Puducherry, the coastal Union Territory in South India, is one of the best winter getaways. If you like the sea, sun and good food, taking a trip to Puducherry will surely be refreshing and adventurous. Pondicherry, Puducherry and Pondy are the different names by which this enticing part of India is known as. If you are thinking of a trip to Pondicherry, then read on for a perfect Pondicherry itinerary.
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Perfect 3 Days Pondicherry Itinerary: Top Things to See, Do & Everything Else
Until 1954 Pondicherry was a French colonial settlement and therefore it has a lot of French influence in its architecture and food. A trip to Pondicherry and a walk about the streets will give you a sense of the legacy that the French have left behind. The tree-lined streets, the boutiques, the villas all of them take you back in time. Additionally, it shares its borders with the state of Tamil Nadu, which also ensures it shares cultures with the state of Tamil Nadu.
The beaches in Pondicherry are a treat in itself. Promenade Beach, Paradise Beach, Auroville Beach, Mahe Beach, Serenity Beach, and Karaikal Beach are just some of the many popular beaches that one can spend time enjoying basking in the sun. Beach resorts in Pondicherry make for a relaxing and rejuvenating stay. The beaches are of course bound to be a part of any Pondicherry itinerary.
The food is something that will make you want to come back for more. The pastries, pizzas, croissants, south Indian fare, North Indian options are available and worth trying in any restaurant. There are many cafes (hole-in-the-wall or otherwise) and street food that are certainly must try. Experiencing the food is again a must whether you are on a Pondicherry itinerary for 2 days, Pondicherry itinerary for 3 days, or following a Pondicherry itinerary for 4 days.
We were also told that there is a great nightlife of dancing and celebrations that happen throughout the year. It carries with it the culture of the old, such as it’s French heritage, and Aurobindo’s influences, and temples and also caters to people that want to party and eat out. It just further proves that Pondy is a place where the old meets the new. The Puducherry itinerary is a complete feast for the senses with varied heritage, cultural, and epicurean nuances.
There are many things to do in Puducherry, however, we had to pack in as much as we could in just three days. So, I and my wife had to make some tough choices on what to see. I am sure there is a lot we have missed out on. Nonetheless, here is a list of things we did in our three-day visit to Pondicherry, which should be helpful in planning your own Pondicherry itinerary.
How to reach Pondicherry / Puducherry
- Puducherry or Pondicherry is Union Territory located in Southern India
- Chennai to Pondicherry distance is about 153 kilometres
- There is an airport in Puducherry which has limited flights under the UDAAN scheme
- The other nearest airport is Chennai International Airport at a distance of about 148 kilometres
If you are planning a trip to Pondicherry, you can book a cheap flight through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline right here. If you are thinking of a road trip to from Chennai to Pondicherry or Bangalore to Pondicherry or anywhere in India check out the rental car and bus options.
Where to stay in Pondicherry / Puducherry
There are many places to stay in Pondicherry for everyone with different budget sizes. You can find the poshest rooms at the biggest hotels or find a homestay at a lesser budget. However, for the most part, if you are travelling to Pondicherry in all likelihood you will find many reasons to leave the room rather than stay in it. For example, Ananda Inn is cheaper than The Promenade. At The Promenade, the room charges per night vary depending upon the view of the room that you choose. That being said there are many more options, in between, above and below you can opt for based on your budget to stay in Puducherry.
One can also choose beach resorts in Puducherry – beach resorts in Pondicherry and enjoy and have a relaxed stay in Pondicherry.
For your Pondicherry accommodation If you are looking for the best hotels in Puducherry – best hotels in Pondicherry to book, you can do that right here. You can book your hotel in Puducherry – your hotel in Pondicherry through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline conveniently right here!
