Mahabalipuram's shore temple and its rock-cut rathas are among the oldest stone structures in South India, and they sit on a working beach an hour and a half from Chennai. Tranquebar — Tharangambadi — is the payoff for going further: a Danish trading colony from 1620 with a fort, a church and a bungalow-lined street ending at the Bay of Bengal, and essentially no tourists at all.
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When to go
November to February. April to June is heavy coastal heat and humidity; October to December can bring cyclone weather off the Bay of Bengal.
Mahabalipuram right now and the next 7 days
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Mahabalipuram, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Mahabalipuram · Five Rathas & Arjuna's Penance
- TravelBus: Chennai → Mahabalipuram, ECR coast road₹120
- 11:00Five Rathas & Arjuna's PenanceFree
- 14:30Krishna's Butter Ball & the hill monumentsFree
- Day 2 Shore Temple at sunrise
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Mahabalipuram on the map
Tap anything in the list: the map zooms straight to it. Tap your starting city to see the way there.
The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map by Google. Places are found by name, so check the exact spot in Google Maps before you go.
Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar in 2 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Five Rathas & Arjuna's Penance2 h · free · Whole temples carved from single boulders. The bas-relief is free and enormous.
- 13:30Lunch break
- 14:30Krishna's Butter Ball & the hill monuments1 h 30 m · free · Free, scattered across the rock, and where the local kids play.
- 05:45Shore Temple at sunrise1 h 30 m · ₹40 each · Eighth century, on the sand, with the sea behind it. One ticket covers the Five Rathas too.
- 08:15Stone carving workshops1 h · free · The village still carves granite for temples across India. Watch, then walk on.
- 09:45Tranquebar's King Street at dusk1 h · free · Colonial bungalows, two old churches and the sea gate at the end. Free, and strange.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Mahabalipuram
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Bus Cheapest
₹120Every twenty minutes from Koyambedu and the beach road.
Bus to Tranquebar Last leg
₹220Via Puducherry and Chidambaram. Break it at Pondicherry.
Getting around once you're there
On foot
FreeEvery Mahabalipuram monument is within a kilometre of the bus stand.
Bicycle
₹200For Tiger Cave and the Crocodile Bank up the coast.
Scooter
₹400The ECR coast road south is a genuinely good ride.
Local bus
₹40Down the coast to Pondicherry, Chidambaram and Tranquebar.
Where to stay in Mahabalipuram
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Guesthouse
₹1,100/nightThe old backpacker street. Walkable to everything.
Heritage bungalow
₹3,800/nightRestored 18th-century houses on the sea wall. Extraordinary and almost empty.
Beach hotel
₹2,400/nightThe ECR is lined with them. Weekday rates are far lower.
What to eat, and what it costs
Tamil meals on a leaf
₹60In the village, away from the beach road. Unlimited.
Fresh seafood at a beach shack
₹250Agree the price per piece before it goes on the grill.
Idli, pongal and filter coffee
₹40Breakfast. Tamil Nadu does this better than anywhere.
Chidambaram-style meals en route
₹120The temple-town messes on the coastal road south are worth stopping for.
Places to visit and things to do in Mahabalipuram
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Shore Temple at sunrise
₹40Eighth century, on the sand, with the sea behind it. One ticket covers the Five Rathas too.
Five Rathas & Arjuna's Penance
FreeWhole temples carved from single boulders. The bas-relief is free and enormous.
Krishna's Butter Ball & the hill monuments
FreeFree, scattered across the rock, and where the local kids play.
Stone carving workshops
FreeThe village still carves granite for temples across India. Watch, then walk on.
Dansborg Fort, Tranquebar
₹50A Danish fort from 1620 on the Bay of Bengal. You will likely be the only visitor.
Tranquebar's King Street at dusk
FreeColonial bungalows, two old churches and the sea gate at the end. Free, and strange.
Crocodile Bank
₹15014 km north. A serious conservation centre, not a zoo.
Day trips and next stops
Pondicherry
₹120ECR bus south
Chennai
₹120ECR bus north
Bus south
Thanjavur
₹300Bus or train via Kumbakonam
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Swimming at Mahabalipuram is genuinely dangerous — strong currents and no lifeguards. People drown here every year.
