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Trip Planner :  Asia  /  India  /  Tamil Nadu  /  Kanchipuram District  /  Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram

4.1
Sacred & Religious Sites · Ruins · Landmarks
Once an important sea port city in the ancient Pallava kingdom, Mahabalipuram today draws in visitors with UNESCO-listed monuments and temples carved out of rock during the 7th and 8th centuries CE. The structures showcase the decoration and form of early Dravidian architecture, and their distinctive designs, striking coloration, and scale still create an evocative atmosphere when studied closely and when seen as a whole. The modern town exists almost solely for tourism, with beach resorts, backpacker hostels, and a wealth of restaurants serving international cuisine, making trips to Mahabalipuram relaxing as well as inspiring. Plan the details of your Mahabalipuram holiday and any onward adventuring with our easy-to-use India trip planner.
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    Top Mahabalipuram tours

    FROM $130 BOOK WITH VIATOR Private Cultural Tour: Day Trip to Mahabalipuram and Dakshinachitra from Chennai
    4.3
    Duration: 8 hours
    Tours from $130 »
    FROM $46 BOOK WITH VIATOR Private Tour to Mahabalipuram from Chennai
    4.0
    Duration: 7 to 9 hours
    Tours from $46 »
    FROM $115 BOOK WITH VIATOR Full-Day Guided Tour to Mahabalipuram from Chennai with Lunch
    5.0
    Duration: 7 hours
    Tours from $115 »
    FROM $121 BOOK WITH VIATOR Full-Day Private Tour to the Kanchipuram Temples from Chennai
    5.0
    Duration: 13 hours
    Tours from $121 »
    FROM $123 BOOK WITH VIATOR Mahabalipuram day trip from Chennai by Wonder tours
    5.0
    Duration: 7 hours
    Tours from $123 »
    FROM $140 BOOK WITH VIATOR Mahabalipuram & Kanchipuram in a day from Chennai with Guide & pick up drop
    5.0
    Duration: 13 hours
    Tours from $140 »
    FROM $44 BOOK WITH VIATOR An extraordinary - UNESCO Monuments Tour to Mahabalipuram from Chennai
    5.0
    Duration: 7 to 9 hours
    Tours from $44 »
    FROM $49 BOOK WITH VIATOR Ancient Temples Tour to Kanchipuram from Chennai
    5.0
    Duration: 9 to 11 hours
    Tours from $49 »
    FROM $100 BOOK WITH VIATOR Kanchipuram Day Trip
    5.0
    Duration: 1 to 12 hours
    Tours from $100 »

    Popular things to do in Mahabalipuram

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    Shore Temple ©
    Religious Site
    Shore Temple
    4.4
    Duration: 3 hours
    Monuments at Mahabalipuram ©
    World heritage site
    Monuments at Mahabalipuram
    4.6
    Duration: 3 hours
    The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology ©
    Zoo
    The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology
    4.2
    Duration: 1h 30 min
    Pancha Rathas ©
    Architectural Building
    Pancha Rathas
    4.6
    Duration: 3 hours

    Hidden gems in Mahabalipuram

    Mahishasuramardini Cave ©
    Cave
    Mahishasuramardini Cave
    4.5
    Duration: 3 hours
    India Seashell Museum ©
    Specialty Museum
    India Seashell Museum
    4.3
    Duration: 3 hours
    Mahabalipuram Lighthouse ©
    Lighthouse
    Mahabalipuram Lighthouse
    3.5
    Duration: 3 hours
    Jewel Mount.
    Gift & Specialty Shop
    Jewel Mount.
    5.0
    Duration: 3 hours

    Side trips from Mahabalipuram

    DakshinaChitra Museum ©
    Specialty Museum
    DakshinaChitra Museum
    Muttukadu
    4.4
    Duration: 3 hours
    Ekambareswarar Temple ©
    Historic Site
    Ekambareswarar Temple
    Kanchipuram
    4.7
    Duration: 3 hours
    Kailasanathar Temple ©
    Religious Site
    Kailasanathar Temple
    Kanchipuram
    4.8
    Duration: 3 hours
    Thiruporur Murugan Temple
    Religious Site
    Thiruporur Murugan Temple
    Tamil Nadu
    5.0
    Duration: 3 hours

    Historic Sites in Mahabalipuram

    See all ›
    Tiger Cave ©
    Ruin
    Tiger Cave
    4.1
    Duration: 3 hours
    Sri Sthala Sayanaperumal Temple
    Religious Site
    Sri Sthala Sayanaperumal Temple
    4.0
    Duration: 3 hours
    Karukathamman Temple ©
    Religious Site
    Karukathamman Temple
    4.3
    Duration: 3 hours
    Mukunda Nayanar Temple ©
    Religious Site
    Mukunda Nayanar Temple
    3.7
    Duration: 3 hours

    Museums in Mahabalipuram

    Maritime Heritage Museum ©
    History Museum
    Maritime Heritage Museum
    4.7
    Duration: 3 hours
    Lighthouse Heritage Museum ©
    Specialty Museum
    Lighthouse Heritage Museum
    4.3
    Duration: 3 hours
    Little Art Gallery
    Art Gallery
    Little Art Gallery
    3.8
    Duration: 3 hours
    Sculpture Museum ©
    Art Museum
    Sculpture Museum
    3.4
    Duration: 3 hours

    Kid-friendly things to do in Mahabalipuram

    Mahabalipuram Beach ©
    Beach
    Mahabalipuram Beach
    4.0
    Duration: 3 hours
    Wide Beach ©
    Beach
    Wide Beach
    3.8
    Duration: 3 hours

    Don't Miss a Thing. See & Do More.

    Where to stay in Mahabalipuram

    Monuments at Mahabalipuram ©
    Given the importance of its major attractions, Mahabalipuram offers a good number of accommodations across its main urban area. Thanks to the popularity of its coast, it has a large number of accommodations by the beach, too. Choose between the backpacker-friendly area around Othavadai Street, where budget hostels and boutiques provide the main options, and the massive resorts along the beach. Alternatively, Chennai lies just two hours away by bus, so many travelers choose to stay in the large city to the north and simply take day trips Mahabalipuram.
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    Places to visit with Mahabalipuram

    ChennaiTrip planner BEST FOR: Religious Site, Beach, Movie Theater RameswaramTrip planner BEST FOR: Religious Site, Beach, Bridge MaduraiTrip planner BEST FOR: Religious Site, Architectural Building, Specialty Museum Ooty (Udhagamandalam)Trip planner BEST FOR: Water Body, Mountain, Garden KanyakumariTrip planner BEST FOR: Landmark, Beach, Religious Site

    Visit a single location or make it a multi-destination trip.

    Recently planned trips to Mahabalipuram

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