Pondicherry, or “Pondy” as the locals call it, is a beautiful coastal town where the charm of French history meets the vibrant Tamil culture. Known for its peaceful beaches, colorful streets, and relaxing atmosphere, it’s the perfect getaway. Whether you’re into history, nature, or just want to chill by the sea, Pondicherry has something for everyone.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know for a perfect trip—how to get there, the best places to visit, where to stay, what to do, and when to go—so you can make the most of your time in this lovely town.
Table of Contents
How to reach Pondicherry
The nearest major Airport to Pondicherry with daily flight service is Chennai. Pondicherry is around 135 km from Chennai. From Chennai, you can travel to Pondicherry via bus/taxi/car.
We took a flight from Delhi to Chennai. From Chennai, we hired a Zoomcar to reach Pondicherry via Mahabalipuram.
Getting around in Pondicherry
Pondicherry is not very big and can easily be roamed around on a bike/ scooty. You can also hire a taxi to roam in and around Pondicherry.
We hired a Zoomcar from Chennai Airport and used the same to roam in and around Pondicherry. If you also want to hire a car from Zoomcar, download Zoomcar App and book your car.
We also hired a scooty and a cycle for a day each to roam around in Pondicherry. We hired both scooty and cycle from a local shop in the White Town of Pondicherry. You can hire it from @ +91-9894172244.
Best time to visit Pondicherry
October to March is considered the best time to visit Pondicherry as the weather is pleasant during this time.
We visited in the last week of January. Though mornings and evenings were pleasant, it was hot in the afternoons during that time.
From April to June, Pondicherry is at its hottest. It is best to avoid visiting Pondicherry during this time.
From July to September, it is Monsoon season in Pondicherry. If water activities are not your priority this can be a good time to visit Pondicherry. You can get good deals on hotels as this is not a touristy season in Pondicherry.
Itinerary to a trip to Pondicherry
Day 1: Reach Chennai, explore places in between Chennai and Mahabalipuram and stay in Mahabalipuram
Day 2: Explore Mahabalipuram and Reach Pondicherry by evening.
Day 3: Explore beaches and churches in Pondicherry
Day 4: Visit Auroville and sunset at Ossudu lake
Day 5: Visit Pichavaram and in the evening explore cafes in the White Town of Pondicherry
Day 6: Early morning cycling in the White Town of Pondicherry and Journey back home
Our accommodations during the trip
Our accommodation in Mahabalipuram
Oceanside Hotel
It is a 3-star property located just 2 minutes’ walking distance from Pallava beach in Mahabalipuram. Most of the major attractions of Mahabalipuram are near this hotel.
All rooms come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, an electric teapot, a shower, free toiletries, and a desk.
The room we stayed in was small but clean and well-maintained. Using their back gate, we reached the beach in a minute and witnessed an amazing sunrise from there.
4 accommodation options in Pondicherry
During our 4 day stay in Pondicherry, we explored 4 different properties in different areas of Pondicherry. You can choose a stay out of them depending on your interests, budget, and other preferences.
1. Villa D’’ Jems
It is a Tamil Heritage Villa in Pondicherry. Conveniently situated in the City Center part of Pondicherry, this property puts you close to attractions (like Promenade Beach, Aurbindo Aashram, and churches) and interesting dining options.
It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining area, and a patio with garden views. The décor of the villa is very aesthetic.
If you are traveling with family or friends you can rent this apartment and enjoy your stay.
You can book it online (Agoda, Booking.com) or contact Mr. Paul at +91-9842820034 to book your stay with them.
2. L’Amby Bay – The Beach House
L’Amby Bay is a 4-star property equipped with all the modern amenities. The X-factor is the sea view one gets from the rooms here. The sunrise and sunset views from the balcony are a no-miss. The location of the property is very calm and peaceful. The host and the staff are very jovial and always ready to serve you.
You can book it online (Agoda, Booking.com) or contact them directly at +91-984482971 to book your stay with them.
