Have you ever thought about visiting Pondicherry? The city is very popular in India as a holiday destinations. In a way it is rather exotic because of the influence that the French have had on the city. Pondicherry has always been on our list and quite recently we got a chance to finally see the quaint city.
The number of places to visit in Pondicherry may not be much but it is certainly a city worth visiting. With that in mind we decided to put together a Pondicherry travel guide based on our experiences.
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Table of Contents
Facts About Pondicherry
Knowing about the city that you are going to visit is always a good idea. It gives you a feel for the place and helps you fall into the city’s rhythm much faster. In order to help you along the way, we’ve put together a few facts about Pondicherry.
History
Pondicherry is located in the Indian Union territory of Puducherry. It has a cultural heritage that is very different from most parts of India. This is largely due to the influence that the Dutch, Portuguese, French and the British occupants had in the life of its citizens. Pondicherry however is largely popular due to the prominence of its French roots.
Landscape And Climate
Pondicherry lies on the east coast of India and is adjacent to Tamil Nadu. It is a coastal town so a large amount of the activities do revolve around the sea and that is definitely not a bad thing!!! Being in the tropical regions, it means that the city does receive a fair amount of rainfall.
Depressions in the Bay of Bengal usually result in cyclones and storms so keep an eye on the weather before planning your trip.
Food
Being a coastal town, seafood is popular. Vegetarian food is also available across the city. The French influence can be seen in the different patisseries and boulangeries across the city. Bread baked here is exquisite and you definitely need to try some of the pastries.
Facts For The Visitor
Knowing about the history and the culture about the city is one thing but you also need to prepare yourself for your visit. We however want our Pondicherry travel guide to cover as many aspects as we can. That is one of the reasons why I aim to keep updating the guide whenever possible.
These additional facts should help you along the way as you meander through the streets of Pondicherry.
Getting To The City
The closest big city to Pondicherry is Chennai. That is about 160 kilometers away. Bangalore is also relatively close by at 315 kilometers. Being a popular city, Pondicherry is well connected via the main highways. Getting there via road is an option. We drove there and made a road trip of it. Buses also ply from city to city and so do the trains.
Currency
The Indian rupee is the currency that is used in Pondicherry. Pondicherry is a big enough (and popular enough) city that exchanging currency should not be a problem. Being Indian meant that we were not on the lookout for currency exchange.
That being said, Pondicherry is not one of the main cities of India and I am not sure what the currency exchange rate would be like. Hence I would advise getting your Indian rupees in one of the big cities.
Transport In The City
If you are staying in the city area you will find that everything is in walking distance from each other. As long as the sun does not shine too badly the walk is pleasant. Tuk-tuks or auto-rickshaws are another alternative. The type of transport you take is largely dependent on which part of the city you are in and the weather.
Accommodation
Accommodation is relatively cheap in Pondicherry. That is what truly makes it a backpackers paradise. We stayed at the Holi-Wood Guesthouse in Pondicherry and had a delightful time. The accommodation had a view of the lighthouse and a partial view of the sea.
At the same time it was far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The best part was that it was cheap. The Holi-Wood Guesthouse was quaint, peaceful and just what we were looking for.
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Things To Do In Pondicherry
Pondicherry has gotten popular for a reason. The city has a nice calm feeling to it but if you look beneath the surface you will find that there are numerous things to do in Pondicherry. With just one and a half day in the city we covered a lot of ground quickly.
Here is our pick of the popular places to visit in Pondicherry . Oh and before we start, note that a lot of the attractions are closed on Sunday. So if you want to fit in the more touristy spots you may want to spend a weekday in the city.
Shawn and I spent a Sunday in Pondicherry and luckily we were content with the quieter side of the city.
Head Out To The Beach
Nothing like spending time at the beach right?
There are a number of beaches that you can visit in Pondicherry. Sitting and listening to the lapping of the waves is one of the popular places to visit in Pondicherry . Who can blame them? Being Goans we can appreciate the calming effect of the sound of the sea.
Indulge In The Street Food
Nothing beats a hot samosa on a windy day!
One of our favorite things in to do in Pondicherry revolved around the street food. It had been long since we had indulged in street food in India and so we zoned in vendors near the beach. There is nothing like eating hot samosas on a windy day. We weren’t the only ones who were enjoying it either!
