Elliots Beach

About Elliots Beach

Elliots, one of the cleanest beaches in the city of Chennai, is located off the Annie Besant Nagar. Backpackers who want a clean beach that is far from the madding crowd frequent Elliots. The beach is actually an extension of the famous Marina Beach in Chennai. Take a walk down south from the Anna memorial and you will reach Elliots in five odd minutes. The place is great for spending quality time with your loved ones or for that matter, with yourself.

It is also the favorite destination of foreign tourists for enjoying sun bath. Elliot’s Beach offers very subtle activity, with only few food joints and restaurants. You can relish the mouth watering South Indian snacks and pamper your taste buds, here. Apart from this, there are some religious and historical monuments, to be explored, to add to your adventure. Ashtalakshmi Temple and Velanganni Church are some worth visiting places in the vicinity.

Elliot’s Beach is popularly known as ‘Bessie’. Elliot’s Beach is set in a tranquil and clean surrounding. Elliot’s Beach near Chennai is much tidier than the Marina Beach and has a wide choice of restaurants and fast food joints for you to enjoy while viewing the sea waves. You can see a great many car parking space few yards away from the Elliot’s Beach in Chennai.

Elliot’s Beach is situated to the south of the Marina beach where you can spend hours by relaxing and bathing in the sun. You can even make sand palaces or simply stroll about on the beach. You will easily reach Elliot’s Beach of Chennai by well maintained transport system. Nowadays, the Elliot’s Beach has become a popular hangout for the young generation. Elliot’s Beach is also a favorite haunt of foreigners where they can peacefully take their sun bath.

In comparison to the Marina beach, The Elliot beach is comparatively less crowded and cleaner. There are a lot of tiny stalls along the sands of the beach that sell stuff like Murukku, chilly pakodas and the likes The beach sands also give you a taste of a lot of mouthwatering south Indian snacks, The beach is particularly preferred by the young crowd as there are a lot stylish eateries and other shopping facilities here.

Climate/Weather

**winters:**The average temperature of Madras at this time is around 24o C and never falls below 20o C. Winters also receive moderate rainfall, making the weather pleasurable and comfortable to roam around.

**Summer:**April and May are the hottest months of the year, with mercury crossing 40o C mark. The scorching heat of the sun is nearly unbearable restricting you to your houses.

Interesting things to Visit

Fort St. George:
St. George Fort is in a sense a sign of the British making their inroads in the country as it is believed to be the first establishment of the British in India. Located on the banks of Bay of Bengal in the coastal state of Tamil Nadu, it was built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD as a military architecture marvel.

Government Museum:
The Government Museum in Chennai is one of the most well known destinations in the capital. Highly visited by history buffs & historians alike, the Government house displays an exquisite and rare collection of some of the finest bronze artifacts. Located on Pantheon Road in Egmore, it was established in 1857 and is now one of the best museums of India.

Kalakshetra:
Kalakshetra is a world renowned school of Classical Dance founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale. The objective was to preserve, promote and develop the cultural & traditional dance, music as well as textile designing & weaving. This Temple of Art has been an institution devoted to preserving and revives the traditional dance forms that were losing their importance & popularity.

Kamraj Memorial House:
Kamraj Memorial House is dedicated to one of Tamil Nadu’s great nationalist, politician and former Chief Minister Shri Kamraj. The building celebrates the highly successful yet basic lifestyle of the patron who was exceedingly popular amongst the masses. It also provides a clear and lucid picture of the Indian political life fresh after independence. It was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.G.Ramachandran on 15th of July, 1978. Through various photos, portraits, memorabilia’s and remnants, an expression is given to the life & times of Kamaraj.

St. Mary Church:
St. Mary’s Church is one of Chennai’s most sacred and well known destinations located in another famous monument- the Fort St. George. The church possesses a great number of incidences and miracles associated with it and are also called as the Westminster Abbey of the East.

The Marina Beach:
The Marina Beach stretches along a 12 km shoreline along the Bay of Bengal and is arguably Chennai’s most popular tourist destination. A primarily sandy beach, Marina beach offers a laidback environment typical of beaches along with some famous monuments & historical attractions dotting its landscape. Although it is generally claimed that it is the second longest beach in the world, the fact remains that there are several other beaches longer than Marina.

