Pondicherry or Puducherry is one of the eight union territories of India. It is comprised of four places, and they are Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. These four places and Chanadannagaar in West Bengal were once the only French settlements in India. Even today, Pondicherry has many things that indicate a French colonial past. That is why it is also called the “Little France of India”.
Read more: Pondicherry in November Rain | A 3-Days Trip With Family
But French history is not the only thing that attracts travellers to visit Pondicherry. The natural vibe of a beach town, the left behind legacies of Sri Aurobindo and Mother Alfassa and the peaceful co-existence of rich Tamil culture are equally important for its glittering presence in the tourist map of India.
Below are the 15 best places in Pondicherry that you should not miss during your visit to this beautiful beach town.
Tourist Map of Pondicherry
Places to see in Pondicherry
Auroville
The most visited place near Pondicherry is Auroville. Though Auroville is not a tourist place per se, the concept and the ideology behind it always attract travellers around the globe to experience it. While talking about living the lifestyle, you need to stay for a few weeks inside Auroville, but that does not restrict tourists to pay a day visit to the Matrimandir.
Auroville is a universal township with residents from all over the world. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity while practising sustainable living addressing the cultural, environmental, social and spiritual needs of humanity.
It is the vision of Mirra Alfassa (known as Mother to his followers) which finally materialised on 28th February 1968 by an inaugural ceremony attended by 5000 people from 124 nations worldwide. They brought soil from their homeland, all of which was kept in a marble-clad lotus-shaped urn that is cited at the focal point inside the amphitheatre now.
The Matrimandir is at the centre of the township around which the township is built divided into 4 zones – Residential Zone, International Zone, Cultural Zone and Industrial Zone. These zones are collectively encircled by Green Zone, which is comprised of organic farms, dairies, orchards, forests and wildlife areas.
Auroville township is located partly in Pondicherry and the rest in Tamilnadu. It is 10 km north of Pondicherry and at a distance of 150 km from Chennai.
The first place that you will come across after entering is the Visitor’s Centre where you can get information regarding Auroville. The entry passes for Matrimandir are issued here. A visitor has to watch an introductory video on Matrimandir following which the pass is issued.
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A shaded 15 minutes walk from the Visitor’s Centre leads to Matrimandir. There is also an electric shuttle service for aged persons who will find it difficult walking. The distance is 1 km from the Visitor’s Centre. While returning, everyone can avail the bus service back to the Visitor’s Centre. Or you can walk back and explore some other interesting places like Unity Pavillion, Bharat Nivas, Tibetian Pavillion, Sabitri Bhavan etc. Before you eave Auroville you can spend some time in the nice food court near the Visitor’s Centre.
Address: Auroville Township, Pondicherry / Tamilnadu, India
Google Map: Auroville
Entry Time for Matrimandir: 9 am – 5 pm, Passes to visit Matrimandir are issued from 9 am – 4:30 pm (Mon – Sat) and 9 am – 1 pm (on Sundays)
Entry Fee: Free
Promenade and Rock beach
The promenade is the road right beside the rock beach. It extends from the Gandhi statue in the north to the Dupleix park in Goubert Avenue. And Rock Beach, the beach alongside the Promenade, is a long 1.5 km stretch of shoreline covered by large rocks. The promenade is Pondicherry’s own little “Marine Drive”. Traffic on this road is restricted from 6 pm to 7 am.
Several heritage buildings and monuments are present around the Promenade, such as – Children’s Park and Dupleix Statue, Gandhi statue, Nehru Statue, Le Café, French War Memorial, 19th Century Light House, Bharathi Park, Governors Palace, Romain Rolland Library, Legislative Assembly, Pondicherry Museum and the French Institute of Pondicherry at Saint Louis Street.
The promenade is not just a place for Pondy people; it is more of an emotion. The character of the Promenade changes with the time of the day.
In the early morning after the first mass is over, the street becomes full of walkers and fitness freaks. You may find a few couples busy in pre-wedding photoshoots on the Rock beach. After 7 am on weekdays, you will see kids going for school, and when the traffic restriction lifted off, there are lines of bikes and auto-rickshaws full of school kids moving in both directions.
