Things to do & places to visit in Tamil Nadu, India

Tamil Nadu #4 destination in India 2023. The average rating score is 4.21 based on 118.1k traveler reviews, of 831 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Kolkata, current date and time: Friday, May 03, 2024, 4:56.

Top things to do (26)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Brihadeeswara Temple (1.521 reviews)
- Majestic temple
Friday: 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites

Brihadishvara Temple, also called Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. See more..
5.0 VGP Snow Kingdom (688 reviews)
- Wow ! Excellent.
Friday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Amusement & Theme Parks

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4.5 Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple (4.178 reviews)
- Exquisite living temple
Friday: 5:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

Experience the culture of Madurai with this private tour of its ancient temples. Spend approximately 45 minutes visiting each of the Dravidian temples built by the Pandyan and Madurai Nayak kings, earning the city its nickname Koil Maanagar, which means Temple City. Discover why Madurai, also called the City of Junctions or Koodal Nagaram, is one of India's most outstanding Hindu pilgrimage centers. See more..
4.5 Kapaleeshwarar Temple (2.548 reviews)
- A place you must visit before you leave Chennai
Friday: 5:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 9:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours Religious Sites

This ancient shrine to Shiva is centrally located and among the area’s most popular landmarks. See more..
4.5 Vivekananda Rock Memorial (2.323 reviews)
- Enjoy the ferry ride
Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

Here you can go only through ferry running by Govt of Tamil Nadu, fare per adult is Rs.50 for both up and down. You will have to wait in a long queue to visit the place because ferries are busy. Special passes are also available that can you make enter direct without any queue. It is enjoyable to experience the cool breeze from all sides. No time limit to come back from this place to ferry. There is also Rs.20 entry fee in memorial. It’s a piece of island located in the southern end of India, beautiful serene and peaceful place. There is one meditation hall where people meditate. This place was built in 1970 in honour of Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock. See more..
4.5 Arulmigu Ramanatha Swamy Temple (1.723 reviews)
- Rameshwaram Temple Visit
Friday: 5:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM Religious Sites

The temple is well maintained. you get guide from hotel or even at temple for 22 well bath. the 22 well bath is very extatic. it's easy and best to take auto to the temple and to take guide to take you through the entire process with you which will cost about ₹ 2000 to 2500. visiting in early hours is best. if you want to have spatika linga Darshanam go at 4am. Spend some time in the corridors, there are exuberant painting of various instances from literature on and above the pillars. you can sit and relax in the corridors. The corridors looks very elegant durin sun raise hours. See more..
4.5 Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1.709 reviews)
- Mahabalipuram Visit
Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Ancient Ruins • Religious Sites

Many interesting rock-cut temples and giant open-air reliefs from the 7th and 8th centuries. See more..
4.5 Shore Temple (1.664 reviews)
- The Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
Friday: 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

The SHORE TEMPLE Standing for centuries on the shores of the mighty Bay, Guardian of the port of the mighty Pallavas. Weathered by the sun the sea the sand , Still rises in majestic splendour on the horizon. Footfalls of countless pilgrims on the granite, The stones could tell a thousand tale of farewell and homecoming. A silence that talks and communicates with nature here A place of graceful beauty where time stands still. See more..
4.5 Dhanushkodi Beach Point (1.568 reviews)
- Chennai to Dhanushkodi road trip.
Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Beaches

I did road trip in the car from Chennai to dhanushkodi. The highway was not that great to cruise in highspeed from pondy so I strongly recommend to use Trichy, pudukottai and ramanad highway. Dhanushkodi is the only place in the world where one can drive between the sea. This place is completely ruined after a 1964 cyclone and called as a ghost town. This place is just 24kms away from srilanka by sea. Tourists are allowed to visit between 8am to 5pm and after that no one is allowed to stay on the island. There are few small shacks available for lunch and local auto rickshaws for transport. This is definitely one of the most important places to visit in the world. See more..
4.5 San Thome Church (1.250 reviews)
- Tomb of Saint Thomas The Apostle
Friday: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals

