Chennai Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)

Chennai is a popular tourist destination for Indians and hosts an extensive set of attractions, which tend to be spread around the city centre, Egmore, George Town, Pudupet and Triplicane areas. The beaches of Chennai are a fine local asset, and Marina Beach is one of the longest stretches of waterfront sand in the world. In general, Chennai's beaches don't attract swimmers and sunbathers as much as they do picnickers and gatherings of friends.

Away from the coast, the Guindy National Park is another tourist attraction of interest, being located in the midst of the urban city. The love of sport also deserves a mention and the city is home to a number of major sporting venues, such as both the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where cricket and soccer are played respectively.

Theosophical Society

Address: Adyar, Chennai, India, IN
Tel: +91 044 2491 2815
Covering roughly 250 acres / 100 hectares between the riverbank and the coast, this facility offers visitors a quiet escape from the city. The Theosophical Society is an interfaith compound with a mosque, church, Hindu temple and Buddhist monument. It also maintains an extensive theology and harbours a four-century-old banyan tree, which was once believed to be the largest on the planet. Another notable onsite attraction is the Adyar Library, where an extensive collection of books relating to both philosophy and religion resides.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 10:00, 14:00 to 17:00, Saturday - 08:00 to 10:00
Admission: free

Enfield Factory

Address: Tiruvottiyur High Road, Chennai, India, IN
Tel: +91 044 4223 0245
This attraction is located around 16 km / 10 miles to the north of central Chennai and particularly appeals to visiting motorbike enthusiasts. The Enfield Factory is a popular motorcycle factory, and tourists come from across the region to check out the long production lines, which have made these bikes since the mid-1950s. Tours operate every Saturday morning, although are fairly pricey.
Open hours: Saturdays - 09:30 to 10:00
Admission: charge

Guindy National Park

Address: Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai, India, IN
Tel: +91 044 2253 3623
This national park is located within the city of Chennai and is an extension of the grounds of the governor's residence, where it contains an array of indigenous wildlife. The principal attraction of this national park is the Guindy Snake Park, which has cobras, pythons and vipers on display. An adjoining animal park is popular with children.
Open hours: Wednesday to Monday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Address: Raja Muthiah Road, Chennai, India, IN
Tel: +91 044 2536 8709
This huge sports stadium is to be found on the north-easterly side of the city centre, close to the Central Suburban and Moore Market bus stations, as well as the My Lady Garden park. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is able to accommodate around 40,000 spectators and regularly stages various football matches and athletics events. There is also a smaller indoor stadium close by, which is used for a variety of sporting competitions and attractions, including basketball games. Of note, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is named after the first Prime Minister of India.
Open hours: hours vary according to event
Admission: charge

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

Address: Victoria Hostel Road / Babu Jagjivanram Salai, Chennai, India, IN
An enormous an highly prestigious cricket stadium located within the Triplicane area of Chennai, the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium was previously known as both the Chepauk Stadium and the Madras Cricket Club Ground. This stadium was renamed to honour Chidambaram - the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and actually ranks amongst India's oldest, dating as far back as 1916. Many prestigious cricket matches are hosted here, such as the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and this attraction remains the home ground of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). Today, the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium is capable of seating some 50,000 spectators and has recently enjoyed much renovation work.
Open hours: hours vary according to event
Admission: charge

AVM Studios

Address: 38 Arcot Road, Chennai, India, IN
Tel: +91 044 2483 6700
The city has become highly regarded for its moviemaking and certainly competes well with the Bollywood film industry of Mumbai, in terms of output. Tourists may well like to pay a visit to the AVM Studios on Arcot Road, in the suburb of Vadapalani, since this opens to the public. However, don't expect guided tours - visitors will simply be given a pass and allowed to walk freely around the sets, watching the actors and directors in action. Close by is the Kodambakkam neighbourhood, where the thriving Tamil movie industry has been nicknamed 'Kollywood'.
Open hours: Wednesday to Monday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge