East Coast Drive
The aroma of food that comes imbued with the flavours and spices of the particular region; the sights and sounds that are intrinsically woven into the fabric of a place; the seemingly endless curving roads and sometime narrow lanes that take you into every nook and cranny worth exploring – the joys of undertaking a road trip are many indeed. And our self-drive expedition across the East Coast of India promises to be one such thoroughly invigorating excursion.
Flagging off from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, this journey will see our convoy cruising through destinations such as Mahabalipuram, Puducherry, Thanjavur, Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and Kovalam before concluding at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
Highlights
- Visit India’s longest and the 2nd longest beach in the world. The Marina Beach in Chennai is where the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles choose to nest.
- Prepare to be awed by the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. This stunning example of Dravidian Architecture is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site collectively known as the ‘Great Living Chola Temples’.
- Experience the experimental township of Auroville in Puducherry. Founded in the year 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, Auroville is open to all and believes in universal unity and humanity above everything else.
- Treat yourself to the architectural finesse of the historic Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai.
- Dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi (Parvati), and her consort Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva), the temple complex houses 14 Gopurams or towers.
- Get to visit the Last Point of India, where all roads end! Located at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, the beach town of Dhanushkodi was destroyed and subsequently abandoned following a cyclone in the year 1964.
- Feast your eyes upon the breathtaking seascapes of Kanyakumari.
- Situated at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, Kanyakumari (formerly known as Cape Comorin) is the only place on Earth where three water bodies – Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea – come together.
- It is also unique for its viewing points where one can see the sun rise, as well as set, at the exact same spot.
Ideal visiting window : October to March
Duration: 16 Days / 15 Nights
Terrain to expect : Cities, Coastal Stretches | Tarmac and Gravel Road
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Glimpses from AO Trips in East Coast Drive