Tours And Activities in Pondicherry
You can plan your Pondicherry itinerary and book your Puducherry trips – Pondicherry trips, right here. So go ahead and book online places to see in Pondicherry and indulge in popular activities in Puducherry – popular activities in Pondicherry and cover attractions in Puducherry – attractions in Pondicherry. If you are planning a day trip from Chennai to Puducherry – a day trip from Chennai to Pondicherry then you can book online one day trips from Chennai to Puducherry – one-day trips from Chennai to Pondicherry.
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When to go to Pondicherry / Puducherry
Puducherry, fondly called Pondy, tends to get pretty warm during the summers. So, if you prefer a calmer experience without having to experience the wrath of the Pondy summers, the winters are ideal. Go there anytime between October and February. The weather is pleasant and you can have maximum fun.
How to move around in Pondicherry / Puducherry?
If you do not drive there yourself or have access to your transport there are many ways to move around in Pondy. You can hire cycles if you want to see the place while cycling. If you are a biker, you have many places that let you hire bikes. There are auto-rickshaws you can hire to take you around to all tourist spots. Also, some cabs can be hired for a day or a half and more. Therefore, there is no dearth of options when it comes to travel in this place.
This said, here is what we did on our 3-day trip. What we want to call the Perfect 3-day Pondicherry trip. After we were done, and reading this, I guarantee you will want to visit it, as we do.
When visiting Pondicherry you can also avail of package tours that will cover other must-visit places in and around Pondicherry. You can plan your trip and book online places to visit in Puducherry – places to visit in Puducherry.
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3 Day Pondicherry Itinerary – Day 1 in Pondicherry / Puducherry
My wife and I drove down to Pondy from Chennai, and even before we reached there we could not resist visiting Mahabalipuram which is en route on the ECR. The heritage town is a must-see for its wonders, beaches, and sculptures. After experiencing Mamallapuram, we headed to Pondy. We reached Puducherry or Pondicherry and we checked into The Promenade in White Town. Surely, it is an upscale hotel, but it is right there on the Promenade Beach with a great view. So, our first place to see in Pondy had already been checked.
The Promenade
The Promenade has a great lunch buffet so we indulged in it. They also had outdoor seating if you wanted to brave the sun and listen to the sounds of the ocean.
After relaxing for a bit we headed for the adventures of Pondy. Here are some of the places we saw on our trip to Pondicherry on day one.
Aurobindo Ashram
First stop was the Aurobindo ashram. Had heard a lot about him and the ideology and had to see that place. It is a place that enables everyone to sit and meditate. They also have a library if you want to go looking.
Manakula Vinayagar Temple
Walking distance away is the Manakula Vinayagar Temple. We went there and the architecture of the place was simply stunning. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha and has one of the most beautiful ceilings, paintings and sculptures. It is huge and we took our time to look at every part of it as we walked through for the darshan.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Then we headed to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, again a heritage place. It is built based on Gothic architecture and is something to marvel at. It is believed to be one of the few Basilica churches in India and set up by French missionaries in 1908. An interesting thing I learnt online was that there are 21 Basilica churches in India and Pondy is the home to one of them.
French War Memorial
We went to the French War Memorial that was built for the soldier for those who lost their lives in the first world war. Visiting that place was a humbling experience. Those young people could fight for a cause at such a young age and knowing they could die is something that is moving and chilling at the same time. Their sacrifices are represented by this French War Memorial and are a must-visit place in Pondy.
Botanical Garden
This is certainly one of those places you must see if you are a flower lover. It is believed to have been built by the French and is a garden true to its name. You can take time looking through the different flora and fauna. You also get to see paintings, sculptures and photography of nature as an additional treat for your eyes. We surely had a lot of fun strolling through the garden and identifying different plants and flowers.
Bakers Street
We then headed to the famous Baker’s street. It is not too far away from the Promenade and has great french influences. If you are craving for french croissants, sandwiches, and coffee this is the place to go. We had our dinner at Bakers street. We had a lovely time with delicious food and ended it with the perfect dessert as well. A perfect place, self-service, and unmatchable taste.
