Why visit Cuddalore
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Silver Beach, New Cinema Theatre, Cuddalore Government Museum and Cuddalore Museum.
Weather in Cuddalore
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Cuddalore
Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur, is a heavy industries hub, port city, and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated 5.3 km south of Puducherry (union territory), the city was an important port city during the British Raj. Cuddalore district is famous for Pichavaram Mangrove Forest.
From the Wikipedia article Cuddalore (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Cuddalore on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do7
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Silver Beach
Beach · 2.8 km
The second longest beach on the Coromandel Coast and one of the longest beaches in Asia.
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes16
Thirumalai Bhavan Vegetarian Restaurant
Restaurant · Indian · 2.3 km
106 Padaleeswarar Koil Street, Muthaiya Nagar, Thirupapuliyur, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu
Mo-Su 12:00-22:00
Master Bakery & Sweets
Bakery · 1.8 km
Nellikuppam Main Road, Semmandalam, Cuddalore
Ganeshan juice center
Fast food
3A Nethaji Rd, Rajambal Nagar, Allpettai, Cuddalore
Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
4 more on the map.
History
From ancient times the old town has been a seaport. For two centuries, Cuddalore was subject to several foreign powers including the Netherlands, Portugal, France, and the British. In 1758 Cuddalore was under British control. Later, Britain ruled a significant part of South India (entire Tamil Nadu, parts of present Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka) from this fort (St. David).
In the early 17th century, the Dutch obtained permission from the ruler of Cuddalore to build a fort there, but political pressure from their Portuguese rivals forced them to abandon it.
Later, the French and English came to Cuddalore for trade and business. The French established a trading post 16 kilometres (10 mi) up the coast at Pondicherry in 1674, followed in 1690 Fort St. David by the British at Cuddalore.
During the 18th century, various wars between the European powers spilt over to their colonial empires, and their allies, including those in the Indian subcontinent. During this period the French and British fought several times in the area.
In 1746, during First Carnatic War, part of the Austrian Succession War, French forces besieged the British at Fort St. David for several months before being driven off in 1747.
From the History section of Cuddalore on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Hotel Suryapriya
Motel and hotel
1 , Nethaji Rd, Near Town Hall, Rajambal Nagar, Allpettai, Cuddalore
Churches and places of worship26
Sri Padaleeswarar Temple
Place of worship · Saiism · 2.2 km
Sannadhi Street, Cuddalore
Rettai Pillayar Temple
Place of worship · Saiva · 1.0 km
Rettai pilliyar koil street (RP Koil Street), Cuddalore
Sri Droupathi Amman Temple
Place of worship · Saktha · 1.1 km
Rettai pilliyar koil street (RP Koil Street), Puduppalayam
Sri Drupathi Amman Temple
Place of worship · Vaishnava · 1.7 km
Bodi Chetti Street, Thiruppapuliyur
Sri Putlayamman Temple
Place of worship · Saktha · 1.7 km
Kuppan kulam, Cuddalore
Sri Rajagopala swamy Temple
Place of worship · Vaishnava · 1.0 km
Pudupalayam Main Road, Cuddalore
Sri Sakthi Mariyamman temple
Place of worship · Saktha · 2.4 km
Deivanagayam naidu lane, Thiruppapuliyur
Vinagayar koil
Place of worship · Saiva · 2.4 km
Sanjeevi Naidu Street, Cuddalore
Shopping5
City Super Market
Grocery · 0.6 km
139 Nethaji Rd, North Venugopalapuram, Allpettai, Cuddalore
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Minicipal Primary School
School · 1.1 km
Rettai pilliyar koil street (RP Koil Street), Puduppalayam
St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School campus
School · 1.9 km
Cumming Pet road, Cuddalore
Healthcare73
Srinivas Ultrasound Scan Centre
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 km
2 wigilmier St, Sorakalpet, Cuddalore
The Zusaanli Acupuncture and Ayurveda Hospital
Hospital
11 Bharadhidasan street, Cuddalore
Sujatha Hospital
Hospital · 0.7 km
78 Nethaji Rd, North Venugopalapuram, Allpettai, Cuddalore
Map of Cuddalore
168 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Puducherry Airport (PNY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 km away.
- Uppalavādi 1 km northeast, about 1 min by car
- Kammivapettai 2 km west, about 2 min by car
- Kondūr 7 km west, about 7 min by car
- Nellikkuppam 11 km west, about 11 min by car
- Ariyānkuppam 16 km north, about 16 min by car
- Manaveli 16 km north, about 16 min by car
- Mel Pattāmbākkam 15 km west, about 15 min by car
- Villianur 18 km north, about 18 min by car
- Puducherry 21 km north, about 21 min by car
- Neyveli 33 km southwest, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Cuddalore City, Jothiram1641, CC0
- Pataleeswarar Temple, Cuddalore (15966262253), Nithi Anand from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Silver Beach New, Karthik, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thirupadhiripuliyur temple,Cuddalore(2), Mohan Krishnan ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Padaleeswarar (1), Ssriram mt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sandhiya Ranganathan, Sandhiya Ranganathan // BBC World Service India Pvt. Ltd., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sandhiya Ranganathan (cropped), Sandhiya Ranganathan // BBC World Service India Pvt. Ltd., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cool Clouds, Komahan Kumanan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Trash Bug, Jothiram1641, CC0
- Cloud 17, Jothiram1641, CC0
- Indian Fisherman (29775942023), Nithi Anand from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Ambassador (13792727703), Rob Oo from NL, CC BY 2.0
- Tamilnadu Chicken Biryani, Dr. Chinchu C., CC BY 4.0
- Thirupadiripuliyur railway station (81889), Dr. Chinchu C., CC BY 4.0
- Railway station at Thirupathiripuliyur, Dr. Chinchu C., CC BY 4.0
- Thirupadiripuliyur railway station, Karthik S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hot & sour veg soup, Raamsanjay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes (25390184193), Nithi Anand from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Somewhere in Tamil Nadu (8748153108), Aleksandr Zykov from Russia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Fort St.David, Jothiram1641, CC0
- Paneer butter masala, Ajay Amirth, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Silver Beach photo, Jothiram1641, CC0
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Page built November 2, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.