Chennai city’s location near the Bay of Bengal makes it a beach paradise. Apart from being a bustling commercial hub in the south, Chennai is famous for its long and pristine coastline that offers the best views, thrilling water sports and clean seashores to stroll on. Over and above that, you can indulge in some refreshing sightseeing and tasty street food at Chennai beaches. Here’s presenting the top 6 beaches in Chennai.
Best Beaches in Chennai
- Marina Beach
One of the world’s longest urban beaches, Marina Beach is perennially flooded with tourists as well as locals. Even though swimming is not allowed at the beach, upto 30,000 visitors come to Marina Beach on a daily basis. Marina Beach is known for beach cricket. The beach is lined with statues of local and national legends, and features a jogger’s track, couple of swimming pools, an aquarium, a skating rink and over 1000 street food vendors. The promenade with high-mast lamps looks stunning at night.
- Covelong Beach or Kovalam Beach
A fishing village located 40 kilometres away from Chennai, Covelong Beach is famous for its stellar sunsets. It’s on the East Coast Road enroute Mahabalipuram. The sands are white-gold and the waves bring a rush of blood to the head. This beach is famous for fishing and a number of water sports that attract many visitors. Surfing is a popular sport here. The beach is a great place to take solitary strolls or to feed the shutterbug in you. Popular sights near the beach are an old Catholic Church and a little fishing village. This beach is also known for its annual surfing, music and yoga festival.
- Elliot’s Beach
The cleanest beach in Chennai, Elliot’s Beach is also known as Besant Nagar Beach. The beach is relatively less crowded than Marina Beach and is famous for the Ashtalakshmi Temple and the Karl Schmidt Memorial, dedicated to a Dutch sailor who gave up his life to save drowning people. The waters of Elliot Beach are tranquil and inviting, ideal for lonely walks. The most visited site near the beach is the famous Velankanni Church. Popular authentic South Indian eateries at the beach you must visit are Anjappar Chettinad & Ponnuswamy Restaurant.
- Thiruvanmiyur Beach
Popularly known as Breezy Beach, Thiruvanmiyur Beach is located in the suburbs of Chennai. If you want to avoid the populated Marina and Elliot’s Beach, head on to Breezy Beach, which is clean and fairly secluded. Locals stroll on the clean promenade during evenings. The beach is calm and the air is refreshing. Popular activities on the beach are photography, yoga & meditation, and beach cricket. The beach is a conservation spot for Olive Ridley Turtle nesting season. You can enjoy delicious local seafood at one of its many food stalls.
- VGP Golden Beach
Around 20 kms from Chennai, VGP Golden Beach is a popular picnic spot. The Beach marks an important spot under VGP Universal Kingdom which is a famous entertainment park in Chennai. You can relax at private cabanas at the beach. Popular activities at the park are petting zoo, roller coaster, go karting, horror house, and a complete snow-theme park. The sunsets and sunrise at the beach are good for photography buffs. There are multi-cuisine restaurants and a bar.
- Kasimedu Beach
A lesser-known but spectacular beach in Chennai, Kasimedu Beach is enthralling and serene. It is a fishing harbour, not a sandy beach. The beach is ideal for early morning strolls when it is practically isolated. The Kasimedu pier and multiple fishing boats make picture-perfect sights. You can lounge about at the pier or play volleyball, which is a popular activity here. There are many boulders here and the locals and tourists indulge in casual fishing at the shore.
Accommodation in Chennai
There is no dearth of budget lodges and hotels in Chennai, but it makes no sense to stay at unknown and un-recommended places that may kill the spirit of your entire trip. To best enjoy the city’s beaches, pick a budget hotel that is conveniently located nearby, offering best-in-class services. Avoid haphazard physical hunting with online hotel booking in Chennai.
Book your stay at Treebo – India’s best budget hotel chain. You are given guaranteed amenities like breakfast, wi-fi and outstanding services. Low or mid-range, whatever your budget, rest assured you will find amazing hotel rooms to pick from.
(All photos: Wikimedia)
Make the most of Chennai beaches by visiting these top beaches and have a special experience at each one of them. Leave comments below.
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Happy to see that you included both Elliot’s and Thiruvamiyur. I enjoyed them when I lived in Chennai in the last century. Somehow Kasimedu doesn’t ring a bell. I must look it up the next time I’m there.
Kasimedu is more of the foodie type. Worth exploring. Thanks!
helpful travel diary thanks to sharing
Thanks Pushpendra.