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Love at first sight: My visit to Pondicherry


Pondicherry or Puducherry is one of the most beautiful and mesmerising places of South India. The place offers you a lot more than you can imagine- beautiful French architecture, stunning views to die for, ample of places to fill in your tummy and gazillion of places to satisfy that shopaholic in you.I drove to this Union Territory from Chennai. Taking the East Coast Road (ECR), I reached Pondicherry in almost three hours.




As you make your way into Pondy, you quickly realize why this place is also called ‘The French Riviera of the East’. Pondy’s architecture is weaved around the reminiscence of the French colonial rule and culture.


Unlike most tourists who book their stays in White Town or Auroville, I chose to stay in Hotel RKN International, a refined 3 star hotel in Annasalai. On reaching Pondi, I rented a Wespa, which cost Rs. 350 a day, and allowed me to ride to White Town in under 10 minutes, and popular beaches in half an hour. 

My stay here was short, so I skipped my visit to the famous Auroville City. I have reserved it for a later trip, since Auroville requires and deserves a longer trip and a wider time span.  My major aim was to explore Pondy, see its famous spots and bite into some French Food! I visited some popular tourist spots like, the Beach Road (Promenade), the Gandhi Statue (On the Beach Road), Shri Aurobindo Ashram and some popular beaches out there!



However, the highlight of my trip to this wonderland on the East Coast was my visit to Paradise and Serenity Beach,they are located 8 and 4 Kms from Pondy.When you reach the island, you actually realize why it is called Paradise – Blue waters and Golden sand. I never thought an Indian beach had blue waters. I felt that pollution had killed our seas and grey was the only colour that our waters showed. But the view at the beaches were refreshing. 



To sum it up, Pondicherry is a fantastic experience. You can explore the beaches, the churches, the food and the Auroville City (which I will do on my next visit). According to me, Pondicherry is a cleaner and nicer version of Goa, both, in terms of the beaches and the town overall. 


Below, I have given some details about Pondicherry which can be handy for planning your travel to this place.

1.     How to reach Pondicherry:

The closest city to Pondicherry is Chennai, which is around 150 kms away. You can drive your way or take a bus from Chennai to Pondy. There are lots of regular buses and Deluxe Coaches that run on this route. There are also cab services from Bangalore and Trichy to Pondicherry.

2.     What to See & What to Do in Pondicherry:

You can visit some famous churches in this town. Stroll on the Beach Road, visit the Botanical Garden, Gandhi Statue, Nehru Statue, Raj Niwas and the Pondiherry Museum. Also pay a visit to Shri Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville City. And and and, do not miss, Paradise Beach. This is a must visit, I swear! If you are a photographer, Paradise will be a delight for you. There are lots of great shots to capture.



3.     When in Pondicherry, Beware of:

The Sun! The Sun beats down heavily. Before going to the beach, do NOT forgot to put on some sun block if you do not wish to come back to the hotel, stand in front of the mirror and get a shock of your life!


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