In the late morning and noon, the crowd gets thinned out even in the winter due to the tropical sun. But once the clock gets past 4 in the afternoon, the locals and the tourists again start gathering in the Promenade. This time the crowd comprises more of young souls. The cafes gradually fill up, and the beachside roars with fun and laughter until sunset.
Address: Promenade, White Town, Pondicherry
Google Map: Promenade Beach
Entry Time: Open 24 hours
Entry Fee: Free
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
This is the place where Sri Aurobindo spent most of his life. It is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry, inside White Town. Founded in 1926, Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown, under Mother’s (Mira Alfassa) guidance, from a small group of two dozen disciples into a large and diverse community of almost 1600 members.
Ashram main building has houses of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, as well as their Samadhis (mausoleum) where they were laid to rest.
The Ashram provides its members with all they need for a healthy life. Various departments look after the basic requirements of food, clothing and shelter, as well as medical care. There are also libraries for study and facilities for a variety of cultural pursuits including music, dance, theatre, and the arts.
Read more: White Town in Pondicherry – A Photo Walk
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
The Ashram is open to the general public every day from 8 am – 12 noon and 2 pm – 6 pm.
Visitors can also access some facilities of the Ashram like the Library and the main building (during collective meditation) with gate pass from Bureau Central or Ashram Guest House.
Address: Marine Street, White Town, Puducherry, 605002
Google Map: Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Entry Time: 8 am- 12 noon and 2 pm – 6 pm (All Days)
Entry Fee: Free
Paradise Beach
Paradise Beach is the most beautiful sea beach in Pondicherry. This pristine white sand beach is a perfect place to have fun under the tropical sun. The beach can only be accessed by a boat from Chunnambar Boat House on Cuddalore Road. The boat ride takes 15 minutes to reach there. But the ferry timing is fixed and depends on weather condition.
There are a few beach shacks and restaurants available where you can get foods and beverages. However, the price is much higher than usual. Showers and restrooms are also available on the beach. You can have a game of beach volleyball or swim in the small waves near the shore, or you can lie down on the sand and take a sunbathe at the beach.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Address: Manaveli Rd, Chinna Veerampattinam, Pondicherry
Google Map: Paradise Beach
Entry Time: 9 am- 5 pm (All Days), depends on ferry time in Chunnambar Boat House
Entry Fee:
- ₹5 for children
- ₹10 for adult
- ₹20 for still camera
- ₹50 for video camera
- ₹200 per person for beach trip by motorboat (pick-up and drop)
- Car parking, food and beverages are extra
Pondicherry Museum
Pondicherry Museum is a must-visit place if you are a history buff. It has a large collection of many bronze and stone sculptures from the Pallava and Chola Dynasty and also the artefacts which were excavated from Arikamedu (the Roman Empire Link to Pondicherry).
The museum is inside an old two-storied building on Saint Louis Street. At the courtyard, you will see many stone statues and a fossilised tree.
On the ground floor there is a geology room, a shell and a fossil room, On the first floor, there is collection of handicrafts, coins and French furniture with three more attractions kept in the veranda – they are three curious transport mechanisms- a coach, a palanquin and a pousse-pousse (an earlier version of the rickshaw).
The bronze gallery displays the images of gods and goddesses together with a wide collection of temple lamps used across different dynasties down the centuries.
Address: Saint Louis Street, Pondicherry
Google Map: Pondicherry Museum
Entry Time: 10 am – 5 pm (Except Mondays and National Holidays)
Entry Fee: ₹15 per person
Churches of Pondicherry
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
You can find this century-old church right opposite Pondicherry railway station. It was built in Neo-Gothic style in the first decade of the twentieth century.
This church looks like a cross in aerial view and is 50 metres long, 48 metres wide and 18 metres high. A biblical verse from 2nd chronicle is written in Latin right above the main entrance.
Inside the church, there are rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and the saints of the Catholic Church. The Grotto for Sacred Heart of Jesus facing the City Railway Station was added, and the church illuminated inside and outside with chandeliers, focus lights and floodlights.
Address: Subbaiah Salai, Pondicherry (opposite Pondicherry station)
Google Map: Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Entry Time: 5 am – 10 pm (All Days); Mass Timings: Monday to Saturday – 5:30 am, 12:30 pm, 6:00 pm, Sunday – 5:30 am, 7:30 am, 12:00 pm, 5:00 pm (English mass) 6:15 pm (Tamil mass)
Entry Fee: Free
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the cathedral mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. This church is located on Mission Street on the ruins of old churches. The first church was built here back in 1692 which was demolished by Dutch within a year.