The senate house:
The senate house is an exquisite building build during the British rule which is now famous as an important tourist destination. Located on the famous marina beach in the University of Madras complex, the building is still in decent preserved condition, although the exposure to extreme climatic conditions have taken the old sheen out of the structure.

Theosophical Society:
The Theosophical Society was formed with the core objective of Universal Brotherhood of Humanity. A world famous movement, it was initially founded on 17th November 1875 at New York by Madame H.P.Blavatsky, a clairvoyant from Russia and Colonel H.S.Olcott, a retired US Army officer. Its members were free to practice any religion and anyone wishing to serve humanity was welcome. The objective was t o search for the truth and the desire to learn about the meaning and purpose of human existence.

Thousand Lights Mosque:
The Thousand Lights Mosque is located on the Anna Salai Road close to the Anna flyover in Chennai. The Royapettah Township in which it is located has become one of capital cities famous towns. Additionally, visitors have the opportunity to go for interesting excursion trips like the Teynampet and Nungambakkam.

Valluvar Kottam:
Valluvar Kottam is dedicated to one of Tamil Nadu’s famous sons- the great Poet Saint Thiruvalluvar. A historical site, the present temple or memorial is situated on a site that was once an unused lake. The temple is in the form of a chariot and contains a splendid statue of the poet exhibiting artistic design. It is said that the temple chariot is a replica of the one at Thiruvar.

Velankanni:
One of the most important pilgrimage destinations in India, Velanlanni is situated amidst shores of Bay of Bengal. This picturesque town is known for housing the sacred Basilica dedicated to ‘Lady of health’. Attracting pilgrims from all parts of the world and even from various faiths, the town has even earned the title of a holy city by the pope himself.

Nearest Visiting places

Kishkintha:
Among other amusements parks in Chennai , Kishkintha amusement park is the most important. It is located in Tambaram which is almost twenty eight kms south of Chennai It constitute of more than one hundred and ten acres of land. For the entertainment of visitors the provisions are quite huge. All the visitors especially the kids can enjoy to their hearts content the exhilarating rides. Space shuttle, wave pool, white water, flume ride and Kiddies Kingdom Are some of the hi tech games available in this park.

Little Folks:
Little Folks amusement park lies almost forty-six kms away from Mahabalipuram. For the visitors the special attractions are Giant-Piano, Toy Train, Rainbow Fountain, Slide-into-pool, Cartoon show & Paddle-Pool. There is also open-air theatre, which adds more fun and frolic amongst the visitors.

Dash `N Splash:
Among the amusements parks in Chennai , Dash `N Splash deserves special mentioning. It is a significant water park of South Park. It is situated almost thirty kms away from central part for Chennai city. Spreading more than twenty-one acres of land, this park is situated exactly on the muddy banks of Telugu Ganga Project Canal, in Mevallur Kuppam Village. It provides amusements to each and every one who makes a visit to the park. It is a wonderful place with provisions of shaded sitting arrangements. Several wave sports are found here which ranges from spiral to free fall slides.

Prime Time:
Prime time is also famous amongst amusements parks in Cnennai. It is situated at the core of Annanagar, specially noted for its excessive indoor amusements. Among the children, bumper car rides; playpens are worth to note. Keeping in mind its huge popularity, the park authorities have recently introduced quite a few games so that they can attract more and more crowd on a regular basis.

Amir Mahal:
This palace called “ Amir Mahal“ belongs to the Royal family of Arcot. Situated on an area of approx. 14 acres, Amir Mahal was built in 1789 and came into possession of the Arcot Royal Family in 1870. Located in Triplicane entry is allowed with permission only.

Anna Nagar Tower:
This is the highest and biggest park tower in chennai, located at Anna Nagar Park. It has cyclic stairs. Full view of the city can be seen from Top of the Tower.

Anna Zoological Park:
The sprawling 1,265 acre Anna Zoological Park is the biggest in South Asia. It contains a superb collection of tropical mammals, birds and reptiles amongst others.

