#BloggerContest—A Short Unplanned Vacation to Mahabalipuram

We had just reached Chennai railway station in the early hours of the morning and with our flight back to Kolkata only late in the evening, we had nothing else to do. My wife suggested that we spend the day at a hotel near the railway station or airport, but my daughter had other plans. Secretly she had packed her swimming costume and wanted to have a splash in the serene waters of the Bay of Bengal.

With technology in hand, all I needed to do was a quick search on a travel portal for a hotel room near the bay. I somehow wanted to avoid the busy Marina beach and realized Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram was only a short drive away. My memories of this place go back to the early nineties when I had dropped by in a similar situation when we had a late evening train back to Kolkata.

I wanted to have a really comfortable experience, since we had a very hectic journey and wanted to take some rest, while still enjoying ourselves. I wanted to stay at a hotel which would be close to the bay, yet provide a secluded atmosphere away from the throng of the central tourist district. The travel app on my phone listed Vivanta By Taj - Fisherman's Cove on top which was also recommended by my father when he heard we were heading towards Mahabalipuram.

After booking a cab from outside the station we headed straight towards Mahabalipuram on East Coast Road. The drive was really pleasant and since the roads cut right along the beach you will occasionally see the bay popping up in the horizon to your left. For a change, we had requested the driver of the cab to switch off the air conditioning and enjoy the cool breeze coming from the bay.

The drive was a short one considering the four-lane highway and minimum morning traffic. After a quick checking in we were soon admiring the Bay of Bengal from our hotel room. We had taken the Indulgence Cottage with a sea view then can rival almost all the hotels and resorts in this area.

We had no time to unpack since my daughter demanded that we head straight to the bay first. We obliged, as secretly both my wife and I wanted to have a splash in the waves too. We ran across the beach with soft yellow sand touching our feet and jumped right into the waters. We had no sense of time after that and we must have spent almost two hours enjoying the waves splashing against us.
We saw some tourists enjoying surfing, even though this looked fun we did not want to try this since none of us knew how to swim. The water was gentle and the weather being cloudy was a bonus since the sun was not there to play a spoilsport.

After the fun in the waters, it was time to grab something to eat.  Mahabalipuram being a popular tourist destination, has an abundance of restaurants all along. If you are a fish lover then do check out the beachside restaurants selling fish and chips. There are many restaurants here that are so famous that people often drive all the way from central Chennai to eat there.

Apart from food, Mahabalipuram is a heaven for heritage hunters. You will find some of the best examples of stone architecture in forms of temples, rock cut caves etc. Thought to do justice to the beauty of these temples you will need more than a day in Mahabalipuram.
When the sun goes slips down the horizon, enjoy the lights flashing from the lighthouse. During the day you can climb up to the lighthouse and get a panoramic view of this beach town.
Mahabalipuram is a perfect getaway if you are on a short visit to Chennai. The soft sand, beautiful clear waters and lip-smacking food make for a perfect beachside holiday

Book your stay at Vivanta by Taj- fisherman’s Cove, Mahabalipuram!