Suggestions (Tamil Nadu) > the flying duo

We have already covered in detail regarding how to reach Tamil Nadu. Which is the best time, all the places that you can visit there, the food and culture and an approximate budget for different itineraries, all information is provided in our various posts. Here, we have tried to give you some suggestions regarding the above that is sure to help you while planning your trip or even during your trip to Tamil Nadu. These suggestions are based on our real experiences and hence, carry some practical value to them.

Weather

We have already informed you about the weather and the best time to visit Tamil Nadu in this post.

However, if you do not mind rains and would like to explore the lush landscapes in Tamil Nadu, the monsoon season is also fair. Bear in mind though that there can be frequent thunderstorms and downpours. In any case, please avoid the summers. The heat is intolerable and you would not be able to explore anything whether it be temples or beaches. Hill stations like Ooty or Kodaikanal may offer respite during the summers, so, these may be visited. In fact, we went to Ooty during April and the weather was slightly chilly. But Kannyakumari in April was a torture. We could not enjoy even a bit there.

We visited Tamil Nadu in the beginning of March. The heat was already high with temperatures in the range of 30-35 °C but most of the time it was tolerable. Evenings were pleasant as the temperature fell to 20-25 °C. Still, visiting open areas in the day heat was not possible. Just imagine how it will be during the summers.

How to Reach

It is better to start your trip from Chennai if you are on a multi city trip. It allows you the choice of taking a flight (if you have less time) and also a train (if you have more time). If you are coming from Kerala, Bengaluru or Andhra Pradesh you can take a bus to the nearest city in Tamil Nadu that is in your itinerary.

If it is a single city trip like to Ooty or Coorg or Kodaikanal, then travel to the nearest possible city directly. For this you may check the nearest airport or railway station that has connectivity from your city. Check out this post for more details on ways to reach Tamil Nadu.

Accommodation

As we always say, if you are taking a cab to move from one place to another, choose anywhere you would like to stay. Sometimes accommodation can be very costly compared to the facilities being given. For example, in Rameshwaram, even petty sized rooms in an average lodge or hotel is priced above ₹3,000 if it is near to the temple. In that case, it is better to stay on the outskirts and save on the trip. However, if you are travelling by public transport or taking trains to move from one city to another, either stay near the station or near the main point of your interest. It becomes much more convenient and worth the price paid. Here we have listed our accommodations and our experience with them.

Chennai

As we have mentioned in this post, our accommodation in Chennai was based on our onward journey and hence we stayed near the airport. Our stay was Just Guest House, around 1 km from Chennai Airport. We landed at around 10 PM at Chennai. From arrival exit to the Airport campus exit is quite a distance to walk. The taxi were quoting exorbitant price compared to the distance our hotel was located at. Ola and Uber were also quoting similar. Plus the taxi pick up point is quite far from the exit almost outside the campus. So, we decided to hire an auto from outside the airport campus to our stay. The auto person charged us ₹150 and dropped us to the accommodation.

The stay is easy to locate right on the main street. The rooms were small but had enough space to keep luggage and just move about. Every amenity was there like AC, geyser, tables, chair and even ceiling fans. Linens and blankets were clean. It is a good enough stay for transit purposes. You may skip it you have to explore Chennai.

Puducherry

We stayed at The Pleasant Inn in Rangapallai street near the market street in Puducherry. It is a basic stay with decent but big sized rooms. There is no inhouse restaurant but very good vegetarian food options available nearby. All the facilities were available in the hotel including parking. We quite liked this stay for the price it came in. Most of the tourist spots were nearby at walkable distance. Beach was less than a km walk. We recommend this stay for a budget option.

Thanjavur

We were looking for a good budget stay near the temple but could not find any. So we booked Hotel Victoriyah. It is far from the temple and except for an adjacent tiffin centre, there are hardly any good restaurants nearby. The hotel room was spacious and well maintained with all basic amenities. There is a parking for 2 vehicles inside the campus. Rest may be parked by the main road just outside the hotel. It was okay for the budget but we recommend staying near the temple or some market area for ease of food options.