Then the second church was built in 1699, which also could not last long. This final structure was built in the 18th century and remodelled many times. Mother Teresa visited this 300 years old church during her visit to Pondicherry. The Bishop House is also situated here.
Address: Mission Street, Near V.O.C School, Pondicherry
Google Map: Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Entry Time: 7 am -12 noon, 3 pm – 8:30 pm (All Days)
Entry Fee: Free
Church of our Lady of the Angels
This church is located in Dumas Street inside White Town and also known as Domas Church. The church was built in Greco-Roman architecture. There is a main chappel in the centre with two pillars on either side. On aerial view, this church also looks like a Latin cross. Two spiral staircases could reach the main entrance. The inscriptions in Latin can be seen over the facade. The bells in the church are believed to have been procured from France.
There is a statue of Joan of Arc erected in a small garden between the church and the sea and was donated to the church by the then Mayor of Puducherry, Goubert.
Church of our Lady of the Angels is the only church in Pondicherry where every Sunday mass is celebrated in all three languages – English, Tamil and French.
Address: Dumas street, White Town, Pondicherry
Google Map: Church of our Lady of the Angels
Entry Time:6 am – 10 pm; Mass Timings – Visit here
Entry Fee: Free
Read more: 10 Best Hotels In The White Town Of Pondicherry That You Can Book On Your Next Trip
Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple
Manakula Vinayagar Temple is a Hindu temple of Lord Ganesa. This temple is a popular pilgrimage site and tourist destination in Pondicherry. This temple was built before the French came to India. During the tenure of Dupleix, there were attempts to destroy the temple, but there was strong resistance by Hindu people which compelled the French to spare it.
Located close to Sri Aurobindo Ashram, this temple has a beautiful entrance with a wall lined by carvings of Hindu gods and goddesses. Inside the temple, the southern sidewall has three rows of gods, sculptures and stone engravings. There is a large golden chariot inside the temple which is believed to bring good luck to devotees if they can pull it.
Brahmothsavam, the mega festival of Lord Manakula Vinayagar is celebrated every year for 24 days during August and September.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Address: Francois Martin St, White Town, Pondicherry
Google Map: Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple
Entry Time: 5:45am – 12:30pm and 4:00pm – 9:00pm (till 10:00pm on Fridays), timings are subject to change during Festival days and Holidays.
Entry Fee: Free
Serenity Beach
Serenity beach is around 8 km from Pondicherry and is quite popular among young people. It is the nearest sand beach from Pondicherry. You can see many fishing boats lined along the shoreline and a stone laid pavement that encroaches little inside the sea. This encroachment is a favourite place of locals to enjoy the sunset while sitting on a large rock.
This beach is also popular among surfers as the waves are bigger than other sand beaches. There are a surf school and a cafe near the beach. The weekend market is also a nice place to hang out.
Address: Kottakuppam, Off ECR, Tamil Nadu 605101
Google Map: Serenity Beach
Entry Time: till 6:30 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Chunnambar Boat House
Chunnambar Boat House is 8 km away from Pondicherry on Cuddalore Main Road. The boathouse is situated beside Chunnambar creek where the river Chunnambar meets the Bay of Bengal. As the name suggests, this place is perfect for boating in the placid backwaters with thick mangrove forest on the sides. This boathouse is also the boarding point for a ferry to Paradise Beach which is at the mouth of the backwater.
Chunnambar Boathouse is basically a part of Chunnambar Beach and Backwater Resort, a PTDC (Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation) enterprise. Inside there is a multicuisine restaurant and three treehouses where you can stay overnight. Among them “Sunrise Panorama” which is two-storied treehouse offers an unrestricted view of backwaters up to its mouth.
Apart from boating, you can also enjoy other activities like jet skiing, banana boat ride, windsurfing etc.
