10 Things Even A Hardcore Chennaiite Probably Doesn't Know About

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We’ve all been to Marina, eaten at Saravana Bhavan, and watched a movie at Sathyam, but how many of you have done this list of 10 things available right here in our fair city?

Enjoy A Panoramic View Of Chennai City At St Thomas Mount

A tiny hillock just next to the airport, St Thomas Mount is known for the church on top of the hill. The view from the top is 360 degree of awesome and the best part is that because the airport is nearby, you can see plans take off and land — up close!

Try A Little Burmese Cuisine

A tiny group of stalls in Burma Bazaar formed originally by Tamil refugees from Myanmar, make fresh veggie filled, hot, hot atho noodles and other Burmese dishes in the evenings post 5pm. Read more about the Burmese atho noodles here.

Visit An Ice Cream Factory

Parents! Looking for an unorthodox birthday surprise for your little ones? Take them to the Arun Ice Cream Factory in Red Hills for a visit organised by the company! It’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory come alive. You get to see how ice creams are made, check out massive freezers that store nothing but ice cream and if you’re lucky you can get a fresh choco bar as it comes out of a vat of chocolate sauce.

Adopt A Book At The Madras Literary Society

The Madras Literary Society is an age old library with over 80,000 books. 60 foot high shelves packed with books from before you and I were born, make the library feel like something straight out of Harry Potter. To add to that, they have an ‘adopt a book’ scheme where you sponsor the restoration of one of the library’s old books and in return you can see your name added to history as they acknowledge your contribution in the book. For more info check out our feature on them here.

Geek Out At The Royal Enfield Factory Tour

Another factory tour, though this time there’s less sugar and more petrol. Get a chance to visit one of the oldest motorcycle manufacturing factories in the world, right here in Chennai. The Royal Enfield Factory Visit is a must see for bike enthusiasts. For more info about the tour, read about it here.

Cool Down With A Glass Of Jigarthanda At Murugan Idli

This badam based cold beverage, originated in Madurai, is the best solution to beat the heat and our Murugan Idli shop does it the best. For more on what else is good to eat and drink at Murugan Idli, check out our recommendation on them here.

Rescue And Release Baby Sea Turtles On The Turtle Walk

The Turtle Walk is a yearly event from January to April, conducted by the Student Sea Turtle Conservation Network that aims to protect the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtle that nests on our beaches. The walk itself happens at night and you’ll have trained guides accompanying you to show you how to spot turtles and more. Read more about Turtle Walks here.

Visit India’s Oldest Bookshop, Higginbotham’s

India’s oldest bookshop is on Mount Road and it is a relic! With books from across all genres to stationery this is a bibliophile’s paradise. For more on this amazing monolith of a bookshop check out our feature on Higginbotham’s here.

 

Chill Under A 450 Year Old, 40,000 Sq Ft Banyan Tree

The Adyar Aala Maram (Banyan Tree) is the second oldest Banyan tree in the country. Situated in the Theosophical Society in Adyar, it is truly a sight to behold. For more info on how to check it out, read about it in our Besant Nagar Hood Guide here.

Check Out A Camera Museum With 100+ Year Old Cameras

Dr. Arun’s Photography and Vintage Camera Museum features some of the oldest cameras in history and each of them tells a story. The museum is a collection of Dr. Arun’s cameras he’s collected since 1997. There’s also a veritable collection of photos of Chennai from the 60’s and 70’s. For more on what to expect, check out our feature on them here.