Places to visit in Pondicherry: A Complete Guide

A three-day itinerary to explore Pondicherry

Pondicherry, or Pondy as it is fondly called by the locals, is not just any regular tourist destination, but a soul-enriching experience in itself. It is soothing and calming, and will lovingly persuade you to slow down. It will make you aware of each passing second, and teach you to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings. It will make you want to embrace its simplicity, and will also make you discover the deeper meaning of your existence. It will not overwhelm you. It will foster your spiritual growth. Now tell me, who wouldn't want to explore a place this incredible?

Pondicherry, the French capital of India.

I feel proud to say that my love for Pondicherry stems from a first-hand experience. We had been intending to plan a trip to Pondy for a very long time, especially my mom, who had always been quite eager to visit - having heard so many wonderful things about it. So after several months of unnecessary deliberations, we finally marked our calendars and went there last month. It was only a 3 nights and 4 days holiday, but it felt like an experience of a lifetime! I have seen so much; I have learnt so much!

Getting straight to the main point, I am here to guide you about where to go and what to do while you are actually in Pondicherry. I am going to tell you everything just the way I did it, so read on to know how I went about it.

About Pondicherry:

Puducherry (this is the new name, but most people still prefer to say Pondicherry) is one of the seven union territories of India. It is a coastal area situated in the southern part of the country, alongside the Bay of Bengal and bordering the state of Tamil Nadu. It is not very far from the city of Chennai which is the capital of Tamil Nadu. Pondicherry is famous as the French capital of India, since once upon a time it was a colony of France. The influence is visible even today.

How I planned my trip:

Just so you know, I booked my holiday package through an online travel portal, and it has been a fantastic experience. There is not a single flaw that I can point out - the flights, the hotel, and the car service - all were super smooth. Plus it was very convenient, since I didn't have to physically make any rounds of their office; everything was done over the phone. They have been pleasant to me so far, and I hope their services remain so in the future too. (I am not promoting any particular company here; simply sharing how I did my planning - you could do it in any other way you like.)

How I reached my destination:

I was travelling from Mumbai, so I took an early morning flight from there to Chennai. Pondicherry does have its own airport, but it is a small one, so it doesn't have direct flights to and from anywhere except for Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Pondy also has a railway station. Apparently there are weekly Mumbai-Pondicherry train services, but the journey would take almost 3 days. Sounds exhausting, doesn't it? But it could be a good option if you are travelling on a minimal budget. Anyway, for those wanting to travel by air, it is approximately a two-hour flight from Mumbai to Chennai. Chennai has good connectivity with several domestic as well as international airports so you need not worry if you aren't from Mumbai like me. We landed before the scheduled timing, but our driver was there to pick us up well before time. From Chennai, it takes about three and a half hours to reach Pondicherry by road.

DAY 1

From here began the actual trip. The route from Chennai to Pondicherry is known as the East Coast Road, a scenic path replete with sightseeing points. We were fortunate to have been assigned a very sweet and knowledgeable driver called Veermani. He guided us well and showed us some awesome places along the way, which was like a surprise bonus!

• Madras Crocodile Bank:

The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust.

The Madras Crocodile Bank was the first point that we visited. It is located a few kilometres away from Chennai, somewhere along the outskirts. It is open from 9 am to 5 pm and is closed on Mondays. We reached there just a few minutes before 9 in the morning, so we had to wait for a bit before the ticket counter opened. And because it had just been opened for the day, there was almost no crowd over there (which is good, to be frank.) The place is a sight for sore eyes! Lush with greenery, the Madras Crocodile Bank houses countless species of crocodiles and other varieties of reptiles like snakes and lizards. They have been provided as natural and open a habitat as possible. The hoardings give out plenty of information about all the creatures. There are also selfie points here and there within the premises, against the backdrop of some fine wall paintings. Both children and adults alike would enjoy this place.

• Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram:

Mamallapuram Group of Monuments.

