Thiruvanmiyur Beach

About:

Thiruvanmiyur Beach, located in the southern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is a popular and emerging tourist spot. Known for attracting young crowds, including college students, the beach stretches for about one kilometer, reaching the East Coast Road, which leads to Mahabalipuram and the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry. Visitors often come to enjoy a serene sunrise in the morning or a vibrant sunset in the evening.

The area around Thiruvanmiyur Beach offers several attractions, such as:

• Marundeeswarar Temple: A revered temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• Kalakshetra Foundation: A renowned cultural center for the preservation and promotion of Indian art, dance, and culture.
• TIDEL Park: A prominent IT hub in Chennai.
• Theyagaraja and Jayanthi Theaters: Popular theaters located on LB Road for entertainment.

Thiruvanmiyur itself has evolved into a thriving area, especially with the proximity of TIDEL Park, Ascendas, and TICEL Biopark, establishing it as a significant hub for Chennai's IT industry. This place not only holds religious significance with the historic Marundeeswarar Temple but also serves as a center of Indian culture through institutions like Kalakshetra, attracting art enthusiasts worldwide.

Location Info:

Address: Thiruvanmiyur Beach, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

District: Chennai

Nearest City: Chennai

Best Time to Visit: November to February

Climate/Weather:

Chennai has a tropical wet and dry climate, with temperatures typically ranging from 24°C to 37°C (75°F to 99°F). The beach experiences three main seasons:

• Summer (March to June): Summers are hot, with temperatures soaring up to 42°C. It's best to visit the beach during early mornings or late evenings for cooler breezes.
• Monsoon (July to October): Chennai receives moderate to heavy rainfall, especially in October due to the northeast monsoon. Beach outings might be interrupted by occasional rain showers.
• Winter (November to February): The weather is mild and pleasant, making it the best time to visit with temperatures around 20-25°C, ideal for beach activities.

Interesting Things to Do:

• Beach Walks & Sunsets: Enjoy long walks along the shore, especially during sunrise and sunset for a picturesque view and calming atmosphere.
• Photography: Capture stunning landscapes, vibrant beach life, and memorable sunrise or sunset shots that make for beautiful memories.
• Visit Marundeeswarar Temple: Explore the nearby Marundeeswarar Temple to experience the cultural and religious essence of Chennai.
• Cultural Exploration at Kalakshetra: Witness traditional Indian dance and art at the renowned Kalakshetra Foundation, a short distance from the beach.
• Food Stalls & Local Eateries: Try out local street food and snacks offered by the many food stalls lining the beach for a taste of Chennai’s flavors.
• Yoga & Meditation: Start your day with yoga or meditation sessions on the beach to enjoy peace and tranquility.
• Weekend Markets: Check out weekend flea markets near the beach for unique handicrafts, souvenirs, and clothing.
• Jogging & Fitness: The beach is popular with joggers and fitness enthusiasts, making it a great spot for early morning workouts.

Interesting things to Visit:

Siva Temple:
Thirty years ago, the Marundeeswarar temple at Tiruvanmiyur used to be virtually deserted. Today, it has been colorfully painted up and receives a steady crowd. The name of the temple tells the story. Lord Siva is said to have given relief from health problems to the sage Agastya, the Sun God and the Moon God here. While Agastya was suffering from a stomach ache after he had Vatapi, the Sun and Moon were suffering from a terrible disease because of "Gurupatni Dosham".It was Agastya who named the deity "Aushadeeswarar", the Tamil translation of which is Marundeeswarar. The Sun and the Moon, it is said, perform puja at this temple every evening. The deity faces west as the Sun does the honours at sunset time. Unlike other Siva temples, this temple does not have a shrine to the Navagrahas because the Sun and Moon are in prayer mode

Guindy National Park:
The Guindy National Park nearby is the only urban jungle-cum-park within city limits anywhere in the world. The forest spills into the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology and the Raj Bhavan. Black bucks, chitals and monkeys abound here.Further down the road, in Guindy, there’s a racecourse at Guindy, where races are held between late October and March.

