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Cuddalore Travel Guide

Dotted with temples, beach, lake, and forest, Cuddalore holds an unparalleled charm not just for domestic travellers but international travellers as well, mainly because of its rich culture and tradition. The coastal city of Cuddalore is situated in the Cuddalore district on the coast of Bay of Bengal in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is believed that the name Cuddalore was derived from Tamil word, Koodalur, which means confluence. The city was once ruled by Pallavas and Medieval Cholas and, thereafter the demise of their lineage, was further ruled by various dynasties like Madurai Nayaks, Vijayanagar Empire, Thanjavur Marathas, Pandyas and few more. In 1758, Cuddalore has been witnessed to the Battle of Cuddalore and Seven Years' War. And when it comes to tourism, the city is most likely to be chosen by the people seeking some serene holidays amidst the immaculate nature and pristine shrines. Primarily a pilgrimage tourist destination in Tamilnadu, Cuddalore is blessed with various gorgeous Hindu Temples, and thus, is known as the land of temples.

Amongst those, Devanathaswamy Temple, Veeratteswarar Temple, Padaleeswarar Temple, and Bhuvaraha Swami Temple are some of the popular shrines in Cuddalore city. Secondly, this travel place is also a major tourism attraction in Tamilnadu when it comes to beach holidays. Silver Beach here is counted amongst the best beaches in South India for a wholesome holiday experience. On the other hand, Pichavaram - an expansive Mangrove Forest, is amongst the best places to visit in Cuddalore for an adventurous and nature-filled vacation as it is famous for water sports and its backwaters. Our travel guide is overflowing with essential informations on best places to visit and top things to do in Cuddalore, and thus, helps travellers to get an insight of what the place has on offer. Tour My India as an award-winning tour operator emphasises on proffering you our Cuddalore holiday packages that are designed keeping your choices and preferences into consideration.

Best Time to Visit Cuddalore

Being a coastal city in South India, summer in Cuddalore remains hot and the months monsoon receives a heavy rainfall, which obviously makes the season of winter an ideal time to visit this place.

  • Summer

    Summer

    The month of March is the onset of the summer season in Cuddalore which ends in May. Throughout these months, the city witnesses a hot and dry weather whereas, temperature ranges in between 24°C and 42°C.

  • Monsoon

    Monsoon

    Monsoon in Cuddalore starts in the month of June and continues till October. The reason is not considered ideal to visit this place as it receives a heavy rainfall during the monsoon months and the humidity is high too that makes one feel a bit uncomfortable.

  • Winter

    Winter

    The only ideal season to visit Cuddalore is winter which marks its beginning in the month of December and lasts until February. During these months, the temperature remains pleasant and varies from 20°C to 30°C.

Popular Tourist Attractions in & around Cuddalore

Tamilnadu is a treasure trove for travellers and Cuddalore is one of its concealed solitaires that houses some of the popular tourist destinations in the form beautiful shrines and enthralling sightseeing places to visit.

  • Pichavaram

    An incredible scenic site in Cuddalore that awaits to offer you the amazing experience is Pichavaram in the lap of nature. Its fascinating diversity offers a chance to catch a glimpse of various rare species of flora like Avicennia and Rhizophora. The place is also ideal to capture the resplendent sights of many migrating birds like Cormorants, storks, herons, egrets, pelicans, and spoonbills. Above that, tourists also have a chance to perform water sports like kayaking, rowing, and canoeing in the backwaters of Pichavaram.

  • Devanathaswamy Temple

    Devanathaswamy Temple also esteemed as Thiruvendipuram Kovil, is amongst the 108 ancient Vaishnava shrines and is situated in Thiruvanthipuram (an outskirt village in Cuddalore district). The present construction of this gorgeous temple traces its history from Medieval Cholas epoch. Devoted to Lord Shiva, Devanathaswamy Temple houses several inscriptions of various rulers including Chola and Pandya rulers.

  • Silver Beach

    A must-visit tourist destination in Cuddalore is Silver Beach for which thousands of tourists flock every year just to gaze upon the beauty of this place. Situated in the eastern part of the city, Silver Beach holds impeccable sights and serene ambiance, which are enough to proffer an indelible holiday experience in Cuddalore. For the fact, this perfect stopover is the second largest beach in Coromandel Coast.

