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.


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.
   

  Major Attractions of Marina Beach
  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.
     

  Places to stay in Marina Beach
  Being a capital city of the state, Chennai is well equipped with various kinds of accommodation options, varying from economic class to luxurious ones.