Asian House
Though we were full, we had to experience the nightlife in Pondy. We were told the Asian House is one of the hot spots close to The Promenade and yes they had a dance floor. We had to check it out. It certainly was everything it promised. A dance floor, with a really good DJ, great food options and lots of liquor from different parts of the world. The food was also pretty multi-cuisine in terms of what they offered. We did, of course, enjoy shaking those legs to the DJs music.
What was left was a stroll on the Promenade beach and see the Gandhi statue and retire for the night.
3 Day Pondicherry Itinerary – Day 2 in Pondicherry / Puducherry
Day 2 we started with breakfast at The Promenade. It included an entire continental fair with a touch of Tamil food options. But we were mostly excited to leave for our next destination in our list of things to do in Puducherry.
Visit Auroville
Auroville is one of those must-visit places if you travel to Pondy. It is certainly recognized for its architectural show. It is believed to be a 20 square kilometres site founded in 1968 by the Aurobindo Spiritual Collaborator. The Matrimandir Temple, designed by Roger Anger is one of those marvels that is a must-visit place in Pondicherry. However, The Auroville Visitor Center, designed by Suhasini Iyer-Guigan is also something astonishing to see.
Auroville Beach
Auroville beach popularly known as Auro Beach is a part of Auroville Ashram and is a beach in Pondicherry that is secluded. It is cleaner than most beaches. We decided to take a look and got a beautiful glimpse of it. It may be one of the few beaches you can wet your feet in. However, we were told that high tide is something that we need to watch out for. The beach closes around 6.30 PM.
Lunch at Surguru
After the long walks, it was time to head back to Pondy. For lunch, we decided to go with Surguru. It is one of the most popular vegetarian restaurants in Pondicherry that offers multiple food options. We had the South Indian meals there, and of course, the suggestions did not fail us. It was delicious and everything we had hoped it would be. The ambience of the restaurant is great along with the divinity of their food flavours.
Paradise Island
Paradise Beach or Island is an isolated island located at Chunnambar. The beach is mesmerizing and because of the shallow waters, we saw many kids having great fun there. There is nothing that can replace a serene, breathtaking sunset that we experienced at this beach. We enjoyed the boat ride to the place. It wasn’t expensive and has the best and cleanest beach in the area. It is one of the gorgeous beaches. Possibly a place where I have seen the best sunsets in my life. It obviously got more special because I had my partner with me.
Dinner at Cafe Xtasi
What is a trip to Pondy without experiencing their pizza? That is exactly what we did on Day 2 with Cafe Xtasi. We indulged in their awesome pizzas. It is a vegetarian-friendly treat that people can have a lot of fun in the evening. It is safe to book a table in advance. Their variety of pasta is great too if you are into that kind of thing. For us, it was wood fire pizza all the way.
3 Day Pondicherry Itinerary – Day 3 in Pondicherry / Puducherry
Our last day in Pondy we were already sad to leave. But we needed to head back to Chennai soon. Not without getting a final glimpse of most that are pondy, because we know we have not seen it all and we will be back. But we had to get most of it.
Breakfast at Crêpe in Touch
What is the point of going to a place that has french influence and not trying crepes? So, for breakfast, we landed in Crepe in touch to get our bellies introduced to and satisfied by our crepe cravings. The ambience, the place, the location, just about everything worked for us. What, however, blew our mind was the crepes themselves. They have all the options you need. Vegetarian, vegan, whatever you need they are happy to serve up.
Shopping at Casablanca
Local shopping was a great option for us to carry home the rich culture of Puducherry. So, we headed for some quick shopping at Casablanca, which is a 3-floor departmental store. It is a great place for local shopping in Pondicherry. You will find an amazing range of candles, perfumes, trendy jewellery, furnishing, handicrafts, locally made pottery items, leather products and more. They have a great collection of homemade chocolates. You can spend an entire day shopping in Pondicherry, but we quickly bought a few items and headed to our next destination. Shopping in Pondicherry is an experience to cherish and definitely an integral part of any Pondicherry itinerary.
