To all those beach lovers who love playing along the sandy beach, building sand castle, writing their names on wet sand, clicking selfies, and couple pictures while enjoying salty tidal waves touching them at the frequent interval, here you have one world famous Marina Beach Chennai to visit & enjoy along the Coromandel Coast, the Bay of Bengal at Chennai for a divine experience.
The incredible Marina Beach Chennai has that magic to enlighten every mood, make you go wow no matter wherever you take your eyes along, and lure everyone single, in a relationship, or married to visit every next time.
Running at a stretch of 437 meters from Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, Marina Beach is the longest urban beach of India which remains almost crowded with swimming and bathing are legally prohibited at this beach because of the ocean’s intense underwater current.
Before the year 1886, the beach was not what it seems today. It was just a strip of mud with tiny creatures called mudskippers all over until Madras Harbour was built in 1881 by then Governor of Madras, Lord Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff who was so captivated by this site of beach that he finally decided to change into the majestic beach with the name “Madras Marina” between 1881 and 1886 to modify it into what it we see today. He built a promenade along the beach with extensive layers of soft sand for people to walk. It is being said that the area of the beach is increasing by 40 sq m every year due to the greater volume of sediment deposition at the beach taking place throughout the year.
To maintain the pristine beauty, jolly ambiance, and rich ecosystem of this urban natural beach, several voluntary organizations continuously work along the beach to clean and protect the beach from becoming polluted from the proliferation of plastic bags, human waste, and other pollutants.
Marina Beach Chennai is also a house of endangered flora and fauna which have been classified in Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Several organizations such as the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network, The Sea Turtle Protection Force of the TREE Foundation works towards the conservation of the species along the coast.
Some of the unique meiofaunal compositions such as turbellarians, nematodes, polychaetes, oligochaetes, harpacticoids are also found on this beach. This beach also inhabitants of Mullets, Sharks, Silver bellies, Rays, Ribbon fish, Skates White Bait, Dussumiera, Jewfish, Horse Macherel, Crabs, Seer, Pellona, Pomfret, Perches, Lactarius, Lethrinus, Catfish, Prawns and Soles to name a few.
Let’s find out the best things to do at Marina Beach Chennai and How to reach by train
• Must visit historical monuments & statues: Marina Beach offers some historic buildings, grand temples, peaceful churches, national parks, museums to visit along with awesome statues which makes Chennai a perfect place to unwind. If you visit Marina Beach, must not forget to visit the Victory War Memorial, also called “Cupid Bow” constructed to commemorate the victory of the allied army during World War I (1939-1945), Madras University as seen from Marina Beach, PWD Complex, Presidency College, Vivekanand House, Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple, St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica Church, Queen’s Mary College, Dr. Annie Besant Park, Chennai’s lighthouse facing Bay of Bengal which houses meteorological department and is a green lighthouse with a solar panel for power, 14 landscaped galleries, several decorative installations along the beach, famous Marina swimming pool, MA Chidambaram Stadium; Kamaraj Salai (a six-lane road ), Triumph of Labour, Fisherman at Buckingham Canal Statue, Golden Jubilee of Independence Memorial Pillar, Thilagar Thidal Plaque and masterpiece statues of famous personalities such as of Annie Besant, Avvaiyaar, Barathidasan, Barathiyar, Kamaraj, George Uglow Pope to name a few.
• Shopping sites not to miss: All those shopaholics who visit different places to buy some stuff for themselves and loved ones would love to shop for fancy clothes, funky accessories, real pearls laded & gold jewelry, footwear, traditional Sarees, latest electronics, plastic goods and household items, beautiful bouquets and almost everything from Chennai easily. Try visiting the following shopping places in Chennai such as Pondy Bazaar, Sowcarpet Market, Ritchie Street, T.Nagar, Georgetown, Burma Bazaar, Cotton Street, Panagal Park, Parry’s Corner for a memorable shopping experience.
• Food to try: Chennai’s authentic food has gone global as yummy South Indian Cuisines. If you visit Marina Beach try savoring mouth-watering Maulligatawny Soup, Sundal, Nethili Fry, authentic Masala Dosa, Biryani cooked with Seeraga Samba rice, Murukku Sandwich, Mysore Pak, Full meal on Banana leaf, Atho fried Noodles to explore culinary culture, street food, and fine dining all across the Chennai.
• How to reach Marina Beach, Chennai by train: If you are planning to visit Marina Beach you may take local trains to Chepauk, Thiruvallikeni, and lighthouse from Chennai’s Central Station which is at the distance of just 10 minutes to reach.
- If you are currently in New Delhi and planning to reach Chennai’s Central Station, you may book your ticket in Hazrat Nizamuddin -MGR Chennai Central Garib Rath Express with Train Number 02612 which departs Hazrat Nizamuddin Railways Station every Monday at 3:55 P.M. and reaches MGR Chennai Ctrl at 8:40 P.M. following Tuesday.
- If you are currently in Mumbai and planning to reach Chennai’s Central Station, you may book your ticket in LTT Chennai Express with Train Number 01073 which leaves Lokmanya Tilak Terminal at 1:20 P.M every Monday and reaches MGR Chennai Central at 12:55 P.M. following Tuesday.
- If you are currently in Hyderabad and planning to reach Chennai’s Central Station, you may book your ticket in Chennai Express with Train Number 02604 which leaves Secunderabad Junction at 5:15 P.M everyday and reaches MGR Chennai Central at 5:55 A.M. following morning.
- If you are currently in Jaipur and planning to reach Chennai’s Central Station, you may book your ticket in Jaipur Chennai Express with Train Number 02968 which leaves Jaipur Junction at 7:35 P.M every Sunday & Friday and reaches MGR Chennai Central at 9:30 A.M. following Tuesday.
If you plan to visit Marina Beach Chennai by train, order online food in train from RailRecipe to get all the food of your choice delivered at your seat right away. Try download our App (clicking the link provided here) or through our website www.railrecipe.com or calling our Customer Care Toll Free Number 8448440386.
Wish you an awesome trip with your loved ones!