Tamilnadu – Travel Advice
Tamilnadu Place to See
FAQ – What You Should Know More About Tamil Nadu
Travel advice
- Carry cotton clothes and a few warm clothes when travelling to hill stations.
- There may be robbers, pick pockets in crowded areas, so keep your belongings safe.
- You must never ever smoke in public places, especially, in Chennai, as it has strict laws about smoking in public areas.
- Do not ask for liquor in restaurants or buy them from shops. Only a few marked shops are allowed to sell them.
- Do not ever utter a word against the actor Rajinikanth or any of the actors in the film industry, as it can land you in trouble.
- Learn a few Tamil words, as people in this state love their mother tongue and will help you better if you start speaking in their language to get around.
- Do not use auto rickshaws if you do not know Tamil, as they have a bad reputation of looting tourists by charging whopping prices. Always use the public transportation as it is safer and cheap.
- Do not litter on beaches as Chennai and many other places keep the beaches clean.
- Never wear revealing clothes anywhere in Tamil Nadu, as it is mostly a traditional state, and you will most certainly get petrified with glares if you wear them.
- Dress as traditionally as possible when you go to temples as people in this state adhere to religious customs and norms.
- Do not discuss or speak inside the temples. Keep your curiosity outside the walls of the temples.
- There is hardly any scope of nightlife in Tamil Nadu, as there are a few pubs and bars in Chennai.
- You can stay at hotels and resorts near beaches.
Drinking Law
Tamil Nadu has been a dry state for a very long time. You might not get drinks easily from a liquor shop. Most of the restaurants too do not serve liquor. You must never get drunk in public areas, as this is considered to be a serious offence in Tamil Nadu.
Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?
Hill Stations
Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Yelagiri Hills, Kolli Hills, Coonoor, Valparai, Red Hills, and Kotagiri are the most popular hill stations in Tamil Nadu. You can visit them for their landscape beauty, cooler climate, lush green vegetation, tea gardens, rivers, streams, lakes, taking walking trails in the dense forest areas, boating and horse rides, waterfalls, mountain peaks, and view points in the Nilgiri’s mountain range. You can find trekking and boating activities, and places to see at most of these hill stations. These are the best options for travel and holidays spent in Tamil Nadu.
Temple tours
Most of the places in Tamil Nadu are visited for the architecture delights, and experiencing the divine energies in temples. You can take the temple tours at Meenakshi temple in Madhurai, Kanyakumari temples in Kanyakumari, Ramashweram temple, Navagraha temple, and many more temples that have splendid architecture and vibrant aura of scared deities spread across these sites.
Wild life and nature
You can visit the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhumalai, and spot flying squirrels, hyenas, wild boars, crocodiles, otters, elephants, deers, and many other exotic wild species of animals. You can also visit Topslip, which is a Tiger Reserve forest 76 kilometers from Coimbatore. 53 kilometers from Mahabalipiuram is a Vedanthangal bird Sanctuary which is 200 years old. At the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary near Thanjavur you will find many migratory birds like, flamingos and water fowls. Also seen are turtles, dolphins, and many other wild life species, like chintal, black bucks, plovers, and terns. Treks and walking trails are the best things to do here.
Historical monuments, caves, and museums
The Droog Fort, 15 kilometers away from Coonoor is one of the trekking sites for travelers. You can reach this fort only through a trek. Saraswathi Mahal Library in Tanjore is known to be one of the oldest libraries that have palm leaf manuscripts collection in them. The Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari can be visited for its intricate rose wood carvings, murals, musical bow, carvings with more than 90 different designs on each ceiling, including carvings in Chinese language. The Manora Fort is placed 65 kilometers away from Thanjavur. It has a hexagonal structure in white color, looks serene overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
You can also visit museums in Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Madurai, and Thanjavur and take a look at artifacts by Chola and Pallava kings, art galleries, and rare collections from various eras. Caves in Tamil Nadu exist from 2nd century BC. Most of the caves are located in and around Madhurai and can be reached by air, road, or rail.
What you will like there?
Sightseeing and wild life
You will love the hill stations and landscape view in the Nilgiris range. You will also love the nature walks and wild life sanctuaries trip. You can experience variable weather in Chennai and hill stations. To escape from the heat of the city, hill stations are your best rescue. You will not find a lot of water sports activities in Tamil Nadu.
Temples and pilgrimage
Tamil Nadu has a rich culture and ethnicity. People visit temples in Tamil Nadu to pay their holy patronage to the deities. The temples have splendid and intricate architecture and are scared to followers of Hinduism.
Shopping and food
The food of Tamil Nadu is spicy and exotic. You get to taste the best of South Indian cuisine in most of the places in Tamil Nadu. You can shop for embroidered saris, silk clothes, artifacts, souvenirs, and handicrafts.
Recommended reads for destination
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Books
History and Culture of Tamil Nadu by Chithra Madhavan