Puducherry Museum / Pondicherry Museum
Yes, had to go there to get a sense of history. I and my wife live for the moment, surely, but appreciate and respect the past. We realize that what happens in our pasts shapes what we are now and what will make us in the future. So, that was our next stop. To understand history. On Saint Louis street it has bronze and stone sculptures way back from dynasties like the Pallavas and Cholas. It is certainly a treat if you have any curiosity for history in you.
Lunch at Dilliwala6
We heard a lot about this place and had to try it out on our own. As usual, the suggestions did not fail us. If you miss your North Indian fair after eating a lot of French and South Indian food, this is a North Indian restaurant in Puducherry you must try. They serve up all kinds of good North Indian food, while their paneer dishes require a special mention apart from their dal makhani and the ambience and the courtesy of the staff.
Post lunch
It was clear to us that we had to head back post-lunch to avoid the traffic and we did have a plan en route as well. So, we decided we have seen all we need to see on our trip to Pondicherry. Surely we will come back and explore Pondy again for its beauty that it beholds! Now it became our dear Pondy, not Puducherry.
However, now without a pitstop. We had to try the boating at Muthukad that we have learnt and heard about so much with love and nostalgia.
Boat Ride in Muttukadu
Muttukadu is a great lake that you can go boating, depending on how much time you have you can choose to select the different boats. We picked the speed version. We wanted to make sure that we skip the traffic as much as we possibly could, while we enjoy the experience. The Muttukadu boat ride was a magnificent experience and a time well spent. It was beautiful, wind in our hair and smiles all around. It was certainly a boat ride to remember.
Pondy, what a place, what a great trip it was. As we travel outside the country, we often forget that there is so much beauty in our backyard. It is one of those places where you can kick back and relax amongst wonderful and friendly people. It is a place that has something for everyone. There are places to stay at different budgets, there are places to eat at different budgets, and places to go and things to do based on your interest. It doesn’t matter what, when and where, all you need to do is just ask and go.
We cannot help but reminisce about our trip to Puducherry. The tree-lined boulevards, the heritage buildings, the beaches, the food, the spirituality all of these are things that my wife and I will carry with us forever. There are very few travels I have made where everything came together all in one place.
Typically, different places are known for different things. Some places you can go to for the temples, other places you might go-to for the food, other places for the architecture, while other places you may go for adventures. You can go to Pondy and satisfy all your needs. What’s greater is that especially if you live in Chennai it is just about a 3-hour drive from it. That means Chennaiats have a bigger advantage than most others.
There are discotheques, romantic getaways, lounge bars, boathouses, restaurants, hotels, beaches and more that remain unexplored by us. All things said and done, there is one thing for sure, there are many things to do in Pondicherry aka Puducherry or Pondy as we have fondly come to call it. Our dear Pondy, we are definitely going to return and explore it more.
Hope you found this Pondicherry travel blog post useful and you will use this Pondicherry itinerary to plan your trip to Pondy!
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I love the idea that you can eat South Indian food for one meal, French for another, and then some North Indian food, and it all be authentic to the area.
I rather suspect that I’d spend too much money in Casablanca!
WOW! We just got back from India but did not get to travel in the south. You blog and suggestions for Pondicherry makes us want to head back.
Pondicherry looks like a wonderful place to visit – it looks as though it has something for everyone’s interests!
Looks real interesting and I love the looks of the Matrimandir Temple.
Judging by the waves and the color of the water, I guess snorkeling is no option there?
Sandy and Vyjay, awesome breakdown guys. We spent 1 month in Pondy in 2013. Loved the place. We visited a temple there weekly to meditate. I believe The Mother and Sri Aurobindo had influences there. Great energy in that nice little town on the water.
We spent two months in India and unfortunately we never made it to Pondicherry! I wish we had though as it looks like such a lovely place to explore. I especially love the style of some of the buildings 🙂
What a beautiful variety of things to see and do, from the beaches to the memorial, museum and temples. I love the 3 day itinerary you shared. I would love to experience that boat ride too.
