Top Beaches in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu, a state with approximately 1070 Km length worth of seashores. With that long a coastal line, it is bound to have some of the best beaches in the nation. With not much population visiting Tamil Nadu for its beaches, it provides a unique experience compared to all other beaches. While the number of beaches are many, we have tried to compile a list of beaches we feel will make your beach visit in Tamil Nadu extremely unique and full of memories.

Kanyakumari Beach

Located on the southernmost tip of Indian peninsula, Kanyakumari beach provides the people who visit it with stunning sunset and sunrise, as you can view all the three oceans that Indian peninsular shares its borders with, namely, the Indian, bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea. Its rocky surface provides an excellent track to take a stroll in, while the water splashes and draws away from its shores making a music you can hear nowhere else.

Things to Do: You can take a stroll down the beach eating some local cuisine or visit one of the several temples located just in your site.
Best Time to Visit: To beat the heat and humidity, it’s best to visit this lovely beach in the months of December and January.
Famous For: Being the only beach which has access to waters from three different oceans.
Places to Eat: One of the best places to eat would be the ocean heritage restaurant as it has ocean view to enjoy your meal with.
Popular Beach Resorts: Sparsa Resort, the seashore hotel.
Location: Located on the sea side of the beautiful city of Kanyakumari

Marina Beach

Located very near to the city of Chennai, this is a must visit for anyone visiting the city of Chennai and has a few hours to spare. This beach is famous as the second longest beach in the world, providing long length of space along its beach for jogging, children plays and even horse riding! The beach is usually filled with food stalls during the early mornings and late evenings, making it a picnic spot for locals, while tourists also get to visit various statues of leaders from across the history of Tamil Nadu which are erected all along the beach in a scattered form.

Things to Do: Enjoy the local life, as the beach becomes filled with food stalls and other entertainment sources.
Best Time to Visit: Best to visit during the early mornings or late evenings to make the best use of the experience.
Famous For: Longest beach of India and second longest beach in the world.
Places to Eat: Marina village restaurant is best to enjoy a variety of food categories.
Popular Beach Resorts: Taj Club house is one of the best places to stay when visiting.
Location: Just a mere 4 Kms from Chennai Railway station.

Covelong Beach

Known among the locals as Kovalam beach, the beach has had a rich history of being a hub for local fishery, but has been transformed into a very much active beach in modern times. Located approximately 23 KMs from Mahabalipuram, it provides tourists with mid-sea diving, surfing and swimming, while an Old Catholic church on its chores only beatifies the beach further connecting it back to the local people in the region.

Things to Do: have a great experience enjoying the colonial past and natural beauty of the place.
Best Time to Visit: Better to be visiting in the month of December or January to be clear of the humidity.
Famous For: Having a nice village environment around the beach
Places to Eat: The upper deck offers some of the best Mediterranean food in the region.
Popular Beach Resorts: Though a bit costly, but Sheraton Chennai is the best resort you can be at, while many other cheaper options are available too.
Location: 35 Kms from Chennai

Elliot’s Beach

Named after the British explorer Edward Elliot, it is known to be one of the cleanest beaches in the state. It has a rich tree growth and density around it and with not a lot of people around, it provides a peace full environment to be in, as tourists come here to enjoy the natural beauty and the quiet, the place has to offer.

Things to Do: Take a stroll with the cold water and hot sand touching your legs.
Best Time to Visit: From October to March, to avoid the humid atmosphere.
Famous For: As one of the calmest beaches on the list.
Places to Eat: If you want to further this calming experience, then the Fuji Japanese Restaurant is just for you.
Popular Beach Resorts: If you want to experience the grandness, then the Leela Palace is the right fit for you.
Location: 13 Kms from Chennai

Mahabalipuram Beach

Just like the Elliot’s beach, this beach located southwards of city of Mahabalipuram offers its tourists with varying green landscape, and with extra white sand in the region, the contrast only beautifies the place further. With an old ruined Dutch fort and cemetery nearby, the place offers tourists opportunity to enjoy the fine stone work of the fort and the tomb stones dating way back to the beginning of the modern era in India, marking the arrival of European powers on Indian shores.