Probably the most magnificent and prominent reminder of Chennai's colonial lineage, the San Thome Church bears a colossal amount of history since A.D. 52, the year when St. Thomas traveled to India, though the Roman Catholic basilica was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese. It was then rebuilt by the British in 1893. The imposing structure reaches a height of 155 feet and emanates peace and architectural splendor with its tall spires over the tomb of the saint. The sea makes a wonderful backdrop to the pristine white structure. The San Thome Church is considered one of the pilgrimages for people around the world. See more..
4.5 Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (1.087 reviews)
- Divine, large temple+complex
Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple of Srirangam's vast complex has seven enclosures formed by huge rampart walls and 21 elaborate towers. See more..
4.5 Dhyanalinga Temple (927 reviews)
- Deep massage of tranquility
Friday: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites

The Dhyanalinga is set amidst the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains, the first of its kind to be completed in over 2000 years. This powerful meditative space does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system nor does it require any ritual, prayer, or worship. In June 1999, Dhyanalinga was consecrated by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, a realized master, mystic and yogi, after three years of intense process of prana prathista (process of energizing an object using one's own life energies). Measuring 13' 9", Dhyanalinga is the largest mercury-based live linga in the world. All the aspects of life are enshrined in the form of seven chakras, energized to the very peak and locked to prevent dissipation over time. It is expected that the energies of the Dhyanalinga will not suffer dissipation for at least 5000 years. THEERTAKUNDS The Dhyanalinga features two Theerthakunds, which are subterranean tanks with solidified mercury lingas immersed in water, built as preparatory tools to enhance one's spiritual receptivity before entering the Dhyanalinga. The Theerthakunds, are very powerful by themselves. It straightens out the energy or the pranic imbalances in a person, which leads to physical and mental well-being. Above all, it creates a tremendous receptivity to imbibe the energies of Dhyanalinga. They are open for Gents and Ladies from 7:30AM to 8:00PM NADHA ARADHANA An offering of sound to the Dhyanalinga, Nadha Aradhana is an etheric blend of vocals, singing bowls, drums and various other instruments amplified within the reverberating Dome, transporting one into the timeless space of the Dhyanalinga. The offering takes place twice a day, from 11:50 am to 12:10 pm and from 5:50 pm to 6:10 pm. These times are recognized as special sandhya kalas for meditators. A sandhya kala is a phase when nature undergoes certain transitions and makes a person more receptive to inner possibilities. AUMKAR MEDITATION Visitors to the Dhyanalinga can further deepen their experience... See more..
4.5 Pancha Rathas (912 reviews)
- A beautiful heritage
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings

Pancha Rathas or Five Rathas most attractive place in Mahabalipuram. This place is very well maintained. All the statues and the fives rathas are sculpted from a single large piece of rock. The way Pallava artists made these marvelous put off the rocks present at the location will surely amaze us. This place is a UNESCO world heritage site. Entry fees of this place ₹40 for Indian and ₹ 600 for foreigner. You can also buy ticket online. This ticket is validity to enter all monuments on same day. This place is open for 6 AM to 6 PM. See more..
4.5 Krishna's Butter Ball (881 reviews)
- A magic ball
Points of Interest & Landmarks

This is a magic rock standing on a slopy rock. This rock called Krishna butter ball due to partial round shape. This place is UNESCO heritage place. You can sit this place and good for photoshoot. To skip crowd, come early morning. Entry fees of this place ₹40. This ticket is validity to enter all heritage site on same day. This place is open for 6AM to 6 PM. See more..
4.5 Parthasarathy Temple (803 reviews)
- Jai Shree Krishnaa
Friday: 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Religious Sites

Close to Marina Beach, yet another architectural wonder from the 8th century can be part of the itinerary. An intricate pyramid-shaped rajagopuram (dome) stands prominently and is the main feature of the temple. As anecdotes go, the British were unable to pronounce the original name, Thiriallikeni, and rechristened it Triplicane. See more..
4.5 Arjuna's Penance (734 reviews)
- Best curving in single stone
Points of Interest & Landmarks

