[kARTIK IYER]

Fellow Bhpian's in Chennai ,

I am travelling to Chennai with family and kids between 20-024th March . I will be finishing my trip to Tirupati and be back late night in Chennai on 20th . Planning to take my friend,s car to Pondi on 21st morning ..

I need help on

1. Route to Take from chennai to Pondi
2. Good eating joints in Pondi ( chettinad / typical south veg too )
3. I am back to chennai on 23rd , would have to tag along with wifey for shopping and travel . Want help on good hotels for typical southie food near T nagar and good dinner place and if any other recommend within my 2 day stay at chennai city .

Regards

Kat

[hvkumar]

Madras to Pondy 140 kms on East Coast Road (ECR). Starts at Adyar Junction in Madras City, goes via Turuvanmiur and Latice Bridge and VGP Golden City. Crosses Mahabalipuram. Excellent road. Have taken just 1hr 45 mts in early morning from Madras to Pondy on this road, it is very fast.

[csentil]

As hvkumar said the ECR is the ideal road to take. Its a toll road. Two laned road in excellent condition. Try to avoid late night travel on that road as it is lonely at times.

Expect heavy traffic between Mahabalipuram and Chennai (distance of approx 40kms). You need to head towards Adyar and then Thiruvanmayur. Just ask anyone for the ECR and they should help you out from there.

There are a lot of joints in Pondicherry. Since its an UT you would get Beer almost everywhere at good prices. I'll let the Pondi guys update you on this. :-)

Chennai eatouts are plenty. For vegetarian there's always Saravana Bhavan in T-Nagar, Mylapore, Pondy Bazaar, Anna nagar etc.

If you like Chettinad, I suggest you head for Karaikudi restaurant in Radhakrishnan Salai in Chennai. This is quite close to Music Academy and is on the road towards Marina Beach (Gandhi Statue). You also have Dhaba and Shogun in the same complex if you are interested in different cuisines.

If you are a non-vegetarian you could also try Anjappar or Ponnusamy. Anjappar is in Nungambakkam, quite close to Anna Flyover.

[pmvelu]

@Karthik,

Already Kumar &Senthil Provided the complete information. What I would like to add is about an excellent beach on the way from Chennai to Pondy on ECR. Just before Mahabalipuram (Exactly 5 kms before) , you could see in the left Hotel TTDC (Government of Tamilnadu) Beach resort complex. Make sure you try out this place as you have:

1) Calm, Nice, private beach with virtually NONE around
2) Lot and lot Of Casuarina(?!) Trees, Swimming pool (150 Rs / 2 Hours)
3) A Bar & Restaurant

Me along with my friends visited this place 6 to 7 times and every time it's just me and my friends and in 1 or 2 instances we saw few Foreign tourists.Cottages are also there and for Double B/R it's 600 Rs/Night (Breakfast & Swimming pool Access Free) but we never stayed thou!.

To Reach pondy, you just need to touch the main road again and turn Right in another 2 km or so and the straight road will lead to Mahabapalipuram

Few Photos :-

[kARTIK IYER]

Dear pm velu , csentil ,kumar ,

Thank you for your tips and details . i really apreciate your quick response .

Thank You

[druva]

On ECR: Watch for bad drivers. The road is better quality but poorly designed. So lots of accidents do happen. If you are driving in nights, watch out for the sudden police barricades.

You can also try the Rathna Bhavan @ T Nagar. They have a reputation for their sambar. Or if you want idlies - try the Murugan Idly shop.

Also there are several good eateries on the ECR. However they cater for the chennai-ites and cater north indian or multi cuisines. You can try Asia Garden or Bazera at ECR.

[druva]

Also - you can adopt a round trip. Go via ECR and come back via Pondy-Tindivanam-Chengalpet to Chennai. From tindivanam to Chennai its a 4 lane road with dividers.