Huddlestone mansion:
Across the river is the Huddlestone mansion. This mansion belonged to a civilian named John Huddlestone in the days of the British Raj. The mansion, with its extended gardens, used to occupy a large area around the river.Later, a part of this garden was given to the Theosophical Society, founded by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in 1875. The headquarters of the society is now spread over 100 acres in the green leafy garden. In 1879, Madame Blavatsky visited Chennai and the headquarters was set up here. The library of the Theosophical Society has a splendid collection of over 15,000 manuscripts. The 200- year-old Banyan tree, with its limbs spread over 40,000 sq. ft is a major attraction of the Society.

Madras Club:
Another landmark in the area is the Madras Club. The club is housed at Mowbray's Cupola built in 1771. This was the home of George Mowbray, the Government Accountant. It later became the Adyar Club and still later, the Madras Club. It was at the Madras Club that the British created their version of Tamil pepper soup: mulligatawny milagu thanni or literally, pepper water,What is called Raj Bhavan today was once known as the Guindy Lodge. Before the construction of Guindy Lodge, the Governors resided closer to the Fort at the Government Estate on Mount Road. Eventually they were moved to Guindy. The lodge, which was a part of the Guindy forest, became the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Velankanni Church:
Velankanni Church in Chennai is also called as the 'Mecca of the Christians'. The principal shrine of this Velankanni church is Mother Mary and she is also prayed and worshipped by the people as the Lady of Health. This church is also known as the 'Sacred Arogya Matha Church'. And though it is known as the 'Mecca of Christians' people of all different castes crowd in the feet of the Virgin Mary to receive her blessings.

Ashtalakshmi Kovil Temple:
This Ashtalakshmi Kovil is located on the famous shorelines of the Elliots Beach of Chennai. Here the eight forms of lakshmi are worshipped an they are known as the secondary manifestations of the Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi. The word wealth is symbolic of "ashta-Lakshmi means prosperity, good health, knowledge, strength, progeny, and power.The Ashtalakshmis listed out in the "Shri Ashta Lakshmi Stotram" are Adi lakshmi or Mahalakshmi, Four-armed, carries a lotus and a white flag, other two arms in Abhaya mudra and varada mudra.

Mobile Range Info:

Mobile network coverage at Thiruvanmiyur Beach is generally good, with major providers like Airtel, Jio, Vodafone, and BSNL offering reliable 4G connectivity. Visitors can expect stable signal strength for calls and internet usage along the beach and surrounding areas.

How to Reach:

Thiruvanmiyur Beach is well-connected by various modes of transportation, making it easy to reach from different parts of Chennai:

• By Air: The nearest airport is Chennai International Airport, approximately 15 km from the beach. From the airport, you can hire a taxi or use public transport to reach Thiruvanmiyur.
• By Train: Thiruvanmiyur has its own railway station, connected by the Chennai MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System), which provides easy access to the beach area. Alternatively, you can take a train to Chennai Central or Egmore Station and proceed by bus or taxi.
• By Bus: Several city buses, including AC and regular buses, operate from different parts of Chennai to Thiruvanmiyur. The beach is just a short walk from the Thiruvanmiyur bus stop.
• By Car or Taxi: Thiruvanmiyur Beach is easily accessible by car via East Coast Road (ECR) or Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR). Visitors can use cab services like Ola or Uber for convenient travel.
• By Metro: The nearest metro station is Little Mount Metro Station on the Blue Line, from where you can take a bus or taxi to reach Thiruvanmiyur Beach.

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 St. George:
It is at Kamarajar Road. It is the first British fort build around 1653 by the British East India Company. It has a 20 feet thick wall. The present structure, a fine example of 17th century British military architecture, was mostly built in 1966. The country's tallest flagstaff is here, thought to be over 300 years old. The 24 black Charnockite pillars are those reclaimed by the British in 1762 of the original 32 which once formed the colonade of the present Secretariat building. It remains the symbol of the British Raj. Now it houses the Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly.

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.

Government Museum Complex:
It is situated in Pantheon road. This is not for its exquisite collection of more than 2000 Indian bronzes and Amaravathi marbles. Three great buildings of architectural value - the Museum Theatre, the extension hall and the Connemara Public Library are in this complex. The present Museum has several sections, four galleries- Hindu sculpture gallery, the Amaravathi gallery, the Bronze gallery and the National art gallery constitute the main attractions.

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.