3. Villa Waves – White Town
Pondicherry used to be a French Settlement before independence. White town in Pondicherry is the area where the French used to live. French architecture and style can be seen in the houses built here. So, staying in White Town in Pondicherry tops the list of many travelers.
Villa Waves is located in the heart of the White Town / French Colony of Pondicherry. Promenade beach and most of the famous cafes of the White House are within walking distance from here. The rooms are small but clean and well-maintained.
You can book it online (Agoda, Booking.com) or contact them directly at +91-9092707374 to book your stay with them.
4. Vana Vilasa – Lush green stay with Swimming Pool near Auroville
Located in Auroville just 2 km from Matrimandir, Paradise Vana Vilasa is a nice stay. It has a private pool, a garden, and free private parking.
It offers well-furnished rooms equipped with all modern conveniences and comforts.
You can book it online (Agoda, Booking.com) or contact Mr. Balaji at +91-9994257556 to book your stay with them.
Day-wise breakdown of our trip to Pondicherry
Day 1 Reach Mahabalipuram
- Reached Chennai from Delhi by taking an early morning flight. Got our pre-booked Zoom car from Chennai Airport.
- Visited Dakshin Chitra Heritage Museum. It is an exciting cross-cultural living museum of art, architecture, lifestyles, crafts, and performing arts of South India. It is amidst immense greenery and is well-maintained. Had a soul-satisfying South Indian Lunch at its restaurant.
- Visited Muttukadu Boat House. Here you can take a boat ride in Muttukadu lake and after that enjoy some refreshments at the boat house. As this place is famous among locals for a picnic, expect some crowd here, especially on weekends.
- Visited Crocodile Bank. It was established to promote the conservation of reptiles, amphibians, and their habitats through education, scientific research, and captive breeding. There are hundreds of crocodiles, turtles, and other reptiles here.
- Reached Mahabalipuram in the evening and checked in Oceanside hotel.
- Visited Mahabalipuram Beach for sunset.
- Dinner at Le Yoga Cafe. We found it very good both ambiance and food wise. Their cold coffee is to die for.
Day 2 Explore Mahabalipuram
- On our host’s recommendations, we visited the beach just behind our hotel for Sunrise. And what a sunrise it was.
- Visited the Shore Temple. Built with rocks, this 8th-century temple overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. Classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the oldest stone temple in Southern India. It is a very peaceful and serene location. In the morning, we had it all to ourselves.
- Breakfast at Mamalla Bhawan. This was the first restaurant in the town. It is famous for its delicious Dosa.
- Visited other historical sites of Mahabalipuram like Krishna Mandapam, Arjuna Penance, and Krishna Butterball.
- Checked out of our hotel.
- Visited another iconic site of Mahabalipuram – Panchratha Temple. Also known as the Five Rathas, it is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture.
- We then left for Pondicherry. Reached Pondicherry by noon and checked in Villa D’’ Jems.
- Lunch at Café Xtasi. It is famous for its wood-fired Pizzas.
- Coffee at Bouche Sucree, White Town.
- In the evening, we visited Promenade Beach. It is a 1.2 km long stretch of vibrant beachfront with the finest cafes and various street food options. We had the crispiest of waffles here. We loved the energy of this place so much that we end up visiting it almost every day of our stay in Pondicherry. As this place is equally famous among locals and tourists, expect some crowd here.
- Dinner at Surguru. It is famous for its North and South Indian Food. We had their Matar Masala, Kulcha, and Aloo Pyaaz Pratha.
Day 3 Explore the Churches of Pondicherry
- Sunrise at Promenade Beach. Sunrise here hits differently.
- Visited our Lady of Angels Church, Immaculate Conception Catherdral, Aurobindo Ashram, and Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple.
- Breakfast at Bakers Street. It is an eatery offering French baked goods and desserts.
- Went to our place of stay and got freshened up.
- Visited Paradise Beach. Paradise Beach is reached via boat from Chunnabar Boat House. It is the cleanest beach in Pondicherry and we had a great time here. We had lunch at a local café at the beach itself.
- Checked in our next stay, L’Amby Bay.
