Revvlog

Chennai, at the heart of South India, carries the remnants of British rule as well as the rich Indian cultural heritage. Chennai is the home to temples, churches, and British architecture that attract pilgrims and history lovers to this city. Though there are famous tourist attractions, Chennai also has some unexplored places that curious travelers love to explore. 

These hidden places in Chennai are located in and around the city and can be covered in a day or two by booking a self-drive car rental service. If you are planning a Chennai visit sometime soon, you can book a self-drive car rental in Chennai to explore some of the best unexplored attractions in the city.

Hidden Gems in Chennai – Quick Look

Whether you live in Chennai or are planning to visit the city soon, you will love exploring these lesser-explored destinations located within or on the outskirts of Chennai.  Take a look at the attractions listed below to visit the best hidden gems in Chennai during your next trip to the city: 

Unexplored Place	Location	Distance from Chennai
Hiding Caves of Little Mount (Chinnamalai)	Little Mount, Saidapet (near St. Thomas Mount Metro)	11 km
Bodyguard Muneeswaran Temple	Mount Road (Anna Salai)	5 km
Demonte Colony	Alwarpet	7 km
Our Lady of Lourdes	Perambur	6 km
Broken Bridge	Adyar Estuary	13 km
Armenian Church	Parrys/George Town	3 km
Theosophical Society	Adyar	10 km
Muttukadu Lake	East Coast Road	36 km
St. Thomas Mount	Parangimalai	12 km
Marina Lighthouse	Marina Beach Road	5 km
Besant Nagar Beach (Elliot’s Beach)	Besant Nagar, South Chennai	14 km
Film City Chennai (MGR Film City, Taramani)	Taramani	14 km
Pallikaranai Marsh and Eco-Park	Pallikaranai in South Chennai	20 km
DakshinaChitra	Muttukadu, East Coast Road	25 km
Pulicat Lake	Pulicat town, Tamil Nadu–Andhra border	55 km

15 Best Unexplored Places to Visit in Chennai

• Hiding Caves of Little Mount
• Bodyguard Muneeswaran Temple
• Demonte Colony
• Our Lady of Lourdes
• Broken Bridge
• Armenian Church
• Theosophical Society
• Muttukadu Lake
• St Thomas Mount
• Lighthouse
• Besant Nagar Beach
• Film City Chennai
• Pallikaranai Marsh and Eco-Park
• DakshinaChitra
• Pulicat Lake

1. Hiding Caves of Little Mount

The hiding caves of Little Mount is a must-visit place in Chennai that is less explored. It is said that St. Thomas, who was one of Christ’s 12 apostles, stayed in these hiding caves of Little Mount for several years. Little Mount caves are well-preserved and are used by the local people to offer their prayers. It still has footprints of St. Thomas’ feet on the rocks. Legend says that there is a tiny spring located a little away from the cave that never dries.

• Best Time to Visit: November to February are the best months for exploring the caves in pleasant weather.

• How to Reach: Easily accessible by metro, and then use a cab or an auto for the onward journey from the metro station.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

2. Bodyguard Muneeswaran Temple

This is a small temple located in Pallavan Salai dedicated to Lord Muneeswaran.  There is a legend that a British officer raised objections to the building of the temple, and he faced a severe accident that same day. So the local people believed that praying to Lord Muneeswaran assures safety, and so it got the name Bodyguard. It is one of the best unexplored places in Chennai. 

• Best Time to Visit: You can visit year-round. Mornings and evenings are the best times to explore this temple.

• How to Reach: You can easily reach via metro, bus, cab, or auto

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

3. Demonte Colony

This is considered one of the most haunted places in Chennai. The Demonte Colony in Alwarpet is one of the most intriguing tourist places near Chennai within 100 km. This area is named after John Demonte. After the death of Demonte and his family, the ghost stories spread so much that it became deserted.

• Best Time to Visit: Evenings are the best time. However, try to avoid visiting at night.

• How to Reach: Can be reached by auto or cab.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

4. Our Lady of Lourdes

It is said that the statue of Mother Mary in the church had blinked, and that brings a lot of visitors to Lourdes Church. Believers visit this place from far away to witness this event. It is a beautiful and lively church that is located in Chennai, and tourists also visit this place for its beauty. 

• Best Time to Visit: You can visit this place year-round. Evenings are perfect to witness mass prayer.

• How to Reach: It can be reached easily as it is located near Perambur Railway Station.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

5. Broken Bridge

Adyar’s popular Broken Bridge is one of the most offbeat places to visit in Chennai with its scenic views. The Broken Bridge is the place where the Adyar River estuary joins the Bay of Bengal. This is a popular place for film shoots, and the Broken Bridge is one of the popular tourist Attractions in Chennai. 

• Best Time to Visit: Early mornings and sunsets. November to February are the best months.

• How to Reach: You can easily reach here by taxi and auto

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

6. Armenian Church

Chennai once had a community of Armenian merchants who settled here and constructed a church in 1712. This place exudes the Armenian architecture and is also one of the oldest churches in Chennai. This is an important heritage site. The church offers information about the Armenians in the city, their magazines, and a cemetery.

