Making the most of Chennai Madras
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The ship will be docked at the Madras Pier which is located approximately 5 miles from the center of town. Taxis are generally available at the pier. Often there is a large bazaar in the port area selling a wide variety of Indian products including leather, wood and brass products.
Chennai Port has built a state of the art Modern Cruise Passenger Terminal measuring approximately 3200sq meters at West Quay-IV in Ambedkar Dock. In the terminal, provision for ticket counters, VIP waiting lounge, food court, duty free shops, money changer, communication center, immigration and customs facilities etc are available.
Printable map to take along.
Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India, and is the country's fourth-largest city. It is located on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.45 million (2005), the 367 year old city is the 34th largest metropolitan area in the world.
Located on a 17km stretch of the Coramandel coast, the city is trisected by the waterways of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. With a population of 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and changing every year. Popularly regarded as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents culture that is distinctly different from that of northern India. Music, dance and all other art forms of the South are cherished and nurtured in this city which, though industrialized, continues to be traditional and conventional in many ways.
Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple: Not far from Triplicane, in Mylapore, there is yet another 8th century Pallava temple. The temple 'Gopuram'(tower) is characteristic of Dravidian style architecture.Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has some beautiful sculptures, among which the bronze idols of 63 Saivite Saints(Nayanmars) which adorn the outer courtyard are rare specimens. Guindy National Park: Once this was all part of Governor's Estate. Now it is fragmented and the major part is a thickly forested game sanctuary where the spotted deer and the black buck roam about and a wealth of smaller fauna thrive. This is the country's only Wild Life…
Getting around
Tourist Cabs - Are the best choice in case you want to tour the city all day or visit nearby places like Mahabalipuram etc. Costs about INR 10/-Rs per KM and 50 Rs per hour as hire charges. Also generally there is special price if you need to go Chennai Central or Chennai Airport.
There is a suburban train network, the MRTS, with Chennai Beach station the closest to the port.
Nearby places
- V.G.P Golden Beach Resort This beach resort is popular not just with the people of the city, but also with tourists. There is an entertainment arcade for children and for adults. There are folk dance performances apart from an Art center which sells handicrafts and articles made out of sea shells. The beach is clean and ideal for sun-bathing. - Vandalur Spread over an area of 1,265 acres, the Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur is the largest in South Asia and has a rich variety of different species of mammals, reptiles and birds. The animals roam in natural surroundings and there is also a special enclosure for nocturnal creatures. …
Food and shopping
Madras was founded because of the excellence and cheap prices of the local cotton. Some of India's best silk comes from Kanchipuram, approximately 40 miles from Madras and can readily be bought in the city. Also look for Indian handicrafts such wood carvings, inlaid work, ivory and sandalwood. Traditional Indian jewelry in gold or with diamond and stone setting is also a good buy. For any items over 100 years old an export certificate is required.
2 duty free shops are in the terminal.
Money
The currency in India is the Indian rupee.
In the big cities, credit cards are accepted at retail chain stores and other westernized restaurants and stores. Small businesses and family-run stores almost never accept credit cards, so it is useful to keep a moderate amount of cash on hand.
Staying connected
Hindi, English and 21 other official languages
Internet kiosks are everywhere nowadays and they charge as low as as Rs. 10 per hour. Beware of using your credit cards online as many cases have come forward regarding credit cards thefts using key loggers.
Opening Hours and
List of