Backpacking Tamil Nadu

Introduction

Sometimes the best journeys are the ones where you carry less luggage and more curiosity. We chose to travel without a rigid plan, going completely with the flow. Apart from booking our flights from Pune to Chennai and from Coimbatore back to Pune, we made no hotel reservations, no internal travel bookings, and had no fixed itinerary, just a rough idea of the places we hoped to cover.

This Tamil Nadu backpacking trip turned out to be exactly that kind of experience: beautifully unplanned and deeply enriching. It was a journey filled with spirituality and slow travel, coastal breezes and temple bells, vibrant street food, and countless conversations along the way. From the bustling streets of Chennai to the serene shores of Dhanushkodi, and from ancient temples to quiet moments of self-reflection, these nine days unfolded like a graceful, unscripted story, one that stayed with us long after the journey ended.

Day 1: 26 December 2025 — Chennai

We boarded our flight from Pune Airport at 5:30 a.m. and landed in Chennai at 7:00 a.m. Our stay was booked near Marina Beach, and since Chennai is a well-developed city, we expected the hotel to be comfortable. Unfortunately, reality had other plans. When we reached the hotel, the room was unhygienic, making the experience quite unpleasant. However, as it was just an overnight stay and we didn’t want to waste time searching for another place, we decided to adjust and stay there.

After freshening up, we stepped out in search of breakfast.

Although there were plenty of fancy restaurants around, we chose an authentic, old-school eatery that felt straight out of the 90s. The place had a simple wooden desk, a person standing at the counter, and a completely vintage vibe that instantly caught our attention.

We walked in and asked about the breakfast options. The menu included dishes some familiar to us and some with names we had never heard before. Eventually, we ordered one dish each. We tasted everything, and without a doubt, Pongal emerged as everyone’s favourite.

With breakfast done, we began exploring the city. Our first stop was the Santhome Cathedral Basilica, where we unexpectedly gatecrashed a Christian wedding. From there, we headed to the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. The atmosphere there was incredibly soothing, and we noticed a surprising number of foreign visitors admiring the temple and its surroundings.

In the evening, we made our way to Marina Beach. We took a long walk along the beach promenade, soaking in the sea breeze, and indulged in street food. The sheela fish fry was absolutely delicious, and we tried various local snacks and seafood along the way. After a long and eventful day, we returned to our hotel and dozed off, ready for what the next day had in store.

Day 2: 27 December — Mahabalipuram

We woke up early, had breakfast, and headed to the bus stop to begin our journey to Mahabalipuram. From Marina Beach, we first boarded a bus to the Thiruvanmiyur bus stop and then caught another bus to Mahabalipuram. The bus journey was pleasant and relaxing, and were treated to beautiful stretches where the sea was visible right from the road.

After reaching Mahabalipuram, we refreshed ourselves with some coconut water and checked into our hotel. The stay was comfortable and enjoyable. Once we freshened up, we had lunch and then set out to explore the town.

Our exploration began with the UNESCO World Heritage site, Krishna’s Butter Ball, followed by a visit to the Varaha Cave Temple. Later in the evening, we enjoyed a traditional South Indian dinner and then headed to the iconic Shore Temple. Located right by the sea, the temple offered breathtaking views. Adding to the experience, a dance festival was taking place near the Shore Temple, and we were lucky to witness classical South Indian dance performances with the sea as a stunning backdrop.

We wrapped up the day by returning to our hotel and resting, feeling content after a memorable day.

Day 3: 28 December — Mahabalipuram & Pondicherry

We woke up early and headed to the beach to catch the sunrise. The sight of the rising sun with the temple in the backdrop was truly mesmerising. Near the shore, we observed the lively fish auction and even interacted with a few foreign travellers, which added a unique charm to the morning.

After breakfast, we boarded a public bus to Pondicherry. The journey was comfortable, and we spent the time playing UNO on the bus, making the ride even more enjoyable.

Upon reaching Pondicherry, the owner of our villa turned out to be incredibly kind. He first guided us on using the local bus and later personally came to the bus stop to receive us. We checked into our cozy, sea-facing villa and, after settling in, stepped out to explore the town.

We visited Rock Beach and wandered through the charming streets of White Town. Strolling through the lanes, we explored various local street foods and soaked in the calm, colonial vibe of the area. We explored the entire place on foot and by using public transport, and by the end of the day, we had walked nearly 10 kilometres.

As the evening turned peaceful, we returned to our villa, shared deep conversations about life, and finally called it a day, drifting off to sleep.

Day 4: 29 December — Pondicherry

We woke up early to witness the sunrise at the beach next to our villa. After breakfast, we rented scooters and set out to explore Pondicherry. Riding through the streets of Pondy on a scooter felt incredibly refreshing. Our first stop was Serenity Beach, followed by a visit to Pondy Marina and nearby attractions.

Later, we enjoyed a peaceful mangrove forest boat ride that covered four tourist spots, including a visit to a small island. This mangrove boat ride turned out to be one of the best experiences we had in Pondicherry. In the evening, we explored local street food spots and leisurely strolled through the streets on our scooters. We then headed to the bus stop to board our overnight bus to Madurai.

