The popular Indian French colony can be explored and enjoyed fully by 6 things. These things almost covers and defines the whole Pondicherry to the fullest.
1.Beaches
Promenade or Rock Beach is a famous and beautiful beach in Pondy in its own way. The rock boulder, paved walkway, location in white town, sea facing cafes are popular for Promenade. It welcomes people right before sunrise till wee hours. 24 hours café is an useful amenity here. But it is the ultimate feeling of beach is rather missing as getting legs soaked, let alone getting drenched, itself is impossible.
Paradise Beach is one of the cleanest beach of Pondy. This will most certainly provide what was missing in Promenade beach.
A beach with good backdrop is again a best place to spend hours without knowing so.
2.Ashram, temple & church
Sri Aurobindo Ashram is one of the prime attraction of Pondicherry, and has its own patronage.
Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple is Lord Ganesha temple, the temple and its elephant is one of the famous place in Pondi.
Pondicherry has number of churches of them Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Conception Cathedral is both famous and elegant.
3.Aurovile
Aurovile is strategically planned and experimental township aims to make a living of people from any country together.
The major attraction of Aurovile is Matrimandir - a golden doom. The township is located away from the main city, is an isolated place with forest like plantation. Residents of the township speak highly of the township and their way of life.
It also has a beach - Aurovile beach closely accessible.
4.White town
White town in Pondicherry is dearest place for film industry and photographers. The colourful buildings left by French are making the city look beautiful. Walking, admiring, and clicking pics along the white town is one of the craziest things tourist do in Pondicherry.
5.Shopping & Booze
Due to low taxes, things like handicrafts, leather goods (HIDESIGN brand based in Pondicherry) and textiles are fairly cheap. Nehru Road and Mission Road are shopping destinations of Pondi.
Pondicherry is synonymous to Booze, atleast for adjacent state for the same reason as shopping. It serves as a Goa for Tamil Nadu. It is not very uncommon for people to go there, get high and return with hangover & of course with smuggled cases.
6.Hotels & restaurants
After a tiring months after months of worklife and looking for a idle far away resting destination with nothing but a utter rest to bring mojo back for the mundane life. Then Pondicherry would be the ideal spot. The hotels and restaurants here would revitalize, would let people to experience a cozy, grand western style holiday to every bit.
Hotels
Pondi has got varieties Hotels from separate apartments, to antique french/south Indian houses, to sea view resort, to boat house, the options are unlimited to explore. Airbnb has so much to offer, be patient to choose a right one among world of option.
Restaurants
From tasty South Indian cuisines to North Indian Thalis to French, Italian, Chinese, Continental foods to root tops to candle light dining spaces to sea overlooking cafes with the exquisite, picturesque, recluse restaurants to choose.
Some famous and must try restaurants:
Surguru, A2B, Atithi, Appachi Chettinad, Satsanga, Villa Shanti, Kasha Ki Aasha, #Dilliwaala6, Bay of Buddha, Lighthouse Rooftop Grill, Café Xtasi, Tanto Pizzeria, Coromandel Cafe & La Maison Rose, Le Dupleix, Crepe In Touch, Carte Blanche, La Villa Helena, Le Club, Les Alizés, Rendezvous, Le Pondy, Café des Arts, Auroville Bakery
Other attractions of Pondicherry
It serves as a reminder of those valiant soldiers who lost their lives during the World War-I from 1916 to 1919.
A place where you can hire a boat to take you to ride amid's tens and thousands of lotus and spend watching birds and hears its chirping. Ousteri lake is otherwise called as Lotus lake for reason.
Boathouse with other selective water sports in Chunnambar River backwaters is an ideal destinations for families and romantic day out.
Located in the Bharathi Park, Pondicherry Museum houses a fantastic collection of sculptures. It has the remains of the archeological findings from the Arikamedu Roman settlement. Bronze sculptures of god and goddess, a wide gathering of temple lamps, handicrafts and art are also kept here. Some specimens of Chola and Pallava art from Pondicherry and Karaikal are displayed in the sculpture gallery.
Sports activity
It has got multiple water sports activities like scuba diving, parasailing, banana boat rides, surfing, etc, to offer the tourists.
Nearby places
67 kms away from Pondi has a fort which was called as Troy of the East by British. The fort was originally built by Chola, was ranked as "most impregnable fortress in India" by Maratha King Shivaji, is one of few surviving forts of Tamil Nadu.
96 kms away from Pondi is a sculptural wonder and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site has 400 ancient monuments and Hindu temples built during Pallava dynasty. It also has a beach in its store, the waves are ferocious but heck of a place to witness full moon day.
77 kms away from Pondi is the second largest Mangrove forest in the world. It is a home for many rare species of plants, shells and finfishes. It also attracts varieties of migrant and local birds.
