A visit to Mahabalipuram that is situated nearer to Chennai is truly a wonderful joy ride with a touch of heritage, beautiful seaside and innumerable architectural marvels. This is an old town or a city known as Mamallapuram today; This place has a world heritage site as there is a big proof of Pallavas creativity here. Rich in culture with dash of historical elements, Carved temples, rock cut caves and sculpture, Mahabalipuram takes you to the back to the 7th century. From the Shore Temple towering from the shore of Bay of Bengal to Arjuna's Penance, there is nothing that is not worth seeing and learning in Mahabalipuram tourist places.
In this guide, you will find descriptions of the most important Mahabalipuram tourist places, and the reason for visiting each of them. With tips on each site we will help you to plan the perfect trip to visit all major highlights of Mahabalipuram and to find out more about this charming town near Chennai that shouldn’t be missed.
If you are someone who is fond of historical places and places of archaeological importance, then Mahabalipuram tourist places are just the right places for you. Here you will witness some of the great temples, Caves and Rathas. The top 6 Mahabalipuram Chennai tourist places are:
Shore Temple without any doubt is the crown among all the Mahabalipuram famous places. Constructed in the 8th century, it is a marvelously designed building made of stones and looks out onto the Bay of Bengal.
Arjuna’s Penance that has another name- “The Descent of the Ganges” is among the remarkable Mahabalipuram tourist places. This is a very large depiction, a narrative frieze that has been incised on a 27-meter long granite slab.
Pancha Rathas or Five Rathas are enormous temples hewn from the living rock in the form of structural towers. Each of the Rathas is named after characters from the epic of Mahabharata and the Ratha structures are distinct as appropriate for the Pallava period.
Perhaps one of the most famous Mahabalipuram tourist places is the Krishna’s Butter Ball. This large round shaped stone is standing almost on the edge of a slope and it is a wonder for many people visiting the place.
Varaha Cave Temple is a rock cut cave Temple located at Kanchipuram built for Lord Vishnu in the form of Varaha. Indeed, it makes the prospective list of the Mahabalipuram tourist places and serves a religious and artistic purpose.
Slightly off the main tourist town of Mahabalipuram, Tiger Cave is one more temple with etchings of tiger faces. That is why it is assumed that it was used as a platform or a meeting place in the time of the Pallava reign.
Over the years, Mahabalipuram has turned out to be a historic destination, home to great monuments, magnificent structures, and an excellent view. Featuring the Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance, and Krishna’s Butter Ball, this town is brimming with splendid natural and historical wonders at every turn. Traveling to Mahabalipuram famous places is a discovery of ancient India, and because of this, this city is ideal for a family, history lovers, and travelers who have no specific destination in mind.
To ensure that you have the best time traveling, you may have to use the services of Capture a Trip; a travel agency that aims to make traveling smooth and enjoyable. With Capture a Trip, you find the most fascinating places in India to travel, let Capture a Trip make your Mahabalipuram journey easy and fantastic!
Tourism haunts in Mahabalipuram are Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance, Five Rathas, Krishna's Butter Ball; Varaha Cave Temple and others.
Mahabalipuram is about 60 km from Chennai and hence can be well visited on a full day tour from the Chennai tourist destinations.
Yes, for instance entry to the Shore Temple and Five Rathas costs money. It comes at different rates for Indians and other foreign visitors; the charges usually are between INR 10 to INR 250.
Mahabalipuram is well known for the monuments, temples and caves out of which most important are recognized as world heritage by UNESCO. Its historical destinations and architectural landmarks are favorite among tourists and history lovers in particular.
They all can be covered because it is very possible to tour all the main attraction sites in Mahabalipuram in a day if well planned for. However, a two-day trip will give a physical and or psychological chance to visit each sight individually at a reasonable pace.
✈️ I'm Rinki Sharma — a passionate traveler and storyteller. Through my travel blogs, I capture the essence of every destination, from hidden gems to well-trodden paths. I believe every journey has a story, and I love sharing mine to inspire others to explore, connect, and discover the world with...View Author Profile