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A Long Stretch Of Coastal Delight
Golden sand, good surf and a shimmering clean blue sea, this in a
nutshell, is Marina beach. This beach is counted among one of the longest
beaches in Asia. Its 12-km long stretch was made beautiful by the
wonderful facelift given by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff in
the early 1880's, and is a major tourist attraction today.
Marina beach is located on the eastern side of
Chennai, adjoining
the Bay of Bengal. Watching the sun set and rise from the beach is an
enthralling experience. Though bathing and swimming can be dangerous, as
the undercurrent is very strong, even then people come for swimming here.
In the evenings, the beach is virtually a fair ground with various kinds
of entertainment and food stalls lining the beach.
With its natural sandy beauty and spacious promenade and beautiful
gardens, the beach is a major attraction for tourists visiting
Chennai. It has
acquired a
South Indian aura with vendors hawking wares ranging from shell and
glass baubles to kites and fruit juices. The Marina, however, is large
enough to accommodate all visitors as well as the hawkers and is often the
venue for important state functions.
Some
of the most beautiful buildings in
Chennai such as the
University of Madras, Senate-House, Chepauk Palace, Presidency College,
P.W.D office and Ice House are located on the beach drive. At the other
end of the beach is the new lighthouse. In between, sentinels on the
promenade, are several statues of Tamil scholars and two splendid bits of
sculpture- the Victory of Labour and the Mahatma Gandhi.
Aquarium: Close to the Marina beach is the aquarium, which has
some of the most exotic collection of tropical sea fishes and fresh water
fishes. The aquarium gives a chance to have a closer look at the aquatic
life. The Ice House, which was used to store ice brought from Great Lakes
in North America, is south to the Aquarium.
Anna And MGR Samadhis: Situated on the beach, the Anna and MGR
Samadhis, which are the memorials of the most popular, former Chief
ministers of the state, attract good crowd everyday.
Air: Chennai has an airport with both domestic and
international terminals. Regular flights connect
Chennai with the
major cities within the country and also with countries like USA,
Singapore, U.K, etc.
Rail: Chennai
is well connected by rail with the important towns and cities within and
beyond the state.
Road: State transport buses and private buses connect
Chennai with the
major towns and cities within the country. For local transportation local
trains, city buses, auto rickshaws and taxis are available.
Being a capital city of the state, Chennai is well equipped with various kinds of accommodation options, varying from economic class to luxurious ones.