Stay: Club Mahindra Resort
Days - 3 days and 3 nights
How to visit : Mumbai to Chennai flight and then a taxi drive to Pondicherry. It is a two-hour run.
Cab driver : Satya. Contact detail: +91 7868878098. He is a good guy but did not have an idea on what to see, which restaurant, the deets. But trustworthy and can press the pedal when you need to.
However, you need a good driver if you want to go local. So my driver was clueless, but I had done a bit of research before leaving for Pondy so we managed to cover it all with the help of Google maps and his driving dexterity. Hopefully now he knows it all, so that might help.
Pit stops on the way to Pondy from Chennai:
1) Mahabalipuram
The shore temple and the Five rathas (Arjuna's penance). Also, there is another temple (that we skipped), where there is a circular giant rock that, at a particular angle, is stuck to the the sloped ground.
2) Crocodile Park: Yeah, it's nice. It's a zoo.
3) Have lunch at Vivanta or Intercontinental at Fish Cove
Pondicherry
Stay in the white town. Map below.
Walk around the white town city. Marked in red zone.
Things to do:
Visit Churches and Temples :
1) Sacred Heart Church
2) Immaculate Conception Cathedral
3) Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam Temple
4) Dumas Dei Church
Aurobindo Ashram: Walk around... like a 10 min tour and learn about Aurobindo and Mother.
Paradise Beach: You may not be able to plunge into the water, but its beautiful to go take a look or a walk.
Restaurant:
Suffren Street, Villa Shanti and Cafe Des Arts. Villa Shanti is okay. Over hyped. Though I really wanted to go, I missed out on Cafe Des Arts.
Umami - Dinner + Lounge : Looks pretty!
Dis Dis Lounge: Dinner + Lounge : Okay-ish.
Le Club, Asian House: They are all walking distance in the white town.
Ananda Bhavan: Local vegetarian joint.
Beach Road: Take a walk on the beach road. It is crowded. You will find a lot of local crowd.
And there is the Gandhi Statue.
Hotel Promenade: View, drink, laze.
Gelato: The Gelato Factory or Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT)
Satsanga: Party place on top floor (Although Everything shuts at 11 am).
Kallialay Surf School
It's the best. I went for two days. It was an hour's session everyday. Learnt to stand on the surf to ride a wave for a few seconds. Got to work on it. But loved it!! Totally must do, if you like sports.
Auroville
WOW! I loved it. It is ethereal. It is an amazing concept. The vision is for People to come together for human unity. It is a small experimental setup wherein people come together for a higher purpose leaving behind materialistic desires. It is what you make of it, not influenced by any religion or societal pull.
There are a lot of handicrafts' units like the bamboo, clothes (upasana), swara (music instruments), spirulina (protein harvesting), carpentry, ceramic pottery, etc. which you must visit.
Also, a lot of foreigners: Currently the total population is 2500 people and there is a process to be accepted in the city as an Aurovillian! People generally move around on bikes / 2 wheelers/ bicycles. It is very green. Their biggest achievement has been plantation of 2 million trees.
Maitreyi Mandir:
Another Beauty.. short for Wonder Of the World. It's an architectural marvel. If you are going there for the first time, you need to book a slot a day before for the next day's meditation in the inner chambers. But, you could try reaching at 8 am and if the slots are not taken for the day, you may get lucky to go on the same day itself.
The inner chambers are beautiful. It is out of a sci-fi movie. But the experience is totally worth it.
There are 12 gardens still to be constructed. There are 12 more meditation rooms that you can access on the same day - you do not need to book prior.
The outside dome is made of 24 karat gold plating. It is pristine. Photography is prohibited so I only have this one picture.
Banyan Tree has been resurrected to life. It is the geographical centre and essence of Auroville.
Restaurants
Wells Cafe: Israeli food/Lebanese (hummus pita bread). Homemade with a basic rustic feel. No AC. Mostly all restaurants do not have AC at Auroville.
Naturellement is a cute homely cafe known for its homemade jams.
Bread and Chocolate: I am not a big fan of smoothies , so my review is Okay, not that wow.
Tantos Pizza: Yummy pizzas. Indian style risottos.
Il Cono: Yummy gelato milkshake... totally loved it.
Auro Beach: Didn't see any sea activity, just lots of fishermen spinning fishing nets and fishermen's boats.
Well, the highlight would be renting 2 wheelers and going about the white town and of course, auroville and Surfing!
Days - 3 days and 3 nights
How to visit : Mumbai to Chennai flight and then a taxi drive to Pondicherry. It is a two-hour run.
Cab driver : Satya. Contact detail: +91 7868878098. He is a good guy but did not have an idea on what to see, which restaurant, the deets. But trustworthy and can press the pedal when you need to.