Having had a delicious South Indian breakfast at Adyar Anand Bhavan (A2B) restaurant, we headed towards Mamallapuram, formerly known as Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram is a group of stone monuments or temples built by the Pallava dynasty during the 7th and 8th century. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the monuments is the Shore Temple, which is right next to the Mahabalipuram beach. The lovely sea breeze made the temple visit an enchanting experience. There is also a Ganesha stone temple nearby, with a massive boulder called as Krishna's butterball balanced on a small hill in its immediate neighbourhood. A little distance away from these monuments are the Panch Ratha temples. The immaculate architecture of these ancient temples and the rawness of their stone facades took my breath away. Isn't it amazing how these structures stand so strong even today?

After visiting the crocodile park and the Mahabalipuram temples, we were so tired, not to mention sleep-deprived, we requested Veermani to take us straight to our hotel in Pondicherry so that we could relax. Poor fellow was so enthusiastic, he probably wanted to show us some more places along the way!

Where I stayed in Pondicherry:

We finally checked into our hotel in Pondicherry at around 2 in the afternoon. The Sunway Manor is a beautiful hotel located in the heart of the Puducherry city - grand in appearance but reasonably light on the pockets! (again, not promoting.) It offers spa services too at an additional cost. After having lunch at the hotel's in-house restaurant, we spent the rest of the day in our swimming pool facing room, catching up on our sleep.

The Sunway Manor, Pondicherry.

After a long nap, when we felt rejuvenated enough to move about again, I and mom decided to go on a culinary expedition. We took an auto-rickshaw to Surguru restaurant, which was approximately 2-3 kms away from our hotel. This particular eatery is popular for its vegetarian South Indian cuisine. We dined there and then took an auto-rickshaw back to our hotel. We had a little stroll along the road outside the hotel, but there was nothing much to see or explore over there except for innumerable car repair shops and wine stores (hey, we are partial teetotalers - don't judge.) So we just went back to our room and retired for the night.

DAY 2

From this day onwards, our main sightseeing of Pondicherry began. After indulging in the hotel's fancy breakfast spread, (I had chosen a complimentary buffet breakfast option while booking the hotel) we were ready to head out by 9.30 am. Our driver Veermani was Chennai-based, and he had been to Pondicherry several times before, so he had a perfect itinerary chalked out for us. That just made our job a whole lot easier!

• Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam:

Manakula Vinayagar Ganesha Temple, Pondicherry.

We began our exploration of Pondicherry by visiting the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam, a famous Ganapati temple, where we took the blessings of Lord Ganesha. It is a gorgeous temple with grand interiors - the walls are adorned with colourful carvings of different avatars of the Lord. We aren't allowed to click pictures inside the shrine, though.

• Aurobindo Ashram:

Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.

If Aurobindo Ashram does not feature on your itinerary, your trip to Pondicherry is certainly futile. It is at a 3 minute walking distance from the Ganesha temple. The place is a lot smaller than I had imagined it to be. Besides, I always used to confuse the ashram with Auroville, thinking them to be the same, but they are different. Aurobindo Ashram is located on the Rue De La Marine (Marine Street) in White Town. It houses the samadhi (resting place) of both Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and The Mother, who are the founders of the Ashram; a meditation area where tourists from various nationalities diligently meditate for as long as they wish; and a quaint little library with a plethora of books by and on the founders in multiple languages. The library is a paradise for book lovers like me, because it had good quality literature at seriously low prices, which is a rarity these days. The Ashram is strict about its rules - visitors have to deposit their footwear on the shoe-stands outside, switch off mobile phones before entering, and observe pin-drop silence inside. No one can leave this place without calming their nerves.

• White Town:

Rue De La Marine, White Town, Pondicherry.

Once outside the Ashram, we spent some time exploring the serene streets of White Town, the French quarters of Pondicherry. The streets are lined with grey and yellow-hued bungalows inside of which most of the French people reside. Quiet roads, shady trees, pretty cycle rickshaws, bicycles parked along the bungalow walls, coconut water vendors with carts full of tender coconuts - if the scenes are so peaceful to simply visualise mentally, I can't tell you how to soul-soothing it is to witness them with your own eyes. If you didn't get photographs clicked when in White Town, then you haven't really visited Pondy.

• Puducherry Museum:

Puducherry Museum, Pondicherry.

