A Guide To Pondicherry - Pastel Colours and Pastries
Pondicherry is like the Mediterranean has met with the Bay of Bengal. A curious mix of white, mustard yellow and ochre architecture sitting alongside the rainbow vibrancy of Indian temples. As you walk through the heart of Pondicherry’s White Town, passing by its pastel coloured mansions, wooden shuttered windows and balconies draped in pink bougainvillaea, it will feel as though you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere in your southern India trip and somehow ended up on the French Riviera.
Pondicherry or Puducherry, makes for a fantastic stop on any southern India trip. We had a great time exploring this beautiful town, eating many delicious pastries, sipping coffee with the locals and enjoying the warm sea breeze.
Pondicherry is a town that still retains its colonial charm, yet mixes this with the unique kaleidoscopic, frenetic energy of a modern Indian city.
Read our bumper guide for everything you need to know about visiting this amazing southern Indian city.
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In this travel guide:
Where is Pondicherry / Puducherry?
Pondicherry, also known as Puducherry or Pondy (by the locals) is located on the Coromandel coast of south India in the state of Tamil Nadu. The town stretches away in a semicircle off from the Bay of Bengal.
The history of Pondicherry
The city has had a turbulent history with the European powers of the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British all vying for control during the Colonial period. The Portuguese were the first to settle in 1523 and held power over the city for almost a century. After the Portuguese were asked to leave, the French were next to take control in 1663. In 1674, the governor of the French East India Company, François Martin took the lead and planned to turn Pondicherry from a small fishing port to a flourishing trade centre. This was all going well until the Dutch invaded and took control for four years. Eventually the French regained the town following the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick between France and the Netherlands in 1699. After the treaty there was a period of French expansion, until the British came along and thought, “hey we’d quite like this” and so began a repetitive tale of war, treaty, handover of power, war, treaty, handover of power. In 1816, the French eventually regained full power of Pondicherry, and kept control of it until they handed back the city to an independant India in 1954.
The White Town (French Quarter) is still full of French influenced architecture, tree lined boulevards, churches and cafes.
Today, Pondicherry is a vibrant town, a mixing pot of old meeting the new, with relics of the town's colonial past intertwining with modern India. It's a city that draws tourists from all over the world, yet still retains its Indian heart and identity.
How to get to Pondicherry?
The city of Pondicherry is extremely well connected with links to the rest of Tamil Nadu as well as to the neighbouring states of Kerala and Karnataka. Getting to the city by public transport is very easy. Read on to find out how!
By bus
Travelling by bus to Pondicherry will be the easiest way for you to get to this pretty coastal town. There are two types of buses you can choose from:
Local buses
If you’re travelling to Pondicherry from elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, catching a local state bus will by far be the cheapest way for you to get to the city. These local buses are very basic with no air conditioning and with three seat benches behind the driver, and two seat benches on the other side. The windows and doors will be open so that you can catch the breeze. These buses run all over the state of Tamil Nadu linking the towns and cities together.
We caught one of the state buses that run from Chennai’s CMBT bus station all the way to Pondicherry and the four hour plus bus journey cost us 190 rupees each (£1.82 or $2.28). On longer distances the buses will usually stop for rest breaks. If you do stop, we wholeheartedly recommend picking up some samosas. Super cheap at usually around 10 rupees per samosa, they make for the perfect bus snack!
Portable and moreish, the best kind of bus snack!
The easiest way to purchase tickets is on the local bus itself. Just head to the bus station (if you’re in Chennai you need the CMBT bus station) and look up at the departure boards or bus windscreen for the correct bus.
Once on the bus, put your large bags in the space next to the driver or if this is full, ask the bus conductor where to put your bags and take a seat. When it's time to leave, the bus conductor will come to you and ask you where you’re going and give you a ticket to buy. We’ve always found the bus conductors to be super friendly, just ask them to let you know when you have to get off and they will almost always help you.
For those travelling within the state, you’ll almost certainly be dropped off at Pondicherry’s state bus terminal (location). From here it's about a 30 to 45 minute walk to the White Town (French Quarter) or a short 10 minute rickshaw ride.
Just a word of warning - Indian bus terminals are extremely busy and can be very overwhelming if it's your first time travelling by bus. We’d recommend just going with the flow and double checking with everyone that you’re on the right bus. Don’t worry we’ve had plenty of times where we’ve sat down and got settled, only to be told to get off and board another bus. Like all things in India just go with the chaotic flow and it’ll all work out in the end!
Private buses
If you’re travelling from further afield and are looking for a more luxurious way to travel with comfier seats and air-conditioning, then you’ll need to book yourself a ticket on a private Volvo bus. These private buses run routes across different states, linking the sub-Indian continent together. There are different types of buses with sleeper berths to seats
You can book these tickets in person, at a travel agency, via the Abhibus or Redbus app (if you have an Indian sim or eSIM ) or in advance via 12Go.
When booking the tickets just make sure you pay attention to the pick up and drop of locations as these will rarely be in the state bus terminal. When it was time to leave Pondicherry, we took a very comfy overnight sleeper bus from Pondicherry to Kerala’s capital city, Trivandrum.
Although the ticket said the departure point was outside a travel agency next door to the bus station, we didn’t actually end up boarding the bus there. Instead we were bundled into a small mini bus, driven to the outside of the city (about an hour away) and dropped at the side of the road, given the only instructions that the bus south would arrive in 20 minutes or so. True to form it did arrive, but we did have an anxious wait with just our bags in the pitch black on the side of a very busy motorway. As we’ve said time and time again, this is just India and everything just seems to fit into place, even if it does sometimes feel as though there’s no logic to it!
