A cultural abode of India

Best time to visit the place

As Tamil Nadu is located in the Southern part of India, the weather can get quite hot during the summers. Monsoons can get humid. Winters are therefore the best time of the year to visit the various tourist spots, the state offers to you on a platter. Let us have a glimpse into the weather chart to figure things out ourselves.

Tamil Nadu in Summer- March-May; Temperature belt: 35 degree Celsius to 40 degree Celsius

The summer starts in the month of March and can extend until May. You have quite a lot of places in TN that touch upon the coastal hub indeed. Therefore, most parts of the state receive a climate wherein the weather is hot as well as humid. Hence, the weather is not an appropriate time of the year to visit the state, as such.

However, tourists just flock to Tamil Nadu to glimpse religious festivals that line up the order. You have the Chithirai festival that is held at the Madurai temple during March- April. You have the Puthandu that falls in April mid. This is named Tamil New Year’s Day. People flock to this place in huge numbers to see the festivities at numerous temples and pilgrim spots dotting the place as such. To escape from the scorching heat, tourists can visit hill stations like Ooty or Kodaikanal. The temperature barely touches 30 degrees Celsius even during the peak of summers.

Tamil Nadu in Monsoon- June- September; Temperature belt: 25-30 degree Celsius

The southern state receives monsoon twice in the year. Most areas receive rainfall during the typical monsoon season. The months are between June and September. Plus, one gets to witness rains during the retreating monsoon season. The months are October, November, and December. You have torrential downpours the region receives during the monsoons and the retreating monsoon season too. The oceanic zones are typically avoided. Plus, you experience road slides en Enroute Ooty or Kodaikanal.

Tamil Nadu during the winter season- October mid until February; Temperature belt: 10-15 degree Celsius

Post the retreating monsoons, you experience pleasant and moderate weather and the season typically marks the winter at TN. As the temperature remains pleasant at 10/15 degrees Celsius, tourists can visit the hub-spots, the State has to offer at full length. Beach lovers can hit upon beaches. Adventure seekers get hands-on to sun-bathing, swimming, and water sports as beaches remain calm and temperature at this point of time.

Hence looking at the weather chart, one can deduce that the winter months spanning October and February is the best time of the year to plan a visit to the state of Tamil Nadu.

Best places to visit

As said earlier, you have some of the exquisite tourist spots vacationers can drool over. Taking you into each of them via a glimpse:

Rameshwaram

Rameshwaram is one of the holiest places across the whole of India. The town is located on a pretty island. It is the Pamban channel that separates India from Sri Lanka. According to Indian mythology, this is the spot where Rama is believed to have constructed a bridge to arrive at Sri Lanka. You have the Ramanathaswamy temple located right here. It is one of the longest corridors built across the world. Plus, you have Agnitheertham, which is the confluence of five rivers. Devotees take dips across the holy waters. Then, you have the five-faced Hanuman temple wherein floating stone has been used.

Yercaud

This is a hill-station that is nestled across the Shivaroy Hills of Tamil Nadu. Yercaud is located on the Eastern Ghats. The place is known for its astounding greenery and a temperate climate all around the year. You have the hill-town located at an altitude of 4970 meters above the sea-level. You also find a conglomerate of seven hills that add to a visual treat. You have coffee estates wherever you glimpse into.

Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is a beautiful hill station that is in the state of Tamil Nadu. You call the place a honeymooner’s paradise indeed’. Located at a high altitude of 7200 meters above sea level, the temperature is cool and pleasant all through the year. Situated on the Palani hills, you find rolling and misty clouds high above you. You can take a stroll through forests or take dips at nearby streams surrounding the place. Coaker’s walk is 6-km trek adventure seekers can take a jog into. The walk helps you rejuvenate your senses and you can view the natural scenic beauty at its best. You can choose homestays or villa apartments surrounded by tall oak trees. This way, you get a real-time feel of staying in the woods. This is a must-see haven for those of you who would want a quick escape from the rigors of daily life.

Ooty

Ooty is a beautiful hill station that is nestled amid the mighty Nilgiris Hills. You find virgin mountains that look tall and beautiful with a bluish tinge attached to the same. Also titled the ‘Queen of Hills’, the place is known for its picturesque beauty. You have the place dotted with tea gardens, magnificent waterfalls, winding lanes, and an enigmatic countryside bloom that make the destination a great one. You find homestays that depict colonial architecture. The hill station is popular among tourists, adventure seekers, and honeymooners too. As Ooty is surrounded by the panoramic Nilgiri mountain ranges, a toy train trip on the narrow-gauge track can help you reminisce the beauty of it. You have lush greenery and mountain slopes all around.