Next, our driver drove us to Puducherry Museum, which is slightly more cosmopolitan in nature as compared to the French and Tamil influence which domineers most other places here in Pondicherry. We were not permitted to click any pictures inside the museum building. The Puducherry museum has been divided into different sections, and each section boasts a rich showcase of sundry collectibles. On display are old currency collections from nations around the world, various types of guns used in war, idols of Gods and Goddesses, and beautiful stone sculptures. On the first floor, the work space and residence of former French Governor Dupleix has been recreated. There is also a geology section with different kinds of rocks, and there is another section where we can see a vintage car, a bullock-cart, and a horse-drawn carriage from the olden times. Again on the ground floor, there is a painting gallery which houses some sublime works of art. Puducherry Museum is definitely a must-visit. FYI, it is closed on Mondays.

• Bharathi Government Park:

Aayi Mandapam, Bharathi Government Park, Pondicherry.

Bharathi park is a large public garden under the care of Puducherry Government. It serves as the premises for Aayi Mandapam, also known as the water monument. Its miniature version can be found in the Puducherry Museum. This monument is actually a memorial which was constructed to celebrate the supply of water to a French city during the rule of Napolean III in France. As Pondicherry was a French colony back in those days, this memorial was built here.

The Statue of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

Outside the park, just a few feet away is a tall, white statue of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, flanked on both sides by street walls decorated with pretty graffiti by an organisation called 'Paint Pondicherry India.' You could look it up on social media and check out all the good work that they are upto.

Wall art by Paint Pondicherry India, In background: a lighthouse.

There was also a Government exhibition-cum-sale happening in the same area (the Promenade) when we were visiting (lucky us!) Locals were selling handicrafts, jars of Coorg honey, incense sticks, wooden toys and show-pieces, bags and purses, handmade earrings, footwear, home decor accessories, and a lot more. It was a wonderful shopping experience!

Handicraft exhibition-cum-sale at the Promenade.

• The French War Memorial:

French War Memorial, Pondicherry.

The French War Memorial is situated in the Goubert Avenue, on the road across Rock Beach. This memorial has been built in honour of the residents of French India who lost their lives fighting for the country during the First World War. I was truly awed by the vast amount of interesting history that Pondicherry has.

• Rock Beach:

Rock Beach, Pondicherry.

The Rock beach, situated alongside the Promenade, is a lively beach that has been aptly named as per the black rocks which line the shore, acting as a buffer between the land and the sea. You can simply sit back and relax, lie on the yellow sand and read a book, gorge into some spiced raw mangoes, or just breathe in the fresh air and let your eyes take in the awesome view - do anything that you please to your heart's content. However, it isn't allowed to step into the water, as it was written on a notice board. Although, I am not sure if it is a permanent rule or if it was so because of the high tide.

The Statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Rock Beach, Pondicherry.

There also stands on Rock Beach a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation. The best thing about the Promenade area is that there are plenty of spots to see, and all within minutes of each other! The Promenade road is closed for vehicles, both public as well as private, from 5 or 6 in the evening (can't recollect the exact time) till 7 o'clock the next morning. This rule is in place to ensure that tourists get to walk around along the seaside in peace. So cool!

The Promenade, Pondicherry.

By the time we covered all these sightseeing points, it was almost 1.30 in the afternoon (Time does pass slowly when you are in Pondicherry, which I think is great.) Our stomachs were growling with hunger, so we had lunch at a sea-facing restaurant on Rock beach called Le Cafe. It is a self-service cafeteria run by the Government of Puducherry and is open for 24 hours a day! The chefs rustle up mouth-watering continental dishes like pizzas, club sandwiches, grilled steaks and also beverages like milkshakes and coffee. It felt heavenly to enjoy our meal sitting there on a bench with the sea waves crashing against the shore in such close proximity!

• Chunnambar Boat House:

Chunnambar Boat House and backwaters, Pondicherry.

