Pondicherry

Pondicherry! You know those places that just hum with a certain energy? Serene beaches, gorgeous cafes... but also a bit of a reputation. Let's just say it's probably not topping the list of family vacation spots for the more traditional crowd. Maybe second only to Goa in that department. But for me? Beach towns are my weakness, so Pondicherry and Goa, well, they hold a special place in my heart.

Road trip time! Chennai to Pondicherry – a classic. Eight of us, two cars, and we hit the road around eleven. Sunshine and open road, pretty much the perfect combination. Traffic? What traffic? Just miles of smooth sailing.

Along the way, we pulled over for a little roadside treat – ragi porridge and buttermilk. This sweet older woman, a regular fixture it seems, was serving it up with a smile. Seriously, her energy was infectious, so warm and welcoming. And generous too – kept offering us refills, no charge. People like that are absolute treasures, you know? Hard to find these days.

Refreshed and ready to roll, we pointed the cars towards Pondicherry. And of course, the obligatory stop at the city arch – you know, that iconic Instagram moment. Had to be done.

Starving by the time we rolled into town, we stumbled across this pizzeria called "Tanto." Total impulse stop, but man, am I glad we did. The pizza was amazing – something totally different from the usual Chennai fare. It was in Auroville, which, fun fact, is technically part of Pondicherry but you get there before the main city.

The place itself was super charming, really peaceful vibes. And they had this cute little shop attached, selling handmade crafts and textiles – very Auroville. Speaking of which, it's not unusual to see people paying in foreign currencies there. Lots of folks stuck around after the French colonial era, and others have migrated in, drawn to the whole French-influenced scene. Auroville has its own unique thing going on. I heard they have mandatory yoga and these networking gatherings where everyone totally unplugs from social media and gets back to nature. Sounds pretty idyllic, right? Like the perfect escape from, well, life.

After lunch, we headed to our accommodation—a place called 'Zostel'. It's a hostel concept that's especially popular among young travelers. They promote themselves as being friendly to solo travelers and backpackers. The rooms come in various types: dorms that sleep four or six people, and even private rooms if you prefer more privacy. Essentially, backpackers arriving in a city with a Zostel can stay in dorms with fellow travelers, making it easy to mingle and enjoy a friendly atmosphere. Some people were even there on a workcation (work plus vacation). We checked in and took a good rest before brainstorming where to head next.

People might say that when you're in Auroville, the main place to visit is the Matrimandir. But guess what? We intentionally avoided it because we wanted to have an impromptu trip, choosing random spots and spending time in niche places of our own choosing.

Crowded tourist spots? Definitely not our thing.

So, we headed off to Rock Beach, situated right in Pondicherry. Rock Beach is the best spot in the city where you can enjoy the long coastline while taking in stunning sunsets. I'm personally a sunset-and-beach kind of person. Being there with my favorite people fills me with pure happiness.

We took some great pics, enjoyed the sunset, and then set off to have some gelato! Who doesn't love gelato? We stumbled upon this tiny place along the way, and the variety of flavors they offered is still mouthwatering as I type these words into this blog.

Gelato has this amazing mix of ice cream and ice cola flavors—don't even tell me you don't know what an ice cola is while reading this blog!

The gelato shop had board games, cards, and even Lego building blocks. It took us back to being kids, playing all those games while enjoying cup after cup of ice cream.

Now it was dinner time—where should we go? We kept debating and lamenting that we couldn't find a unique place to enjoy a different cuisine. That's when we spotted a signboard directing us down a path with twists and turns shrouded in the gloomy darkness. In the distance, we saw sparkling fairy lights indicating the lively presence of people enjoying food. It turned out to be a Korean restaurant called 'NOWANA'. Who knew Korean dishes could be so good and likable for Indian taste buds? Surprisingly, it was much better than we expected. With laughter and fun, we enjoyed a hearty meal that filled our tummies.

My gang is naturally pretty loud—we always end up annoying people at the restaurant with our laughter. But who cares? You gotta enjoy what you do! And if it offends others, we just ask them to join us as well.