Chennai

Chennai is the capital city of Tamil Nadu. In fact, it is one of the four bustling metro cities next to Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. Located across the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, the place enjoys rich and a cultural tradition at its best. You also find pubs, discotheques, and plush malls that add to the cosmopolitan touch among the elite youngster crowds. You have museums and monuments that are built using British architecture. Previously known as Madras, the city is a bustling one with beaches too. Marina beach is one of the biggest in Asia, situated on our very own Chennai. You find towering skyscrapers on one end while you find rickety lanes at the other, thereby depicting the old-world charm.

Pondicherry and Auroville

Pondicherry is regarded as one of the Seven Union Territories of Modern India. You find the entire place dotted with buildings of French architecture. You find the Aurobindo Ashram where Aurobindo and his disciple lived in. Named Mirra Alfassa, the disciple is fondly known as the ‘Mother’ of the Aurobindo Society. She had constructed the Auroville Ashram just 15 km from Pondicherry. You find rickety lanes and small-town shops giving you the perfectly poised old-world charm.

Mahabalipuram

You find exquisitely carved temples and rock-cut caves giving you a beautiful glimpse into the architectural extravaganza. You also find sandy beaches dotted with Casuarina trees. The Shore temple and Group of monuments clustered as ‘Five Rathas’ are UNESCO world-heritage sites indeed. You have the Kovalam beach and the Crocodile Bank. You find exclusive varieties of crocodiles and alligators at the Bank.

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is a beautiful coastal town situated in the jewel state of Tamil Nadu. You find a confluence of three main seas bordering the Indian sub-continent. These are the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. One can view the Vivekananda Rock from across the oceans. The sunrises and sunsets can be breathtakingly beautiful in the sea-spot area. Plus, you have picturesque views via scenic hills and plateaus lined with coconut trees and having paddy fields in the background. Kanyakumari Temple, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thiruvalluvar Statue, and Vattakottai Fort are some of the iconic tourist spots surrounding the beautiful Kanyakumari.

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram is known for its saris. In fact, Kancheevaram saris are world-famous. Even foreigners take the saris back home as wonderful souvenirs. The traditionally woven silk saris are done by artisans by weaving silk yarn to make these grand saris. You can wear them for wedding receptions, party wear and during marriage ceremonies. The silk saris add an element of charm and grace to your existing personality.

The holy city is also famous for its numerous temple spots indeed. You have the Kanchi Kamakshi temple, Kailasanathar temple, and the Ekambareshwar temple that deserve their mention indeed.

Trichy, Tanjore, Madurai, and Coimbatore

Trichy, Tanjore, Madurai, and Coimbatore are the iconic cities that exude culture, tradition and have cosmopolitan elements too tucked in. Ranganatharswamy temple in Trichy is a world-famous temple that exudes architectural splendor indeed. Madurai is famous for its eat-outs and temple spots. Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple is an iconic spot where pilgrims and devotees across the world throng. Coimbatore is also known as the ‘Manchester of India’. The city is known for its textile mills where the cotton yarn is weaved into apparel. Tirupur has t-shirt factories where t-shirts are exported on a worldwide scale. Tirupur is a cotton destination hub in closer proximity to Coimbatore. The Marudhamalai temple is a temple dedicated to the worship of Lord Muruga. It deserves its importance as a tourist hub. Tanjore is known for its paintings. Tanjore paintings are world-class souvenirs. Plus, the city is known for its intricately designed temples that exude the rich cultural tradition of South India in an impeccable manner.

These are some of the top-notch places in Tamil Nadu worth paying a visit to.

Best food and shopping

You can have some of the authentic delicacies that are prepared in South India, especially from the state of Tamil Nadu. Rice, ghee, vegetables, and spices are the staple ingredients that are used to prepare authentic South Indian platter. Rice Pongal, Idly, Vada, sweet Pongal, jaggery payasam, rice kheer, avail, moor kuzhambu, sambhar, and Rasam are authentic dishes that are prepared in most of the households in Tamil Nadu. Seafood is famous in coastal areas like Tuticorin, Chennai, etc. 

You can shop for apparel, ear studs, and wooden artifacts aplenty out here. You have posh malls that sell international brands. These malls are present in Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, and other B-town cities. At Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry, wooden artifacts and terracotta pots are sold at the roadside and retail outlets.

Best things to do

You can view breathtaking sunrises and sunsets at the enigmatic seashores of Kanyakumari. Colored sands can be taken as souvenirs back home. Tourists can shop at Kanchipuram for authentic saris at a pocket-friendly wallet. Take a toy train ride at Nilgiris and have a view of the magnanimous mountain ranges out there. Go for a boating ride at Kodaikanal Lake. You have loads of vacationing activities while you are here in Tamil Nadu.

The state of Tamil Nadu is home to the finest and marvelous architecture, historic temples, and various meditation and yoga retreats. If you are looking for a tourist destination that has it all, the state of Tamil Nadu is a must-visit.