A French colonial settlement in India until 1954 and now a Union Territory town bounded by the state of Tamil Nadu is at everybody’s list when it comes to travelling across India.
It is a quaint and a picturesque little place. You can actually see everything there is to see in Pondicherry in just two days – trust me its that small. But then more days in a vacation never hurts. Right? If you have more time, you can just relax, enjoy, sip wine, sit on those beautiful unique rocky beaches and do nothing!
In Pondicherry, you will find everything. By everything I mean, from yoga and meditation to shopping or just sitting by the beach, Pondicherry is an excellent place to visit and enjoy! The French had Pondicherry as their home for decades and you can see it even now in almost all parts of the city: the perpendicular streets, French style villas, colourful colonies and cute little cafes: they are all beautifully infused with the local south Indian culture!
Let us discuss the travel part of the place. I went their with 2 friends and we stayed there for 5 days. The place is safe to travel alone! Completely safe. We used to travel in the nights on our own and it was a fantastic experience. You have many modes of transport, but I always preferred to use an auto – our own open AC rickshaws 🙂
When it comes to what to wear in Pondicherry. I will say when you are in the main city and going to a beach – wear anything that you want. You might get a stare or two, but then it is not that bad. It is definitely not like Goa, where nobody cares about cloths. Though I wish it was.
Anyway, while going to a church or the old city, I would suggest you to wear something that is not very revealing. In old city, you might get uncomfortable when people stare at you – it happened with me. I went in a shorts and the feeling was not that great! So, while going for shooppong or any relihious place or in the old city – try to wear a normal dress or something that not too exposing!
Now, coming to the places that are must-visit in Pondicherry! They are:
Auroville
Beaches: There are 4 main beaches: Promenade beach, Paradise beach, Auroville beach and Serenity beach. Promenade Beach is a must-visit!
Churches: There are many churches in Pondicherry . I will suggest you to visit: Church of Our Lady of Angels, Sacred Heart Church, Dupleix Church, Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Conception Cathedral These are the biggest and oldest churches in the city
Aurobindo Ashram
Old Lighthouse
French War Memorial
Ousteri Lake
Gingee Fort
Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam are the regional languages spoken in Pondicherry but the locals are quite familiar with the English.
When I say Pondicherry is a must-visit place in India – I mean it. Its colors will take your breath away! Book your tickets now and drop a comment when done 🙂
