Coromandel Coast Drive to Puducherry
Route Covered
Overnight stops in day orderOverview
This five-day Chennai to Puducherry tour follows the East Coast Road by private car. It has one night in Chennai and one in Mahabalipuram, both in Tamil Nadu, then two nights in Puducherry, a Union Territory. It suits travellers who want temples, sea air and a French-era town, and November to February is the comfortable season.
Couples and friends who like short drives, rock-cut temples and sea air; less suited to anyone wanting a beach holiday with swimming
Highlights
Good to know
Matrimandir passes
Visitors collect Matrimandir Viewing Point passes themselves at the Auroville Visitors Centre, so they are not part of the priceMarina Beach
Bathing at the Marina is prohibited because of a strong undercurrent, so it is a beach for walkingWalking on open rock
Mahabalipuram's monuments are on open ground, so carry water and a hatDress
Dress modestly at temples and the AshramDay-by-Day Itinerary
Land in Chennai and ease into the city
- Your driver meets you at Chennai airport
- Drive about 20 km to central Chennai and check in
- Rest after the flight
- If time allows, an evening at San Thome Basilica or a walk on the Marina
Fort St George and the Government Museum, then south to Mahabalipuram
- Begin at Fort St George, built by the East India Company in 1644
- Visit the Government Museum at Egmore and its bronze gallery
- Drive about 56 km south to Mahabalipuram
- Evening at leisure near the sea
Shore Temple, Five Rathas and Arjuna's Penance, then the East Coast Road to Puducherry
- Start at the Shore Temple, then the Five Rathas, the Arjuna's Penance rock relief and the Krishna's Butterball boulder
- Drive about 95 km down the East Coast Road to Puducherry, with the road passing Kalpakkam and Marakkanam
- Evening stroll on the Promenade
Puducherry's French quarter, the Ashram and Auroville
- Walk the French quarter's yellow-painted streets
- Visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its Samadhi, and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral
- Drive to Auroville, roughly 8 to 12 km from the city
- View the Matrimandir from the Viewing Point, with the pass collected in person at the Visitors Centre
Seafront morning and the road to Chennai airport
- Early walk on the Puducherry seafront, if your flight time allows
- Check out
- Drive to Chennai airport, about 3 hours
- Drop-off at the terminal for your flight
Indicative — varies with season and hotel category.
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Trip Facts
Local Activities & Events
Updated Oct 7, 2026Puducherry — Days 3-5 of the trip
Draupadi Amman Temple firewalking festival
festivalA festival at the Draupadi Amman Temple in Murungapakkam with street theatre and a firewalking rite, after a 40-day preparation by devotees.
Usually October or November, following 40 days of preparation. No 2026 dates found.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesTamil Nadu — across your trip
Navarathri and Golu (2026)
festivalFamilies arrange tiered doll displays at home while Madurai's Meenakshi Temple is lit each evening during the nine-night goddess festival.
Kulasai Dasara
festivalDevotees dress as gods, demons and other figures at the Mutharamman temple in Kulasekarapattinam during a ten-day Dasara festival.
Raja Raja Cholan Sadhaya Vizha
culturalThanjavur honours the birth anniversary of the Chola king Raja Raja with rituals and processions at the Brihadisvara (Big) Temple.
Aippasi Annabhishekam
festivalOn the Aippasi full-moon day, the main Shiva lingam is dressed in cooked rice at Gangaikondacholapuram and at the Big Temple in Thanjavur.
WTA 250 Chennai Open
sportsA WTA 250 women's tennis tournament returns to Chennai for a third edition, with players from the world's top 100 expected.
Deepavali
festivalA state holiday on Sunday 8 November, observed with lamps, new clothes and family gatherings across Tamil Nadu.
Kanda Sashti and Soorasamharam
festivalSix days of fasting and worship at Tiruchendur's Murugan temple lead to Soorasamharam, the re-enactment of Murugan's victory over the demon Surapadman.
Events are reviewed by our team before publishing and drop off after they end. Please confirm timings and availability with us before your trip — local schedules can change without notice.
What's Included & Excluded
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