You are in Chennai for a day, you want to utilize this time by visiting some nice place. Where you can find something to eat, someplace to hang-out. You hesitantly ask some random person, “Anna, any good place in Chennai to visit…..?”. He will tell you a number of places and there are 90% chances that he will suggest Elliot’s Beach or Besant Nagar Beach. But you get confused in so many choices. You take your phone, ask Google to tell you some good places to visit in Chennai. There are 100% chances that you will see the name Elliot’s Beach aka Besant Nagar Beach in top 5 places. Such is the beauty of this place.
Besant Nagar Beach is one of the cleanest beaches in Chennai. There is a 700-meter-long road, that runs alongside the beach, and the Sea is around 200 m from the road. The place offers you great views, especially during sunrise, and fresh air in the morning and in the evening, it completely transforms itself into a mela.
Let’s first visit it in the morning:
People start coming to this beach from 5 AM itself. Few of them would be from the outskirts of Chennai who would have come to watch the beautiful sunrise. Others would be the regular people, who come there and enjoy the cold breeze while they walk or run beside the beach.
It is a popular destination among fitness enthusiasts. As it offers a huge open area, where they can train in many different ways. You will surely enjoy the game of Frisbee. Which sometimes becomes so interesting that you would not be able to take your eyes off, even for a second. While you are there, do not forget to try the open gym facility.
Apart from all this, you will find a number of healthy food options. Try Ragi malt, buttermilk, herbal tea, and of-course the coconut water. I particularly liked the pudina buttermilk.
Evening at the Besant Nagar Beach:
As I said before, the place completely transforms itself into a mela during the evening time. The same place that looks so calm in the morning now looks like a food bazaar.
You will have big food giants waiting for you to fill your mouth with tasty food. Along with international brands like KFC, Mc Donald’s, and Domino’s, you will see many local shops as well. They give tough competition to these giants by offering you a huge variety of edible items. Actually, if you want to see the creativity of people, then you must eat in the local restaurants. You will be amazed. But if you are not a big fan of eating in big restaurants and you are more of a street food person. Then you have to cross the road and go to the other side of the road towards the beach.
Right from the road till the sea, you will have many roadside vendors selling myriad types of food items.
From sugar cane juice to lemon water, from ice creams to hot bhajjis and from spring potatoes to mouth-watering pani puris.
The beach offers you all that you can think of. Hot corn (bhutta) with lemon and spices will surely grab your attention. Go on and try one, you will remember it for a long time.
How to reach:
Nearest railway station to Besant Nagar beach is Guindy, which is just 8.4 km. Although buses are frequent, but there is no direct bus available. So, you will have to change at least once.
Apart from buses, local autos are also available, they will charge you around 200 bucks.
If you have your own vehicle, then just put Edward Elliot’s Beach or Besant Nagar Beach in maps and you will be good to go.
Parking might be an issue, as it is a popular place. So, you will have to keep that in mind as well.
Runner’s View:
The place is very good option to do the interval training. Try beach running as well, it helps in enhancing the strength in legs.
Picture courtesy : Hey.Month.Photography
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