Birla Planetarium:
Built in memory of B.M. Birla, the well known industrialist and visionary, the Planetarium is considered to be the most modern in the country. This modern planetarium is housed in a hemispherical theatre. It is located at Kottur near Anna University.

Connemara Public Library:
One of the countries National Libraries, it has the largest collection of books and periodicals Touch screen computers have been installed recently to make operations easier. Located at Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.

DakshinaChitra:
Not far from Mamallapuram, 42 km from Madras, this crocodile breeding and research centre is run by Romulus Whittaker. It is a unique Heritage village situated at Muttukadu on the new Mamallapuram Coastal Road, 20 Km from Chennai. It offers the visitor an unforgettable and authentic insight into the lifestyles of the diverse people of South India.

Arts and Crafts village:
The Arts and Crafts village, Dakshinachitra narrate the story of the South Indian Culture. The Tamil history, language and way of life can be experienced with a guided tour. Architecture of the past 200 years is represented in the real rural setting. Every house is typical of its own professional group. Traders, potters, weavers, and others working in the traditional way make exquisite pottery, baskets, and carved stone items, some of which are for sale. The center is now developed to include the cultural replicas from all four states of South India. The folk and classical dance performances can be seen here. For a arranged tour you can contact : The Madras craft Foundation, G3, 6 Urur Olcott Road, Besant Nagar,

Fort Museum:
It is at Fort St. George. Museum has 10 rooms displaying the documents of Indian History. The old uniforms, coins, padlocks, old prints and palanquins are displayed here. The banquet hall upstairs has a collection of paintings of the governors and officials of the British regime.

Guindy National Park:
This is the countries only Wildlife Sanctuary within a city’s limits. This park spread over an area of 27.6 sq. km. Raj Bhavan, the Governor’s mansion, occupies one end of the park, and at the other is the beautiful forest - girt campus of Chennai’s famous Indian Institute of Technology. The nearest rail head, airport and town is Chennai, at a distance of 5km. The park was set up in 1976.

Horticultural Gardens:
Sprawling over an area of 22 acres, with rare trees, shrubs, flower beds and bonsais, this garden is situated at the heart of the city, near St. George’s Cathedral on Cathedral Road. Seeds, seedlings and plants are on sale. The annual flower show enthuses hordes of visitors.

Muttukadu Boat House:
Situated on the edge of backwaters, this place has facilities for boating and wind-surfing. A windsurfing regatta is organised in Muttukadu, in February every year. Competitions in windsurfing and other water sports are also held. Training and demonstration programmes are held for youth.

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation

Accommodation near Elliots Beach includes budget hotels, guesthouses, and beach resorts. Book ahead during peak season (October-March).

Help Line/Phone Number

Police station:Greams road,Thousand Lights, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India

Police station:Pantheon Road,Egmore, Chennai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India

Vijaya Hospital:Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India,Ph:044 24801642

CSI Kalyani Hospital:Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India,Ph:044 28470642

Hande Hospital:Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India,Ph:044 26644517

Location info

• **Address:**Elliot’s Beach,Annie Besant Nagar,Chennai,Tamilnadu,India

• **District:**Chennai

• **Nearest City:**Annie Besant Nagar

• Best time to visit: November to February

How to reach Elliots Beach

**Nearest Railway Station:**The nearest railway station is at Chennai, which is well connected by rail with the important cities and towns within and beyond the state.

• **Nearest Airport:**Chennai is the nearest airport, with both national and international terminals.

**Road Transport:**Chennai being the capital city is well connected by road with the important places within and beyond the state. From Chennai get on to the East Coast road towards Mahabalipuram, 15 kms down Pondicherry road will take you to Tarsha.

Nearest petrol pump

**Petrol Pump:**Kamarajar Salai, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India

**Petrol Pump:**TTK Road:Teynampet, Chennai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

**BP Petrol Pump:**Mylapore,Chennai, Tamil Nadu,India

Best time to visit Elliots Beach

November to February when the weather is pleasant with lower humidity. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times of day to visit. Avoid midday (11 AM–3 PM) when the sun is harsh. Monsoon (June–September) brings rough seas.

