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Marina Beach
Marina
Beach
Location : Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Claimed To Be : Second Longest In The World
Attraction
: Aquarium, Anna And MGR Samadhis, Icehouse, Senate-House, Chepauk Palace,
Presidency College
Marina
Beach - The Longest Beach of India
Welcome to the longest beach of India,
Marina Beach, comprising of golden sand, good surf and a shimmering clean blue
sea. Marina beach is located on the eastern side of Chennai, adjoining the Bay
of Bengal. This beach is claimed to be second only to Long Beach of California
and the longest of beaches in Asia. With its natural sandy beauty and spacious
promenade and beautiful gardens, the beach is a major attraction for tourists
visiting Chennai. Watching the sun set and rise from the beach is an enthralling
experience.
In the evenings, the beach is virtually a fair ground with
various kinds of entertainment and food stalls lining the beach. It has acquired
a South Indian aura with vendors hawking wares ranging from shell and glass baubles
to kites and fruit juices. Though bathing and swimming can be dangerous, as the
undercurrent is very strong, even then people come for swimming here. There are
also facilities of pony rides at the beach site, which attract the children's
interest the most. The Marina, however, is large enough to accommodate all visitors
as well as the hawkers and is often the venue for important state functions.
Prime Attractions of Marina Beach There
are some of the most beautiful buildings around Marina Beach, such as the University
of Madras, Presidency College, P.W.D office; Senate-House, Chepauk Palace, 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.
How to Get There
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.
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Murudeshwar Beach
Location
: 16 Kms From Bhatkal, Karnataka
Main Attraction :
Murdeshwar Temple
Famous As : A Picnic Spot
Best
Season : Throughout The Year
Murudeshwar is the scenic holy place. Murudeshwar is believed to have been sanctified
by a piece of the Pranalinga of Mahabaleshwara thrown by Ravana. It is situated
between Honnavar and Bhatkal, just 1 km off the National Highway. Bounded by the
shimmering sea and rolling hills, the place is a favourite picnic spot. This sacred
place presents some beautiful carvings and statues, the roaring sea to the west,
the towering hills to the east and the coconut and areca groves nearby. The temple
attracts a lot of devotees and tourists. Though the
Murudeshwar beach,
Bhatkal is one of the most visited
beach destinations of Karnataka, it
is still unspoilt and virgin. The picturesque Murudeshwar beach can be visited
all the year round.
Bounded by the sapphire sea and high hills, Murudeshwar
beach in Karnataka is a favourite tourist destination and known for the gorgeous
temple perched on a hillock by the shore. The other attractions of this land of
picture-postcard scenery are some of the quaint rituals like the Kambala (buffalo
race) or Korikatta the cockfight and the Bhuta worship. Partake of the delicacies
of coastal Karnataka, the mouth - watering sweets, spicy fish curries and a variety
of rice preparations, besides the juicy fruits like variety of mangoes, bananas,
jackfruit, and cashew which abound in this fertile land.
Prime Attractions of Murudeshwar Beach
Murudeshwar Temple: This picturesque place has a gorgeous ancient temple
perched on a hillock by the shore. The sea is an intrinsic part of the temple
scape at Murudeshwar. Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps
leading to the temple. The sea surrounds the temple towering on the small hill
called Kanduka Giri on three sides.
Fort: There is also a huge
fort behind the temple said to have been renovated by Tipu sultan, the ruler of
Mysore.
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Varkala Beach
Location
: 41 Kms From Thiruvananthapuram City, Kerala
Main Attraction
: Janardana Swamy Temple
Known As : Papanashini
Significance : The Beach has a 2000 Year Old Shrine of Lord Vishnu
The pristine
Varkala beach is a sea side resort, as well as an important
Hindu centre of
pilgrimage, and is located at a distance of 41 kilometers
from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, South India. Varkala beach and nearly places
entice you with its myriad attractions to come and explore its tranquil sands.
Be awe-struck at the force of the sea waves as they crash against the rocky clusters
near the Varkala beach. High cliffs with rich mineral springs rise majestically
from the coastline. This beach of Kerala is rich in
mineral water springs
that are known for their medicinal value. Varkala is a beautiful beach that has
a more than 2000 years old shrine of Lord Vishnu.
Varkala beach tours offered by Visit India South are quiet like performing
pilgrimage tours as the people of Kerala treat this lovely beach as the "Papanasam
shore'". A dip in the holy waters of Varkala beach is believed to purge
the body and the soul of all 
the
sins that you've committed in this lifetime hence the name 'Papanashini' for
this shore. At the break of dawn following the new moon in the Malayalam month
of 'Karkidakam', thousands offer 'Vavu Bali', a ritual believed to help the
souls of ancestors rest in peace. The 2000 year old Janardana Swamy Temple
and the Nature Centre are the two main attractions of Varkala Beach. High
cliffs border the excellent Varkala Beach. Varkala beach is the perfect holiday
getaway, shielded with an explosion of coconut palm trees.
How to Get There
Rail: The railway station is 3 kms from the beach.
Road: Varkala
is 54 km from Thiruvananthapuram and 37 km from Kollam. It is a pleasant convenient
place to stop for a night or more or an afternoon when travelling between Alappuzha
or Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
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