Steamy and sultry, the first city of South India is often overlooked, but this bustling metropolis is the perfect gateway to the Indian south, within easy striking distance of Mamallapuram and Puducherry. What Chennai lacks in world-famous sights, it makes up for in fabulous food – Tamil Nadu is renowned across India for its lavishly spiced curries, prepared with ‘pure veg’ to appeal to local religious sensibilities.

Climate & best time to visit India

The weather is mainly hot most of the year with significant variations from region to region. The coolest weather lasts from around the end of November to the beginning of March, with fresh mornings and evenings, and mostly sunny days. The really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and June. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer anywhere between June and early October.

Western Himalayas: Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be cold and damp in winter. Shimla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Gulmarg, Manali and Pahalgam are usually under several feet of snow from December to March and temperatures in Ladakh, which is a high-altitude desert, can be extremely cold. The mountain passes of Ladakh are accessible from July to October.

Northern Plains: Cities like New Delhi, Varanasi, Lucknow and Patna experience an extreme range of temperatures and are typically warm from April to mid-June, falling to almost freezing at night in winter between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.

Central India: Madhya Pradesh state escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.

Mobile Telephone

Dialing code: +91

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to major towns but is increasing all the time.

Key Areas

The arts and crafts of the Indian south take pride of place in Chennai’s boutiques and emporiums. Silk, pearls, gold, footwear, stone carvings and bronze statues are popular purchases. Key shopping streets include Thyagaraya Nagar, Anna Salai and Khader Nawak Khan Road.

Markets

Stalls line the streets throughout Chennai, selling everything from silk saris to mobile phone covers, but the busiest bazaars are along Ranganathan Street, and in the crowded lanes around George Town and Parry’s Corner.

Social Conventions

The traditional Hindu greeting is to fold the hands, tilt the head forward and say namaste. Indian women generally prefer not to shake hands. All visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. Most Indians also remove their footwear when entering their homes; visitors should follow suit.

Food & Drink

Water for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should first be boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is often unpasteurised and should be boiled. Avoid dairy products likely to have been made from non-boiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Do not eat salads, vegetables should be cooked and peel your own fruit. Don’t eat street vendor food unless it is piping hot. Tap water is not safe to drink, rely on bottled water which is widely available. However, do check the seal on bottled water.

Other Risks

Vaccinations are sometimes advised for hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, tuberculosis (for infants), polio and typhoid. Dengue and malaria are both caused by mosquito bites and are prevalent in hot and humid conditions. There are occasional, seasonal outbreaks of dengue fever. Travellers should vigilantly protect themselves against mosquito bites.

Malaria prevention is strongly recommended so use insect repellent and wear protective clothing. Obtain anti-malarial medicine from your doctor before travelling.

Even seasoned travellers may find themselves at the mercy of travellers’ diarrhoea. Hygiene standards vary. If possible, travel around with soap or antibacterial gel in order to clean your hands. The culprits that cause diarrhoea are often the microorganisms found in local water supplies, so decrease your chances by drinking bottled or boiled water. You can have alcoholic drinks but say no to ice. Drink carbonated beverages or those with only boiled water like coffee and tea.

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.

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