Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state in India and it is home to a range of attractive tourist destinations. Tamil Nadu tourist destinations include but not limited to picturesque valleys, stunning beaches, tranquil hill stations, wildlife parks, gorgeous temples, and scenic mountains.

About Tamil Nadu Tourist Destinations

The state is home to a wide array of tourist attractions that result in millions of footfalls round the year. It is also famous for its rich Dravidian culture and heritage. Several eminent rulers of the past including the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, and the Vijayanagara Empire reigned over areas of Tamil Nadu and bequeathed amazing monuments and temples, which you can see while visiting the state.

Temples in Tamil Nadu

The state is rightly called the Land of Enduring Heritage and is famous for the following temples:

Arjuna's Penance in Mahabalipuram
The Five Chariots
The Shore Temple
Navagraha Temple
Murugan Temple
Parthasarathy Temple
Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur

Mahabaliapuram has been included into the list of World Heritage Sites.

Monuments in Tamil Nadu

There is a range of historic monuments in the state and they are as follows:

Bharathiyar Illam
Madras War Cemetery
Kamaraj Memorial House
Rippon Building
Senate House Chennai
Valluvar Kottam Chennai
Vivekananda Illam Chennai
Tanjavur Palace Tanjore
Rock Fort Temple Tiruchirappalli Ayantika
Padmanabhapuram Palace Kanyakumari
Orattanad
Sivaganga Palace

Beaches in Tamil Nadu

There are a number of spectacular beaches in the state, which include the following:

Elliot's Beach
Marina Beach
Kanyakumari Beach
Covelong Beach
Mahabalipuram Beach

All these beaches offer the ideal setting and opportunities for a variety of adventure sports and recreational activities such as paragliding, sunbathing, swimming, surfing, and parasailing.

Hill Stations

The state is famous for the following hill stations:

Kotagiri
Coonoor
Yercaud
Udagamandalam
Yelagiri
Ooty
Kodaikanal

The hill stations will simply leave you spellbound. Ooty is frequently denoted as the Queen of all Hill Stations and it is also the most picturesque hill station. Kodaikanal is 120 km from Madurai and it charms the visitors with its forested landscapes and picturesque lakes.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks

The state houses a number of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that boast a range of exotic flora and fauna. The important ones are as follows:

Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Guindy National Park
Indira Gandhi National Park
Mukurthi National Park
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
Palani Hills National Park
Kalakkad Wildlife Sanctuary
Mundanthurai Sanctuary
Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary
Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary
Sathyamangalam Sanctuary

Other places to see

Other places of interest include the following:

Coimbatore
Chidambaram
Chettinad
Dharmapuri
Erode
Kanchipuram (Kancheepuram)
Krishnagiri
Virudhunagar
Udhagamandalam
Chennai
Mamallapuram
Thiruchirapalli
Rameshwaram
Krishnagiri
Nagapattinam
Namakkal
Pudukottai
Poompuhar
Salem
Sivaganga
Thirunelveli
Vellore
Yelagiri
Kadamvanam

The state has it all. Tamil Nadu tourist destinations offer the sightseer every reason to cheer and remember every moment of the captivating experience. The state is also famous for a number of festivals of which the most important is the Pongal. Other festivals include Chithirai festival, Thaipusam, Dance Festival, and Mahamagam festival.

Last Updated on 2/15/2011

Tamil Nadu Tourist Destinations