7 Places You Have To See In Chennai

Formerly known as Madras, Chennai is the Cultural Capital of India and is the fourth largest metropolitan city in India. It is one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu. It is popular for its beaches, parks, historical monuments, and museums. There are many scenic attraction spots in Chennai that are definitely worth your time. It is not possible to cover all these places within a single trip. To help you with this, I have come up with the list of 7 places that you should definitely not miss in Chennai. 1. Marina Beach Situated along the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Marina Beach stretches for a distance of 12 km and is second largest urban beach in the world. It is the most popular tourist spot in Chennai. With silver sand and blue water, Marina Beach allures plethora of tourists throughout the year. The seashore is scattered with casuarinas and palm trees. The main attractions on the Marina Beach are the Lighthouse, Ice House, Anna Square, Aquarium and Swimming Pool. Indulge in adventure activities like sunbathing, windsurfing, fishing, beach volleyball, and kite flying. Taste fresh fish fry and enjoy the vista of the city from the lighthouse. 2. Arignar Anna Zoological Park Located in Vandalur at a distance of 35 km from Chennai, Arignar Anna Zoological Park is one of the largest zoos in Asia. It was named after the famous Tamil politician, Arignar Anna. If you want to spend a day amidst nature and wildlife, there is no other better place in Chennai than the Vandalur Zoo. It houses more than 170 species of birds, reptiles, and mammals. If you want to explore the zoo, you can stroll around the park or opt for battery-powered vehicles. The prime attractions of this zoo are Lion Safari Park, Deer Safari Park, Elephant Safari, Reptile Section, Library, and Aquarium. 3. Mahabalipuram Situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram) is one of the most visited tourist spots in Chennai. It is frequented by tourists for its scenic beaches, culture, and beautiful sculptures. Most of the rock carvings and temples in Mamallapuram were built in the 7th century. The must-visit places in Mahabalipuram are Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram Beach, Pancha Rathas, Krishna’s Butter Ball, Tiger Cave and Cholamandal Artist’s Village. If you are looking for accommodations, there are many good hotels in OMR where you can stay at a decent price. 4. Queensland Nestled in Poonamallee, Chennai, Queensland is one of the best theme parks in South India. It stretches for an area of 70 acres on the Chennai-Bangalore Trunk Road. It is one of the best adventure parks in Chennai in terms of service and entertainment. It is open on all days except Mondays and houses a total of 51 rides (18 for kids and 33 for adults). Some of the popular attractions in this theme park are Cable Car, Himalayan Water Ride, Free Fall Tower, Niagara Falls, Alpenblitz, and Centrox. 5. Santhome Basilica Set at Mylapore in South Chennai, Santhome Basilica is a famous Roman Catholic Church in It is constructed over the tomb of St. Thomas, the Father of Indian Christianity in the Neo-Gothic architecture style. This church is 155 feet high, 112 feet long and 33 feet wide. The glass windows are inscribed with the pictures of St. Thomas and other Apostles. There is an idol of St. Thomas inside the Church. The main features of Santhome Cathedral are Tomb Chapel, Museum cum Theatre. 6. Parthasarathy Temple Situated in the heart of Chennai on Peter’s Road, Parthasarathy Temple was constructed by the Pallava Kings in the 8th century. It is one of the oldest temples in India built in the Dravidian architecture style. The main deity in this shrine is Lord Krishna (also known as Parthasarathy). One of the unique features of this temple is the colored Gopuram. There are also statues of Lord Vishnu, Lord Narasimha, Lord Rama and Lord Ranganathan in this temple. It is one of the must-visit places in Chennai. 7. Guindy National Park Guindy National Park is the 8th smallest National Park in India and stretches for an area of 2.70 km2. It plays a crucial role in preserving endangered flora and fauna. It charms more than 700,000 tourists every year. The main attractions in the park are Children’s Park and Snake Park. The Children’s Park houses a mini zoo, playgrounds, mini-railway, swings, and pony rides. The Snake Park is famous for its wide variety of pythons, cobra, vipers, turtles, tortoises, lizards and chameleons. There are memorials for leaders like K.Kamaraj, Mahatma Gandhi, and C. Rajagopalachari inside the park.