By train
If you’d prefer travelling by train, we would definitely recommend pencilling in one Indian train journey into your India itinerary as they are a fantastic experience in themselves.
Pondicherry has a railway station in the centre of town. The train station is quite small (in Indian terms) but has direct links to towns and cities all over south India as well as to the bigger cities of Chennai, Mangalore and Delhi.
From Puducherry Railway Station (location) it’s just over a 15 minute walk to the White Town or a 5 minute auto rickshaw ride away.
Depending on the train and its route there will be a variety of different train classes from non AC third class all the way to luxury first class. To check what class is available on your train and to book tickets, we’d recommend using 12Go.
The Indian railway network is a very popular way to travel around the country and as a result the tickets sell out extremely quickly. Make sure you book your tickets well in advance of your travel date. Tickets go on sale around 60 days in advance.
By private taxi
If you’re not on a backpacking budget and want to maximise your time in Pondicherry, then you could easily book yourself a private taxi transfer straight from wherever you are to Pondicherry.
From Chennai a taxi should take you about three hours to get to Puducherry. From Bengaluru it takes six hours, Coimbatore seven hours and Mysore eight hours.
Check out 12Go to book your taxi transfers.
By air
The nearest airport to Pondicherry is Chennai International Airport, which is located about 20 km southwest of the city of Chennai.
This airport has daily flights serving all the major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kochi and many more as well as international flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Chengdu in China to name just a few.
If you want to book a flight, we’d recommend booking your tickets here.
Once you’ve landed at Chennai International Airport, you will need to arrange a transfer to get you to Pondicherry itself. This can either be by bus, train or private taxi as detailed above, or for those looking to brave the Indian highways you could always hire a car.
If you want to book transfers in advance from the airport we’d recommend booking them through 12Go.
By road, it should take you about three hours to reach Pondicherry from the airport.
Not quite the view from an aeroplane, but the view from the top of Puducherry’s New Lighthouse is still gives you a great perspective of the city!
Puducherry does have a small airport itself, however the airport has very limited flights serving it, so we’d recommend booking your flight to Chennai instead. If this does change in the future and the airport expands its air service, please do reach out to us or let us know in the comments at the bottom of this guide.
What to do in Pondicherry?
You’ve arrived in Pondicherry, now let us tell you how to fill your time.
French Quarter or White Town - Pondicherry’s French Colonial Settlement
(Location)
The French Quarter, or White Town as it's also known, will almost certainly be the first place you’ll head to once you’ve arrived in Pondicherry. Home to the majority of accommodation, restaurants and cafes, it’ll be the area of Pondy where you’ll spend most of your time.
The easiest way to explore this historic neighbourhood is by foot. Just put on some comfy shoes, grab your camera and get lost amongst the pretty coloured buildings. The French Quarter is full of colonial style architecture and feels completely unchanged by time.
You’ll know you’re in the right place when you pass small blue and white street signs saying ‘rue’ which literally translates to street in French. Some of our favourite rues to wander down were Romain Rolland Street, Suffren Street, St Louis Street and Law De Lauristone Street, although to be honest any street in the White Town is pretty!
The White Town is also full of boutique clothes stores, artisan crafts, antique shops and art galleries, so there is plenty to keep you occupied. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring these beautiful shops, even if it was only for some window shopping, curse you backpacking budget!
During the week, the French Quarter is very quiet with only you and other tourists wandering around, but come the weekend, the French Quarter’s population explodes and you’ll have to share the towns brightly coloured walls with the Indian youth perfecting their Insta game… shh we may have joined in too! Who can blame us when there’s just so many insta-worthy doors to pose in front of.
If you’d like to know more about the history and architecture of Pondicherry’s White Town, check out this walking tour.
Café hopping in the French Quarter
There are plenty of cafes in Puducherry’s French Quarter selling everything from freshly baked croissants to pastel coloured macaroons. You may be 5027 miles (8091 km for everyone else who isn’t stuck in the past!) away from Paris, but if you’re craving French baked goods, the White Town is probably the closest you’re going to get in India to the real deal.
You could visit a new café everyday on your stay and you wouldn’t get close to trying every baked good available in the city. We spent a good few days just wandering around the streets and stopping for a hot coffee and sweet pick me up in the different cafes. You can never have too many pain au chocolates right?!
We will get into our favourite cafes later on in this article!
Sometimes you really need a European style coffee, Café Des Arts cappuccino was perfect!
Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam Hindu Temple
(Location)
Located in the middle of the White Town, the Arulimgu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam Hindu temple sits in complete contrast to its colonial neighbours. It is a vivid reminder that, despite being just off of Rue de Francois Martin, you’re still 100% in India.
You’ll know you’re getting close to the temple, as suddenly the quiet streets will be filled with stall holders selling everything from temple offerings to buckets and spades. It’s a strange mix of devotional trinkets and beachside children’s toys. I had to drag John away from a display of water pistols!
There is no fee to enter the temple, but donations are always welcome. To the left of the entrance is a little area to store your shoes as you can only enter the temple barefoot.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh the elephant god and is an important pilgrimage site for Hindu’s. Inside the temple, like many of India’s amazing religious sites, it was like a jewel box. Carving and paintings in all the colours of the rainbow glittered and gleamed from every surface.
