my next stop

Tamil Nadu

Chidambaram & Pichavaram

Nataraja's dancing hall plus a mangrove maze you row into

SpiritualHeritageLakes

Best time to visit Chidambaram & Pichavaram

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: December to February
  • Shoulder: March and October to November, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to June

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryDecember

Chidambaram & Pichavaram season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is 22-30 C with the backwater full after the northeast monsoon, the best months to row the Pichavaram creeks.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Apr-Jun is 38 C and sticky, the mangrove channels smell of drying mud and the temple granite burns through bare feet.

Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail

June is still 37 C and humid; Jul-Sep is dry rather than wet here, boats cost less and the temple is blessedly empty.

Autumn October to November Shoulder

Oct-Nov is the real monsoon on this coast, and cyclone warnings shut the Pichavaram boat house for days at a time.

What Chidambaram & Pichavaram is actually like

Chidambaram is a Dikshitar temple town of pilgrim lodges; Pichavaram 16 km out is boatmen, herons and nobody else.

Things to do in Chidambaram & Pichavaram

The local places worth your time in and around Chidambaram & Pichavaram, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Thillai Nataraja Temple

    Temple · in town

    Nataraja's home shrine run by Dikshitar priests, with the Chit Sabha and the empty Akasha space; shut 12 to 4.30 pm.

  • Pichavaram Mangrove Forest

    Wildlife · 16 km out

    Mangrove creeks you row into from the boat house; take the small rowboat over the motor one and go at first light.

  • Thillai Kali Temple

    Temple · 2 km out

    Kali's shrine at the north edge of town, from the story of her dance contest with Shiva; quiet, five minutes by auto.

  • Vaitheeswaran Koil

    Temple · 25 km out

    Navagraha temple of the healing Shiva, the one for Angaraka; the Nadi astrology touts outside are relentless.

  • Sirkazhi Sattainathar Temple

    Temple · 20 km out

    Three tiered temple of the child saint Sambandar, big gopuram; near empty on a weekday morning, 40 min by bus.

Getting to Chidambaram & Pichavaram

Chidambaram station sits on the Chennai-Trichy line; town bus or share auto does the 16 km to the boat house.

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
10 m
State
Tamil Nadu
Coordinates
11.3993, 79.6937

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Chidambaram & Pichavaram?

December to February is peak season in Chidambaram & Pichavaram. March and October to November is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to June. Dec-Feb is 22-30 C with the backwater full after the northeast monsoon, the best months to row the Pichavaram creeks.

How many days do you need in Chidambaram & Pichavaram?

2 days is the usual stay. Chidambaram is a Dikshitar temple town of pilgrim lodges; Pichavaram 16 km out is boatmen, herons and nobody else.

How do you get to Chidambaram & Pichavaram?

Chidambaram station sits on the Chennai-Trichy line; town bus or share auto does the 16 km to the boat house. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Chidambaram & Pichavaram expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

Is there a festival in Chidambaram & Pichavaram?

Feb/Mar: Natyanjali dance festival at Mahashivaratri. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Chidambaram & Pichavaram?

Thillai Nataraja Temple, Pichavaram Mangrove Forest, Thillai Kali Temple, Vaitheeswaran Koil and Sirkazhi Sattainathar Temple. Nataraja's home shrine run by Dikshitar priests, with the Chit Sabha and the empty Akasha space; shut 12 to 4.30 pm.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Tamil Nadu

All 41 destinations in Tamil Nadu