Marina Beach:
Lining the east of the city is the famous Marina beach, at Kamarajar Road, 3 Km away from Chennai. This is supposed to be the second longest beach in the World and runs to a length of 13 Km. On the beach there is the Anna Park, named after the founder of D.M.K (Dravida Munnetta Kazhakam) Anna durai and the tomb of M.G. Ramachandran who was a film star and the charismatic Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Statue of Labour is a splendid sculpture depicting the efforts of a team of labourers who are at hard manual labour. The beach can be ideally visited in the early mornings or in the late evenings when the area becomes a virtual ground; with food stalls and other entertainments.

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.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

The nearest petrol pump to Thiruvanmiyur Beach is the Indian Oil Petrol Station located on LB Road, approximately 1.5 km away from the beach. Other nearby options include:

• HP Petrol Pump: Situated on East Coast Road, around 2 km from the beach.
• Bharat Petroleum Petrol Station: Located on OMR Road, approximately 2.5 km away.
• Shell Petrol Pump: Located on Sardar Patel Road, about 3 km from Thiruvanmiyur Beach.

These petrol stations are easily accessible and offer fuel, air, and other basic vehicle services for travelers.

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Visitors to Thiruvanmiyur Beach have various accommodation options ranging from budget hotels to luxury stays nearby. Some popular choices include:

• Ramada Plaza Chennai: A 4-star hotel located about 3 km from the beach, offering comfortable rooms, a pool, and dining options.
• Keys Select Hotel: Located on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), approximately 4 km away, this hotel provides budget-friendly accommodations with modern amenities.
• FabHotel Prime Arunaachalaa Residency: Situated around 2.5 km from the beach, this is a well-rated option for travelers looking for affordable and comfortable lodging.
• Novotel Chennai OMR: A luxurious hotel on OMR Road, about 5 km from the beach, featuring upscale rooms, multiple dining options, and a spa.
• Red Lollipop Hostel: A great choice for backpackers, this hostel offers dormitory and private room options close to the beach.

These accommodations cater to different budgets and preferences, providing comfortable and convenient lodging options for beach visitors.

Things to Carry:

When visiting Thiruvanmiyur Beach, consider carrying the following essentials to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable trip:

• Sunscreen: Protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays, especially during peak hours.
• Water Bottle: Stay hydrated, as beach outings can be hot and sunny.
• Beach Towel or Mat: For sitting, relaxing, or drying off after a dip in the water.
• Hat and Sunglasses: Shield yourself from the sun with protective gear.
• Snacks: Light snacks can be handy, as there may be limited food options at the beach itself.
• Change of Clothes: Bring extra clothes if you plan to enjoy the water.
• Flip-Flops or Sandals: Comfortable footwear is ideal for walking on the sand.
• Camera or Smartphone: Capture memorable moments and scenic views.
• Personal Medication: If needed, especially for allergies or any beach-related sensitivities.
• Trash Bag: Help keep the beach clean by collecting your trash responsibly.

These items will make your beach visit more convenient and comfortable, allowing you to enjoy all that Thiruvanmiyur Beach has to offer.

Tips & Suggestions:

To make the most of your visit to Thiruvanmiyur Beach, consider the following tips and suggestions:

• Visit Early Morning or Evening: The beach can get hot during midday, so it's best to visit during sunrise or sunset for cooler temperatures and beautiful views.
• Watch Your Belongings: Be mindful of your valuables as the beach can get crowded. It’s advisable to keep an eye on your belongings or leave valuables at home.
• Respect Local Customs: Since Chennai is culturally rich, it’s always respectful to dress modestly when moving around the beach area.
• Avoid Swimming in Rough Waters: Check the water conditions before swimming, as the currents can be strong. Follow any local safety warnings posted by lifeguards.
• Keep the Beach Clean: Use designated bins or carry a small bag for your trash to help maintain the beach’s cleanliness.
• Stay Hydrated: Bring plenty of water, especially during warmer months, to avoid dehydration.

Help Line/Phone Number:

For any assistance or emergencies at Thiruvanmiyur Beach, you can contact the following helpline numbers:

• Local Police Station: 100
• Tourist Helpline: 1363 (available 24/7 for tourist information and assistance)
• Ambulance Service: 108
• Nearest Hospital (Government Hospital, Thiruvanmiyur): +91 44 2442 2334
• Fire Emergency: 101

These numbers are essential for safety and emergency purposes, ensuring visitors have quick access to help if needed.

Thiruvanmiyur Beach