Entry cost: Free (donations welcome)
Opening times: Everyday from 5:45 am to 12:30 pm and from 16:00 pm to 21:00 pm.
Remember it is also a religious site, so remember to dress respectfully! Shoulders and knees should be covered and as we’ve said above, shoes need to be removed before entering the temple.
The temple can get extremely busy especially during religious festivals.
Puducherry Beach and Promenade Beach
(Location)
Puducherry and Promenade Beaches stretch away in both directions all along the eastern side of Pondicherry town. The beaches aren’t really ones for sunbathing as there is very little golden sand. Instead the shoreline is full of large rocks and boulders protecting the town from the rough waves of the Coromandel Coast.
The rocks are great for posing for photos and comfy enough to sit on to watch the waves roll in. The beaches face east so if you are an early riser, we’d recommend heading here to watch a sunrise over the Bay of Bengal.
The sea is extremely rough here and there are signs and security guards all along the shoreline reminding visitors not to swim in the sea as the currents are very strong!
Although you probably won’t spend long on the beach, it's a great place to catch the sea breeze and cool off from the intense Indian sun!
Entry cost: Free
The beaches lead us nicely onto the ….
Beach Road walk
Beach Road as it is so imaginatively named, runs adjacent to Puducherry Beach and is a long promenade that is closed off to traffic.
We enjoyed a very toasty walk in the midday sun, taking in all the sights that are dotted along the beachfront.
For a walk, we’d recommend starting at the southern end of Beach Road next to the Old Port Pier. The pier is now a disintegrated, rusty relic, collapsed into the sea and left to the salty elements. There’s not a lot to see and we probably wouldn’t recommend a walk on it as it looks very precarious, but if you’re into ruins (we certainly are) it’s an interesting starting point to the walk.
From the pier, head north along the coast and walk through the Beach Children Playground, alongside a small children’s play area, this small park has some raised grass planters, a couple of statues and benches to take a pew on.
After the park, why not pick up an ice cream from Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT Ice Cream)? After all, you are on the beach front and it is traditional! This small gelateria sells all the favourite gelato flavours such as vanilla, mint and strawberry as well as some more interesting flavours such as tiramisu and Irish cream. We both enjoyed a cone with a scoop of brownie ice cream and a scoop of cremino (milk and Nutella). Both gelatos were delicious!
After you’ve had your ice cream fix, continue walking north along Beach Road (keeping the beach to your right) until the road turns into Goubert Avenue. On Goubert Avenue continue walking along the road, past vibrant street art murals and the back of the Joan Of Arc park before reaching Le Cafe’. If you’re feeling peckish or need a drink, the café has sea front views and offers coffee, tea, smoothies, cakes, salads and sandwiches.
From Le Cafe’ continue along the beachfront until you reach the French War Memorial Park.
This white marble stone war memorial sits amongst a small green park and was built to remember the fallen French soldiers who gave their lives during the First World War. On the opposite side of the road, in stark contrast to the tranquil War Memorial Park sits the ‘Incredible India’ photo sign. A popular selfie spot with Indian families.
Next door to the sign white pillars form a pentagon to house a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Over the road from the statue of Gandhi, Pondicherry’s Old Lighthouse rises up on top of its circular white base. The lighthouse was built in the 1830s by the French and guided ships into port for over a century until Pondicherry’s new lighthouse began operating in 1979.
Once you’ve snapped your photos of the lighthouse, continue onwards to the last stop of this walk, the Puducherry Kargil War Memorial Park. This stone memorial has four stone cenotaphs set in a square next to a dais dedicated to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the Kargil war in 1999 between India and Pakistan.
If you do this walk during the week, you’ll have the beachfront strip almost all to yourself (we know, a rarity in India, a country home to over 1.4 billion people!), but as the sun starts to set and during the weekend, the beachfront population swells as families and locals flock to the seashore to relax.
Entry cost: Free - although that depends on how many ice cream stops you take along the route!
Botanical Gardens
When you think of Botanical Gardens you think of peace and tranquillity, somewhere to let go, to slow down amongst nature.
What we got was the polar opposite. As we arrived outside the big iron gates, it was like we had arrived outside Wembley stadium on match day. Yellow and green rickshaws vied for space next to street side stalls selling everything from brightly coloured hats to balloons. A never ending stream of people flowed past us whilst all around loudspeakers fought against each other. It was like a battle of sound with announcements and music overlapping and competing. It was chaotic to say the least.
We had chosen to visit on the last day of the three day annual farm festival, a celebration of all things rural!
We had only two choices; one we could leave and call it a day or two, join the maelstrom and head inside. Having walked for twenty minutes in the blazing heat, we thought surely it couldn’t be that busy inside, so naively we headed in.
Inside there were impressive flower displays (including one questionably startled squirrel), red Massey Ferguson tractors (yes you could pretend to drive them) and rows and rows of brightly coloured pot plants. In gated off areas were the display gardens, with hundreds upon hundreds of flowers, fruits, trees and plants, from all over Tamil Nadu. We’re not sure what they were competing over or how the judging was to be done, but we can certainly say they were extremely popular!
It wasn’t the quiet escape to nature we had hoped for, but as we’ve said with a lot of things in India, you never really know what you’re going to get.
On non-festival days, the gardens looked as though they would be the perfect escape from the sunny streets. Built in 1826 by the French colonialists to study the exotic botany and fauna of the region, the oval-shaped garden is now home to over 1500 species of trees and plants and is full of green lawns, pruned flower beds, tall shady trees, glass houses to explore and even an aquarium. If you’re travelling with children there’s even a miniature railway complete with cave/tunnel to take a ride on.
