Chennai India – 5 Ideas to Make Your Visit Different

Established in the 17th century as a trading port, Chennai has developed itself into the 4th largest city In India and the most important metropolis in Southern India. The city is home to a number of beautiful temples, luxury hotels, street markets and the 2nd longest sandy beach on the world. This busting city has lots of tours and activities on offer for the tourists – here are some of the best ideas on activities and tours to make the most of your visit to Chennai.

1. Join a walking tour around the city

There is a strong belief among all travellers that a city can be best explored only on foot. There are some cities in the world which have organized walking tours and thankfully Chennai is one of them. The Heritage Walk along the Marina Beach is perhaps the most popular among all walking tours carried out in the city. In fact, this is one activity that no visitor to Chennai should miss. There are a number of statues that line up the Marina Beach and at each statue there is a short enactment which tells you the story of the character who has been carved in stone.

This tour is usually organized in the month of August and there are no admission charges for this.

2. Visit during festival time

We were lucky to visit Chennai in the month of December as the Chennai Music & Dance Festival is held during this month. It is organized at various locations throughout the city. The main purpose of this almost 2-month long festival is to showcase the beauty of Southern Indian classical dance and music to a large audience that comprises both Indians and foreign nationals. Halls, venues and temples throughout the city serve as stages for this wonderful festival. The festival showcases performances of many eminent personalities from different parts of the country. In fact, more than 2000 dancers, singers and musicioans perform in over 300 concerts held across the city.

The ticket prices range from INR 50 to 500 but on special performance days tickets sometimes are as expensive as INR 1000.

3. Try yourself in yoga

There are many day packages for yoga tours in Chennai that have become increasingly popular in the last few years. These tours usually last for around 3.5 hours and include pick-up and drop at the hotel. The session starts with the basics of yoga and moves on to more complicated asana of yoga and there is always a trained yoga instructor close by to ensure that it is done in a right way. Some tours include breakfast before dropping the participant at the hotel. One needs to be at least 13 years to sign up for this program.

The cost of such yoga tours varies as per operator but usually starts from INR 3300 but can go up to INR 8000 - 9000 depending on what is included into the program.

4. Cookery Classes

Those who are in love with Chennai cuisine would surely like to sign up for one of the many cookery classes that are held throughout the country. These classes are conducted on a fairly regular basis and the participants can learn to cook almost everything - from typical South Indian delicacies to cakes, rice items and snacks. The duration of these classes is normally around 2 - 3 hours and at the end of each session the participants feast on what they have cooked. The hands-on participation is encouraged and this makes the classes very interactive.

Some of the popular cookery classes include Ayshas Cookery Classes, Kavi Cookery & Crafts and Rajani Cookery class. These classes charge different rates but one can sign up for a demo class before making the payment.

5. Take a stroll along the Marina Beach

Chennai is one of the most vibrant cities in India and one can indulge in a lot of activities here. The beach is not suitable for water-based activities but one can come down in the evenings to enjoy the gentle breeze and check out the makeshift stalls that are put up by various vendors. The carnival like atmosphere is hard to ignore and although the beach is a bit far from the downtown area, it is worth visiting the Marina beach on any weekend evening to soak in the atmosphere.