4 Days / 3 Nights. From ₹11,500 per person (twin sharing), plus 5% GST.
A 4-day private trip down the East Coast Road from Chennai. You spend one night at Mahabalipuram, where the Pallava kings carved temples out of rock in the 7th and 8th centuries, then two nights in Pondicherry for the French Quarter, the seafront Promenade, Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville. It is an easy, short trip with little driving.
Highlights
Shore Temple on the beach at Mahabalipuram
Pancha Rathas, five monolithic temples carved from single rocks
Arjuna's Penance relief and Krishna's Butter Ball
Walk through Pondicherry's French Quarter (White Town) and along the Promenade
Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Manakula Vinayagar temple
Auroville visitor centre and Matrimandir viewing point
Optional boat to Paradise Beach (paid locally)
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrive Chennai · Mahabalipuram shore temples — Our driver meets you at Chennai airport or railway station for the drive to Mahabalipuram (about 55 km, 1.5 hours along the East Coast Road). After check-in, visit the Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Shore Temple, the Pancha Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and Krishna's Butter Ball (ASI tickets paid at the gate). These were carved by the Pallava kings in the 7th–8th centuries and…
Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry · Promenade evening — After breakfast, drive south to Pondicherry (about 100 km, 2.5 hours along the coast). Check in and rest through the afternoon heat. In the evening, walk along the Promenade (Rock Beach), past the Gandhi statue, the old lighthouse and the French War Memorial; the seafront road is usually closed to traffic in the evenings, which makes it pleasant for families. Dinner is on your own; Pondicherry…
Pondicherry sightseeing · French Quarter, Ashram and Auroville — Start with a walk through the French Quarter (White Town), with its yellow colonial houses, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Manakula Vinayagar temple. Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where visitors keep silence and timings are fixed (usually closed in the early afternoon). After lunch, drive to Auroville (about 12 km), an international township founded in 1968, to see the visitor centre and…
Pondicherry to Chennai · departure — If you wish, take an early boat from Chunnambar to Paradise Beach (optional, paid locally; usually runs from about 9 am). After breakfast, check out and drive to Chennai airport or railway station (about 150 km, 3–3.5 hours via the East Coast Road). A flight or train after about 3 pm is comfortable.
Inclusions
3 nights in 3★ hotels / resorts (or similar)
Daily breakfast
Private AC sedan for all transfers & sightseeing (Chennai–Mahabalipuram–Pondicherry–Chennai)
Chennai airport/railway pickup & drop
Exclusions
Flights / train tickets (not included)
GST 5% extra
Lunch & dinner
Entry tickets, camera fees, boating, safaris & activities not listed
Personal expenses, tips, travel insurance
Visa & entry
No visa needed. Carry a government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter ID) for every traveller, because hotels ask for it at check-in.
Good to know
The coast is hot and humid most of the year. Sightsee early and late, and carry caps and water.
ASI monument tickets at Mahabalipuram are paid at the gate, usually by UPI or card.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram asks for silence and modest clothing; photography is not allowed inside.
The inside of Auroville's Matrimandir can only be visited with a prior booking; the viewing point is open to all.
October–December is the northeast monsoon on this coast; heavy rain or cyclone warnings can change plans.
Pondicherry is a separate Union Territory, but no permit is needed to enter.
Questions travellers ask
Can we go inside the Matrimandir at Auroville?
Only with an advance booking through Auroville, which has limited slots. The package includes the visitor centre and the viewing point.
Is the sea safe for swimming?
Not at the Promenade (Rock Beach), which has no sand. Paradise Beach and some resort beaches are better, but currents can be strong, so follow lifeguard advice.
Can we add Kanchipuram or Tiruvannamalai?
Yes. Kanchipuram fits on Day 1 from Chennai, and Tiruvannamalai is about 2.5 hours from Pondicherry. Each adds a few hours or a day; ask us.
Does the price include flights?
No. The trip starts and ends in Chennai, which has many trains from Vijayawada. We can book trains or flights separately.
పాండిచ్చేరి & మహాబలిపురం
చెన్నై నుండి ఈస్ట్ కోస్ట్ రోడ్ మీదుగా 4 రోజుల ప్రైవేట్ ట్రిప్. 7–8 శతాబ్దాల్లో పల్లవ రాజులు రాళ్లలో ఆలయాలు చెక్కించిన మహాబలిపురంలో ఒక రాత్రి, ఫ్రెంచ్ క్వార్టర్, సముద్రతీర ప్రొమెనేడ్, శ్రీ అరబిందో ఆశ్రమం, ఆరోవిల్ కోసం పాండిచ్చేరిలో రెండు రాత్రులు బస చేస్తారు. ప్రయాణం తక్కువ, సులభమైన చిన్న ట్రిప్ ఇది.
To book or customise this trip, call / WhatsApp +91 96188 49933.