Entry cost: 50 rupees for foreigners, 20 rupees for Indian nationals.
Opening times: everyday from 10:00 am to 17:00 pm.
If you want to visit the gardens during the farm festival you will need to visit Pondicherry in February. Check Google for exact dates, but when we visited it was held on the second weekend of February. During the festival you get free entry to the gardens and at the end there is a fireworks display.
A quieter shot of the Botanical Garden gates before the start of the annual farm festival!
Puducherry Museum (also known as the Pondy Museum)
(Location)
This small museum is located in the heart of the French Quarter and allows visitors to learn all about the history of Pondicherry. The museum houses exhibits from prehistoric times all the way up the French Colonial period, with coins, fossils and different types of weaponry all on display. Our favourite part of the museum was the ‘transport’ section that showcased a pousse-pousse, an early style rickshaw where the passengers sat and were pulled along by a driver in front.
Outside in the courtyard of the museum were lots of stone and bronze statues depicting sacred cows and Hindu gods all laid out in the small courtyard. It was strange to see carved Hindu stone gods sitting opposite the blue wooden shutters of a distinctly European looking building.
Don’t leave before checking out the small art gallery set in a ground floor building just behind the main museum itself. We nearly missed this as its a small entrance behind the main building near the toilets but it was definitely worth a nose around.
Entry cost: 50 rupees for foreigners and 10 rupees for Indian nationals.
When you buy your tickets there is also an option to get a guided tour. There is no photography allowed inside the museum itself.
Opening times: The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and on public holidays.
Pondicherry Lighthouse - New Light House
(Location)
Leaving the White Town behind you, head south to check out Pondicherry’s new lighthouse.
Built in the 1970s, the black and white striped lighthouse began its important task, guiding ships safely around the coast in 1979.
There are two ways to get to Pondicherry’s new lighthouse. A direct way past the cricket stadium, and the less direct way that takes you through a small fishing village.
We listened to Google and ended up taking the non-direct route, which although was longer, was actually one of our favourite walks we did in the whole of Pondicherry.
Leaving the busy modern road behind, we were greeted with small square houses and narrow alleyways leading off in all directions. To either side of the dusty street, brightly coloured saris swung on washing lines, whilst children cycled past. Goats wandered everywhere trying to nibble at us and bleating their complaints at our inedibility.
As we wound our way further into the village, it felt a world away from the upmarket cafes and bakeries of the French Quarter. As we reached the Lighthouse Beach at the end of the village, the small houses were replaced with large material warehouses and the clunking sound of wooden looms filled the air. Glimpsing inside the open doors of the warehouses we watched women pull and feed large bolts of cloth through their looms. It was like we had stepped back in time, into an India of the past. It was the only occasional sound of a mobile phone alert that reminded us that we were in the 21st century.
From the fabric warehouses, it is only a short 2 minute walk to get to the entrance of the new lighthouse.
Once you’ve bought your tickets, you need to take off your shoes before you can climb to the top.
There is no lift, so prepare yourself for a circular climb up its 250 stepped spiral staircase. The interior of the staircase is worth a visit just in itself. As you climb, look up or down, and the stairs create an eye-pleasing geometric spiral.
At the top once you’ve caught your breath, you’ll get 360 degree views across the whole of Pondicherry and out to sea.
Entry cost: 5 rupees plus 25 rupees if you have a camera.
Opening times: Every day from 2pm to 5pm.
As you leave the lighthouse, make sure you cross over the road to take a look at the small Sri Vedavaneswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is also some colourful street art on the main road back to town, just opposite the entrance to the stadium.
Bharathi Park Puducherry
(Location)
The Bharathi Park sits on a quiet street just behind the beachfront. The park is full of trees, grass lawns, sculptures and a large neo-classical arched building in the centre.
After some very hot afternoons exploring the streets of the White Town, we would often head to the park and walk around its tree shaded circular path to cool down.
Each time we were there, the Nandi (sacred cow) statue was always adorned with fresh garlands of flowers.
There are plenty of benches in the shade to rest up before you continue on your explorations.
Entry cost: Free
Opening times: Everyday from 6am to 7pm.
The park gets extremely busy on weekends and public holidays, so if you want to bag yourself a bench, make sure you get there early!
There isn’t anywhere to buy food or drink inside the park, so stock up from one of the street sellers outside who sell everything from water, fizzy drinks, ice creams and chaat masala.
Cathedrals and churches of Pondicherry
You could easily just spend a day exploring all the churches and cathedrals, but here’s three we feel you can’t miss out on your visit!
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
(Location)
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral sits just on the edge of the French Quarter. The cathedral was first built in 1689 by the French, but was destroyed and rebuilt several times during the Colonial disputes of Pondicherry. Today the white and gold Roman Catholic cathedral is a mixture of Portuguese and French architectural styles.
If you’re visiting on a Sunday the doors are left open for visitors to join in with the mass services. Even if you’re not religious, it’s still worth a visit just to see the painted roof above the altar.
Our Lady of Angels Church (Notre Dame des Anges Church)
(Location)
Our Lady of Angels Church is a peach coloured church with two square steeple towers and a dome. As the French name suggests, the church looks like a mini (very mini) pastel coloured version of Notre Dame.
Inside the church, white and peach coloured pillars rise up to the arched ceiling, with red, blue and yellow light being refracted through its stained glass.
