Best Time to Visit Kanchipuram for 1 Day :Itinerary, What to Do & Where to Go

Day 1 | Morning

Mahabalipuram Shore Temple

Opening Hours: Open from 6:00am-6:30pm

Ticket Price: 250 INR

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

The Shore Temple is located on the Ting Line along the coast of Kanchipuram and was built earlier in the second half of the 7th century by King Narasimha Varman I. There were seven temples in the early days, but after years of weathering and erosion by the sea breeze and waves, six of them have been slowly eroded by the sea. The temple itself is small, but elegant in shape, representing a masterpiece of Pallava art. The building materials of the temple are all granite, which is a very early representative of stone temples in South India. The architectural style of this period is relatively simple and elegant.

Reviews from Real Guests:

法祖尔: Mamallapuram, also known as Seven Pagodas or Mahabalipuram, is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[1] It is on the coastline 58 kilometres (36 mi) south of the city of Chennai. An ancient historic town and a bustling seaport in the 1st millennium CE, now a beachside tourism center with a group of Hindu monuments declared as UNESCO world heritage site, it is one of the most visited towns in South India.[1][3] Mamallapuram was one of two major port cities by the 7th century within the Pallava kingdom. Along with economic prosperity, it became a center of a group of battle monuments carved out of rock. These are dated to the 7th and 8th centuries: rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air rock reliefs such as the famous Descent of the Ganges, and the Shore Temple dedicated to Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Krishna and others.[1][3] The contemporary town plan was established by the British Raj in 1827. Neolithic burial urn, cairn circles and jars with burials dating to the 1st century BC have been discovered near Mamallapuram. The Sangam age poem Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai relates the rule of King Thondaiman Ilam Thiraiyar at Kanchipuram of the Tondai Nadu port Nirppeyyaru which scholars identify with the present-day Mamallapuram. Chinese coins and Roman coins of Theodosius I in the 4th century CE have been found at Mamallapuram revealing the port as an active hub of global trade in the late classical period. Two Pallava coins bearing legends read as Srihari and Srinidhi have been found at Mamallapuram. The Pallava kings ruled Mamallapuram from Kanchipuram; the capital of the Pallava dynasty from the 3rd century to 9th century CE, and used the port to launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.  Mamallapuram Shore Temple View from beach An 8th-century Tamil text written by Thirumangai Alvar described this place as Sea Mountain ‘where the ships rode at anchor bent to the

Day 1 | Afternoon

Having the chance to enjoy the charming Mahabalipuram Shore Temple, Kailasanatha Temple next to it is another great place that you will never want to miss!

Kailasanatha Temple

Ticket Price: Free

Recommended Length of Stay: 1.0-2.0 Hours

Location: Pillaiyarpalayam，Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu

Kailas Natha Temple is located at the end of the west side of the city of Kanchipuram. It is an earlier Dravidian style temple built by the Pallava Dynasty in the 7th century, and it is also one of the beautiful temples. The temple enshrines the "Linga", the symbol of Lord Shiva, one of the three main gods of Hinduism. The statue is meticulously carved, and the mount of Lord Shiva, Nandi, the sacred cow, is watching over the temple of Kailas Natha.

Day 1 | Evening

After visiting the glorious Kailasanatha Temple, Kanchi Shantivan nearby is the best place to stay.

Kanchi Shantivan

Kanchi Shantivan offers royal home stay with 2 King bedrooms with attached bath, Smart LED TV, bluetooth Surround system, memory foam mattress, very powerful AC. Living room with 50''Smart LED TV, bluetooth surround system, Sofa, bamboo swing, also a kitchen and Dining. Royal home stay family suite can easily accommodate 2-3 families. Kanchi Shantivan is located in very peaceful and secured area that too in Kanchi mainland which is only 5-10 mins away from all the famous temples and silk shops.

* All reviews in the blog are machine-translated.