Things to Do: Filled with a number of stone work beauties, you can visit one of the several stone caves, stone temples and monuments present nearby.
Best Time to Visit: The winter season from October to March is one of the best times to visit this magnificent place.
Famous For: The pure white sand beaches that the place offers is hard to beat.
Places to Eat: Searock Restaurant is one of the best places to enjoy seafood in, while babu’s cafe is there to take a quick snack.
Popular Beach Resorts: Landmark Pallavaa Beach Resorts and Radisson BLU resort are some of the popular resorts to be at.
Location: Located at a distance of 57 Km from Chennai in the ancient city of Mahabalipuram

V.G.P Golden Beach

Though a part of the marina beach, the golden beach is a private property. With its own amusement park, this beautiful property provides tourists with the chance to enjoy an entire sea side fun at the amusement park and sea sided pools to relax later in the evening. It is ideal for swimming while the resort offers a Multi-cuisine restaurant in its premises. This makes the golden beach one of the most visited beach in Tamil Nadu, by locals and tourists alike. But in order to enjoy it, don’t forget to book the hotel that owns this rich beach.

Things to Do: Enjoy the numerous rides the amusement park offers.
Best Time to Visit: In the colder months from October to March
Famous For: Its amusement park.
Places to Eat: By the Bay is one of the best restaurants to eat at.
Popular Beach Resorts: MGM Eastwoods, Holiday Inn
Location: 21 Kms from Chennai.

Dhanushkodi Beach

A pilgrimage site for Hindus, this beach is said to be the birth place of Ram-Setu or Adam’s Bridge, as it is said to be the place from where Lord Ram built a bridge of stones all the over to connect Indian Sub-continent with the present day Sri Lanka. With mythological importance, the beach is usually maintained clean even though it has a high number of visitors. It is peaceful to take a stroll on while the shallow waters allow coral viewing very easily.

Things to Do: Enjoy the endless extensive coral reef system present in the area.
Best Time to Visit: Try avoid visiting during religious times as it tends to get a little too crowded.
Famous For: Ram Setu
Places to Eat: All restaurants here are famous for their seafood, with hotel Deena being one of the most popular ones.
Popular Beach Resorts: Hyatt Palace is one of the best places to be at.
Location: Separated from mainland by the Palk Strait.

Silver Beach

Known as the longest beach in the Coromandel belt, the beach is an isolated place to visit. While the beach is very famous for its water sports, it is separated by the backwaters going into the bordering state of Kerala, giving it an island look, making it more beautiful to visit. The beach provides a slight freedom to the tourists from the hustle of the city, as they visit it to get away from their regular routine, giving them a sense of life.

Things to Do: Various water sports offered by the service providers.
Best Time to Visit: In October to March to avoid the heat.
Famous For: Amusement parks nearby
Places to Eat: Dakshinayan chain of restaurant
Popular Beach Resorts: Le Pondy Beach and lake resort is an experience of its own.
Location: 2 Kms from Cuddalore

Poompuhar Beach

What is more beautiful than the beach located at the delta of a river as it joins the ever growing sea after its long journey cutting through the land, and this beach provides just that. The beach is located next to the Kaveri River merging with the sea. It has been beautified in many Tamil poems and art works as it once served as the biggest port of south India during the reign of Chola Empire. And while it contains centuries of Chola Empire in it, it also has a Danish fort built nearby, as it serves as a master piece of Danish architecture.

Things to Do: Take a stroll on the beach line or go boating in the river Kaveri nearby, or visit the Sillappathikara Art Gallery.
Best Time to Visit: To beat the heat, better to be visiting in the month of December or January
Famous For: Being one of the only delta based beach in the region.
Places to Eat: Sea star Restaurant is a must for all the sea food lovers.
Popular Beach Resorts: Neemrana’s Bungalow brings you the closest to a beach next door experience.
Location: 40 Kms from Chidambaram

Nagapattinam Beach

Imagine a beach surrounded by nothing but temples, and temples and even more temples. With its unique status of being surrounded by some of the most famous temples of Tamil Nadu, this beach offers people a nice place to stroll after purifying the souls from visiting all the temples nearby. Some of the most important temple present near it are Sowriraja Perumal, Nellukkadai Mariamman and Shri Kayahorana Swami temples. With large quantity of people on the beach regularly this is one of the busiest beaches present on our list.

Things to Do: Take a stroll on the beach or visit one of the dozen temples present in the region.
Best Time to Visit: From December to January
Famous For: The numerous numbers of Temples surrounding it.
Places to Eat: A-R Raheem hotel is famous for its food in the region.
Popular Beach Resorts: Not very famous for its beach resorts, GS resorts is still one of the popular choices.
Location: 350 Km from Chennai.

So the only question that remains is, in which beach you will be dipping your legs in during this holiday season.
Will it be after having a day of fun at the golden beach? Or a day of spirituality and inner peace in Nagapattinam, the choice is yours, the suggestions are ours.