10 days in Pondicherry & Chennai Itinerary

Step off the beaten path and head to Pichavaram and Sadhana Forest. Take a break from the city and head to Auro Beach and Pitchavaram Backwater. Venture out of the city with trips to Padaleeswarar Temple (in Cuddalore) and Thillai Kali Amman Temple (in Chidambaram). Next up on the itinerary: tour the pleasant surroundings at Paradise Beach, don't miss a visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram, admire the landmark architecture of Matrimandir, and take in the spiritual surroundings of Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple.

To see where to stay, traveler tips, ratings, and tourist information, you can read our Pondicherry trip builder.

Washington DC, USA to Pondicherry is an approximately 22.5-hour flight. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time to India Standard Time is 10.5 hours. Finish your sightseeing early on the 1st (Sat) so you can drive to Chennai.

Get in touch with nature at Nature & Wildlife Tours and Marina Beach. Discover out-of-the-way places like Bay of Life Surf & SUP and Kalikambal Temple. Step out of Chennai to go to Covelong and see Covelong Beach, which is approximately 1h 15 min away. And it doesn't end there: take in the spiritual surroundings of Vadapalani Murugan Temple, wander the streets of Mylapore, kick back and relax at Kovalam Beach, and tour the pleasant surroundings at Elliot's Beach.

To find traveler tips, reviews, other places to visit, and more tourist information, go to the Chennai day trip website.

Traveling by car from Pondicherry to Chennai takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus; or do a combination of bus and train. In August, daily temperatures in Chennai can reach 95°F, while at night they dip to 77°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 4th (Tue) early enough to catch the flight back home.