Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Best Temples
»
Meenakshi Amman Temple (
Click here
)
»
Brihadishwara Temple (
Click here
)
»
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (
Click here
)
»
Arunachaleshwar Temple (
Click here
)
»
Nataraja Temple (
Click here
)
Best Places to Stay
»
Visalam (
Click here
)
»
Les Hibiscus (
Click here
)
»
Bungalow on the Beach (
Click here
)
»
180º McIver (
Click here
)
DON'T MISS
Few parts of India are as fervent in their worship of the Hindu gods as Tamil Nadu. Great temples stun with their
spectacular architecture, the colour of their crowds of worshippers, and their noisy, chaotic festivals. For artistry
don't miss the World Heritage-listed trio at
Thanjavur
,
Darasuram
village (near Kumbakonam) and
Gan-
gaikondacholapuram
. For spectacle and contemporary fervour, head to
Madurai
,
Chidambaram
,
Srirangam
(Trichy) and
Tiruvannamalai
. Escape from the heat of the plains to the hill stations in the cool, misty
Western
Ghats
. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, alias the 'toy train', snaking its way up nearly 2000m of forest-clothed
mountain, makes a trip to
Ooty
(Udhagamandalam) unforgettable;
Kodaikanal
is a smaller, prettier, quirkier al-
ternative to Ooty.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Food
Tamil Nadu's favourite foods are overwhelmingly vegetarian, with lots of coconut and
chilli. You'll find dosas,
idlis
(spongy, round fermented rice cakes) and
vadas
(deep-fried
lentil-flour doughnuts), all served with coconut chutney and
sambar
(lentil broth). Almost
as ubiquitous is the
uttapam
, a thick, savoury rice pancake that typically comes with
chopped onions, green chillies and coriander. South Indian 'meals' - thalis based around
