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TAMILNADU
The smile of Murugan casts a silent spell over Tamil
Nadu…..a land whose fabled coast attracted a thousand
adventurers / looters over centuries….. a land
still visited by spawning turtles and a million travellers…..each
one enchanted by this ancient land. |
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DAY
- 1 (Chennai)
Beat
the big city weekday blues with fun-filled trips to
amusement parks and beach resorts, temple tours and
nature trails, shopping sprees and movie breaks with
your favorite people.
Things to see and do
Honeymooners and couples from all over the world come
to Tamilnadu to ignite their passion. Naturally! |
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1)
Sriperumbudur
About an hour's easy drive from Chennai en-route to Kanchipuram,Sriperumbudur
is the birth place of Sri Ramanuja,the 12 th century Vaishnavite
saint.An idol of Sri Ramanuja has been installed in the
500-year old Sri Adhikesava Perumal Temple,which has a
shrine dedicated to him. |
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2)
Crocodile Bank
Then we proceed to Crocodile Bank,run by Chennai's noted wildlife
conservationst,Romules Whitaker,Crocodile Bank is a captive
breeding center. Here a variety of Indian and African Alligators
and Crocodile species can be viewed in open pits.
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3)
Snake Venon Extraction Centre
A visit to the snake venon extraction center is quite a fascinating
experience. |
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DAY
- 2 (Chennai-Mahabalipuram)
In the intense heat of Tamilnadu,a dusty haze hangs
like a pall over the temple town of Mahabalipuram.But
the good news is that, as in most parts of coastal Tamilnadu,
pleasant sea breeze sets in late afternoons, making
even May evenings bearable. |
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Mahabalipuram
itself,or Mammallapuram as it was originally called,is an
ancient seaport named after Mammala or Narasimha Varman I,the
Pallava ruler who set up his capital here and established
a center of sculpture and art in the 7 th century AD
Come down the hi-tech East Coast Road-on your left are unforgettable
glimpses of surf breaking on endless coastline,interspersed
with stretches of casuarinas groves and all along the road
food courts, amusment park and the art village. |
DAY
- 3 (Kanchipuram)
Known as the city of a thousand temples,its skyline
is dominated by the Gopuram's of ancient shrines,such
as Ekambareswarar Temple,Kamakshi Amman Temple and Varadaraja
Perumal Temple.The exquisite carvings of these temples
have inspired designs on Kanchipuram saris down the
ages.A visit to a weaving center should be a must on
your agenda.
Visit also the Shakuntala Jaganathan Museum of Folk
Art,on Lingappan street close to Ekambareswarar
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DAY
- 4 (Chennai - Madurai)
This ancient city set on the banks of river Vaigai with
an antiquity of over 2500 years is often referred as
the "Athens of the East".It
is considered to be the cradle of Tamil culture and
literature. |
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The
magnificent twin temples Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple
has become synonymous with Madurai.Other main attractions
of Madurai are Ayiramkal Mandapam,Golden Lotus Tank,Vasantha
Mandapam and Mariamman Teppakulam.
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DAY
- 5 (Madurai - Karaikudi)
Karaikudi is the biggest city in Chettinad,a region best known
to the outside world for its distinctive cuisine. What is
less well known is that this small area, comprising about
72 villages, was the setting for a fascinating period of Modern
Tamil history. The Chettiar community of traders,part of this
region since the Pallava Dynasty ruled here between the 4th
and 9th centuries AD,
amassed huge wealth which was transferred back to villages
in Chettinad where their increasing social status and power
was manifested in sumptuous possessions ranging from diamonds
to brass to pewter and,most visibly,in their grand mansions.Now,just
the empty but impressive mansions remain,with one or two old
members rattling around, keeping house with memories, photographs
and bats for company. |
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DAY
- 6 (Kodaikanal)
Set up as a sanatorium in 1845 by the American Madura
Mission,Kodai holds a unique distinction.It happens
to be the only hill station in India to be established
by Americans. |
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DAY
- 7 (Kodaikanal)
It's ideal if you have your own vehicle.If you have the luxury
of time,walking unfolds the beauty of Kodai at a more leisurely
pace. |
Things to see and do
No sight seeing tour of Kodai can commence without the customary
amble down Coaker's Walk.The road meanders past Green Valley
View Point and winds 7 km to Kodai's most popular attraction,Pillar
Rocks-a 400 ft high vertical column of three rocks.Kodai's
most popular water fall is Silver Cascade,7 km outside town,formed
by the backwaters of Kodai Lake.Also Check out Bambar Glen,Fairly
Falls andBear Shola Falls.
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DAY
- 8 (Ooty)
Ooty,the Scotland of the East,is one of the most popular
destinations in India.
Ooty Lake -John Sullivan,the first
collector and virtual founder of Ooty,constructed this
2.5 km long artificial lake in 1824.Boating is possible
every day from 8 AM to 6 PM. |
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DAY
- 9 (Ooty)
South India's most popular hill station has plenty of attraction.The
Botanical Gardens are well laid-out with myriad ornamental
plants and flowers.There are a number of planned trek routes
from Ooty.Climb up the highest peak in the Blue Mountains
at 8606 ft-Dodda Betta or Big Mountain- a mere 10 km from
Ooty. |
DAY
-10 (Mudumalai)
A little distance from Ooty in the direction of Bandipur
(Karnataka),you are inside the Mudumalai National Park.Mudumalai
is also one of the most happening sanctuaries in South
India,with a large number of jungle resorts on the outskirts
of the forest bringing travellers in close contact with
the fauna of the Blue Mountains |
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DAY
- 11 to Infinity (From Mudumalai)
From this point,you can enter either
Kerala
or Karnataka. |
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Kanyakumari
Trip From Kerala
Captivating Kanyakumari,the southern-most end of Tamil
Nadu and the land end of India is one of the most popular
tourist spots of the country.The major attractions of
Kanyakumari are:
(1)Kumariamman Temple
(2)Gandhi Memorial
(3)Vivekanada Rock Memorial and
(4)Thiruvalluvar Statue. |
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How
to plan your tours:
We are pioneer travel agents and tour operators in Kerala
tour packages and travel itineraries for Kerala and
South India… We also offer most ideal tour itineraries
to explore Indian tourist destinations. Visit us at
our site to chalk out your tour plan or write us…
your choice of destination with travel period and budget
for an exclusive and customised holiday to:
info@haloindia.com |
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