Tamil Nadu's coastal capital, with old temples, a British-era fort, museums and a very long city beach.
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Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and is often called the cultural capital of the South. People come for its Dravidian temples, Fort St. George, the Government Museum, Marina Beach, South Indian food and the classical music and dance season in December and January. It suits heritage and food travellers, and it is the usual starting point for a wider Tamil Nadu trip.
Trip planner
Plan from your city
Photos
Marina Beach, ChennaiKapaleeshwarar Temple in MylaporeFort St. GeorgeMarina Beach shorelineMarina Beach at night
Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.
Best time to go
When
What to expect
November to February
The most comfortable months, roughly 20 to 30 degrees C. October and November can bring northeast monsoon rain. December and January are the Margazhi music and dance season, and prices rise around Christmas and New Year.
March to May
Hot and humid, about 30 to 38 degrees C and sometimes higher. Fewer visitors and lower prices. Carry water and sun protection.
June to October
Hot, humid and rainy at times, with heavy rain and possible flooding towards the end of the period. Most guides advise avoiding these months for sightseeing.
Sights and activities
1
Marina Beach
A long natural city beach on the Coromandel Coast, about 12 to 13 km in length, lined with statues, memorials and food stalls. It is best at sunrise or in the evening.
The first English fortress in India, dating from the 1640s. Inside are the Fort Museum with colonial-era portraits and uniforms, and the 17th-century St. Mary's Church. Cameras are not allowed inside the museum.
Distance
About 5 km from the city centre
Entry
About 20 rupees for Indians, 250 rupees for foreigners, free for children under 15
A memorial to the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, built in 1976 in the shape of a 39 metre stone temple chariot. All 1,330 verses of his Kural are inscribed on granite.
A small national park of about 2.7 sq km inside the city, with spotted deer and blackbuck. Next to it are the Snake Park, opened in 1972, and a Children's Park.
Distance
About 12 km from Chennai Central
Entry
About 30 rupees for adults and 10 rupees for children at the national park; Children's Park about 60 rupees for adults
An open-air museum at Muttukadu on the East Coast Road with 18 traditional houses moved from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Craftspeople show their work on site.
Distance
About 30 km south of the city centre
Entry
About 200 rupees for Indian adults, 100 rupees for children, 350 rupees for foreigners
Timings
10 am to 6 pm on weekdays, 10 am to 7 pm at weekends, closed on Tuesdays
Long-distance buses use the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, with a second terminus at Madhavaram. National highways link the city to Bengaluru, Trichy and Coimbatore.
By train
Chennai has four main terminals: Chennai Central (Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central), Chennai Egmore, Chennai Beach and Tambaram. Central and Egmore are in the heart of the city.
By air
Chennai International Airport at Meenambakkam is about 15 to 20 km from the city centre and has its own metro station.
Where to base yourself
Egmore and the area around Chennai Central are practical bases, close to the two main railway stations, the metro and the Government Museum.
Getting around
Chennai Metro has two lines (Blue and Green) and runs from about 5 am to 11 pm; token fares are 10 to 50 rupees by distance, and the airport to the centre takes 30 to 45 minutes.
MTC city buses are the cheapest option, from 5 rupees up to about 24 rupees on ordinary buses and 15 to 75 rupees on AC buses.
Auto-rickshaws cost about 50 to 150 rupees for short trips and up to about 300 rupees for longer ones; agree the fare first.
App taxis such as Ola and Uber cost about 100 to 400 rupees for most trips within the city and 300 to 500 rupees from the airport.
Prepaid taxis from the airport run all night at fixed fares of about 400 to 650 rupees.
A taxi hired for a full day, for example for the East Coast Road, costs about 2,500 to 3,500 rupees.
Often combined with
Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.
A South Indian breakfast costs about 80 to 200 rupees and a full meal at an ordinary restaurant about 100 to 300 rupees. A mid-range dinner is about 400 to 800 rupees per person, and fine dining runs from about 1,000 rupees up to 5,000 rupees. Filter coffee is 20 to 50 rupees. Drink sealed bottled water, not tap water.
Try these
Idli with sambar (steamed rice cakes with lentil stew)
Dosa (crisp rice and lentil pancake)
Banana leaf meals (rice with several vegetable dishes served on a leaf)
Chettinad chicken (spicy chicken curry from the Chettinad region)
Parotta (layered flatbread)
Filter coffee (strong milk coffee)
Seafood (fresh fish and prawns from the coast)
Vegetarian food is very easy to find, as the standard idli, dosa and banana leaf meals are vegetarian and served at dedicated vegetarian restaurants.
Daily costs
Budget level
Stay per room
Food per person
Local transport
Budget
₹1,000
₹400
₹150 per person
Mid-range
₹3,500
₹1,000
₹1,000 per vehicle
Luxury
₹10,000
₹3,000
₹3,000 per vehicle
Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.
Permits and documents
No permits are needed. Foreign visitors should carry a passport copy.
Safety
By day
Chennai is regarded as one of the safer large Indian cities for visitors. Keep valuables secure on the beaches and in crowded places.
At night
Use app taxis or prepaid taxis for longer trips at night. The metro stops running at about 10:30 to 11 pm.
Solo women
Solo women travellers generally rate Chennai well compared with other Indian metros. Normal city precautions apply, and modest dress is expected at temples.
Roads
City traffic is heavy from about 8:30 to 10:30 am and 5:30 to 8 pm, so allow extra time or use the metro.
Emergency numbers
112 (all emergencies)
Practical
Mobile network
4G coverage is near-universal and 5G is expanding. SIM cards are sold at the airport. Hotels and restaurants usually have Wi-Fi.
ATMs and cash
ATMs are widely available and UPI and card payments are widely accepted. Keep 1,000 to 2,000 rupees in cash for small purchases.
Fuel
There are several petrol pumps in and around town.
Medical
Hospitals are easy to find across the city. In an emergency dial 112, or 108 for an ambulance in most states.
Easy overall, with flat terrain and taxis everywhere. Avoid the midday heat and plan indoor sights such as the air-conditioned parts of the Government Museum for the afternoon.
Children
Marina Beach, the Guindy Children's Park and Snake Park, and the craft demonstrations at DakshinaChitra suit children. Carry water and sun protection.
Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.
Culture and responsible travel
Cover shoulders and legs and remove shoes before entering temples. Photography is not allowed in some inner shrines.
Tamil is the official language. English is widely understood in tourist areas, and a few Tamil phrases are appreciated.
December and January are the Margazhi season of Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance. Pongal, the harvest festival, is celebrated in January.
Temples close in the early afternoon, so plan temple visits for the morning or evening.
Keep the beaches clean and use bins; do not leave plastic on the sand.
What to pack
Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
Sunscreen, a hat, swimwear and sandals
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and socks for hot stone floors where shoes come off. Some temples do not allow phones or bags, so carry little
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts
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