Hey guys! Planning a trip to the French Colony but aren’t sure how to go about it? I have got you an entire list on Pondicherry Places to Visit!Worry not, I have got it all covered for you. Scroll till the end for a special note ✨
HOW TO REACH PONDICHERRY :
The closest option is you have to first reach Chennai( by bus/flight/train) and from there it takes approximately 3-4 hours by bus to reach Pondicherry or you could also travel by train but that would take slightly longer. Since I am currently residing in Chennai itself we booked a Volvo bus that cost us around INR.350 and the comfort it gave was worth it all.
HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND IN PONDICHERRY?
The best mode of travel would preferably be by cycles/bikes compared to cars because firstly the roads are narrow and its very difficult to find parking in White Town( which constitutes majority of the French Colony) .
Also, you will be surprised by how nearby all the places are, mostly walking distance except for a few locations. The bike rental costs start at INR.250 per day so make sure you don’t get duped while paying. You could also use local transport but the autos (tuk-tuk) are very pricy and local buses don’t move within the White Town.
HOW MANY DAYS ARE ENOUGH TO VISIT ?
Well frankly speaking it all depends on how many days you have on your hands and how fast is your pace of moving around and exploring. Due to shortage of holidays I managed to complete my entire trip within 2 days but one can easily spend 3-4 days if you want to chill as well.
HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT ACCOMMODATION?
Well this entirely depends on your individual budgets ,but if you are looking for decent and low priced stay since you are broke like me hehe(just kidding) , you can try out Micasa Hostels or any OYO accommodation. We had booked a really cute villa named Velvett Villa. Make sure you book something that is within White Town so it is easier for you to travel around.
PLACES TO VISIT IN PONDICHERRY:
WHITE TOWN
The main attraction of Pondicherry definitely has to be the colorful walls painted in the lane of White Town. You will get the vibes of why this place is called French Colony after you stroll around here for a while. It has multiple numbers of cafes that are present here in each lane, along with many boutiques from where you can shop what you like!
From yellow to grey to white to pink, name any color and you will find that colored wall here in White Town. Make sure to keep 2-3 hours free to just stroll around so you can enjoy your walk, capture memories, and continue doing so until you are tired!
BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
One of the most beautiful and famous churches here is this one.With a very unique facade and beautiful interiors it definitely makes to my top places to visit . It interiors contain unique stained glass panels showcasing various events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church.
Located approximately 2 kms from the main city it is an ideal place to go for a short prayer while you continue to stay mesmerised by the beauty of its interiors.
LADY DES ANGELS – NOTRE DAMES CHURCH
Another beautiful church that caught my eye was the Notre Dame. Situated right in the centre of White Town , the church is one of the oldest ones present here. The beauty of its architecture is that right from the centre of the church you can see the Rock Beach and vice versa.
I also happened to know that it is the only church in Asia that has daily Mass in French & Mass in Tamil,French & English separately every Sunday from a local guide. Best time to visit it according to me is in the evening when the sunlight falls directly onto the facade.
NEW LIGHTHOUSE PONDICHERRY
This was literally the most exciting place I happen to visit. After climbing a flight of almost 12 stairs: 240-260 steps approximately the view was what was worth it all. You get a 360 degree view of the entire city with 180 degree taken up by land and the other 180 degree by the sea.
You can see the sunsetting from one side and its something your mind will capture and keep forever. The lighthouse is open only fro 3-5 daily and is closed on Mondays , so make sure to go during the time mentioned only.The ticket fare is INR.10 per person .
What the ceiling looks like when you walk upwards
ARULMIGU MANAKULA VINAYAGAR TEMPLE
One of the most iconic temples in Pondicherry, again located within the White Town. It is the temple of Lord Ganesha with different statues present depicted in various forms. What stands out is the amazing art work that is done everywhere inside the temple especially on the ceiling.
Even the heavily ornated walls in gold make the interiors of the temple shine when you enter. It opens at 5:30 am in the morning and closes around 12:30 pm before opening again in the evening.
AUROVILLE– MATRI MANDIR
This one is located slightly on the outskirts of Pondicherry at a distance of 12kms or so. It is an international yoga centre for intellectual minded people set up by Aurobindo Ashram.It is an amazing place to visit within which you kind of have a mini trek of walking around 1.5kms before you reach to the viewing sight of the Matri Mandir.
The tour starts with you seeing a video of 10 minutes to understand the mechanism of how it works and after that its just self exploring for you. It is open on all days except for Sundays only from 9am – 12:30 am and the tickets are free of cost. Incase you want to visit the interiors you need to take an appointment of doing it a few days prior to your visit.
SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM
Located amidst the White Town, it’s an ashram which provides its people with all the facilities. You can visit it to witness the lives of these people and understand the great works of Sri Aurobindo ,which also happened to be the place where he spent most of her life. You can’t click any pictures inside but it will barely take 20 minutes to finish the tour, so make sure to visit it!
WALK ALONG THE PROMENADE STRECH
Along with having the view of the Rock Beach make sure you spend a good 1-2 hours walking along this stretch. The best time to do so according to me would be in the morning .The crowd at that time is very less and it feels really nice to take a stroll while you continue to watch the sunrise over the sea along with enjoying your coconut water!
CAFES TO VISIT :
When you visit Pondicherry be prepared that half your time should be spent in the cafes trying the amazing food delicacies presented from all around the world. Some of the very famous ones which also served us good food were PY CAFE, CAFE DES ARTS, COROMANDEL CAFE, VILLA SHANTI and the list goes on…
Tap the link in order to read in detail about the cafes in Pondicherry! Instagram worthy cafes to visit ✨
BEACHES TO VISIT :
1.ROCK BEACH/ PROMENADE BEACH
It is the most famous beach present right outside the White Town.The best beach to see the sunrise according to me. Make sure to go there for a early morning walk as you can have a lovely jog along the Promenade stretch while seeing all the buildings along side, its less crowded in the mornings compared to evening so if you really want to make full use of your little time that you have , I will recommend you to visit this.
2.SERENITY BEACH
Situated at a distance of 15-20 minutes away from the city, this is another beautiful beach you should visit if you have got the time. It closes by 6 in the evening so make sure you visit it before that.
3.PARADISE BEACH
A really famous beach among all the beach lovers that come to this place, I personally felt this place was too hyped up, also it isn’t as clean as it used to be before. And if you come on a short trip this place will fall far for you as it is at a distance of 30 mins from the main city. But if you got the time you could spend half your day here indulging in various activities like Scuba diving, boating, etc.
So that’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed reading Pondicherry Places to Visit and found it helpful. If you want a detailed plan of how we went about with it and managed to finish all of it in exact 2 days, send us a mail and we will reply back to you with additional details ✨
Do not forget to follow me on my Instagram handle too! 🌸
Lots of Love,
Shriya Pandita
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