However, you need a good driver if you want to go local. So my driver was clueless, but I had done a bit of research before leaving for Pondy so we managed to cover it all with the help of Google maps and his driving dexterity. Hopefully now he knows it all, so that might help.
Pit stops on the way to Pondy from Chennai:
1) Mahabalipuram
The shore temple and the Five rathas (Arjuna's penance). Also, there is another temple (that we skipped), where there is a circular giant rock that, at a particular angle, is stuck to the the sloped ground.
 |
| The Shore Temple |
 |
| Arjuna's Ratha |
 |
| Lion Statue - Was too steep a climb to ride the lion |
 |
| Posing on the Bull |
2) Crocodile Park: Yeah, it's nice. It's a zoo.
3) Have lunch at Vivanta or Intercontinental at Fish Cove
 |
| Break a meal at vivanta |
Pondicherry
Stay in the white town. Map below.
Walk around the white town city. Marked in red zone.
Things to do:
Visit Churches and Temples :
1) Sacred Heart Church
2) Immaculate Conception Cathedral
3) Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam Temple
 |
| Give dakshina (a coin) and get blessed by Lakshmi the Elephant |
4) Dumas Dei Church
 |
| Interiors of the church. It is pretty and pink outside. |
Aurobindo Ashram: Walk around... like a 10 min tour and learn about Aurobindo and Mother.
 |
| Entrance to the Aurobindo Ashram |
Paradise Beach: You may not be able to plunge into the water, but its beautiful to go take a look or a walk.
Restaurant:
Suffren Street, Villa Shanti and Cafe Des Arts. Villa Shanti is okay. Over hyped. Though I really wanted to go, I missed out on Cafe Des Arts.
Umami - Dinner + Lounge : Looks pretty!
Dis Dis Lounge: Dinner + Lounge : Okay-ish.
Le Club, Asian House: They are all walking distance in the white town.
Ananda Bhavan: Local vegetarian joint.
Beach Road: Take a walk on the beach road. It is crowded. You will find a lot of local crowd.
And there is the Gandhi Statue.
Hotel Promenade: View, drink, laze.
Gelato: The Gelato Factory or Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT)
Satsanga: Party place on top floor (Although Everything shuts at 11 am).
Kallialay Surf School
It's the best. I went for two days. It was an hour's session everyday. Learnt to stand on the surf to ride a wave for a few seconds. Got to work on it. But loved it!! Totally must do, if you like sports.
Auroville
WOW! I loved it. It is ethereal. It is an amazing concept. The vision is for People to come together for human unity. It is a small experimental setup wherein people come together for a higher purpose leaving behind materialistic desires. It is what you make of it, not influenced by any religion or societal pull.
There are a lot of handicrafts' units like the bamboo, clothes (upasana), swara (music instruments), spirulina (protein harvesting), carpentry, ceramic pottery, etc. which you must visit.
 |
| Bamboo Handicraft Industry |
 |
| Bamboo craftsmanship |
 |
| Aurospiral : Alternative for protein for vegetarians is made out of algae |
Also, a lot of foreigners: Currently the total population is 2500 people and there is a process to be accepted in the city as an Aurovillian! People generally move around on bikes / 2 wheelers/ bicycles. It is very green. Their biggest achievement has been plantation of 2 million trees.
Maitreyi Mandir:
Another Beauty.. short for Wonder Of the World. It's an architectural marvel. If you are going there for the first time, you need to book a slot a day before for the next day's meditation in the inner chambers. But, you could try reaching at 8 am and if the slots are not taken for the day, you may get lucky to go on the same day itself.
The inner chambers are beautiful. It is out of a sci-fi movie. But the experience is totally worth it.
There are 12 gardens still to be constructed. There are 12 more meditation rooms that you can access on the same day - you do not need to book prior.
The outside dome is made of 24 karat gold plating. It is pristine. Photography is prohibited so I only have this one picture.
 |
| Golden Globe - Wonder of the World in Making. |
Banyan Tree has been resurrected to life. It is the geographical centre and essence of Auroville.
Restaurants
Wells Cafe: Israeli food/Lebanese (hummus pita bread). Homemade with a basic rustic feel. No AC. Mostly all restaurants do not have AC at Auroville.
Naturellement is a cute homely cafe known for its homemade jams.
Bread and Chocolate: I am not a big fan of smoothies , so my review is Okay, not that wow.
Tantos Pizza: Yummy pizzas. Indian style risottos.
Il Cono: Yummy gelato milkshake... totally loved it.
 |
| Milkshake be so yummmm |
Auro Beach: Didn't see any sea activity, just lots of fishermen spinning fishing nets and fishermen's boats.
Well, the highlight would be renting 2 wheelers and going about the white town and of course, auroville and Surfing!