Just behind the church is a small park. The park is a little run down, but in the centre is a statue of Joan of Arc on top of a plinth that sits in a small pond of lilies. There’s not much to see apart from the statue, and the park isn’t one we’d recommend relaxing in, but it's worth a quick stop.
The Sacred Heart Basilica
(Location)
If you’re heading to or from Puducherry railway station, then the Sacred Heart Basilica church is just a two minute walk away.
Built in 1895, this white and terracotta neo-gothic Catholic church rises above the palm trees. Inside the paint scheme continues with pillars leading up to a domed white ceiling. The church is famous for its brightly coloured stained glass which depicts Catholic saints as well as important events during the life of Christ.
Entry cost: Free entry to all three churches.
These are all religious sights so please be respectful when visiting!
Markets of Pondicherry - The Grand Bazaar Fish Market, Big Market, Mahatma Ghandi Road Market, Goubert Market and Pondy Bazaar
We love a good market, especially a market in Asia and the markets of Pondicherry were no exception. Chaotic and crowded, everyday the markets in Pondicherry spill from large warehouses and shopfronts out onto the streets surrounding Mahatma Ghandi Road.
Just after the sun has risen, the markets come alive with people and produce, with stalls selling everything from fruit to temple offerings, vegetables to children's toys.
In the busy market street you will see men pulling wooden hand carts alongside large modern lorries. Spice stalls with huge mounds of deep red sumac sitting next to turmeric in golden pyramids. Fruit sellers selling bananas in every shape and shade of yellow and fishmongers hawking live fish caught straight from the Bay of Bengal only hours before. Their scaly wares moving and splashing around in their buckets. In amongst these fresh stalls, saris and scarves catch the wind, whilst rows of second-hand clothing hang precariously from electric wires and railings. It’s hard to describe why we love markets so much, but wherever you are they just feel alive.
We loved wandering through the markets of Pondicherry, and always saw something new. If you’re looking for a cheap breakfast, you can pick up all sorts of exotic fruit and if you’re looking for cheap clothes then you’re in the right place. Ellie picked up a bargain, buying a red skirt for only 250 rupees.
Can’t argue for £2.50!
Entry cost: Free
Opening times: Everyday from 6am to 8pm (although this can vary from stall to stall)
Sunday Market
(Location)
If you happen to be in Puducherry on a Sunday, then make sure to check out Pondicherry’s Sunday Market. Held every week from 10am in the morning, the market sees the length of Mahatma Ghandi Street closed to traffic. Selling everything from second hand furniture to gardening tools, there’s a market stall for everyone. Given the amount of stalls on offer, we’re sure you’d be able to purchase even the most niche of objects. We spent a good hour exploring the market, admiring the different antiquities and crafts on sale and especially liked the stall that was packed full to the brim with old Sony Walkman’s and Nokia phones.
The market is very popular with the locals, so expect to dodge through a lot of crowds, but it's a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon and gives you the chance to pick up some new clothes, trinkets or even some tasty street food!
Just remember to haggle a little (or maybe a lot)!
Entry cost: Free (depending on how many trinkets you buy).
Opening times: Sunday mornings from 10am till late afternoon / early evening.
If you’d like a more curated exploration of Pondicherry’s vibrant markets, then why not check out this tour with Get Your Guide.
Watching sunset from a rooftop bar
After a sunkissed day exploring the picturesque streets, there was no better way to watch the sun go down, than with a beer in hand at one of Pondicherry’s many rooftop bars.
Luckily for Puducherry there's plenty of rooftop bars to choose from. If you’re staying in Le Supreme Inn like we were, the hotel has its own excellent bar, with panoramic views over the city. We loved finishing the day with a bottle of Kingfisher watching the sun spill out from the sky and cast a golden glow over Pondicherry’s rooftops. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, the bar / restaurant is open to the public.
Guided tours of Pondicherry
If you’re short on time or would prefer to have a tour guide show you round the sights, then why not book a tour in advance?
Get Your Guide offers tours encompassing almost everything Pondicherry has to offer. From its historic past to its modern street art, wine tastings to dosa munching, cooking classes to street food tours, whatever you want to get out of Pondicherry, there will almost certainly be an experience for you.
Check out the widget below for all the tours on offer in the city:
Other things to do in Pondicherry
Even with our week in Pondicherry, there were still plenty of things we didn’t get to visit. In the White Town, there’s the small Police Museum which showcases the history of the Pondicherry police force as well as the Live Art Museum - Wow. Described as a mini Madam Tussauds, the museum houses a large collection of teddy bears along with some questionable wax works, at least according to the reviews. As we’ve said we haven’t been yet, so we can’t judge it, but if you want a giggle do check out the Google reviews!
To the north of Heritage town (this area is also known as the Tamil Quarter) is the Mahakavi Bharathiyar Memorial Centre, a museum located in the former home of the journalist, activist and writer Mahakavi Bharathiyar. Just a short walk from this memorial centre is another museum, the Bharathidasan Museum that houses the works of the 20th century writer. If you’re in the area why not also check out the Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple. A beautiful Vishnu temple thought to be built in the 11th century.
There are also plenty of other Hindu temples dotted throughout Puducherry, just take a walk down any street and you’re bound to find a colourful shrine, temple or alcove dedicated to a Hindu deity.
Puducherry is full of beautiful Hindu temples to discover!
Spot the cute puppy!
Where to eat and drink in Pondicherry?
