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Asia > South Asia > India > Southern India > Tamil Nadu > Tamil Nadu North Coast > Karaikal
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Ammaiyar Temple, Karaikal
A French-style house in Karaikkal

Karaikal district, part of the discontiguous union territory of Pondicherry, is a small enclave within Tamil Nadu. Karaikal and the other parts of Pondicherry are former French colonial territories in India. Karaikal district has a population of 200,000 and the main town is also called Karaikal.

Get in

  • From Chennai by road and railway (Karaikal railway station started working now).
  • From Kumbakonam, Mailaduthurai, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, Chidambaram by bus.
  • PRTC (Puducherry Tourism), SETC (State Transport Bus), and private buses such as Parveen Travels, Universal Travels, KPN, PRN, SRM, Sharma, etc. are available from all parts to Karaikal.

Get around

See

  • Abirami Amman Temple. famous for 60th year marriage.
  • Anandamangalam Anjeneyar Temple.
  • Church.
  • Dharmapuram Yazhmurinathar Devasthanam. Thiruneelakandar yazhpanar serviced place.
  • Egambareswarar Temple.
  • Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple. one of the sixty three Nayanmars.
  • Karaikal Beach, Arasalar.
  • Mastan Wali Dargah.
  • Nagore Durgah.
  • Pandaravadai Near Sethur. built by Raja Raja cholan, now under ASI control.
  • Saniswaran Temple.
  • Thirunallar Sri Dharberneeswarer.
  • Thiruthelicherri Parvatheeswarar (Suyambu Lingam).
  • Tirukadiyur Sri Amirthakadeswarer.
  • Velankanni Church.

Do

Karaikal is a small town which has not got anything to interest a normal tourist. It is surrounded by the Cauvery delta region, Tanjore, Tiruvarur, Kumbakonam, which were the hub of the ancient Chola kingdom, which is spotted by a number of temples which are rich in the Chola architecture. So mainly pilgrims and people with an interest in history and architecture will feel amused.

Buy

Karaikal has got its own brand of alwas, though not as famous as the Trinelveli alwa, there are quite a few shops in the Barathiyar road, near the Tirunallar junction where you can buy these alwas as well as sweets like gulab jamuun.

Eat

Muthupillai Bakery- actually has a restaurant within the shop, the milky way ice cream shop. The Manikandan mess in the Daweed Pillai street is a vegetarian mess where you get quality authentic south Indian food. Karaikal "RASI Alwa Kadai" is a very famous alway shop. Don't miss the taste.

Drink

The JP sarbath shop in Church street (near Muthupillai's restaurant) is the place where you can get fresh fruit juices and sarbads at relatively cheaper cost. The Seven Eleven juice shop in the Church street, also called as "juice kadai" by the native people, is a good hang out place. In Karaikal liquor is cheaper than in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, there are quite a few decent bars in Karaikal- -the Niagra bar in the nanda hotel -the Thunder bar in the paris international -the City bar - a very famous one in the town -The Sea Gulls Restaurant owned by the government of Pondicherry is at the sea shore and is good to hang out in the evenings.

Sleep

  • Hotel Aristo opposite the bus stand is convenient for moving around Karaikal
  • Hotel Delice
  • Hotel French Presidency
  • Hotel Nandha
  • Hotel Paris International
  • Kumaran Guest House, No:160, Thirunallar Road Karaikal (Thirunallar), +91 4368-220596.
  • Kumaran Residency (karaikal), No:18 Dr.Ambedkar Street (Bhathair Road), +91 4368-228348. Comfort Hotel

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