Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hotel Ganesh
( 226701;
lingam100@indiatimes.com
;
111A Big St; s/d ?250/500, with AC d/tr ?825/1210; )
Set 400m
northeast of the Arunachaleshwar Temple's east gate. Some rooms are small and most
have squat toilets, but they're clean enough, management is friendly and the inner court-
yard balcony is pleasant. The sign atop the building says 'Hotel Kanna'.
HOTEL
$
HOTEL
$$
Arunachala Inn
(Hotel Arunachala; 228300;
www.hotelarunachala.com
; 5 Vada Sannathi St; s/d ?525/770, with AC ?880/1100, de-
luxe d ?1687; )
This place right next to the Arunachaleshwar Temple's east entrance is
clean and fine with pretentions to luxury in the marblesque floors and ugly furniture.
Many of the slightly faded standard rooms are being upgraded to deluxe.
Hotel Sri Arul Jothi
(dishes ?35-60;
6.30am-10.30pm)
, the veg restaurant downstairs, has simple, very good, South
Indian dishes.
CAFE
$
Shanti Café
(
www.shanticafe.com
; 115A Chengam Rd; food items ?50-100, drinks ?30-70; 8.30am-8.30pm; )
This re-
laxed cafe with floor-cushion seating, up a lane off Chengam Rd, is highly popular among
short- and long-term visitors and serves wonderful croissants, cakes, pies, baguettes, om-
elettes, pancakes, juices, coffees, teas and breakfasts. Wi-fi is ?25 per hour; there's also an
internet cafe
(
8.30am-2pm & 3.30-8pm)
downstairs.
Shopping
Shantimalai Handicrafts Development Society
(
www.smhds.org
;
83/1 Chengam Rd; 8.30am-7pm Mon-Sat, 9am-2pm Sun)
Attractive bedspreads, in-
cense, oils, bangles, scarves and more, made by local village women.
HANDICRAFTS
Getting There & Around
A taxi to Puducherry with a two- to three-hour stop at Gingee costs around ?2000.
The bus stand is in the north of town, 800m north of Arunachaleshwar Temple, and a
?50 to ?60 autorickshaw ride from the main ashram area.
Chennai
?100 to ?110, 3½ hours, every 15 minutes
Puducherry
?63, three hours, about hourly
