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Top Chennai Hotels
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Hotels(466)|Ratings(335)|Reviews(335) Last rated May 16th 2012
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#1 |
Rs. 1000
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#2 |
Rs. 6500
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#3 |
Rs. 10200
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#4 |
Rs. 1200
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#5 |
Rs. 5500
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#6 |
Rs. 7000
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#7 |
Rs. 11500
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#8 |
Rs. 14000
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#9 |
Rs. 2800
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#10 |
Rs. 5700
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Chennai is the capital city of Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is popularly known as ‘the gateway to the South’ as it is the seat of culture and learning in South India. Hailed as the automobile capital of India, Chennai is the third largest commercial and industrial hub of India.
As per folk lore, the name ‘Chennaipattinam’ arrived from the Chenna Kesava Perumal temple. It is also believed that the region was named after Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu, who was the Nayaka of Kalahasthi and Vandavasi. Several tools related to the Stone Age recovered from Pallavaram of Chennai, by the Archaeological Survey of India, points to the fact that Chennai region held a megalithic cultural establishment.
The recorded history of Chennai can be dated back to 1st century AD, when it was regarded as an important military and economic hub. Later Chennai was ruled by many South Indian dynasties like the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas and Vijayanagara. The Portuguese arrived at Chennai during 1522 and they were followed by the Dutch in 1612.
The British East India Company came to Chennai in 1639. It was the adjacent village of Madraspattinam that was chosen as the place to settle in by the British. The town of George Town, with the fort of St. George became their stronghold in the South. George Town was granted its first municipal charter in 1688, which makes it the oldest municipal corporation in India.
In the 17th century, Madraspattinam and Chennaipattinam were merged by the British and it was renamed as Madraspattinam. By the end of 18th century, most of Tamil Nadu came under their control. Under British rule Chennai was transformed to become a major urban centre and naval base in South India. It was in 1996 that ‘Madras’ or ‘Madraspattinam’ was renamed as ‘Chennai’ by the Tamil Nadu State Government.
Chennai, today, is one of the major tourist destinations in South India. Chennai is famous for its temples and churches which are considered as fine examples of architecture and craftsmanship. Parthasarathy Temple, Kaapaleshwar temple, Ashtalakshmi temple, Santhome Cathedral Basilica, Velankanni Church, etc. are some of the famous religious attractions in Chennai.
The highlight of Chennai tourism is its beaches. Chennai is home to one of the longest urban beaches in the world, Marina Beach, which is 12 km long. The months from November to March are the best time to visit Chennai, when the weather is pleasant.
The city also enjoys a vibrant culture, which is an amalgamation of the old and new. Of the many festivals celebrated, Tamil New Year is one of the biggest. It is celebrated by locals with great pomp and fervour. Festivities, feasting and giving gifts mark the occasion. The festival is also known as Puthandu in many parts of Tamil Nadu. Tamil New Year is considered an auspicious time by Tamilians to start something new.
The vicinity of Chennai to Mamallapuram, Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Chidambaram, Tiruvallur, Tirupati, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Swamithoppe, Kanchipuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvannamalai and Tiruchirapalli makes it a hotspot among tourists.
Anna International Airport lies 7 km south of Chennai. The airport is connected by several international airlines including Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Lanka and Malaysia Airlines. Pre-paid taxis and airport coaches are available at the airport.
Chennai has three major railway stations - the Chennai Central is the biggest, Egmore station and Tambaram station. For quick access across the city, the recently introduced north-south MRTS (Mass Rapid Transport System) can be boarded. Chennai Central and Egmore are the main railway stations that link north and west India, respectively with south India.
At Chennai, most government bus services for Tamil Nadu which is TSTC and other private buses ply to all the cities in the state. The interstate bus service now operates from the newly opened Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Koyembedu and is believed to be the largest bus station in Asia. Private bus services along with deluxe Volvo bus services are available from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin and Coimbatore.
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Peacock Trail - A Story Trail to Mylapore...
Sharmans Cab Co,Chennai Review date: 14th February 2012
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Overview of the destination
Mylapore is a major commercial center, and one of the oldest residential parts of the city. It is well-connected by roads and Metro railway network, M..
Food, sight-seeing and shopping
The Kapaleeshwarar temple
AdiKesava Perumal Temple
Sri Vedantha Desikar Devasthanam also called Sri Srinivasar Koil
NavaShakti Vinayaka temple, nea..
Activities & things to do
Attend a story Trail, breakfast at the oldest local cafe, walk around the neighbourhood...
Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc
Take a Cab or a auto rickshaw... bus is boring and doubly tiring...
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Trip to Rameshvaram.
rajnish,Delhi Review date: 1st December 2011
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This time i have planned to visit Madras ,Rameshvaram,Madurai Kanyakumari then back Delhi with my old mother.Travel is by air with stay in two to thre..
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South!
janhavi,Aligarh Review date: 19th November 2011
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Capital of Tamil Nadu is a very busy and dirty place. people are very inhospitable though the hotel we stayed was very good. Getting good north Indian..
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The city of Chennai, known for its heritage and modernity, is a popular tourist destination of South India. Being a coastal city, the beaches are the main tourist attractions of Chennai, among which Marina Beach, Elliot’s Beach and Covelong Beach are the most frequented ones.
Chennai is also famous for its Pre-Independence structures like Fort St. George, St. Mary's Church and Madras High Court. Theosophical Society, Senate House and Freemasons Hall are other sightseeing options.
Santhome Cathedral, the origin of which can be dated back to 52 AD - 72 AD, is a popular landmark of Chennai. Velankanni Church, Thousand Lights Mosque, St. Thomas Mount, Ashta Lakshmi Temple and National Art Gallery are the other famous landmarks of Chennai.
Adeeswar Temple, Kapaleeshwar Temple and Parthasarthy Temple are some of the ancient temples in Chennai which can be dated back to the 1st century BC to 11th century AD.
The beaches and the backwaters of Muttukadu are the favourite places of water sports enthusiasts in the city of Chennai. Beach activities like wind surfing, beach volley ball, kite flying and sun bathing are very popular among tourists visiting Chennai.
Guindy National Park and Arignar Anna Zoological Park are ideal options for environmentalists for its preservation of flora and fauna, typical of North Eastern Tamil Nadu. Guindy Snake Park, Valluvar Kottam, MGR Memorial, Kamaraj Memorial House and Government Museum are the other famous attractions of Chennai.
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