[GSMINC]

Karthik Iyer,
As Kumar , Senthil , Pmvelu have given much Information,
As for Food n Pondy,
Non-Veg: you have Velu military hotel, Anjappar's, Appachi's(Very famous in Rangaswamy street, Pondy, willhave to wait for a seat), Ammachis hotel
All these provide very good non-veg food. Also try hotel SALT N PEPPER, Ambour Salai, Pondy. the only 24 hours open restaurant in Pondy.
Beer joints dont even worry about it. It's dime a dozen.
But always remember every shuts down in Pondy by 10.30-11pm.
Enjoy & have a good trip

[praveen_v]

Originally Posted by druva

You can also try the Rathna Bhavan @ T Nagar. They have a reputation for their sambar. Or if you want idlies - try the Murugan Idly shop.

It's Rathna cafe. Next to Tirupathi Devasthanam, Venkatnarayana road, T.Nagar. Good for south indian vegetarian dishes.

And yes, East Coast Road [ECR] is the route to take to Pondy. Good road. What car are you taking?? Jus be careful till Mahabalipuram. A bit more traffic till there also most will be speeding. Also avoid late night drives along the ECR. Drive carefully and have a safe time

[kARTIK IYER]

Dear Folks ,

I am back from my trip and all the advises made a big help to me and made it a point to visit Anjappar , Indian coffe house , aristo , ratna cafe on my trip . I drove my friends Alto to Pondy and then took it around till chidambaram and few beaches enroute . It was a great trip and ECR is good scenic road , i do agree that it is a bit nasty till M'puram but worth the drive . I will send a entire travel post later.

Thanks folks for all the help and i just could'nt stop raving about Team BHP and the like minded people and helpful lot that we are each one to all my old friends and cousins i met on my trip .

[kARTIK IYER]

Dear all ,

I went to a beach enroute pondi to chidambaarm and one place called Alambaram ( fort ) enroute from Pondi to Chennai . I am attaching a few photographs .

Regards

Kat

[h@r$h@l]

Guys,

a small query on behalf of a cousin who is travelling to chennai - Pondi - karaikkudi. He is going to take a flight to Chennai from BBY and there on by road. Either Public transport or hire a cab for round trip.

We would like to know how are the road conditions and connectivity of public transport.

chennai-pondi, pondi-karaikkudi and karakkudi to chennai.

Thanks.

Regards,

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

chennai-pondi, pondi-karaikkudi and karakkudi to chennai.

By Road:
- Madras-ECR-Pondy or Madras-Tindivanam-Pondy depending on what he is comfortable.
- Pondy-Tindivanam/Villupuram-Trichy-Kottampatti-SH35-Karaikudi
- Karaikudi-SH35-Kottampatti-Trichy-Madras.

If he's driving don't ask to attempt Trichy-Pudukottai-Karaikudi unless you want to listen to swear words in Tamil (EDIT:Hindi since he's from Bombay) Its the epitome of disaster!

By public transport:
-Madras-Pondy has a lone train, otherwise tons of buses.
-Pondy-Karaikudi: bus to Villupuram and 2 regular trains to Karakudi. Pondy might have buses to Trichy and there are Trichy-Karaikudi buses. The latter wouldn't be pleasant due to road conditions.
-Karaikudi-Madras has private buses running. Top of my mind: Kannathal, KPN are 2 of them. The same 2 regular trains.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

We would like to know how are the road conditions and connectivity of public transport.

chennai-pondi, pondi-karaikkudi and karakkudi to chennai.

To Add to what Narayan said:

- Chennai-Pondi is better via Tindivanam because its a 4-lane road.
- There are I think couple of trains to Rameshwaram from Chennai. Both stop at Villupuram and Karaikudi.
- He can get a bus to Villupuram from Pondi and board the train.
- Karaikudi to Chennai again he can take the train.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

We would like to know how are the road conditions and connectivity of public transport.

chennai-pondi, pondi-karaikkudi and karakkudi to chennai.

There are buses every 10 minutes to Pondy. There are AC Volvos every 45min-1hr also. Volvo costs Rs.190/-. The normal luxury buses will cost around 115. A cab up and down from Chennai-Pondy will cost around 3-5k depending on what car.