Timings & opening hours

The beach is accessible at all hours. The best time to visit is early morning (5–7 AM) for sunrise views and evening (4–6 PM) for sunset. Swimming is discouraged outside designated safe zones.

Entry fee & tickets

Entry to the beach is generally free. Some maintained stretches may have a nominal entry fee of INR 10–20 per person. Parking may cost INR 20–50 for vehicles.

Duration needed

1–3 hours for a relaxed visit. Longer if you plan to spend time at the shore, walk along the coast, or visit nearby shacks and eateries. Sunrise visits typically take 1–2 hours.

Safety tips

Swimming is at your own risk — many Tamil Nadu beaches have strong undercurrents. Observe lifeguard warnings. Avoid swimming during monsoon. Keep valuables secure while on the beach. Watch for jellyfish during certain seasons.

Things to carry

Sunscreen, drinking water, sunglasses, hat or cap, towel, and a change of clothes. Carry a bag for trash — help keep the beach clean. Snacks and water may be available at nearby stalls.

Nearest airport, railway & bus

Nearest airport: Chennai International Airport (MAA) – about 15-20 km from Chennai’s beaches, serving domestic and international flights. Nearest railway station: Chennai Central (MAS) for broad-gauge express trains and Chennai Egmore (MS) for southern routes. The Chennai MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) connects Beach Station to the city’s coastal areas. By road: Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses, auto-rickshaws, and app-based cabs like Ola and Uber serve all beach areas.

Mobile network coverage

Airtel, Jio, BSNL, and Vi all provide coverage across Tamil Nadu. 4G is reliable in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and along major highways. Coverage may be weaker in remote sections of the Western Ghats, deep forest reserves, and certain rural interior areas. Free Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels and cafes in urban areas.

Food & restaurants nearby

Tamil Nadu’s beaches have seafood stalls and local snack vendors. Marina Beach in Chennai is famous for sundal, bhajji, and fresh coconut water. Beach areas near Mahabalipuram and Rameswaram offer excellent seafood restaurants with fresh catch.

History of Elliots Beach

Elliots Beach is part of Tamil Nadu’s extensive coastline along the Bay of Bengal. The beach has been a recreational spot for locals and visitors for generations. The area around the beach reflects the coastal culture of Tamil Nadu, with fishing communities maintaining their traditional way of life.

Things to do at Elliots Beach

Enjoy a peaceful walk along the shoreline as the waves crash against the sand. Watch local fishing boats return with their catch in the early morning. Relax and enjoy the sea breeze while reading or simply watching the horizon. Visit nearby seafood shacks for fresh coastal cuisine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Elliots Beach? Early morning (5–7 AM) for sunrise and cooler temperatures, or late afternoon (4–6 PM) for sunset. November to February offers the best weather.

Is swimming safe at Elliots Beach? Swimming is at your own risk. Many Tamil Nadu beaches have strong currents and undercurrents. Always observe warning flags and lifeguard instructions.

Are there food options near Elliots Beach? Yes, beach shacks and nearby stalls serve snacks, coconut water, and fresh seafood. More dining options are available in the nearest town.

Accessibility

The beach is accessible from the main road by a short walk across sand. Wheelchair access may be limited due to soft sand. The nearest approach road ends at the beach entrance, and beach wheelchairs are generally not available. Visitors with mobility concerns may find the shacks and parking area more accessible than the beach itself.

Rules & restrictions

Dress modestly — Tamil Nadu is culturally conservative. Many temple-town beaches have dress codes. Swimming may be restricted at certain beaches — check locally. Alcohol is restricted or prohibited in many areas. Respect temple traditions if visiting pilgrimage-linked beaches.

Best photography spots

Tamil Nadu’s coastline offers unique subjects: the colourful fishing boats at dawn, temple gopurams visible from shore, and the meeting of three seas at Kanyakumari (spectacular sunrise and sunset). The living fishing harbours, catamarans, and nets drying on beaches provide authentic local colour.

Visitor information

Please check locally for current visitor information.