  • Padaleeswarar Temple

    Built during the epoch of Medieval Chola and Pallava, Padaleeswarar Temple is a popular shrine in Cuddalore and is dedicated to Lord Shiva shrine in Cuddalore. The Dravidian style of architecture of this beaut shrine is what that lures not only pilgrims but an abundant of travellers as well.

  • Veeranam Lake

    Another creation of Chola Dynasty is Veeranam Lake, was once an eminent source of drinking water for Chennai. This attraction is an ideal escape to spend some nature-filled time as it bids some serene views of nature. Capture some picturesque views in your camera while sightseeing at Veeranam Lake. Read more

  • Singirikudi Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple

    Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is located on the outskirts of Cuddalore, Singirikudi. Legend has it that Singirikudi is the place where Prahlada worshipped Lord Narasimha, and thus, is amongst the four Narasimha Temples of Tamilnadu region. A visit to this pilgrimage site is considered very auspicious as this divine place has an immense religious significance.

  • Veeratteswarar Temple

    Devoted to Lord Shiva, Veeratteswarar Temple in Thiruvathigai Village in the district of Cuddalore. As per beliefs, offering prayers at Veeratteswarar Temple can cure one's stomach related issues or any curse, especially child related. One can get to see 108 poses of Bharatnatyam which are inscribed in this temple. In reality, Veeratteswarar is a temple complex which houses various temples having equal religious significance.

  • Sri Valli Devashena Shiva Subramanya Swamy Temple

    This tiny holy site in Cuddalore is one of the well-known pilgrimage destination. Dedicated to Lord Murugan and Goddess Valli, this temple has an elegant design that attracts plenty of devotees. Karthigai Festival (November) and Shashti Festival (November-December) are the famous festivals that are celebrated grandly in this temple.

  • Bhuvaraha Swami Temple

    Located in Srimushnam in the district of Cuddalore, Bhuvaraha Swami is another ancient temple where devotees pay a homage to Varaha - an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The existence of this temple first came during the reigning period of Medieval Chola and was further expanded by Achutappa Nayak - one of the Thanjavur Nayaks. Like Padaleeswarar, this temple also has a Dravidian architecture and is enclosed by a granite wall, which gives this place a serene and spiritual ambiance to savour.

Where to Stay in Cuddalore?

Cuddalore is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu, and thus, is masterly capable of delivering all the major travelling needs, especially the accommodation. The city houses a healthy number of standard and budget accommodation options for tourists. These budget hotels and resorts come with a bundle of facilities and services. On the other hand, travellers who wish to stay at a luxury accommodation, Pondicherry (20 km from Cuddalore), is the place which is packed with a number of luxury hotels and resorts. You can also consider Tour My India for your hotel bookings in Cuddalore along with travel packages and that too at best prices.

How to Reach Cuddalore?

Reaching Cuddalore is neither a difficult task nor a complicated one. The city is pretty well-connected with all means whether air, rail, or road. However, railways is the best way to reach here, since the place has its own railway station.

  • By Air

    The nearest airhead from Cuddalore is Tiruchirapalli International Airport, which is 190 km from the city. The airport has good connectivity with all the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and more. Airway is the best way to reach if you're travelling from Northern, Western or Eastern states.

  • By Rail

    Cuddalore has its own railway station, Cuddalore Railway Station and is easily accessible from all the major cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kodaikanal, Chennai, Kanyakumari, and more. Railway is another ideal mean to reach Cuddalore comfortably.

  • By Road

    If you're travelling from neighbouring cities or town, the city is accessible via good road network. One can either prefer a self-drive or board a local bus available from various cities in South India to reach here.

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There's an abundance of culture, tradition, art, craft, nature, and wildlife experiences awaiting in Tamil Nadu. Choose from our wide array of Tamil Nadu travel packages and get that incredible holiday experience at this colour palette kind of a destination. We design the finest tour packages keeping your likes and dislikes in mind so that you are guaranteed a holistic travelling experience that too in a budget of your choice.

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