Pondicherry is full to the brim with places to eat. From roadside street stalls to down to earth dhabas, fine dining to hole in the wall, Pondicherry has something for everyone. Here’s just some of our favourite places to eat in the town.
The best cafes in Pondicherry
Bread and Chocolate
(Location)
The definition of upmarket, Bread and Chocolate is a chocolatier, gelato maker and bakery with an elegant rooftop dining room selling small plates and full meals from breakfast dishes to dinner.
We treated ourselves a couple of times here and had some excellent lunches from a Mexican bean salad wrapped in dosa to a roast vegetable and quinoa poke bowl.
You’ve head of Tex-Mex, now try some Mex-ian!
One afternoon we treated ourselves to a delicious cinnamon whirl (always one of our favourites) that was huge, sticky and full of sweet cinnamon. Bread and Chocolate also serve excellent sourdough bread as well as its range of wonderful pastries.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, there is plenty to choose from and they also offer gluten free options too.
A word of caution, if you want to eat here get in early! The cafe gets extremely busy, especially at weekends, and the kitchen is quite small so there can be long waits.
Café Des Arts
(Location)
Café Des Arts wins the award for our favourite café in Pondicherry.
Set within an old colonial mansion, Cafe Des Arts feels as though you’ve entered an old library, with antique furniture, magnificent paintings and lots of bookshelves. If you’re looking for some solitude then there are plenty of cubby holes and comfy armchairs to escape into. The café also has a pretty walled garden with plenty of outdoor seating.
Café Des Arts serves French pastries, sandwiches, salads, crepes and waffles and is perfect for a breakfast, brunch or lunch treat.
We treated ourselves more than once at this café and were never disappointed. We loved their Summer Salad that was full of crisp cucumber, shavings of mint, sweet watermelon and salty feta cheese topped with pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds and a tangy dressing. We also had a fantastic caramelised banana crepe that was sweet and delicious, and felt like a very decadent treat!
Our favourite drink to have was the local Ginger Beer, brewed just up the road in Auroville. It was spicy, refreshing and the perfect pick me up.
Café Des Arts is an extremely popular café especially on the weekends, so there may be a bit of a wait outside to get a table.
Coromandel Café
(Location)
The Coromandel Café is probably the most famous café in the whole of Pondicherry. Set in a beautiful garden, this café is open from breakfast through to dinner, serving everything from eggs Benedict to bagels, French pastries to Italian pizza and pork chops through to steak.
Unfortunately we couldn’t justify the cost of dining here, so we could only look through at the pretty courtyard patio, but from what we could see the food looked delicious!
The café also serves wine and cocktails.
The French Loaf Bakery and Cake Shop
(Location)
This small bakery serves fresh loaves of bread, French pastries, doughnuts and savoury tarts as well as coffee and tea.
We ventured here for breakfast on more than one occasion and enjoyed a hot cappuccino alongside some delicious croissants. The shop is open from early morning to late at night, so whatever time of day, you’ll easily be able to get your sweet treat!
The bakery is located on Suffren Street, this street is full of pretty architecture and it is worth coming down just to check out the buildings, if not for the almond croissants!
The Indian Coffee House
(Location)
If you’re after a real local treat, then make sure you make a beeline to the Indian Coffee House. From the outside this old school coffee walla oozes classic charm. Inside, the coffee house feels as though time has stood still and you’ve entered a canteen from the 1940s.
Depending on the time of day, there are different food options available. With dosa, idly and vada available in the mornings and biryani, uttapam and omelettes available in the afternoon. To know what is available just check out the menu on the wall.
It’s super cheap with a cup of coffee costing just 25 rupees.
The Indian style coffee is spiced, sweet and strong and great at perking you up on a hot day.
The best restaurants in Pondicherry
Sola Bistro & Bar
(Location)
Every once in a while (even when you’re backpacking) you need an excuse to dress up and treat yourself to a fancy meal. It just so happened to be John’s birthday whilst we were in Pondicherry, so we glammed ourselves up, in the one shirt and dress we have in our backpacks, and headed off for some fancy cocktails and food!
The birthday boy all dressed up!
Sola specialises in serving Mediterranean favourites with a menu spanning salads, pasta dishes, pizza and flatbreads. The restaurant is located in a beautiful old building full of wooden doors, terracotta tiled floors and shuttered windows.
We were craving pizza, so we chose the Mediterranean vegetable pizza and the roasted garlic and prawn pizza and had a fantastic cheesy feast! The sourdough pizzas were just the ticket for backpackers craving a little familiarity. Crispy thin bases with the perfect ratio of topping to cheese.
As it was a celebration we treated ourselves to two Moscow Mule cocktails. Minty, sharp with lime and full of hot ginger! The cocktails were a little too easy to drink and if we weren’t on a backpacking budget we definitely would have had more than one.
Sola is a little more costly than we’d usually go for, but it was totally worth it for the delicious food, pretty interior and tasty cocktails!
If you don’t fancy a cocktail, Sola also offers a great wine menu as well as spirits and beer.
The restaurant does get very busy, so we would recommend booking a table.
De Bluefin Seafood Restaurant
(Location)
After our epic seafood curry feast in Chennai we had set our hearts on finding more fish to dine on in India, and De Bluefin Seafood restaurant seemed like the perfect shout.
Serving a variety of, you guessed it, seafood, De Bluefin specialises in all things fish! We ordered the seafood platter alongside their special curried crab.
