Planning Your Time

Planning Your Time

Because most of the temples in this chapter close in the middle of the day, it makes sense to get up early, see what you can, and then take a siesta or shopping break in preparation for more temple-going in early evening. By the same token, don't try to see too many and risk a case of temple overdose. It's often better to see a few and take your time rather than see a bunch of temples and have them all run together. The colorful bazaars, temples, and shopping in Chennai are worth one-to-two days' worth of your time. With a city this large, it's easy to waste the day getting from point A to B, so try to concentrate on one area of the city at a time, and try to avoid the evening rush hour if at all possible.

Mahabalipuram and its cave temples are a must-see, and they can be done as either a day trip or an overnight stay from a base in Chennai—if you do stay over, then the pilgrimage town of Kanchipuram and its 200 temples can be visited on the way back to Chennai.

If you're heading between Madurai and Chennai via car, Pondicherry is roughly mid-way, along the coast. With its Provincial-France-on-the-Indian-Ocean qualities, Pondicherry makes a good place to unwind and take a break from more rigorous sightseeing.