MARINA BEACH

Considered, wrongly, as the second largest beach in the world, Marina Beach is nevertheless the pride of Chennai's inhabitants. It is 13 km long and is very popular for its cool evening breeze: a large number of locals come to stroll here at the end of the day with their families. By mid-afternoon, the beach is busy with street vendors selling snacks and drinks of course, but also various items and entertainment such as funfair-type games. The waterfront is lined with memorials to political leaders and independence fighters. Impressive buildings like the Chepauk Palace, Madras University, Presidency University, PWD office and Ice House add to the opulent feel of the beachfront promenade. An aquarium, a lighthouse, Walks Boulevard and the gardens make it one of the nicest places in the city. Unfortunately, the fishermen who live on the beach were badly affected by the December 2004 tsunami, although no trace of them is visible now - a stretch of the beachfront is once again occupied by women selling freshly caught fish and shellfish. Swimming is strongly discouraged, because not only the cleanliness of the beach leaves much to be desired, but the currents are also very dangerous. It is better to play kite or cricket, or to buy snacks while observing the local population.