Pondicherry, the small beautiful French colonial town is a popular tourist destination in southern India. Many people visit Pondicherry to take a break from their monotonous city life and enjoy the serene and tranquil atmosphere on the beaches of Pondicherry. There are many tourist attractions in Pondicherry as the entire town is filled with French remnants and you will feel like you are taking a stroll in some small French town instead of an Indian town. You can visit many French buildings like the governor's house, Saint Louis Street in the white town Pondicherry and St. Gille's street. You can also gorge your senses in some delicious French cuisine in Pondicherry.
The list of Pondicherry tourist places is a very diverse one, as you will find a yogic meditation ashram and a Roman excavation site in close vicinity of each other in Pondicherry. There are many tourist places in Pondicherry and it's a promise that this small town won't bore you, let's have a look at the famous sightseeing places.
Paradise beach is a beautiful white sand beach located at a distance of 8 kilometers from the Pondicherry bus station. This is one of the most famous beaches in Pondicherry and is a postcard picture of Pondicherry. The crystal clear waters of Paradise Beach are best experienced with a speed boat. You can also choose to save coconut water with the fresh sea breeze refreshing your mind and body.
Pondicherry beach or the promenade beach is another prominent view spot and one of the popular Pondicherry sightseeing places. A 1.5 km long stretch between the war memorial and Dupleix Park, the promenade beach is one of the most beautiful beaches that you will ever see. It contains the blue sea waves crashing against the black rocks with the picturesque French mansions acting as the backdrop.
One of the most famous landmarks of Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which is a spiritual ashram founded by maharishi Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa in 1926. Thousands of people visit this beautiful ashram from all over the world each year in search of peace. The Samadhi of maharishi Aurobindo and mother Alfassa are also located in this ashram and the beauty of the ashram comes out on a level during the festivals.
Auroville is an experimental township located in Pondicherry which was founded by Mirra Alfassa in 1968 and designed by the famous French architect Roger Anger. The idea of Auroville was that people from all religions and cultures can live peacefully together.
A beautiful Matri Mandir is located at the center of Auroville which comprises a mesmerizing 100-foot high spherical lotus-shaped structure decorated by Golden discs. This structure consists of an immaculate meditation chamber and sunlight illuminates the entire meditation hall in a heavenly manner.
Want to see the locations of the famous movie "The Life of pi?", then go straight to the botanical gardens of Pondicherry. Spread over an area of 22 acres, the botanical gardens consist of a whole variety of exotic plants that have been brought from all over the world.
The Pondicherry Museum contains many artifacts dating back to Roman times. One can also find beautiful French style furniture and explicit sculptures of various gods and goddesses from the Chola and Pallava dynasties in the museum.
This quaint little town is famous for various water sports activities which are among the best things to do in Pondicherry like scuba diving and surfing. Many surfing schools in Pondicherry will be glad to teach you surfing. Take a break and escape from the hustle and bustle of your city and come visit this peaceful town in southern India.
