Why visit Mahabalipuram
Townapedia lists 30 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 60 places to eat, 93 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Mahabalipuram Lighthouse, Arjuna Ratha and Bhima Ratha.
Weather in Mahabalipuram
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Mahabalipuram
Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram) is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It is one of the famous tourist sites in India. The ancient name of the place is Thirukadalmallai. It is a part of Chennai Metropolitan Area.
From the Wikipedia article Mamallapuram (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Mahabalipuram on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks30
Arjuna Ratha
Monument and historic site · 1.4 km
Hindu monument in Mahabalipuram
Bhima Ratha
Monument and historic site · 1.4 km
Monument in Kanchipuram district, India
Dharmaraja Ratha
Monument and historic site · 1.4 km
Monument in Kanchipuram district, India
Nakula Sahadeva Ratha
Monument and historic site · 1.4 km
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tamil Nadu, India
Cave Temples of Mahabalipuram
Monument and historic site
Archaeological site in Tamil Nadu, India
Descent of the Ganges
Monument and historic site
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tamil Nadu, India
Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram
Monument and historic site · 0.9 km
Archaeological site in India
Shore Temple Complex, Mahabalipuram
Monument and historic site · 0.8 km
Retro Surf Club
Monument and historic site
We offers surf lessons for beginners and intermediate surfers in the heart of Mahabs. We offer private and group lessons, focusing on...
5 Karunguzhi Amman Koil Street, Fisherman Colony, Mamallapuram
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18 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes60
Eli's Kitchen
Restaurant
Local seafood, very very good
25 Near kalos, 25, Fisherman Colony, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 603104
48 more on the map.
History
Neolithic burial urn, cairn circles and jars with burials dating to the 1st century BCE have been discovered near Mahabalipuram. The Sangam age poem Perumpāṇāṟṟuppadai relates the rule of King Thondaiman Ilam Thiraiyar at Kanchipuram of the Tondai Nadu port Nirppeyyaru which scholars identify with the present-day Mahabalipuram. Chinese coins and Roman coins of Theodosius I in the 4th century CE have been found at Mahabalipuram revealing the port as an active hub of global trade in the late classical period. Two Pallava coins bearing legends read as Srihari and Srinidhi have been found at Mahabalipuram. The Pallava kings ruled Mahabalipuram from Kanchipuram; the capital of the Pallava dynasty from the 3rd century to 9th century CE, and used the port to launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. An 8th-century Tamil text written by Thirumangai Alvar described this place as Sea Mountain 'where the ships rode at anchor bent to the point of breaking laden as they were with wealth, big trunked elephants and gems of nine varieties in heaps'.
From the History section of Mamallapuram on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay93
Churches and places of worship11
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries1
St. Mary's Matriculation Higher Secondary School
School
Matakovil Street, Mamallapuram
Healthcare7
Map of Mahabalipuram
211 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chennai International Airport (MAA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 42 km away.
- Vandalūr 33 km north, about 33 min by car
- Tambaram 35 km north, about 35 min by car
- Pallāvaram 39 km north, about 39 min by car
- Saint Thomas Mount 43 km north, about 43 min by car
- Poonamalle 48 km north, about 48 min by car
- Chennai 53 km north, about 53 min by car
- Ambattur 53 km north, about 53 min by car
- Avadi 56 km north, about 56 min by car
- Kanchipuram 59 km northwest, about 59 min by car
- Tiruvottiyūr 61 km north, about 1 h 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
- Mamallapuram, The Shore Temple 2, India, Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
- Mahabalipuram Lighthouse, India, Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
- N-TN-C33 Arjuna's Ratha, R.K.Lakshmi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bhima Ratha (Five Rathas), Mahabalipuram, Zuhebkhan94, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CinqRathaDharmaraja (7), BluesyPete, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mamallapuram 104, Tfi2010, CC BY-SA 3.0
- India - Mamallapuram - 022 - Cave pillars (4333675697), McKay Savage from London, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Descent of the Ganges 01, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mamallapuram, mckaysavage, CC BY 2.0
- CinqRathaGeneral (7), BluesyPete, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sthalasayanaperumal kovil, Ssriram mt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Krishna Mandapa Exterior NE Mahabalipuram Sep22 A7C 02520, This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would much appreciate if you send me an email [email protected] or write on my talk..., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ganesha Ratha Mahabalipuram Sep22 A7C 02582, This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would much appreciate if you send me an email [email protected] or write on my talk..., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thirukadalmallai (3), Ssriram mt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Five Rathas at Mahaballipuram,Tamil Nadu, Arupparia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shore Temple -Mamallapuram -Tamil Nadu -N-TN-C55, Swarna1311, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.