This bas-relief with life-size images from a mythical story adorns a huge rock. See more..
4.5 Rock Fort Temple (728 reviews)
- Go for the View
Friday: 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Religious Sites • Geologic Formations

Go for the view; not the temple if you are not Hindu-looking. The climb up is fairly easy if you take your time. You pass through several temple landings before reaching the top. There is a sad looking temple elephant that people feed food to as they pass. We went on a Monday morning and it was not crowded at all. I imagine that when it’s crowded it can be a very different experience. A must-see while in Trichy. See more..
4.5 32-km Loop Road (656 reviews)
- Good but difficult to find what it is
Scenic Drives

In Yercaud many locals do not know where it is? In a few restaurants, people can guide you, basically, it comes back to the place where you start. We started from the big lake, got confused around the Bangalore turn but people guided us there(take Meru temple turn). It was a nice experience. Drive slowly and enjoy nature. See more..
4.5 Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge (643 reviews)
- An Engineering Marvel
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 1-2 hours Bridges

Annai Indira Gandhi or Pamban Bridge connects Rameswaram Island with the main land. The Annai Indira Gandhi Road bridge was built right next to the Pamban Rail Bridge, connecting Rameshwaram to NH 49 on the mainland & is at a distance of 10 Kms from Rameshwaram town. The bridge was opened for traffic in 1914 and is one of the prime places to visit in Rameshwaram. It is the longest sea bridge in South India with a length of nearly 2.40 km and stands as a fine example of Indian architecture. The bridge was constructed with sufficient elevation for smooth passage of ships under it. The nearby islands and parallel old rail bridge can easily be viewed from this road bridge This bi-lane bridge allows you to glimpse the trains crossing the railway bridge as you drive over the bridge. The construction of this bridge has left many engineers wondering as it stands tall and strong even today.. See more..
4.5 Kolukkumalai Tea Estate (642 reviews)
- Highest tea estate in the world
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent More than 3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks

Kolukkumalai tea is one of the premium tea in South India. Kolukkumalai is the World's Highest Elevation Tea Plantation. Our Kolukkumalai Tea has been a winner of the "Golden Leaf" award given by UPASI (The United Planters' Association of Southern India) for the best quality Tea. Contrary to the other usual CTC tea produced by the other plantations, we are using Orthodox methods to process the tea leaves. See more..
4.5 Pamban bridge (595 reviews)
- Pamban Bridge
Spent < 1 hour Bridges

Such mesmerising beauty that one wishes to spend hours relishing its scenic brilliance. The blue sky and and the vast sea meet at the horizon and give the feeling of merging as one is a visual delight. It is a must visit for all tourists. See more..
4.0 Marina Beach (3.953 reviews)
- All time favourite Marina beach
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 2-3 hours Beaches

This expansive beach is Chennai's most famous tourist attraction, though the undercurrent is too strong for all but the strongest swimmers. Look out for the "Kannagi" statue on Marina Beach, which tells the story of the legendary character from a South Indian epic. See more..
4.0 Government Botanical Garden (3.650 reviews)
- Botanical Garden - Ooty, A must visit place for nature lovers!
Friday: 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM Gardens

You love plants and flowers, then you will love this place. The garden is maintained by the Horticultural Department of Tamil Nadu The entry fee is Rs.50 for adults and extra payment for camera. Its all about variety of plants and flowers and really enhoyable. Its a big place and well maintained by the authorities. The various attractions in the garden are Glass House, Fern house, Nega Lawn, Heritage Building, Italian & Japanese Garden, Cacti House, Fossil tree, Top Garden etc. See more..
4.0 Kodaikanal Lake (3.098 reviews)
- Recommended to do Cycling around the lake
Friday: 12:00 AM - 10:59 PM Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water

The lake is situated near Bus Stand and one of the main tourist attractions of Kodaikanal. Boating is available at the lake and cycles are available for renting. I would recommend cycling around the lake. It costs 50 rupees for half an hour for cycling. See more..
4.0 Doddabetta Peak (2.277 reviews)
- Doddabetta - A tourist attraction in Ooty
Mountains

