jesuits and missionaries tried to demolish the temple several times, but every time local population saved the temple.

Facing the east near Bay of Bengal, the temple was known as Bhavaneshar Ganapathy, now called as Manakula Vinayagar. In Tamil Manal means sand and Kulam means pond near the sea. The temple is spread over an area of about 8000 sq. ft with outer mandapam, raja gopuram and outer enclosure. Measuring 18 feet in height, the gold plated kodikambam is a spectacular highlight of this temple. The outside wall of the temple depicts various forms of the Ganesha with its timelines and locations. The rich architectural .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, The Statue of Mahatma Gandhi is located on the beach front of Pondicherry. Built by the famous sculptor Roy Choudhary from Madras School of Art and Crafts, it is one of the major landmarks in Pondicherry. It is surrounded by eight exquisitely carved monolithic granite pillars which were brought from Gingee Fort.

The statue stands 4 m (13 feet) high is the 3rd biggest Mahatma Gandhi statue. It was inaugurated on January 26, 1965. The square in front of the statue referred to as Gandhi Thidal, plays host to various cultural and musical activities through the year.

There is a tunnel below the Gandhi statue which is believed to be leading to Gingee Fort. There were some efforts to explore the tunnel. But, after a few people died of suffocation, the tunnel was closed.

At a distance of 3.5 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Promenade Beach is one of the popular beaches in Pondicherry along the Bay of Bengal. It is a 1.5 km long stretch between War Memorial and Dupleix Park. This is one of the top places to visit in Pondicherry.

This beach is called by multiple names like rock beach due to rocks along the beach, Gandhi beach because of statue of Mahatma Gandhi and also as Promenade beach. Popularly this beach is also called Pondicherry beach because of its close proximity to the city.

It's a long stretch of rocky beach with benches and wide pavement for morning and evening walks. It is adjacent to Goubert Avenue, the historical section of the city which has several beautiful colonial buildings. This long stretch has statues of Jeanne d'Arc Dupleix, Mahatma Gandhi and War Memorial. There is also a 27 meter .....

At a distance of 3.5 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, The Bharathi Park, also known as the Government Park is situated in the central region of the old colonial town of Pondicherry.

Government Park was once the location of the first French garrison and Fort Louis which were destroyed by the British. In 2006 the park was renovated and several new sections were included to make it more attractive. It is a beautiful and peaceful park ideal to spend time with family or for a morning / evening walk.

The Aayi Mandapam or the Park Monument is a famous monument which lies at the center of the park. At one point, Aayi Mandap was the main water source for Pondicherry town.
The Mandapam is an imposing structure that flaunts brilliant Greco-Roman architecture. The presence of flowerbeds, well-manicured lawns and beautiful fountains around the monument make it an attractive place.

There is a wonderful children's play area with several playground equipment. This park is surrounded .....

At a distance of 3 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Pondicherry Museum is situated in the Bharathi Park and is known for its unique collection of sculptures. It is one of the popular places in Pondicherry Sightseeing.

This museum has an excellent gallery with sculptures and has the remains of archaeological findings from the Arikamedu Roman settlement. This gallery is known to have artifacts belonging to Cholas and Pallavas rule of Pondicherry and Karaikal. Burial urns, French furniture, terracotta figures, crockery, guns, swords, paintings, mirrors and several other things dating back to different periods are preserved here.

The painting section includes Tanjore and glass paintings, colonial prints and contemporary oils, pastels and water colors. It has bronze statues of several gods and goddesses along with handicrafts, art work and temple lamps. The ground floor of the museum has a palanquin .....

At a distance of 3 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a famous spiritual community (ashram) located in Pondicherry. Founded by Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa (The Mother) in 1926, it is one of the major highlights of Pondicherry and is visited by thousands of people from all over the world. The ashram is also the place of Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.

The Aurobindo Ashram is one of the most visited tourism sites in Pondicherry. This ashram comprises several buildings and there are around 1,200 members along with 400 students living in this center.

The serene Aurobindo Ashram comes alive during the festivals. Thousands of tourists, followers and visitors come here. Despite the large crowd the members maintain discipline within the complex, restoring its peaceful environment. The ideals of the ashrams are based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and Mira Alfassa. The ashram contains a library, printing press, playground, art gallery, a dispensary/nursing .....

At a distance of 1 km from Athanavur Bus Stop, Punganoor Lake is a man-made lake located in the center of the Yelagiri Hills. It is one of the most famous artificial lakes in Tamil Nadu, and among the popular tourist places in Yelagiri Hills.

Punganoor Lake covers nearly 60 sq. m of land. There is also a fountain in the middle and boating facilities are available. There is a garden named the 'Mughal Garden' right next to the lake. The Punganur lake is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature as part of Yelagiri tour packages.

The boat club here offers pedal and motorboat rides. The waters of the lake are calm and serene. There's a walking track around the lake circumference, a children's park, a small tree top viewpoint, and few shops. One can take a short walk along the lakeside. Children can enjoy the swings and slides .....

At a distance of 400 m from Punganoor Lake and 1.3 km from Athanavur Bus Stop, the Velavan Temple is a famous temple and is located on one of the highest peaks of the Yelagiri Hills. It is among popular Yelagiri tourist places.

The Velavan Temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan. This beautiful temple was constructed in 1964. The temple is located atop of a hillock and it also serves as a viewing point. From the temple complex one can see the panoramic view of the green valleys of Yelagiri.

At the temple, one can find a huge statue of the mythological character Ghatothgajan in a standing posture. Highlight of the temple is the statue of Lord Murugan and Valli in the form of Kuravan and Kurathi. Lord Ganesha has a separate shrine within the Velavan temple. At the top of the mountain, temple bells are placed.

The yearly festival of this .....

At a distance of 5.4 km from Punganoor Lake and 4.5 km from Athanavur Bus Stop, Nilavoor Lake is one of the popular Yelagiri tourist places and is frequented by boating enthusiasts.

Nilavoor Lake is an artificial lake located in Nilavoor village. It is a small lake more like a pond, with a garden on its banks. The lake is indeed a tranquil and peaceful place to relax in the deep serenity away from the hassles of busy life. One can take a short walk along the lake side and also enjoy a boat ride. The lake offers pedal and motor boat rides.

This small lake offers captivating views of the nearby surroundings and hilly terrains while enjoying boating in the calm water. There is also a Devi Temple belonging to Kadavu Nachiya close to the region around the lake. Recently, the Thambiran Lotus Pond has been constructed at the Nilavoor Lake.

Moksha Vimochana Temple is also located near the Nilavoor .....

At a distance of 1 km from Punganoor Lake and 750 m from Athanavur Bus Stop, The Nature Park is one of the best tourist places to visit in Yelagiri.

Nature Park is located adjacent to Punganoor Lake, spread over an area of 12 acres. Several species of plants suited to the rocky terrain of the region have been planted in the park. The park also has an artificial waterfall. There is bathing facility available in this cascade. The nature park is very well maintained and it is studded with plenty of varieties of trees, well laid out walk ways, beautifully lighted fountain and so on.

The nature park contains a children's park, a musical fountain, an aquarium, a seasonal garden, a bamboo house, a poly house to name a few attractions. It is a perfect place for both kids and elders. The musical fountain has the water dancing to popular songs. The musical fountains show is there at 7 PM every day. .....