Why explore the pictures of Thai and Malay beaches with sun-kissed soils and rolling surfs, when the people of Chennai have their own share right here? As the city’s boundaries expanded, Chennai has inherited a lot of beaches, leaving one to pick from more than just Marina and Elliot’s beach. In the mornings, the beaches of Chennai provide the splendid scenic view together with serene sea, shimmering sand and gentle wind. These stunning beaches have magnificently charmed the locals as well as the tourists with their scintillating natural beauty and panoramic exquisiteness and vivacity.
1. Marina Beach
Photo by Vinoth Chandar, CC BY 2.0
Marina beach, renowned as the Pride of Chennai, is the second longest beach in the world. The urban beach is branded by golden sand, rising and falling surf, a shimmering blue sea, and scenic beauty and is considered as one of the cleanest and busiest beaches in India. It also provides a clear and wonderful view of sunrise and sunset.
The strong water-current makes Marina Beach unsuitable for swimming. However, there are a range of activities like sun bathing, fishing, wind surfing, beach volley ball and kite flying to indulge in, at the beach
The lighthouse at the southern end of the beach provides picturesque views of the city of Chennai. The Marina Beach drive is fringed by palms and is home to popular landmarks of the city like the Anna Square, Senate House, MGR Memorial and Ice House. Marina Beach also has country’s first Aquarium, 34-foot artificial waterfall, a swimming pool and a park with sculptures of many leaders and celebrities.
2. Elliot’s Beach
Photo by Srikaanth Sekar, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Elliot’s Beach also popularly known as the Besant Nagar beach is considered as the cleanest beach of Chennai. This beach is also famous as a night beach, owing to the social gathering of the young crowd. Elliott Beach is ideal for hanging around and relaxing as it is much calmer, less crowded and better maintained than the Marina beach. Going to this beach gives you immense pleasure amid the silver sands especially at dusk. One can appreciate the serenity of this beach from the demanding life of Chennai.
The interesting sightseeing here are the Church and the Ashtalakshmi temple and the Schmidt Memorial built in the memory of Karl Schmidt, a Dutch sailor.
3. Covelong Beach
Photo by Prateek Rungta, CC BY 2.0
It is one of the most captivating and beautiful beach located on the way to Mahabalipuram. Fringed by pretty palm trees and lined with sparkling sand flecked with multi-coloured sea-shells, this amazing place is a must-see. This beach has now been converted into a lovely resort maintained by Taj Group of Hotels. Covelong Beach, though famed for its clear waters, is less swarming. Situated at a distance of 40 km from Chennai, it is mostly visited by water sports buffs for activities like wind surfing, swimming, etc. The proximity of Covelong Beach to Mahabalipuram, Crocodile Farm and to the ancient historic monuments makes it a popular sightseeing choice.
4. Breezy Beach
The Breezy beach in Chennai is a must stopover for a wonderful evening. It’s true that there are more than a few other exciting things to see and do. However, like all other beaches, the Breezy Beach in Chennai also has its own marquee of distinctive charm. Less crowded with golden sands and crystal-clear sea waters, this place is a welcome break. It is famous for boat rides and beautiful sunsets. Relax here to beat the heat and enjoy the beauty of nature in this dynamic city.
5. Golden Beach
Photo by rundnd, CC BY-ND 2.0
Golden Beach lies adjacent to the VGP Universal Kingdom, an amusement park, and is one of the cleanest and most preferred beaches in Chennai. Golden Beach is one of the most hunted settings for film shootings. It is a perfect place for morning walks, swimming, and a preferred destination for the whole family. One can also visit the theme park at Golden Beach which has many adventure rides so as to spend quality time with your loved ones.
On and around the beaches, there are lot many exciting things to observe as well as to do. Just escape the hullabaloo of the city and spend an evening at the beautiful Chennai beaches of your choice. Kick back and unwind as you stroll along the seashore or sprawl by the water while watching a stunning sunset and enjoying fun activities.