Post lunch, at first our driver was planning to take us to Auroville, but then we suddenly realised that the Chunnambar boat house would be closed the next day, which was a Monday. (Point to be noted: Many tourist spots in Pondicherry / Tamil Nadu are closed on Mondays, so plan your itinerary wisely.) So instead he took us to the boat house from where mom and I went boating to Paradise beach. The Chunnambar boat house has sprawling grounds with ample car parking space, gardens, restrooms, drinking water facilities, shops, and even a restaurant. There were different categories of boats in varying price ranges - speed boats for 2 persons, motor boats for about 15 to 20 persons, and launches for big groups. We opted for the motor boat because - a) it was economical, and b) I was with my mother. From there it takes about half an hour to reach the Paradise beach.

• Paradise Beach:

A Welcome Sign at Paradise Beach entrance.

The motor boat dropped us off at Paradise beach and left. For a moment, we were confused about how we were supposed to return - should we phone up Veermani and call him here to pick us up? The only way he could possibly achieve this feat was if he were Superstar Rajnikanth (who he obviously wasn't) and could ride a car on the water like in the movies, or if the beach had any connectivity by road at all (which was impossible, since it was on an island.) I spotted a young married couple who was in the same boat as us and got my doubts cleared from them. They told me that we could spend as much time on the beach as we wished and another boat would arrive to take us back to the boat house. I still can't stop laughing over this incident, but hey, I have named my blog what it is for a legit reason, right? 😂

Paradise Beach, Pondicherry.

Anyway, the Paradise Beach is truly a chunk of paradise on earth. Lovely white sand and the roaring sea, vendors selling candy floss on rickety bicycles, a handsome white horse running about joyfully sans a harness, young tourists nestled on wooden benches in the shade listening to music, some friends bonding over a game of volleyball, a group of teenagers practising somersaults - that tiny strip of land was buzzing with activity! The sea was super wild that day owing to the presence of cyclone Phethai in the Andhra Pradesh region, which is kind of close, so life-guards weren't allowing us anywhere near the water. We relaxed over there for some time, and returned in another motor boat to Chunnambar boat house. Now I can say that I have been to paradise and back!

After this, we called it a day and Veermani took us back to our hotel by around 5 in the evening. My legs were aching (just ask when any part of my body isn't at any given point of time) due to me having been on my feet for most of the day, but it was worth the pain. We napped, had our supper as well as dinner in the room itself, saw some television, chatted about random stuff, and then slept soundly all night. We had only one more day left to explore more of Pondicherry. Sigh!

DAY 3

On our third day in Pondy, our schedule was pretty much the same as the day before. Veermani was punctual as usual and we left the hotel after breakfast at around 9.30 am. This was going to be an important day since we were going to visit Auroville, apart from a few other spots. It was a Monday and thankfully, these places were open on Mondays.

• Auroville:

The path leading to Auroville.

Auroville is a divine international township on the outskirts of Pondicherry, founded by The Mother (the collaborator of Sri Aurobindo). It comes under the control of the state government of Tamil Nadu, and not the Puducherry government. The peaceful township of Auroville is based on its founder's ideals of secularism, equality, and sustainable living. The essential belief is that humanity is and should be our only religion. People from different nationalities and faiths come here to leave behind their life's problems and to embrace a unique lifestyle that nourishes their body, mind, and soul.

A map of Auroville.

The township is spread out over a vast area of land and even though it seems rather simplistic on face value, the township has been equipped with all possible amenities - there are youth hostels and several other accommodations for guests to stay; there are schools, libraries, bookstores, boutiques, and restaurants; there are solar power panels installed to supply energy: there is a good internal network of roadways - I could go on and on, but the list is endless. Also, the boutique stores here sell some amazing local produce and a wide range of souvenirs; I shopped there myself and I highly recommend them as a one-stop destination for all your holiday shopping needs. All I can say is that, you just cannot afford to skip Auroville while you are vacationing in Pondicherry. (Please note that it is open only half a day on Sundays, but is open as per regular timings on Mondays.)

• The Matrimandir:

The Matrimandir, Auroville.