I’ve always wanted to visit Pondicherry, but somehow never got the chance. Thanks for this extremely detailed guide – hopefully I’ll be able to put it to good use someday soon!
Woww now thats quite an elaborate list and detailed itinerary. Reading this made me relive my travel days. Its really very helpful
This looks like such a perfect place for a getaway holiday, there’s so much to see and do, and you can also go to the beach.
I feel so ignorant as I always thought the British were the only colonists in India and I had no idea about its French heritage! Being a culture lover with a special interest in architecture, I would definitely consider visiting Pondicherry if I were ever to go to India! Thanks for the inspiration (and education) 🙂
I really need to spend more time in India. My only experience was a few months spent in Goa, which is a strange bubble and not an authentic India experience. Hopefully soon I’ll get a chance to explore more of the south.
Such a great itinerary and beings back so many memories of my visit to Pondicherry! My absolute favorite bit is walking on the promenade along the Rocky beach. Gorgeous!
Took me on a flashback of my Pondicherry trip. Went to most of these places and missed some. Gonna come back to this blog if I happen to be in Pondicherry again.
Pondicherry sounds like a great place to visit! I would love to explore the basilica and the botanical gardens would be something my daughter and I would enjoy. Visiting the secluded beaches would be perfect to.
What an interesting area! I would not have expected to see architecture like that in South India, but it is soo cool to see the mixture of cultures (especially with the food!)
I love Pondicherry. I used to go to Auroville every late summer and this year I have missed it. Your blog brings these old memories back.
Pondicherry is one of my favourite travel destinations. Thanks to you, I saw it in a different light. Fantastic blogpost. Thank you for writing this one.
It certainly sounds like you had a good time in Pondy. I think the boat trip would be something I would like to do.
Loved walking through the promenade and watching the sunset from le cafe. Pondy trip on the cards post October
Pondy seems like an awesome option for visiting. I have traveled to Bangalore so many times, but in summers. So was unable to visit Pondy, after reading your blog, I realised there are so many things to do, but we need to travel at the right time.
Amazing read.
Pondicherry is in my list from so long. Thanks for this itinerary , I will surely visit the place and check this post again.
Pondicherry is on my travel list for a long time. I’m gonna use your itinerary when I do visit this beautiful place 🙂
I absolutely loved Paradise beach. It was worth the effort of taking the lazy boat ride to that place. When I visited the beach was very rough, its good to see people enjoying in the water in your picture. Pondicherry is my favourite place in Tamil Nadu and I traveled solo here, I had such an awesome time.
this reminds me of my trip to Puducherry, the food and lovely walks through French Quarters, the food at Sadguru’s and the most important the visit to Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.
Wow, I’ve almost seen everything on this list. In fact I loved exploring Pondicherry on foot. It was an amazing experience.
So well documented about Pondicherry… Can you imagine i stayed in Chennai for 3 months and didn’t travel to pondi 😞 … Every post related to Pondicherry makes me feel so sad…
So well documented about Pondicherry… Can you imagine i stayed in Chennai for 3 months and didn’t travel to pondi … Every post related to Pondicherry makes me feel so sad… This post made me felt sadder due to the great documentation
Really Pondicherry looks awesome place and I really want to visit here. Thanks for sharing the article.
Pondicherry looks like an incredible place to visit. So colorful too. Would love to visit one day since I haven’t made it to India yet. Great and detailed post.
I had never even heard of Pondicherry!! It looks just so amazing, with so many different cultures, foods & esthetics… it’s basically a few countries in one. I’m saving + pinning your blog for when I plan my next India trip.
From this post it seems like Pondicherry is a must-see on a trip to India! I love the Matrimandir Temple, and the variety of things to do (and eat) here!
When I was planning my first visit to India last year, I had to choose between Kochi and Pondicherry. I ended up going with Kochi, but now I know I need to go back and visit Pondicherry! I love the architecture and the Matrimandir Temple is so stunning!