Chennai, India
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Chennai is often overlooked as a place to stay and is used as a stop-off for international travel, or on route to the infamous French Colony Puducherry.
Chennai is a expanding hub of night life, good food & culture - and as it attracts international investment, the city has a growing expat community too.
When I lived in Chennai, most peple would ask me what on earth there was to do. It's a city that has more to it than meets the eye - you need to delve into it to really explore it - which can be difficult as its most definately not a city that you can walk around easily - you do have to take transport most places.
THE ONE THING NOT TO MISS: Sunday Brunch! Yep. This is something that Chennai does exceptionally well. Its worth the splurge (most 5 * offer a brunch) and for an average of INR 2500 you'll get unlimited food and alcohol.
BEST TIME OF YEAR: June, July & December, January.
April & May is exceptionally humid and full of mosquitos. September & October is monsoon season.
RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF DAYS TO STAY:
2-4 nights
HOW TO GET THERE: Chennai is a hub 0f air-travel in Southern India, with daily flights into SE Asia, Sri Lanka, and all major Indian Cities. It's also extremely well connected by bus and train.
MakeMyTrip is one of the best search engines for flights in India.
NEARBY ACTIVITIES (LESS THAN 1 HR TRAVEL):
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Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram): But you can call it "Mahabs." Seriously. Everyone will know where you want to go. A cab will cost you approx INR 700 one way, for a day return you can usually negotiate for approx INR 1200 return. Mahabs is a quaint fishing village approx 50 minute drive south of Chennai - on route to Pondicherry. Here you will not only see the quintessential roaming of cows on the beach, but you can learn to surf, see local fishermen fixing their fishing nets, and explore a derth of delightful cafes.
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If you want to stay a night - Daphne's on the beachfront has cheap basic accomodation (clean with mosquito nets but without a tv etc).
TOP 3 TIPS FOR CHENNAI
1. Experience the South Indian cuisine - its delicious - and finish your meal with a Filter Coffee (but then I'm always about the food & cocktails)!
2. Marina Beach at Sunset. Its not about the sun setting, but the carnival atmosphere that ensues. A photographers' paradise.
3. As cheeky as it sounds, catch a movie - it's more like going to a theatre performance. There is nothing better than catching a Tamil (or Hindi) film on opening day at Sathyam Cinemas (the original cinema). Added bonus the price of movies is fixed by the government, so no matter where you go you'll pay only INR120!
CULTURAL TRIPS:
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Dakshinachitra - 40 minutes drive from Chennai on the East Coast Road (ECR). DakshinaChitra is an exciting cross cultural living museum of art, architecture, lifestyles, crafts and performing arts of South India. The main mission is to exhibit, promote and preserve aspects of the broader, more inclusive cultures of the states and to bring these arts to the public in a participative, enjoyable and engaging way.
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Tirupati - 3 hours drive from Chennai - overnight recommended, but can be done in a day trip. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is one of the world 's richest and famous Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara. It is thought date back to 300 BC. The temple is visited by approx. 35-40 million people annually , while on special occasions & festivals, such as the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims increases to more than 500,000.
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Tour Chennai on a Royal Enfield!
RESTAURANTS:
South Indian:
Murugan Idli - for the idli's specifically (Veg only) $
Sangeetha's - vegetarian, fresh juices are also delicious here! (Veg only) $
Copper Point - GRT Grand - delicious & traditional. Encompasses cuisine from across Southern India. $$$
Dakshin - Fine dining - in Park Sheraton - renowned as the best South Indian and worth splurging on! $$$$
Indian:
Dhaba Express Cenotaph Road- chaotic & fun, delicious Punjabi cuisine! $
Peshawri - Fine Dining - ITC Grand Chola. Amazing tandoori & Dal Makhani. Get the Jhinga (prawns)! $$$$
Other:
Cafe - The Amethyst - an all time fave! The lush gardens block out the chaos of Chennai streets as you sit on the veranda of an old collonial homestead. Hummus is delicious, and the coffee decent. $
talian - Bella Ciao (ECR) $$
Japanese - Momoyama (very traditional - delicious okonomoyaki) $$
Multi-Cuisine - Flying Elephant $$$
Pub Grub - The Moon & Sixpence $
Burgers - Double Roti $
NIGHTLIFE:
I get an amazing amount of questions on where to go for good nightlife in Chennai - so here's the breakdown.