Visit The Heritage Town
Walking around the Heritage town is one of the famous things to do in Pondicherry
The Heritage town is pretty and quiet. The old buildings give you a faint impression of the bygone French era. Although not overtly impressive, it is a very serene place and makes for a perfect evening stroll. It is also central enough for you to walk to a lot of Pondicherry’s landmarks. This makes it one of the popular places to visit in Pondicherry.
Visit The Basilica Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus
Inside the Basilica
We managed to find our way to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the evening of our first day in the city. The Basilica is very pretty and is worth stopping to see. Be fair warned that if you arrive before or after mass there is bound to be a rush.
Visit The Immaculate Conception Cathedral
The illuminated Cathedral
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is another beautiful structure that should be on your list of places to visit in Pondicherry. We almost passed it by but we happened to be in the area at the right time. So we entered and listened to mass here on Sunday.
Try Out The French Cuisine
You just have to indulge in the food.
Pondicherry is famous for its French cuisine. Try the pastries, freshly baked bread or chill in one of the boutique cafes. The food is exquisite and leaves you craving for more. We must have put on a few extra pounds around the waist with all the indulgence!
Dine Out In Style
If it isn’t just a cafe, it’s the fine dinning. Be ready to put on a couple of pounds!
It would be remiss of me if I did not mention the romantic restaurants in our Pondicherry travel guide. There are a lot of restaurants in the city that will serve you a delicious meal and provide you the ambiance with it. If you are unsure of what you should do once the sun sets then don’t hesitate to try one of them out. The flavors are pretty unique and you don’t have to stick just to French cuisine. The city has a lot of culinary delicacies to offer.
Browse Through The Sunday Market
The hustle and bustle of the Sunday market.
The Sunday market in is held on M.G. road. The street is full of shoppers and vendors alike. The vendors sell everything from kitchen accessories to clothes. Food vendors also fill the street. It is a crowded street so make sure that you keep your valuables close to you.
Admire The Colorful Temples
As we walked through the Sunday market we happened to stumble across this temple. They had a live elephant upfront!
While we were wandering through the streets of the city we stumbled across this particular temple. Like all the South Indian temples, this one was colorful and pretty. An elephant stood at the entrance and people were getting their blessings from it.
A part of me felt sorry for the elephant. It was so out of place in the bustling mass of humans. Yet a part of me had to acknowledge that it is part of people’s traditions and culture. It was not about what I believed but what they did.
Visit Auroville And The Matrimandir
A miniature replica of Aurovile with the Matrimandir at the center.
Auroville is a short drive away from Pondicherry city. It is a beautiful city of its own and is built around the concept of human equality. At its center is the Matrimandir which is considered to be its soul. Auroville is one of the top places to visit in Pondicherry. If you do manage to make your way there, stop a while and eat the food. We stopped for lunch just before entering Pondicherry and had an amazing lunch there.
Road Trips From Pondicherry
There is nothing so liberating as being on the road and having no particular place to go to.
Pondicherry is a pretty laid back town but it is situated so well that it has access to so many cool destinations that are great as road trips or weekend getaways. From Chennai and Mahabalipuram in the North to Gingee Fort on the West, there is a lot to see.
Don’t forget to check out all the cool road trips that you can plan. While we were on our road trip to Pondicherry we were lucky enough to discover quite a few of these weekend getaways. In fact we even drew up a list of the ones that you should try out.
Accessories That You Should Carry
Our Pondicherry Travel Guide would not be complete without some advice about the things you should carry when visiting the city. Here is a list of things that you should think of carrying along.
- Rain gear: You don’t want to get caught unawares when the skies open up.
- Mosquito Repellent: When there is rain in India there are bound to be mosquitoes. With the rise of the number of mosquito borne infections, you will find that it is better to be safe than sorry.
- Sunscreen: On the other hand the city does get hot when it isn’t raining. So keep your skin from burning prophylactically.
- Lifestraw: This is one of our favorite suggestions for people who are sensitive to the quality of the water they are drinking.
- Camera: Never head anywhere without one. You never know when there will be memories to capture.
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