The seafood platter came served on a wooden tray completely covered with oceany goodness including a whole tawa fried fish, grilled prawns, crab claw balls, lobster bites, squid masala as well as chutneys, rice and French fries. It was an amazing fishy feast!
Our fishy feast didn’t dissapoint!
The curried crab was bursting with a thick spicy sauce that covered the whole crab. It was a messy affair with our hands covered in crab shell and curry by the end, but it was totally worth it!
De Bussy Restaurant
(Location)
We arrived at De Bussy to find a completely empty restaurant, but within about 5 minutes of us placing our order there wasn’t a spare seat in the house.
De Bussy serves all the Indian favourites from curries, rice and bread as well as seafood, dosa, biryani and a large selection of starters.
We ordered paneer butter masala, fish biryani and some naan bread and weren’t disappointed. The naan was super crispy from the tandoor and was the perfect accompaniment to the sweet, spiced butter masala. The fish biryani was laced through with chunks of sweet, flaky fish flesh and was bursting with flavour.
Boku Ramen
(Location)
If you’re reading this and are surprised to see a ramen restaurant make it to the list of best eats in Pondicherry, then you’ll be just as surprised as we were to stumble upon Boku Ramen.
This small street-side ramen joint has only a few tables and chairs surrounding the tiny kitchen and serves three types of broth (shoyu, miso or paitan) each of which come with a variety of different toppings.
We are ramen lovers and wherever we are, if we see a ramen restaurant we have to try it. We both opted for the shoyu chicken ramen and it was everything we hoped for.
Salty and comforting, the noodles were perfectly cooked with a soft bite that contrasted against the crunchy vegetables. We especially liked the enoki mushrooms that gave a rich earthy taste. After a couple of days of John being hit by a nasty cold, this was the perfect cure to help get him back to health.
Boku Ramen also offers vegan and vegetarian bowls.
The best cheap eats in Pondicherry
Coffee bars
If you want a strong pick me up then head for one of the local coffee and tiffin bars dotted all round the city. These small streetside cafes will have a long bar serving tea, extremely strong filter coffee and all your favourite Indian snacks such as samosa, idli and dosa. Just place your order with one of the servers. These cafes are usually standing only.
If we wanted a cheap pick me up, we would head to any of these bars and order a coffee with a samosa. The samosas we had were excellent. Delicately spiced, with a soft potato filling encased in a flaky, pastry. They were the perfect accompaniment to the hot rocket fuel coffee.
Our favourite spot doesn’t have a Google listing, but if you head to the New Vijaya Coffee Bar (location) just head over the road as it’s just opposite this place. We’re not casting any shade at New Vijaya Coffee Bar, but once we had samosas from its neighbour, there was no tempting us away.
Market stalls
As we’ve said before you can’t go wrong with picking up a cheap breakfast of fresh fruit from one of the market stalls dotted around the city. These stalls are usually on wheels, so if you do have a favourite stall during your time in the city, just be aware that it may not always be there the next day when you come back!
Nightlife, breweries and bars
As the sun goes down, Pondicherry comes alive as its bar scene starts to unfold. With live music venues, DJ’s and dancefloors, there’s something for every night owl.
For those after craft beer there are two breweries within Pondicherry, the Catamaran Brewing Company and the Metamorphosis Brewing Company. Each of which offer a large menu of different craft ales, lagers and pilsners as well as food, live music and bar games.
Where to stay in Pondicherry?
Pondicherry has no shortage of accommodation from cheap and cheerful hostels and guesthouses to luxury boutique hotels. The majority of the accommodation can be found either in or surrounding the French Quarter.
We had a fantastic stay in the Le Supreme Inn (the Lap of Luxury) hotel, located just a short walk away from the White Town. The hotel offered huge comfy double rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Each morning, we were given a hearty and filling Indian breakfast full of idly, curry, chutneys and fresh fruit in the restaurant on their rooftop.
Despite its name, Le Supreme Inn (the Lap of Luxury) was very reasonably priced for Pondicherry. If you’re looking for something cheaper still, then why not check out a stay in one of Pondicherry’s guest houses.
If you are looking for a mid-range hotel, then have a look at Petit Palais or Villa Helena Heritage Guesthouse both of which are located within the White Town.
If money is no object and you shudder at the thought of something less than absolute perfection for the night, then cast your eyes towards the Palais De Mahe or The Residency Towers.
Check out the map below for all the accommodation choices on offer in the town:
Make sure you book your accommodation well in advance of your stay, especially if you are planning to visit on a weekend. Puducherry is a popular destination for both Indian and Western tourists, and on the weekend and during public holidays, the town's population explodes as people flock to the coast.
Getting around Pondicherry
If you’re staying in or around the French Quarter, the easiest way to get around is by foot. As you’ve probably gathered from our articles, our favourite way to explore any new city or town is just to pick a direction, follow our feet and see where we end up. The French Quarter of Pondicherry is compact enough that you can easily follow in our footsteps!
For those who’d like a more relaxing way to see the French Quarter, then there are plenty of cycle rickshaws lined up on the street to take you for a ride. Just speak with the driver and bargain for a price. As we’re on a backpacking budget, and quite frankly are too self conscious to be ferried about we can’t help you with prices. If you’d rather ride yourself, then you could easily hire a bike for your stay. Just ask your accommodation to help you arrange this.
If you’re heading out of the White Town such as to the bus station or train station, then there are plenty of auto rickshaws available to take you. Just hail one down on the street, let them know where you want to go and agree on a price before getting in.