- In the evening we went to Serenity Beach. Serenity beach is famous for its water activities. We wanted to book a surf session for the next day but the weather was not in our favor.
- Dinner at Palais de Mahe, White Town. It is a fine-dining restaurant and we loved its food and ambiance.
Day 4 Visit Auroville in the morning and Ossudu Lake in the evening
- As our stay at L’amby Bay was beachfront, we saw a beautiful sunrise from there.
- Breakfast at Bread and Chocolate, Auroville.
- Visit Maitri Mandir in Auroville. Auroville is an experimental township built to create a community where people from all over the world regardless of their culture and traditions come and live together. The Matrimandir is a symbol of spiritual significance for practitioners of Integral yoga, in the center of Auroville. One has to walk for around 2 km (after parking your vehicle) amidst greenery to reach here. We loved the walk.
- Had lunch at a restaurant inside Auroville. Their hot Mushroom Tart won our hearts.
- Checked in our next stay, Vana Vilasa.
- In the evening visited Ossudu/ Osteri lake. It is a manmade lake situated around 10 km from Pondicherry. We did boating in the lake and enjoyed it a lot. It is home to a variety of bird species.
Day 5 Explore Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
- Visited Pichavaram Mangrove Forest, around 75 km from Pondicherry. It is one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. Rowboats are ideal to venture inside narrow canals and deep inside the forest.
- Came back to Pondicherry and checked in at Villa Waves in White town
- Dinner at Coromandel Café
- Coffee at Hope Café
Day 6 Cycling in White Town
- Rented cycles and roamed around in White Town. Early morning cycling is the best way to see the beauty of the stunning French colony.
- Breakfast at Café Des Arts. This 19th-century building with vintage decor & garden seating offers French cafe fare & coffee.
- Went back to Chennai, submitted the Zoomcar, and flight up to Delhi
Ultimate Cafes in Pondicherry
- Café Des Arts
- Coromandel Café
- Café Xtasi
- Surguru
- Palais de Mahe
- Bread & Chocolate
- Hope Café
- Bouche Sucree
- Bakers Street
Budget for a week-long trip to Pondicherry
Accommodation
We stayed for one night at Oceanside Hotel, Mahabalipuram, and one night in each in Villa D’’ Jems, L’Amby Bay, Vana Vilasa, and Villa Waves in Pondicherry.
Oceanside Hotel Mahabalipuram range between INR 2000-2500 per room, Villa D’’ Jems in between INR 4000-5000 whole apartment (2 rooms), L’Amby Bay and Vana Vilasa around INR 3000 per day, Villa Waves around INR 2500 per day.
So, for 6 days 5 nights trip, expect to spend around INR 12500 – 13500 (for two people) on accommodation if you choose your stay in a similar range.
For a good price of a property, pre-book your stays at least 2 months in advance.
Transport
You can hire a taxi or rent a car for this trip. After reaching Pondicherry you can even hire a scooty/ bike for this trip.
We rented a Zoomcar for our trip from Chennai itself. Renting a Zoomcar cost us around INR 5000 (+fuel around INR 2000). Also, Zoomcar runs offers many times a year, so it will be more economical if you grab one such offer.
Renting scooty costs around INR 300-500 per day plus the fuel cost. Renting a bicycle costs around INR 200-300 per day.
So, for 6 days expect to spend around INR 8000 – 10000 on transport if you opt for options as we did.
Food
If you are on a budget, you can easily get some nice local food at INR 200-300 (roti Sabzi/ Pratha/ South Indian) per person.
Also, there are some very nice cafes in Pondicherry. Expect to spend around INR 700-900 per meal (for two people).
We did a mix of both during our stay in Pondicherry.
Others
There is a ticket price for visiting a few locations like Crocodile Park, Dakshin Chitra, Temples, Auroville, etc. It ranges between INR 10-150.
If you have rented a car, there will be parking fees as well. Activities like boating, surfing, and cycling will cost you extra bucks.
Hope this article will help you in planning a memorable trip to Pondicherry.