Doddabetta is the highest Peak in the Tamil Nadu and is about 10 km from Ooty bus stand. The name Doddabetta literally means 'Big mountain' in the Badugu Language, which is so in reality. It is at the junction of Western and Eastern Ghats and offer beautiful vistas of Nilgiri Hills range. The entry ticket fee is Rs.10 per person and it is about 7/10 minutes walking/climbing steps from the parking place. There is plenty of roadside shops through out the way and some time big crowd there blocking the easy entry to the park. Other than the Peak view (Telescope house), nothing much to see/explore there, except a nice garden around. Anyway, no doubt It is a popular tourist attraction in Ooty. See more..
4.0 Pykara Lake (1.676 reviews)
- Pykara Lake-Ooty
Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Bodies of Water

Pykara Lake and waterfalls are located on BLORE-OOTY road itself, one hour drive. So you can visit this lake on your way back from ooty, instead of a separate trip. To avoid mad rush on weekends be at the lake at 9 30 am. You will get tickets immediately for Motor boat, speed boat or whatever you want. Prices are reasonable and you get both motor and speed boats here , whereas if you want pedal boat you have to go to Ooty lake only. Well maintained lake, picturesq nature and early morning pleasant sun are enjoyable. Weekdays are less crowded You will need min 1 hour for this place. If you r in a hurry you can skip waterfalls See more..
4.0 Besant Nagar Beach (1.656 reviews)
- Chennai's Best Beach with awesome food
Beaches

Also known as Elliot Beach but since it's near the residential area of Besant Nagar, it is also called Besant Nagar Beach. It is accessible by private and public transport but private vehicle is advisable as there is good parking fascility (weekends it's very crowded). There lot of accommodation options nearby the beach. There is a famous Church Annai Velankanni Shrine and Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple. Temple is very crowded on Tuesdays and Fridays. The famous broken bridge is also nearby this beach which is worth a visit only during daylight as it is not safe in the dark The beach is very clean and well maintained, it is very safe as well. Best time to visit would be either evening or early sunrise. There are many activities to do such as skating, merry go round, shooting the balloons. Eateries like Murugan Idli, KFC, Wow Momo, etc See more..
4.0 The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (1.486 reviews)
- Well maintained…
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Zoos

This is a very well maintained crocodile bank which also houses several varieties of turtles and snakes. The enclosures depict fun facts about the creatures residing in them and some of them are also adopted by different people. The show on how they take out poison from snakes is a good learning experience. See more..
4.0 Government Rose Garden (1.303 reviews)
- Roses 700+ varieties
Gardens

It is a long walk and on a crowded day it is possible you do not get place to sit. There are apprx 700+ varieties of roses but I personally did not find it so attractive The landscaping is very good but maybe it was offseason so the roses did not look very attractive . The pathways are not very broad . It can be quite a walk so good walking shoes are a must . Ticket prices are reasonable at Rs 40 per adult See more..
4.0 Matrimandir (1.226 reviews)
- Nice site - Only view allowed
Friday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings

Auroville is a community which allows people from all ethnicities and communities to live together. Most of the community is closed for visitors and the only accessible parts are the walkway to Matrimandir viewpoint from the Parking lot. I will still recommend people to visit the site, to understand the principles on which this place is based. Throughout the path, they have put inscriptions of Aurobindo and Mother’s teachings. Matrimandir in itself is a site to behold. If you want entrance inside the Matrimadir then prebook upto one week in advance, else just view it from the viewpoint (still worth it). Also do not miss the ancient banyan tree (more than 100 years old) on your way towards Matrimandir. This is a highlight of your walk. The walk from Parking lot to Matri-mandir is approx. 10 to 15 minutes (depending on your walking speed). They issue a free pass to enter the premises and the last pass on Sundays is issued at 1 pm and other days by 4 pm. Ensure that you are not late. See more..