- The ₹40 ASI ticket covers the Shore Temple and Five Rathas on the same day only.
- Tranquebar has almost no infrastructure. Bring cash and do not assume a restaurant will be open.
Ways to spend less
- The ASI ticket at ₹40 covers two world-class sites. Everything else in Mahabalipuram is free.
- Tranquebar is two hours further and has a Danish fort, a sea wall and no crowds. Almost nobody makes the trip.
- Go down the coast by local bus: Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Chidambaram, Tranquebar for under ₹400 in total.
Say it in Tamil
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
English works in towns; Hindi much less.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Mahabalipuram in pictures
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec. November to February. April to June is heavy coastal heat and humidity; October to December can bring cyclone weather off the Bay of Bengal.
How do I reach Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar?
Bus: Chennai → Mahabalipuram, ECR coast road, 1 h 30 m, about ₹120 one way. Flight + road: → Chennai (MAA), then 1 h 30 m, 1 h + 1 h 30 m, about ₹6,000 one way. Train + bus: → Chengalpattu, then 1 h bus, varies + 1 h, about ₹600 one way.
How much does a 2-day trip to Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹1,800 on a shoestring, ₹3,200 mid-range or ₹6,800 in comfort over 2 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is bus (Chennai → Mahabalipuram, ECR coast road) at about ₹120 each way.
How many days do you need in Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar?
2 days is right for most people. That covers Five Rathas & Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butter Ball & the hill monuments, Shore Temple at sunrise, Stone carving workshops without rushing.
Is Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 5, couples 5, families 5, groups 4. It works well for families. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar?
Effortless. This is the most vegetarian-friendly state in India — meals are pure veg by default, unlimited, and ₹60. Jain options available near the temples.
Will my phone and cards work in Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar?
Phone signal: Fine throughout. Cards and UPI: Mahabalipuram widely; Tranquebar barely. Cash: Village stalls, buses, entry fees.
Guides for Mahabalipuram & Tranquebar
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Chennai to Pondicherry: Distance, ECR or GST Road, Bus, Car and TrainChennai to Pondicherry is about 150 km by the ECR or 169 km by the GST road, about 2 h 30 min free-flow. Buses, the…Read the guide →
Best Places to Visit in December in India: 20 Picks by Region, with 3-Day Costs20 underrated places rated best for December in India, by region, each instead of a famous name. 3-day costs, snow,…Read the guide →
10 Weekend Getaways from Chennai Under ₹5,000, Ranked by Real CostWeekend getaways from Chennai under ₹5,000, ranked by real cost: Gingee, Chidambaram, Kolli Hills, Mahabalipuram,…Read the guide →Similar underrated places
PondicherryA French grid on one side of a canal, a Tamil town on the other, and a bicycle is all you need for both.From ₹1,100/day · Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec.jpg/500px-Gingee_2010_DSC06027_5_6_tonemapped_(5032521816).jpg)
Gingee FortThree granite hills joined by walls, a Maratha citadel the British called the 'Troy of the East', and now…From ₹700/day · Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec.jpg/500px-Brihadisvara_Temple_during_Maha_Shivaratri-WUS03611_(edit).jpg)
Thanjavur & KumbakonamA thousand-year-old granite temple whose tower has never been rebuilt, and forty more Chola temples within…From ₹800/day · Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec
ChettinadSeventy-five villages of vast merchant mansions built with Burmese teak and Italian marble, mostly locked,…From ₹900/day · Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec
GandikotaA ruined fort on the lip of a red sandstone gorge, with a mosque, a granary and a Vishnu temple inside the…From ₹800/day · Jan–Feb, Oct–Dec
Mysuru & SrirangapatnaA palace lit by ninety-seven thousand bulbs on Sunday nights, a hill temple above the city, and Tipu…From ₹900/day · Jan–Feb, Oct–DecTreks near Mahabalipuram
Swamimalai, YelagiriEasy · Half day · Oct–MarFrom ₹0 at the base
Agaya Gangai FallsModerate · Half day · Aug–JanFrom ₹50 at the baseSacred places near Mahabalipuram
Make the plan yours
Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: Sai Sathish Vijayan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Oleg Yunakov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Sichu7 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Matthew T Rader · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