Nightclubs:
Q-Bar: Open-air rooftop bar at the Hilton Hotel. DJ friday & saturday nights, doesnt get busy til after midnight. Sun-Thurs opein til 12am, Fri-Sat open til 3am
Blend: In Taj Clubhouse. Best on a Friday night. Fri-Sat open til 3am
Flying Elephant: Park Hyatt. Is a club ONLY on Friday & Saturday nights & pulls the classier of Chennai's crowd. It turns into a club post 11:30pm, and you'll get a mix of Bollywood & Commercial music. Side note: there is a cover charge. Open til 3am.
Lounge Bars:
365 A.I.: Hyatt Regency. Open til 2am 7 days. Happy hours from 11pm-1am Sun-thurs. Great lounges, and great for sports - they show major matches live on big screens. Also do Oktoberfest really well! Great outdoor space with a DJ on Saturdays.
The Cheroot - Malt & Cigar Lounge: ITC Grand Chola's main bar, with the largest selection of Whisky in the city. Lounge has a separate Cigar Lounge attached (so you can choose smoking or non-smoking), and really comfy atmosphere. Open til 1am 7 days.
Tranquebar: The second bar in ITC Grand Chola, and Chennai's best Cocktail Bar. Innovative drinks, great service, and lounge music. Open til 11:30pm 7 days.
Pub-like Pubs
Moon & Sixpence: Hablis Hotel, an Irish themed pub complete with a pool table, and live band on the weekends. Open til 11pm Sun-Thurs, 1am on Fri-Sat.
10 Downing Street: located in T Nagar. One of the older pubs in Chennai. Cheap, loud, and does Karaoke on Thursday nights. Open only til 11pm
Plan B: Nungambakkam - Open til 1am, American pub style.. mix of music & ages.
Zaras: Cathederal Road. Always busy with cheap Tapas plates and a DJ every night. Open til 11pm.
(Tip: In India, when locals refer to a "Pub" they are talking about a nightclub, not what westeners would call a pub.)
FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Your trip to Chennai would not be complete without visiting Thalankuppam Pier.
BASIC PRICE GUIDE (as of AUG 2015)
Traditional Meal for Two (med- rest): INR 2800
Traditional Meal for Two (Hotel): INR 3500-4000
Glass / Bottle Wine*: INR 750 / INR 4000
Local Beer (5* Hotel): INR 500 for 500ml draught Kingfisher/British Empire
Local Beer (TASMAC): INR 130 for 330ml bottle of Kingfisher
Domestic Whisky (Bar): INR 250 per 30ml
Imported Whisky Blend (Bar): INR 600
Cocktail: INR 500-1100
Local Bus Ticket (one way, non-a/c): INR 30 around the city, INR 120 to Pondicherry
Cost of an Auto (aka. auto rickshaw, tuktuk): INR 250 one way from one side of chennai to the other
Alternative transport: Recommend utilising Uber/ Taxi for Sure as rates are approx the same as getting an auto!
* The state of Tamil Nadu has an unusual law in that any liquor made/bottled outside of state borders is considered "Imported Liquor" and is thus subject to 58% VAT. Yes, you read that correctly. Indian wines are - as such - not sold in Chennai. On top of this a 5.6% Service Tax is added to each bill too, meaning total tax on imported liquor is 63.6%.
Menu prices will include 58% VAT but exclude 5.6% ST.
** Tipping (if a service charge is not shown)is recommeded at 10-15% of bill value.