Travel Guide to Pondicherry | Paris of the East | India

Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Promenade Beach, Pondicherry

Welcome to a brief guide to Pondicherry

Some information about this amazing place affectionately named Pondy!

Pondicherry (also known as Puducherry) is a must-visit place if you are looking for a quick relaxing break from your daily boring routine. Be it a lavish stay or even if you don't want to spend that extra penny, Pondicherry has it all covered.

Situated in the southeastern part of Tamil Nadu and 160 km from Chennai, Pondicherry is one of the 8 Union Territories of India. 

It is a small coastal town that is a perfect travel destination for weekend trips or short holidays with friends and family. 

Tamil is the predominant language here but you will find a wide variety of other languages too being used like Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu, Hindi, French, and English. 

Yes, you heard me right !!

The French language is also spoken here. In fact, Pondicherry is also called Paris of the East. It used to be a french settlement till 1954 and even today you can find some french communities in Pondicherry who have preserved their french legacies as French Quarters, institutions, Hotels, Restaurants, churches, villas, and boutiques.

How to Reach?

Pondicherry is around 326km from Bangalore and 170 km from Chennai. There are various options for planning your trip be it flight, bus, train, bike, or car. Each one of these has its own share of experiences.

Best time to visit Pondicherry

Between September to March. Avoid planning your visit during Monsoons as frequent rains can spoil or delay your plans to visit sites on your list.  

For beaches, early mornings and late evenings are the best times while you can utilize the afternoons and early evenings for visiting the architectural and heritage sites.

There is no entry fee for most beaches unless you take a boat to visit any beach.

Now you might be thinking...

Is it open during COVID19?

Yes, from 16th July 2021, Pondicherry is opened for tourists with 50% capacity. But don't go with my word, always check for the latest covid guidelines for the travel destination before planning the trip. I found this site quite useful so I am sharing the link with you here.

Places to visit in Pondicherry

Pondicherry has a wide variety of sightseeing and architectural marvel to offer but there are some places that must be on your list when you plan a trip.

• Rock Beach
• French Colony (White Town)
• Aurobindo Asharam
• Promanade Beach(MahatmaGandhi Beach)
• Serenity Beach
• Paradise Beach (Chunnamnar Boat House)
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 
• Bharathi Park
• Auroville Visiting Center
• MantriMandir
• Auroville Beach
• Arikamedu

Let's take a visual tour to some of the most visited sites at Pondicherry!!

MantriMandir, Auroville

MantriMandir at Auroville

One of the most visited places in Auroville is Mantrimandir is a big golden color dome surrounded by manicured gardens. This dome is considered to be a symbol of the Divine's answer to man's aspiration for perfection". Basically, it is a place which people come to find one's consciousness and calm their minds. Visitors are allowed to view the Mantrimandir from outside from the viewing point however entry inside the dome will require pre-bookings maybe months before.

Auroville Visitor Centre 

Auroville

Auroville is an experimental town situated mostly in Tamil Nadu and some parts in Pondicherry. You need an entire day to plan for Aurovilli as it has a wide variety of places to visit. Starting with the Auroville visiting centre which gives a complete tour of what Auroville has to offer in a miniature prototype, you need to collect an entry pass that gives you access to visit all the places inside the visitor's centre. 

Auroville City Center

There are various shops, restaurants, shopping stores, and boutiques at Auroville City Center to keep you occupied for the entire day.

Rock Beach

Rock Beach, Pondicherry

Rock beach is one of my favorite places in Pondicherry. The specialty of this beach is the majestic big black rocks outlining the vast ocean in front of you. The Sunrise viewpoint at Rock Beach can take your breath away if you manage to reach the beach early morning. The cold breeze and sound of splashing water upon the rocks are divine.

You can sit on these rocks and enjoy the waves splashing upon you while creating some great memories for a lifetime.

Hotels & Restaurants along Rock Beach Pavements

Hotels and shopping stops at Rock Beach

There are a wide variety of hotels, restaurants, French cafes and shopping stops running along the beach walkway which are epic examples of French colonial architecture.

Paradise Beach

Paradise Beach

As the same suggests, Paradise beach is famous for its crystal clear blue backwater and sparkling sands. This beach has its own ambiance with simple wooden sitting areas and shades made from dried palm leaves and stems. This beach also has a wide variety of water sports and restaurants to keep you occupied all day. The views at this beach truly take you away from reality to a heavenly place surrounded by the calm breeze, sparkling waves, and golden sand all around you. There is a Chunnambar boathouse where you can take a boat to reach the beaches and do other boating activities as well.

White Town (French Colony)

French Colony in Pondicherry

There is an entire lane popularly known as French Colony situated just beside Rock Beach which you can easily identify the moment you will step into that lane. We will talk more about this lane in some time.

The beautiful mustard yellow and white-colored institutions, restaurants, cafes, and villas are a hint that you have reached the French colony. Most of them will have french names with a french colonial ambiance. They are not only soothing to the eyes but bellies too. You can hop to any cafe or restaurant to grab a bite and experience some french cuisine.

I would definitely recommend trying some !!

Landmark: 10 minutes of walking distance from Sunrise viewpoint Rock beach.

WallArt at White Town Pondicherry

With mind dazzling colorful buildings, shops, and vehicles all around you will be mesmerized by the beauty of French culture and architecture.

Promenade Beach

Promenade Beach

Also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach, it is one of the most visited beaches in Pondicherry. It's a long stretch of about 1.5 km along the Bay of Bengal with many iconic landmarks like the famous Mahatma Gandhi state, the old and new lighthouse, with War memorial and  Joan of Arc, Dupleix’s statue marking the starting and ending of this coastal stretch.

You will also find benches and wide pavement for morning and evening walks running along the ocean which attracts thousands of tourists every year.

The Promenade beach walkway is a favorite spot for locals for morning and evening walks along the beachline. There are streetlights and benches along the pavement for visitors to sit and enjoy sunrise and sunset followed by sea-facing restaurants.

Serenity Beach

Serenity Beach

Around 5 km from Rock beach lies another beautiful beach named Serenity beach. The golden-white sand and lush green tall palm trees make this place a must-visit for tourists who love to spend some quality time on a serene, less crowded beach and enjoy the vast views of the Bay of Bengal with colorful boats anchored at its shores.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Aurobindo Ashram is a meditation and spiritual center where people come from different places to gain divine calm and peace from their busy life. There are guest houses also available inside the ashram in case you want to stay there. But it's not mandatory for you to stay at the ashram's guest house in order to visit the ashram's premises and exhibition halls. There is no entry fee charged to the visitors however entry pass is required in order to enter some parts of the ashram. The Bureau Central can help by providing information and the pass you might need.Visiting hours : 8 am - 12pm and 2 pm - 4pm.

Auroville Beach

Auroville Beach

Around 12 km from Pondicherry, Auroville beach(Auro Beach) is one of the main attractions of Auroville town with clear water and smooth white sand. The sunrise and sunsets are beautiful offering scenic views. Cool beach waves touching your feet and immense ocean at the horizon touching the sky makes the visitors feel at ease and relaxed after a long tiring day.

Arikamedu

Archeological Site at Arikamedu

It is an archeological site and the only city with a record of Romans in India. Just 4 km away from Pondicherry, this place used to be was a Greek trading post that traded with Rome. Various archeological excavations found all brick building structures,  Roman lamps, pottery, ceramic jars, shell, beads, etc. The best time to visit this place is between 12 pm - 4 pm.