6N / 7D
3N / 4D
Coast & Culture
Tamil Nadu · Puducherry
Pondicherry & Mahabalipuram
Package ID: TG-MS-001057
Mahabalipuram · Pondicherry · Auroville — A relaxed coastal getaway down the Coromandel from Chennai — the 7th-century shore temples of Mahabalipuram and the sunlit French quarter of Pondicherry, with the experimental township of Auroville in between. Pondicherry's ochre villas, seaside promenade and café culture make it one of the most easygoing corners of the south, and pairing it with Mahabalipuram's world-class Pallava stone-carving gives the short trip real depth. Ideal for couples and anyone wanting sea, heritage and good coffee at a gentle pace.
Package IDTG-MS-001057
Duration3N / 4D
StartsChennai
EndsChennai
Best seasonOctober to March
Ideal forCouples · relaxed heritage travellers · café & beach lovers
- Duration
- 3N / 4D
- Cities
- Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Auroville
- States
- Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
- Distance
- ~330 km round trip on the coast
- Start → End
- Chennai → Chennai
- Transport
- Private air-conditioned car
- Hotels
- 3★ / 4★ / French-quarter heritage
- Meals
- Daily breakfast
- Best season
- October to March
- Ideal for
- Couples · relaxed heritage travellers · café & beach lovers
Day by day
Complete itinerary
Tap any day to expand. Drive distances and times are realistic approximations, stated up front and traffic-dependent — never hidden.
Day 1 Chennai → MahabalipuramChennai → Mamallapuram
- Route
- Chennai → Mahabalipuram
- Distance
- ~55 km
- Travel time
- ~1h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car (ECR)
- Depart
- On arrival
- Arrive
- Afternoon
- Alternative
- DakshinaChitra heritage village en route
- Meet at Chennai & drive down the coast
- Shore Temple & Pancha Rathas
- Arjuna's Penance & Krishna's Butterball
Down the palm-fringed East Coast Road to Mahabalipuram, the Pallava port whose UNESCO-listed monuments — the sea-facing Shore Temple, the monolithic Rathas and the vast Arjuna's Penance relief — are a superb introduction to Dravidian stone-carving. The optional DakshinaChitra living-heritage village breaks the drive.
✓ Shore Temple✓ Pancha Rathas✓ Arjuna's Penance
🛏 Overnight: Mahabalipuram
Day 2 Mahabalipuram → Pondicherry→ French quarter
- Route
- Mahabalipuram → Pondicherry
- Distance
- ~95 km
- Travel time
- ~2h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car (coastal road)
- Depart
- 10:00 AM
- Arrive
- 12:30 PM
- Depart down the coast
- Arrive Pondicherry & check-in
- French Quarter (White Town) walk & Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Promenade Beach & Rock Beach sunset
On to Pondicherry, the former French colony where mustard-and-white villas, bougainvillea and bilingual street signs give the White Town a genuinely Mediterranean air. The Sri Aurobindo Ashram is its spiritual centre; the seafront promenade is made for an evening stroll. A place designed for slowing down.
✓ French Quarter✓ Sri Aurobindo Ashram✓ Promenade Beach
🛏 Overnight: Pondicherry
Day 3 Auroville & PondicherryAuroville → cafés
- Auroville & the Matrimandir viewpoint (pass required)
- Botanical Garden / Manakula Vinayagar temple
- Long French-Tamil lunch
- Paradise/Auroville beach or a heritage café-hop
A morning at Auroville, the experimental "universal township" founded in 1968, with its golden Matrimandir meditation dome (viewed from the visitor point; inner access needs a booked pass). The rest of the day is deliberately unstructured — Pondicherry's cafés, boutiques and beaches reward doing very little.
✓ Auroville✓ Matrimandir viewpoint✓ Café culture
🛏 Overnight: Pondicherry
Day 4 DeparturePondicherry → Chennai
- Route
- Pondicherry → Chennai Airport (MAA)
- Distance
- ~155 km
- Travel time
- ~3h30m (approx.)
- Mode
- Private car (ECR)
- Depart
- As per flight
- Arrive
- —
- Alternative
- Allow buffer for Chennai traffic
- At the hotel
- Coastal drive back to Chennai airport for your onward flight
The coastal drive back up to Chennai airport — around three and a half hours, so we plan for your flight with a buffer for city traffic. A relaxed end to an easy, characterful getaway.
✓ Coastal return✓ Airport transfer
Where you stay
Hotels
| Destination | Nights | Category | Meal plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahabalipuram | 1 | 3★ / 4★ | Breakfast |
| Pondicherry | 2 | 3★ / 4★ / French-quarter heritage | Breakfast |
Specific hotels are confirmed against your dates and budget at quotation — we never claim a named property is included unless your package explicitly specifies it.
Meals
What's included, day by day
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Chennai → Mahabalipuram | — | Optional | Optional |
| Day 2 · Mahabalipuram → Pondicherry | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 3 · Auroville & Pondicherry | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
| Day 4 · Departure | ✓ | Optional | Optional |
✓ Included · Optional add-on · — not included. Meal plan (CP / MAP / AP) is configurable per booking.
Inclusions
What's in the price
- ✓Accommodation on twin sharing
- ✓Daily breakfast
- ✓All transfers & sightseeing by private air-conditioned car
- ✓Coastal & French-quarter touring
- ✓Applicable taxes (GST)
Exclusions
Not included
- ✕Flights & train fares
- ✕Monument entry, Matrimandir pass & guide fees
- ✕Lunch & dinner unless specified
- ✕Personal expenses & shopping
- ✕Travel insurance
- ✕Anything not listed under inclusions
Good to know
Important information
- •Inner access to the Matrimandir at Auroville requires a pass booked in advance and is not always available; the viewpoint is open to all — we set honest expectations.
- •Pondicherry's beaches are largely rocky promenade rather than swimming sand; Paradise and Auroville beaches are the swimmable options, sea permitting.
- •The Sri Aurobindo Ashram and temples have dress codes and quiet-hours; we guide visits respectfully.
- •October–March is the pleasant window; the north-east monsoon (Oct–Dec) can bring coastal rain.
- •Chennai traffic can lengthen the final transfer — we build in a buffer.
Who is this for
Ideal travellers
👨👩👧Family
💑Honeymoon
👴Seniors
👥Friends
🏢Corporate
🧳Solo
Itinerary
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Pricing
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On enquiry / per person · twin sharing
We price the real configuration — your exact party, dates, hotel category and inclusions — rather than publish an average that changes the moment you ask.
| Occupancy | Price / person |
|---|---|
| Single occupancy | — |
| Double / twin sharing (per person) | — |
| Triple sharing (per person) | — |
| Child with bed | — |
| Child without bed | — |
Price varies with travel dates, hotel availability, season, number of travellers and selected inclusions. The occupancy grid above is the live structure; figures populate from configurable pricing fields — never hard-coded.
Questions
Package FAQs
Can we go inside the Matrimandir at Auroville?
Only with a pass booked ahead, and availability is limited — it is a meditation space, not a tourist attraction. Everyone can see it from the visitor viewpoint. We advise on booking but can't always guarantee inner access, and we're upfront about that.
Is Pondicherry good for a beach holiday?
It is more about the seafront promenade, cafés and French-quarter charm than swimming beaches — the main front is rocky. Paradise and Auroville beaches are the sandy, swimmable options when the sea allows.
Is it a good couples' trip?
Ideal — the French quarter, boutique heritage stays and unhurried café culture make it one of the most romantic short breaks in the south.
When should we go?
October–March for pleasant weather, though the Oct–Dec north-east monsoon can bring rain. December–March is the driest, most comfortable window.
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