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5 Things to do in Pondicherry

Here's how to make the best of your trip to Pondicherry

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The Promenade of Pondicherry
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Walk and Discover
If you’re up for a walk, you’ll have opportunities aplenty while you’re in Pondicherry. It’s not only a great pleasure walking around the vine decorated pink, yellow, red and other colourful houses in French part belonging to the times when they had colonized this Union Territory, but it will also gives you several selfie moments to capture. To truly enjoy the experience you must take a walking tour, so that you can see beyond the structures and into the history and culture of the place. While this is an experience best enjoyed in the day (but not around summer), you must also find time, either in the morning or evening to take a walk on the Promenade, a long stretch of road that’s similar to Mumbai’s marine drive, but overlooks deep blue seas versus the maximum city’s greyish brown waters. Interestingly, the concept of equal streets that is being executed in Mumbai’s Carter Road, disallowing vehicles on Sunday morning, has been the norm at the Promenade, where no vehicles are allowed from late evening to early morning, everyday! And not surprisingly, just like people come out in throngs on Carter Road every Sunday morning, for the joy of walking and enjoying the vehicle-free streets, the Promenade is also abuzz with crowds come night.

Go boating to explore Mangrove Forests
If you haven’t been to the Sunderbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, on your trip to Pondy,  try the mangrove thickets of Pichavaram, just a few hours from the main city. The entire forest land is government owned and so the boat rides (open from 8am to 5.30pm) are conducted by state authorities; you can choose from both motor boats and row boats. The latter is preferable, as it may make it easier to traverse the narrow lanes of the floating forest; that’s how mangroves look, like they’re floating on the water. A good idea would be to reach early in the morning or go late in the evening so that you’re able to enjoy its beauty without being bothered by the heat.

Indulge in Tamil and French Cuisine
From local shops serving filter coffee and little appams to restaurants like Suruguru and Adyar Anand Bhavan, eating south Indian food here is a pleasure. A must have at Suruguru is their rava dosa. Adyar Anand Bhavan not only has the Malabari or Kerala Parathas and other delicious south Indian dishes, but also has a whole wide range of dry snacks including pepper thatiyal, bhindi and karela bhajiya, tapered potato chips and more. You may want to take some home. A must-pick from Pondicherry are tapioca chips; ask locals to direct you to places that make them hot and allow you to try them before buying. Baker’s Street and several other cafes and restaurants serve baguettes and other bakes. For Italian and Continental cuisine combined with an elegant yet cozy ambience a must-go-to place is Villa Shante.

Visit Auroville
This city within a city, a vision of The Mother, was inaugurated in 1968 with youth from 124 different nations and 23 Indian states, depositing a handful of their native soil into the Urn–the Auroville website will reveal to you. It is meant to belong to humanity as a whole, to bridge the gap between the past and the future. Today, this has become a reality in the form of numerous programs based on diverse ideas and ideologies that are at work in Auroville, ranging from sustainable and green practices to inner healing and various art forms. It's not uncommon for people to land up in Auroville and return to volunteer/intern for programs, to delve deeper into subjects of their liking, or of their calling. As one Slovanian I met there told me, “At Auroville you'll find what you want, even if you don't know you need it.” Create your own unique itinerary by looking at the different ongoing programs that interest you. Bike or cycle around. Attend workshops; see, feel, explore.

Hit the Beach
There are several beaches around Pondicherry, but among the safest (you still have to beware of thieves) is Serenity Beach, in Auroville. White sand, blue sea, rocks to sit on, fishermen's boats, surfers at sea, cozy cafes staring at the azure waters... the beach has it all. Go have fun, you beach bum!

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