Questions about Tamil Nadu and Kerala (page 1 of 4)

Hi there,

I’ve got a few questions about my upcoming 3.5-week trip to Tamil Nadu and Kerala (January 2025).

On the itinerary, we’re supposed to spend 3 or 4 days in Thanjavur (Tanjore). I thought the location would let us explore the surrounding area, but I’m realizing everything I want to see won’t fit into the schedule! I’d planned: 1 day to arrive from Pondicherry 1 day to go to Darasuram 1 day to go to Tiruchirappalli 1 day to head to Madurai with a stop in Chettinad Basically, we won’t see anything of Thanjavur itself! Should I skip one of the destinations?

In Kerala, after 3 days in Munnar, I’ve planned to spend a few days in Munroe Island since I didn’t get great feedback about Alleppey. I wanted to "wander" through the backwaters. Has anyone been there?

Finally, we’re ending the trip in Cherai. After booking, I realized the beaches seemed unusable (trash, rough sea...) and I’m pretty frustrated about not being able to swim. Unless there’s a better spot nearby?

Thanks for your input!

Hi Kate 😉

I really loved Tamil Nadu, but my trip was ages ago...

I didn’t continue to Kerala because of the monsoon (I traveled in the summer).

Plus, like you, I was craving some ocean and swimming.

But India isn’t really the place for beach vacations (Goa wasn’t too bad, but it’s the exception). So I headed to Sri Lanka instead...

Beaches in India are pretty dirty, and the ocean is rough. Indians aren’t really into sunbathing or swimming—more like a quick dip fully clothed...

For ideas on Tamil Nadu, check out Jef’s (Max68) travel journal here: https://www.myatlas.com/Max68/retour-du-tamil-nadu

Happy planning! !

Hi Kate,

I find your itinerary for Tamil Nadu a bit tight. One day here, one day there, "a stop in Chettinad"—it’s not really my style... These are almost all places that deserve at least a few days, especially the Chettinad region, but it’s up to you.

For swimming in Tamil Nadu, there are two decent-ish beaches in Mahabalipuram between Chennai and Pondicherry, including one where the waves and current were less strong. That’s the only spot I found for a swim during my 2018 trip. But still, you’ll have to lower your beach standards a bit. The beaches in Chennai are awful for swimming, and those in Pondicherry are only slightly better. It’s best to save swimming for Kerala. I’ll also point you to my Tamil Nadu travel journal—it should be linked in my profile if you want more details.

I’ve never been to Kerala, so I can’t say much about it.

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

Pagal, I’ll be spending 10 days in Tamil Nadu and 10 in Kerala. The first part of the trip is mostly for sightseeing, while the second will be more relaxed—we’ll take the time to do nothing, for example. I know, there’s so much to see and not enough time. That’s just how it is—we made the decision as a group of four, together with my travel companions. My question was about choices. During these 4 days in Thanjavur, which option from my earlier list would be best? I’ve started reading your travel journal. That beach photo and the accompanying text really make me want to go

beggars you’re not sure are still alive, piles of trash, dead rats in the middle of excrement, a huge slum, a foul stench, a putrid beach. I quickly turn back... Here’s a more "presentable" part:

I’ll keep reading this great account to get a feel for it 🙂

During these 4 days in Thanjavur, which option is best from my aforementioned list?

I didn’t realize this list was for the 4 days in Thanjavur?

What’s the 10-day itinerary for Tamil Nadu?

For a day trip, it’s best not to go beyond a 50/60-kilometer radius, given the average speed in India...

On re-reading, I realize I really didn’t express myself well 🤪

I didn’t understand that this list was for the 4 days in Tanjore?

We’ve planned 4 days in Tanjore (including the arrival and departure days) so we can travel in a star pattern without changing hotels. That’s when we’d spend a day in Tiruchirappalli, another in Darasuram, and stop in Chettinad on the day we head to Madurai. For this part, we’ll have a car with a driver—these distances seem manageable to me. The road doesn’t bother us, but I’m realizing that with this itinerary, we won’t really get to enjoy Tanjore. So, is that a mistake?

Our trip goes like this: 10 days for Tamil Nadu: Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Tanjore, Madurai + 10 days for Kerala: Munnar, Munroe Island, Cherai. Honestly, I think 20 days full across 7 stops isn’t that overwhelming! Yeah, I know it’s slow-going from our 3-week trip in Rajasthan 😉

Hi again Kate,

Thanjore (also known as Thanjavur) and Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) can both be great bases for exploring the area as you plan to do. They’re both lively cities, and I really enjoyed them—you can read more in my travel journal. That said, I preferred staying in Trichy for its more traditional vibe and the fact that there’s more to see, but it’s really a matter of taste and how you organize your trip. I didn’t go to Darasuram.