Address: Pondicherry-Cuddalore Road, Nonankuppam, Pondicherry
Google Map: Chunnambar Boat House
Entry Time: 9 am – 5 pm (All Days)
Entry Fee:
- ₹5 for children
- ₹10 for adult
- ₹20 for still camera
- ₹50 for video camera
- ₹400 for Speed Boat ride (2 seaters)
- ₹800-1000 for Jet Skiing
- ₹600-1000 for Banana Boat ride
- ₹350-700 for Sikhara ride
- ₹100/hour for Kayak Boar and Row Boat
- Car parking charges, foods and beverages extra
Auro Beach
Auroville Beach, popularly known as Auro Beach is located beside ECR. The entry to the beach is opposite the road that cuts from ECR towards Auroville. The beach is relatively less crowded and mostly visited by people from Auroville town.
Auro beach is another beach near Pondicherry which is popular among surfers. The small waves are also favourable for swimming close to the shore.
Address: Off ECR (opp Auroville entrance), Periyamudaliar Chavadi, Tamil Nadu
Google Map: Auroville Beach
Entry Time: Closes at 6:30 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Arikamedu
Arikamedu is an archaeological site near Pondicherry. It was used to be an important Roman trading post from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. The excavations led to antiques of Roman origin such as beads and gems, amphorae (winemaking vats) with remnants of wine, a Roman stamp, big bricks recovered from an old wall, Arretine ware and so forth.
From these antiquities, Sir R.E.M. Wheeler (former Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India in pre-independence period) concluded that the site was related to a period of trading with Rome. And emperor Augustus Caesar was the first to establish this trade with India. There is also considerable evidence to suggest that the site was occupied during medieval Chola times. Finds of Chola coins, Chinese Celadon pottery and other East Asian glazed ceramics suggest occupation of the site and some involvement in the medieval East-West maritime trade as well.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Between 1771 and 1773, a seminary and residence were built here for Christian Missionaries which was abandoned a decade later. Today a few gateway pillars and walls of the original structure remain which is called Mission House by locals. The isolated perpendicular walls which are claimed as part of a Roman settlement and this Mission House there is nothing much to see for visitors. But if you are imaginative enough, then you will be thrilled to walk around a place that had a history connecting back to a civilisation existed 2000 years ago.
Address: Ariyankuppam, Pondicherry
Google Map: Arikamedu
Entry Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Bharathi Park
Bharathi Park is a perfect green escape among the heritage buildings of White Town. The Aayi Mandapam is at the centre of the park from where four roads diverge to four corners of the park dividing the whole area into four equal parts.
The large green trees provide a much-needed relief from the scorching summer sun. With children playing over the green carpet of grass and the grown-ups sitting on granite benches or walking on the tiled path, this park is the most appreciated public space in the town.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Address: Ranga Pillai Street, Pondicherry
Google Map: Bharathi Park
Entry Time: 6 am – 9 pm
Entry Fee: Free
Ousteri Wetland
Ousteri Lake or Ossudu Lake is a large human-made lake near Pondicherry town that has been recognised as one of the important wetland of Asia by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
It is a popular tourist spot and a paradise for bird-watchers during winter. Many migratory birds fly here every year from November to February. PTDC (Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation) also operates a small boating club here. The 20 seater boat offers a 30-minute ride that allows visitors to enjoy the cool breeze and the lovely landscape here.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Address: Oussudu village, Vazhudavoor Road, Pondicherry
Google Map: Ousteri Lake
Entry Time: 9 am – 5 pm
Entry Fee: Free, Boating charges extra
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can not cover all of the above places in a day. If you have only one day to spend in Pondicherry, then you should cover the following places –
1. Promenade Beach
2. Sri Aurobindo Ashram
3. Pondicherry Museum
4. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
5. Immaculate Conception Cathedral
6. Manakula Vinayagar Temple
8. A visit to Matrimandir in Auroville
To see all the places comfortably, you need at least 3 days in Pondicherry.
Day 1 – Explore White Town and nearby places which are in walking distance from White Town.
1. Promenade Beach
2. Sri Aurobindo Ashram
3. Pondicherry Museum
4. Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
5. Immaculate Conception Cathedral
6. Church of our Lady of the Angels
7. Manakula Vinayagar Temple
8. Bharathi Park
Day 2 – Go to Auroville and nearby places
1. Auroville
2. Auroville Beach
3. Serenity Beach
Day 3 – today you should visit Paradise Beach and the rest of the left out places
1. Chunnambar Boat House
2. Paradise Beach
3. Arikamedu
4. Ousteri Lake
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