I am sure you've all seen a picture of this beautiful golden globe-like structure on the internet (this click is mine though), if you have ever tried searching on it for something in connection with Pondicherry. The Matrimandir, or the temple of the Divine Mother, is the spiritual centre of Auroville. It is not a temple of any God or Goddess per se, but is actually a place dedicated entirely to meditation. The structure has been scientifically constructed so as to absorb the rays of sunlight through the middle of its top, and is surrounded by twelve petals which are in fact, twelve different meditation zones. Each of the twelve petals depicts a particular flower handpicked by The Mother for some influential quality it has associated with life. It was a long walk from the main entrance of Auroville right up to the Matrimandir, but I saw it as an opportunity to be at one with the lovely natural environs. Besides, once you reach there, it is truly a sight to behold. However, there are also free shuttle bus services and bicycles for those who don't want to walk all the way. We did take the bus during the return journey, because we were quite exhausted from exploring the whole of Auroville on foot.

• Serenity Beach:

Serenity Beach, Pondicherry.

We had completely lost track of time while we were in Auroville; it was only after we left that we realised that we had spent almost half of our day there itself! Physically tired but spiritually rejuvenated, I told Veermani to take us to Serenity Beach, which I had heard was one of the most beautiful beaches in Pondicherry. And true to its name, it is a serene and quiet beach. The scenes were picturesque! Its shore was lined with fishing boats, and fishermen were busy scrutinising their catch of the day. We hadn't observed this fishing activity on other beaches in Pondy that we had been to on the previous day. Don't forget to include this one too in your itinerary.


After spending a few minutes on this beach, the clock had struck two in the afternoon, so we went to Karai Chettinad restaurant in the city for lunch, which was suggested by Veermani. The eatery offers tasty vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian fare, and is especially popular among meat-eaters. Having filled our tummies to the brim, we set off for some more sightseeing of Pondicherry.

• Botanical Garden:

Botanical Garden, Pondicherry.

The Botanical Garden, or in French - Jardin Botanique - is a must-visit place in Pondicherry. Fortunately, this too like Auroville, was open on Monday. The Botanical Garden was established in the year 1826 by the French settlers in Pondicherry. It is the only green zone in Pondy which otherwise has not even one piece of real forest, and it is a major attraction for tourists and nature lovers. We walked endlessly throughout the massive garden which hosts an information centre, an aquarium, a lotus pond, a green house, shrub beds, a rock garden, a playground for kids, and the Jega Jeevan Nagar station platform. Jega Jeevan Nagar is not an actual railway station, but it is the starting point from where the Joy Train operates. The train gives a tour of all the sections of the garden, and is apparently a favourite among children. But sadly it was not running the day that we went due to ongoing repair work. Fret not, you may be luckier than me and shall most probably get to ride it when you visit!

Scenes from the Botanical Garden.

• The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

The Sacred Heart Basilica, Pondicherry.

Having breathed in lungfuls of detoxified air from the Botanical Garden, we later headed to our last sightseeing point of the trip - The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart Basilica is a very famous church in Pondicherry. We visited it close to Christmas time, so it was giving out those cheerful vibes of the Yuletide spirit. There couldn't have been a better way to end this memorable holiday than by taking the blessings of the Lord. Amen!

After the church visit, we went back to the White Town area with the intention of doing some window-shopping on Mission Street and Nehru Street, but left almost immediately because the shops there were not selling anything particularly local. Veermani drove us back to the hotel by 5.30 in the evening, and asked us to be ready to leave Pondicherry by 8 o'clock the next morning, since mom and I had to catch a flight back home from Chennai in the afternoon. We spent the rest of the evening packing our bags and relaxing in our rooms.


We checked out of our hotel early in the morning, post breakfast. With a heavy heart, I bid adieu to Pondicherry, a heavenly destination which managed to crawl its way directly into my soul, that too within a span of just three days. Even after I reached my home in Mumbai, I felt like a part of me was missing. Pondicherry did this to me! It gave me memories that I am going to cherish for a long time to come. The best thing was that we went to Pondicherry off-season - just a week before Christmas, so it wasn't very crowded, and we got to witness it in its quaint and laid-back fashion. I hope this blog has inspired you too to plan a trip there soon. Believe me, you shouldn't miss this one!