Rameshwaram

This was our most expensive stay of the trip. Rudra Villa is a homestay near the North gate of the temple. It actually falls midway between West and East gate. The road leading to the homestay is narrow and suitable for small vehicles only. There is a paid parking nearby if you have a taxi. The homestay was good with basic facilities available. The room and bathroom were quite small compared to the cost. It is a well maintained stay and recommended for the nearness to the temple yet in a peaceful area. All the hotels or guest houses in the area are priced similarly so we thought it was a good compared to the nearby hotels with even smaller rooms.

Madurai

The temple area is very congested and in a market area. It is better to stay away from this area if you want a peaceful stay provided you have your own taxi. As previously mentioned, stays near the temple are expensive, so we stayed 3km away in Nithya Grand. It is a guest house cum hotel newly renovated so the rooms were well maintained. Enough space was available in the rooms and the bathroom had all the facilities. This was a good stay and we recommend it for staying in Madurai. There is no in-house restaurant but there is a tiffin centre nearby and you can ask the service boy to get you food.

Coimbatore

We stayed at Isha Yoga Foundation cottages. There are variety of cottages from premium to dormitories. The rooms were very large with only basic amenities. If you are planning to explore the centre or spend a night in Coimbatore, do book a stay with them. It makes life easier exploring the centre and participating in various activities. 2 meals are provided in the booking and there are water dispensers outside rooms. You may explore more in this post. The booking link is also provided there.

Ooty

We had booked Hotel Wellbeck Residency way back in 2016. It was an awesome stay. The interiors of the hotel and the rooms were beautiful. Every amenity was top class. We spent more time clicking pictures inside. There are many restaurants and cafetaria nearby. It is a little pricier now but still recommended.

Transportation

This is a very subjective topic and the choices will depend on various factors like cities to be covered, places of interest, group size, budget and stay preferences. As per our suggestion for Tamil Nadu, taxi is the best option to cover multiple cities and places. It offers convenience, ease and flexibility. We booked Cabbazar for our recent Tamil Nadu trip. The taxi was clean and well maintained. The chauffer was very professional. We enjoyed our road trip very much. The price terms is fixed beforehand and there is no hidden costs afterwards. We like their services and have booked twice with them.

Places of Interest

There is a lot to do and see in Tamil Nadu. Check out some of the suggested tourist spots here. Understand that you may not be able to cover everything in a single trip. Try to decide on what places you may visit in the duration that you have decided for your trip. In our suggestions keep it a mix of religious, historical and natural destinations to keep your Tamil Nadu trip exciting and doable.

Temples

Wear modest shoulder and knee covering clothes while visiting temple with active pilgrimage.
Avoid taking electronics and valuable items to temples. There are no lockers anywhere except at Meenakshi Amman temple.
Footwears can be kept at shoe stands available at all temples.
Stick to timings of temple opening or you will waste time.
Book online special darshan tickets. We have provided online ticket booking links in the respective posts. More on benefits here.

Historical

Check timings of UNESCO sites before planning
Taking guide is not mandatory but advised if you want to explore in detail.
no restriction of clothes on UNESCO heritage sites.

Others

Dress up as per weather.
Hill stations may be visited any time but avoid rest in summers.

Itinerary & Budget

no need to spend a lot on stay and food.
A basic 10 day itinerary can cover most of the places
The budget will be under ₹35,000 for a 10 day trip.
Hiring a taxi is better option to cover maximum places.
Cities are not very far from each other but not that close also. Be realistic while planning travel.

Food

Tamil Nadu is a foodie’s destination. No matter if you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian you will be happy here. In our humble suggestions please try the local cuisine of Tamil Nadu. You will not be disappointed. The food landscape is as varied as the natural landscape. There are spicy, savoury and sweet delicacies all in contrast with each other. Discover what to eat in Tamil Nadu in this post.

The above suggestions are based on our experiences. If you want to know more you may contact us on this page.