Post Korean delicasies, it was time to head back to Zostel and join the party that was going on at the location. As the night set in, we joined a group party. Between games and a hilarious Hindi tongue twister involving fish and water (ek machhli, paani mein pachak!), we found ourselves cheering, laughing, and—unfortunately for the unlucky ones—dancing to cringe-worthy Bollywood item numbers.

After everything was done upstairs, my close friends and I took some time for ourselves and played games in our room. We started with 'Truth or Dare' and 'Would You Rather'. I can still hear the echoes of our laughter—it was so loud that we were just a few lucky moments away from getting caught, since Zostel has a rule about not disturbing fellow backpackers with your noise.

The next day arrived, and our plan was to have a good breakfast before heading out to roam the streets of Pondicherry. We wanted to take in the city's architecture and capture some really good, Instagrammable pictures. We enjoyed masala dosa, Maggi, and filter coffee—all delicious. Best of all, it was right there in the canteen at Zostel.

Gosh the traffic and violations in Pondi!, probably the only thing I disliked in this trip is the stupic traffic that was there that made us furious. But all said, it was all worth when we went to the french colony of pondiacherry where every building is having its traditional French construction. It was very similar to the Fountainhas that we saw in Goa [Of Course Goa is better!], the better portion would be the aesthtic cafes that Pondi had like the 'Coromandel Cafe', I was like while entering felt 'Are you kidding me that Tamil Nadu has such aesthetic cafe's?'. It did look really good but we did not have a chance to taste the food as it was so full of people already waiting and we felt our time could be better utilised.

Had some quick street haul shopping.

Once again, for lunch, we headed back to Rock Beach to visit a restaurant called 'Sicili's'.

We started off with a chilled Breezer and dug into our all-time favorites: mac and cheese pasta and pizzas. Lunch was good, and by the time we finished, evening had already set in.

As we left the restaurant, we came across a long stretch of beach that reminded us of Marine Drive in Mumbai. We couldn't resist taking pictures that we'll cherish forever.

We took a leisurely stroll back to our parking spot and then set off to find dinner.

After our leisurely afternoon, we craved some adventure and headed to Pondy Marina. There, we embarked on a motorboat for one of the most thrilling rides of our lives.

Pondy Marina offers boat rides that take you through serene backwaters connecting to the open ocean. As we zoomed across the waterways, the motorboat bounced over turbulent sea waves, giving us an adrenaline rush like no other. The sun was beside us, casting its warm glow over the water and enhancing the breathtaking experience.

After this wonderful adventure, we headed off to Eden Beach, one of Pondicherry's most pristine and cherished spots. Eden Beach is not just any beach—it's one of the few in India to have earned the prestigious Blue Flag certification. The beach is renowned for its clean sands, well-maintained facilities, and eco-friendly practices.

Unfortunately, we arrived a little late in the evening, but fortunately, we were still permitted to visit the beach, even though we couldn't go down to the shores or take a dip in the sea. The pathways were beautifully lit, and the atmosphere was tranquil. We strolled along the promenade, taking in the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

As the night enveloped the surroundings, we found ourselves captivated by the sight of the moon rising over the horizon. Its silvery light reflected on the calm waters, creating a mesmerizing view that felt almost magical. Watching the moon and feeling the peaceful vibes of Eden Beach made us forget all about the day's exhaustion. It was a moment of pure serenity, and we felt deeply connected with nature.

Sitting there, surrounded by the quiet beauty of the night, we realized that coming to Eden Beach was more than worth it. It offered us a perfect blend of natural beauty and peaceful ambiance—a fitting conclusion to our eventful day. The experience left us with cherished memories and a newfound appreciation for the hidden gems that places like Pondicherry have to offer.

That’s some shopping on the way back, bought Jhumka clips and many more

Our dinner was in a place called Suguru

It was a pure vegetarian restaurant

After a long wait, given table, had a good yummy dinner and headed back to Zostel for a good night sleep

The next day started off with the breakfast at Bakers Street, which is the most crowded place and the one that’s in the highest demand in Pondicherry

If you visit Pondicherry, you must baker street

They had croissants, Danish, who made biscuits cupcakes they have tarts

Pastries, anything that you can imagine

Oh my God, the food taste was so perfect, giving us the exquisite finish to a happy weekend getaway