The town of Pondicherry also has a new form of transport that we had never seen before in India. This came in the form of shared auto rickshaws. Think the front of a rickshaw (the driver's seat part) mixed with the flatbed of a Toyota pickup complete with benches, roof and a small open door to climb through and there you have it, the shared auto rickshaw.
This is what it is like inside one of the shared auto rickshaws!
From what we gathered (please do tell us if we’re wrong) these rickshaws run a bit like the songthaews of Thailand and the angkots of Indonesia, driving around the city in certain directions. To flag a ride, just hail one off the street, let them know where you want to go and take a seat. When you get to your destination just pay the driver what you owe. We flagged down one of these shared auto rickshaws outside the bus station and rode down Bussy street to the junction with Mission street. Our ride cost us 50 rupees for both of us plus our large backpacks. This was a massive amount cheaper than we had been quoted by the rickshaws hanging around outside the bus station.
If you’re wanting to travel further afield then Uber will be your friend. Just be aware that to request a ride you will need an Indian sim card or eSIM.
When to visit Pondicherry?
The best time to visit Pondicherry is during the dry season that runs from October to March. During this time the weather will be hot and sunny, with minimal rainfall. We visited in February and had beautiful sunny weather with temperatures in the high 30s. It was very hot, but we used it as an excuse to dive into the air conditioned cafes to cool down!
The monsoon season runs from July to October. During this time prices should be lower and there shouldn’t be as much of a need to book your accommodation in advance. Although as the name suggests, the monsoon season does bring lots of rain. There is still plenty for you to do inside, just make sure you bring an umbrella and pack a raincoat. At the end of the day, Paris still looks great in the rain, so why wouldn’t Pondicherry!
How long should I stay in Pondicherry?
This is a tricky one to answer, how long is a piece of string?
If you’re very short on time, you could easily visit Pondicherry as part of a guided tour from Chennai , but if you can, we would recommend adding a stopover in Pondicherry for at least a night. There is lots to do as well as plenty of restaurants and cafes to unwind in.
Due to John’s man flu, we ended up staying in Pondicherry for a week which was a little too long even for us as slow travellers.
After visiting for so long, we think the perfect balance would be a three night stay where you’d have an afternoon / evening to find your feet and two full days to explore. If you plan on using Pondicherry as a base for day trips (see more later on), then obviously you could spend longer.
If you were on a long backpacking trip throughout India and wanted somewhere to treat yourself to some Western comforts then Pondicherry would be the perfect place to do this as there’s plenty of cafes and bakeries. The only drawback is that these comforts are comparatively expensive. When we visited we were only at the start of our southern Indian sojourn and therefore hadn’t been hit with the Western cravings like we had at the end of our northern jaunt in India last summer.
For those not on a backpacking trip, as we’ve mentioned in the where to stay section of this article, there are plenty of luxurious hotels to choose from. With pools, fine dining restaurants and comfy rooms you could easily spend a good few days living in luxury!
Day trips to and from Pondicherry
Auroville and Auroville Beach
A half hour drive north of Pondicherry, just along the coast lies the experimental township of Auroville. In fact if you travelled from Chennai to Pondicherry on the bus you’ll have passed the junction for Auroville on your way.
Auroville was created in the 1970s as an “alternative lifestyle township”. Today its inhabitants invite visitors to learn more about the community’s ideals as well as to meditate in its golden Matrimandir dome in the heart of the settlement.
Just down the road from Auroville, there is a beach to sunbathe on as well as plenty of restaurants and cafes in the area.
If you’d like to stay overnight, then we’d recommend staying at Zostel Pondicherry. We have stayed in multiple Zostels all over India and have always had a fantastic time. They offer dorms, private rooms and an on-site cafe.
If hostels aren’t your cup of tea, then there’s plenty of other accommodation to choose from within the Auroville area. Click here to book a stay.
If you’re short on time and want to combine a visit to both Auroville and Pondicherry, then you can take a private tour straight from Chennai. Check out the tour here:
Mahabalipuram
From Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram is only a bus ride away. This seaside town is host to the UNESCO designated cave shrines, ruins and shoreside temples. It is an amazing site and well worth a day trip out. Check our guide to getting there and what we got up to here.
You can catch a bus from Pondicherry to Mahabalipuram from the main bus depot in town. Just ask the driver of any bus to Chennai if they are passing Mahabalipuram junction.
If you would like an organised tour to Mahabalipuram check out this tour on Get Your Guide.
Chennai
The Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai is the nearest big city to Pondicherry. This vibrant megacity feels a world away from the Colonial streets of Pondicherry. With amazing temples, lots of tasty street food and a historic fort there is plenty to see and do.
From Pondicherry, you could visit Chennai in a day, either by catching a local or private bus or by getting an early morning train. To book tickets in advance, check out 12Go.
We spent three days in Chennai exploring its incredible temples, eating great seafood and enjoying the chilled out atmosphere, but could easily have spent longer. You can read more about our stay here.
Where to go next?
From Pondicherry, you could head north to the city of Chennai or you could work your way south and follow our route and head on to “God’s Own Country” to the coastal capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum for short).
If you’ve had your coastal fix, then why not head inland to cool off and escape to the mountains and tea plantations of Ooty, Coorg or Wayanad.
Whichever way you're travelling in your southern India itinerary, Pondicherry is the perfect stopover and once you’ve come to the end you’ve got plenty of options on where to go next.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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