Day 5: 30 December — Madurai

We reached Madurai early in the morning around 5:00 a.m. After checking into our hotel, we rested for a while, freshened up, and then headed to the Meenakshi Amman Temple. Unfortunately, renovation work was underway, so much of the temple was covered from the outside. We stood in the queue for darshan, and the experience felt truly divine. Photography wasn’t allowed inside, so we couldn’t capture any pictures.

After darshan, we went for lunch and enjoyed a traditional South Indian thali, followed by Madurai’s famous drink, Jigarthanda. Post lunch, we returned to the hotel and took a short afternoon nap.

In the evening, we stepped out to explore the city. We took an auto ride squeezing all five of us into a single auto which turned out to be a fun experience. The driver was quite friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride. We visited Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam and the Mariamman Temple, explored the nearby streets, and relished some delicious street food. We also interacted with the locals before having dinner and heading back to our hotel.

Overall, Madurai felt like a very calm and peaceful city, filled with temples, warm-hearted people, and amazing food.

Day 6: 31 December — Rameshwaram

We woke up early and boarded our 7:00 a.m. train to Rameshwaram. The view of the Pamban Bridge during the journey was breathtaking, making the entire train ride worth having a window seat.

After arriving in Rameshwaram, we checked into our hotel, had lunch, and visited a few nearby temples before taking some rest. In the evening, we rented scooters to explore the town. We rode towards the Pamban Bridge hoping to see it illuminated, but unfortunately, it was completely dark.

We then returned, had dinner, explored the area around the Ramanathaswamy Temple, gathered information about the darshan, purchased temple attire, and finally headed back to the hotel to rest.

Day 7: 1 January — Rameshwaram & Dhanushkodi

We woke up very early at around 2:30 a.m., freshened up, and headed to the temple. We reached the Ramanathaswamy Temple around 3:30 a.m. and joined the queue for Mani Darshan.

After Mani Darshan, we proceeded to Agni Theertham, where we took a holy dip in the ocean beside the temple. We then completed the 22 Kund Snanam, which involves bathing at 22 sacred wells and is believed to purify both body and soul.

After changing clothes, we went for the main Ramanathaswamy darshan. The experience was deeply divine, the temple vibes felt celestial, and the earlier snanam amplified the entire spiritual experience.

Later, we rested at our hotel and then went on to explore Dhanushkodi. The road to Dhanushkodi was incredibly scenic, surrounded by water on both sides. We spent a long time at Dhanushkodi Beach, enjoying the clean white sand, blue waters, and calm surroundings. We built sandcastles, had meaningful conversations, clicked photos and videos, and truly soaked in the moment.

In the evening, we returned to Rameshwaram, had dinner, and boarded our overnight bus to Coimbatore.

Day 8: 2 January — Coimbatore & Isha Foundation

We reached Coimbatore around 5:00 a.m. Our hotel was near the airport, so we checked in and rested for a while. After breakfast, we took a city bus to the Adiyogi Isha Foundation.

Surrounded by hills and lush greenery, the atmosphere at Isha felt deeply peaceful and close to nature. We began our visit with the Dhyanalinga darshan, which required a holy dip in the Suryakund. The teerthasnana, with three Shivlingas immersed in cold water, felt divine and refreshing, bringing an immediate sense of calm to the mind.

Afterwards, we took darshan of Linga Bhairavi and attended a short 10-minute meditation session. We then spent another 10 minutes meditating in front of the Dhyanalinga, absorbing the stillness and energy of the space. Later, we visited the Adiyogi statue via a bullock cart ride and concluded the day by witnessing the laser show at 7:00 p.m. Overall, the entire experience was deeply relaxing, grounding, and rejuvenating.

Afterwards, we took a bus back to our hotel, had dinner, and called it a day.

Day 9: 3 January — Return to Pune

We had an early morning 6:00 a.m. flight from Coimbatore to Pune, with a layover in Hyderabad. After waking up early, we headed to the airport in a pre-booked cab. We reached Hyderabad around 8:30 a.m., while our connecting flight was scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

As Hyderabad Airport is quite far from the city, we decided not to venture out. Instead, we had breakfast at the airport and spent some time at a nearby Decathlon store before boarding our next flight. We finally arrived in Pune around 4:00 p.m., bringing our memorable journey to a perfect close.

Food crawl photos

Exploring food was one of the highlights of our trip. We were constantly curious to try local dishes wherever we went, and every experience turned out to be delicious.

Conclusion

This Tamil Nadu backpacking trip was far more than just ticking destinations off a list. It was about embracing uncertainty, adjusting to imperfections, and finding joy in the simplest moments, early-morning temple queues, bus rides with sea views, shared meals, scooter rides under open skies, and deep conversations by the shore.

From the spiritual energy of Rameshwaram and Madurai to the calm charm of Pondicherry and the raw beauty of Dhanushkodi, every place left its own imprint on us. Along the way, we experienced almost every mode of transport imaginable, flights, metro rides, trains, buses, autos, scooters, boats, and even a bullock cart, each adding its own rhythm and story to the journey. Traveling mostly by public transport kept us grounded, connected, and closer to the local pulse of life.

As we returned home, we carried back not just photographs, but a renewed sense of calm, gratitude, and perspective. Tamil Nadu welcomed us with warmth, spirituality, flavours, and stories and in doing so, reminded us why backpacking remains one of the most fulfilling ways to explore the world.