About the beaches in Chennai, not all sections are as awful as the one I described in my journal. The more central ones are nice for an evening stroll, with street food stalls and all, but definitely not for swimming. Overall, they’re still not exactly stunning...

and we’d stop in Chettinad on the way to Madurai

You mentioned Chettinad as a place where you could stop for an hour or two on the way to Madurai. But it’s actually an entire region that deserves at least a few days—if not a week or two—to explore properly! If you stick to your current itinerary, you’ll need to pick one or two spots in Chettinad to visit. The best choice depends on what you want to see there. I also refer you to my journal for a detailed account of my visit to Chettinad.

Oh yes, I know all too well how slow driving can be, thanks to our 3-week road trip in Rajasthan

Ah, so you’re the Kate who posted your travel journal on that other forum—the "transition" one (the idea was good, but let’s be honest, it didn’t quite work out)? I joined the discussion and really enjoyed reading about your discovery of India through Rajasthan. You’ll love Tamil Nadu too—it’s very different, even though you’re still very much in India.

I just got back from Rajasthan myself and was planning to publish a journal. I was hesitant about using the other forum since it’s not very user-friendly, but VoyageForum reopening has convinced me to give it a try soon if I can find the time.

Ah, you're the Kate who posted your travel journal on the other "transition" forum

I don’t change my username depending on the forum 😛😉

If you stick to your itinerary plan, you’ll need to stop in one or two places in Chettinad. The choice will depend on what you want to see there

I’m worried about temple overload... That’s what happened when I went to Sri Lanka.

I don’t change my username depending on the forum

I do 😉😛

I’m afraid of overdosing on temples... It’s what happened when I went to Sri Lanka.

Well, you just have to avoid visiting too many temples and see other things 😛 More seriously, Chettinad is a bit different from the rest of Tamil Nadu. There aren’t any cities as big as Trichy, Thanjavur, or Madurai, nor temples as monumental as in those places. There are just two medium-sized towns (Karaikudi and Pudukkottai) and villages where you can see the famous old mansions of the Chettiar merchants, quite similar to the havelis of Rajasthan, or small temples and open-air shrines dedicated to local deities scattered across the Chettinad countryside. And plenty of other things too... I’ll refer you to my travel journal for the details!

Hi there! So glad to be back on this forum. I think your itinerary in Tamil Nadu is a bit too rushed. Kanchipuram is a really interesting city. From there, you can head to Tharangambadi (Transquebar)—the beach is beautiful and clean, but watch out for the waves. Four days in Thanjavur seems like a lot, and just one day in Chettinad feels too short. I agree with Paga. Their travel journal was super interesting—I reread it this summer 😊😍! Mariejo

Hi Marie-Jo, and glad to contribute to your summer reading! Are you moving back too?

Hey there! Oh yes, I’m coming back with great pleasure, but I’m not sure I’ll have the courage or the time to repatriate the travel journals about Rajasthan. I went to Barmer and thought of you—I really loved it!😊😄

Hi there! 🙂

I think your itinerary in Tamil Nadu is too rushed.

Me too 😛 We chose this itinerary for the four of us. If it had been up to me, I would’ve just gone to Kerala. Or another version: Tamil Nadu with a short one-week extension to the Andaman Islands. We’ll be there for 23 days. Everyone makes compromises—mine will be to hang back and take photos while my friends visit temple after temple. Thanks for the tip about Tharangambadi—I’ll keep it in mind!

There was a show recently about Tamil Nadu on TV, I think on channel 3. It was really interesting and well done.

I went to Barmer and thought of you a lot—I really loved it

Of course, I’ve been following your travel journals and happily revisited the Kiradu temple! So many memories...

You can visit Darasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram on the way from Pondicherry to Tanjore. That’s what I did. These two temples are really nice and different from the other temples in the area. No weird, tacky colors...

Trichy from Tanjore—why not...

I stayed the most nights in Madurai. 3, I think, so 2 full days there. I think I also made a stop in Chettinad between Tanjore and Madurai (we rented a car for 2 days from Pondicherry to Madurai with one night in Tanjore). Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry by taxi and Madurai to Trichy by train.

I also like to explore from one base. But not in India... Their roads and driving style are exhausting.

As for temple overload, I didn’t feel that way. Watching the Indians and the colorful temples in the south is such a spectacle—they’re so kitschy that I never get tired of them.😄 That said, I never take a guide. Personally, that’s what wears me out.

For beaches, I’ll say it again—Sri Lanka. There were flights from Trichy.

Same comment I made to Kate: why do you say "à Chettinad" as if it were a city when it's a region? It’s a bit like saying "I made a quick stop in Brittany, it was nice"...

Because in my case, it was really just a stopover... To be honest, I don’t remember any of it 🤪 But I do remember the different temples. Not much memory of Pondicherry either.

So in the future, you’ll stop saying "in Chettinad" and start saying "to the Chettinad". Otherwise, I’ll stop making stops in India 😛

Of course, but that won’t bring back my memories of the place. 🤪