• Best Time to Visit: Visit in the morning from 9 am to 2 pm. October to March are the best months to explore this place.

• How to Reach: You can reach via bus, metro, or cab

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

7. Theosophical Society

Created by the students, this institution belongs to no particular religion or person. Take a peaceful walk in the Huddleston Gardens of the Theosophical Society. The central theme and aim of this society is to bring people closer together, irrespective of their religions. In India, the rich diversity of religion and culture is intriguing. On top of that, the peaceful existence of a Theosophical society really shows how accepting the people are.

• Best Time to Visit: Visit in the morning and evening. October to March are the best months.

• How to Reach: Take a bus or a cab to reach the place

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

8. Muttukadu Lake

The Muttukadu Lake, situated on the East Coast Road, is a beautiful lake with boat trips that tourists love. You can do rowing, windsurfing, water skiing, Aqua scooters, and explore all other watersports in this lake during your trip to Chennai.  There are beautiful bamboo boathouses and a floating boat jetty here. The best time to visit Chennai is between October and February. During this time, you can take a boat trip on Muttukadu Lake.

• Best Time to Visit: Visit in the morning and evening. October to March are the best months.

• How to Reach: You can take a bus or a cab to reach this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free entry; however, you need to pay for boating if you want to take a boat ride.

9. St Thomas Mount

The Cathedral of St Thomas Mount is one of the best hidden places in Chennai. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the place was a lighthouse that acted as a guide to Portuguese and British ships. This cathedral is made of granite with a beautiful arch that holds three crosses. The prayer services are from Monday to Saturday at 6:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. On Sundays, it is at 7:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. 

• Best Time to Visit: Evenings are the best time for the views and sunset. October to March are the best months.

• How to Reach: You can take a cab or the metro to reach this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

10. Lighthouse

One of the famous landmarks on the Marina Beach, the Madras Lighthouse, is one of the least explored tourist attractions in Chennai. In 2013, it was opened to visitors. This is the only lighthouse with an elevator. This is open for tourists from 10 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 5 PM. You can get a glimpse of the city from this lighthouse.

• Best Time to Visit: Evenings are the best time for city and beach views. The best months to visit are from October to March for pleasant weather.

• How to Reach: Buses and cabs are available to this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): A reasonable entry fee is charged for adults and children.

11. Besant Nagar Beach

The Elliot Beach, also known as the Besant Nagar Beach or Bessie, is one of the best unexplored places near Chennai. You can also visit the Velankanni Church and Ashtalakshmi Kovil, located close to Besant Nagar. The serene beach, swaying coconut trees, and the sea offer a relaxing view. 

• Best Time to Visit: You can visit year-round. Sunsets are the best times.

• How to Reach: You can hire a cab, bus, or an auto.

• Entry Fees (if any): Free

12. Film City Chennai

There is a thriving film industry in Chennai, and Film City Chennai has a number of film studios and a film school. The MGR Film City is a special tourist place in Chennai. Located in the sprawling Tharamani area, MGR Film City is the home to a number of film shootings and recording theatres.

• Best Time to Visit: You can visit year-round. The winter months from October to February are the best.

• How to Reach: Hire a car or take the metro to reach this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): Yes, there is an entrance fee.

13. Pallikaranai Marsh and Eco-Park

Pallikaranai Marsh and Eco-Park in South Chennai is one of the last remaining natural wetlands in the city, with many species of birds, plants, and wildlife. Pallikaranai Marsh is reported to have as many as 300 species of wild birds, plants, and animals. It is a tranquil place for all birdwatchers and nature lovers, especially colourful during the migratory season.

• Best Time to Visit: Mornings are best from November to February

• How to Reach: Bus, cab, and metro are available to this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): Nominal entry fee

14. DakshinaChitra

Located on East Coast Road, DakshinaChitra is a living museum that illustrates the art, architecture, and cultural heritage of South India. Visitors can walk through and experience the traditional houses, crafts, folk performances, and exhibitions to experience history.

• Best Time to Visit: You can visit this heritage museum year-round. The winter months from November to February are the best.

• How to Reach: Take a bus or hire a cab to reach this place.

• Entry Fees (if any): Adults ₹150, Children ₹60, Foreigners ₹250

15. Pulicat Lake

Pulicat Lake, located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, is the second-largest brackish water lagoon in India. It’s a true birdwatcher’s paradise, especially in winter when thousands of flamingos and migratory birds flock to the lake. A must-visit destination that you can’t miss in your Chennai visit.

• Best Time to Visit: November to February is the best time to visit when large numbers of flamingos visit the lake.

• How to Reach: Cabs are the best mode of transport to reach here.

• Entry Fees (if any): Entry is free, but boating charges apply if availed.

To Conclude

If you are in Chennai and want to take an off-route trip to the unexplored and hidden tourist places in Chennai at your own pace, book a Revv car rental in Chennai and explore every nook and corner of this vibrant, bustling metropolis.