Bangalore to Mahabalipuram – 2 Day Mahabalipuram itinerary
Mahabalipuram should be one of the must visit places if you are in Southern part of the country. This place is prominently placed on India's tourist map.
Today we will share a 2 day itinerary ( from
Bangalore to Mahabalipuram) which you can follow. This includes travel time.
Please note that there are many other places around, but for that you will need more time. Today we are talking about a weekend itinerary !!
Below are must see places to visit in mahabalipuram !
1)Shore temple & Beach
2)Shtalasyana perumal temple
3)Rock cut cave temple and other monuments which includes Butter ball,Raya Gopuram, Arjuna pennance, Krishna mandapa etc
4)Tigers cave temple
5)Crocodile Bank
6)Sea Shell Measuem
7)Covelong Beach / Fishermans beach
Remember all the monuments at Mahabalipuram are ASI protected!
You need to buy tickets. You can buy it at counter or online at:
Buy on Yatra.com
VERY IMPORTANT TIP
Your target - reach Mahabalipuram by 11.00 AM on saturday and leave Mahabalipuram by 4.00 PM on Sunday. And between this 11.00 AM to 4.00 PM, we will share with you how to manage your day so that you can cover maximum spots.
And for this you need to leave atleast by 4.00 AM from Bangalore! The other option is to leave Bangalore by 6.00 PM firday evening and stay in Vellore. This way you can cover half way on Friday and then leave vellore by 7.0 AM to 8 AM and reach Mahabalipura by 11.00 AM. This will be a more relaxed journey. You will be on NH and hence there are many good food options on the way. Road conditions are good and there are lot of good lodging opitons at Vellore.
So we will leave this to you as to which option you should take!. Recommended it to reach Mahabalipura by 11.00AM Saturday.
Also note that there are many overnight bus service from Bangalore which you can take !
Bengaluru -> Mahabalipuram
No of Days: -> 2
Approx Distance from Base Location: -> 350 Km (s)
Tarvel time from Base location: -> 7 Hour(s)
Click on maps to open itinerary in your (google) maps app.
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Itinerary Overview
| Day | Step | Time Slot | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day-1 | Step-1 | 4.00AM to 11.00AM | Travel to Shore Temple Mahabalipuram. |
| Day-1 | Step-2 | 11.00AM to 1.00PM | Explore Shore Temple and Beach |
| Day-1 | Step-3 | 1.00PM to 1.30PM | Drive to your Hotel and check-in |
| Day-1 | Step-4 | 1.30PM to 3.30PM | Lunch and Rest |
| Day-1 | Step-5 | 3.30PM to 4.00PM | Travel to Shri Shtalasyana perumal temple |
| Day-1 | Step-6 | 4.00PM to 4.30PM | Visit Shri Shtalasyana perumal temple |
| Day-1 | Step-7 | 4.30PM to 7.00PM | Explore Rock cut monuments |
| Day-1 | Step-8 | 7.00PM to 7.15PM | Drive or walk down to Beach near Shore Temple |
| Day-1 | Step-9 | 7.15PM to 9.00PM | Spend time on the Shore temple beach |
| Day | Step | Time Slot | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day-2 | Step-1 | 7.00AM to 8.00AM | Wakeup and get rady to check out! |
| Day-2 | Step-2 | 8.00AM to 9.00AM | Tarvel to A2B and have breakfast |
| Day-2 | Step-3 | 9.00AM to 9.10 AM | Drive to Seashell Museum |
| Day-2 | Step-4 | 9.15 AM to 10.00 AM | Explore Seashell Museum |
| Day-2 | Step-5 | 10.00AM to 10.20AM | Drive to Tigers Cave |
| Day-2 | Step-6 | 10.30AM to 11.00AM | Explore tigers cave |
| Day-2 | Step-7 | 11.00AM to 11.15AM | Drive to Crocodile Bank |
| Day-2 | Step-8 | 11.15AM to 1.15PM | Explore Crocodile Bank |
| Day-2 | Step-9 | 1.15PM to 2.30PM | Lunch |
| Day-2 | Step-10 | 2.30PM to 2.45PM | Drive to Covelong Beach |
| Day-2 | Step-11 | 2.45PM to 4.00 PM | Explore Covelong Beach |
| Day-2 | Step-12 | 4.00PM to 11.00PM | Drive back to Bangalore |
Itinerary Details
| Day / Step | Time Slot | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Day-1/Step-1 | 4.00AM to 11.00AM | Travel to Shore Temple Mahabalipuram. |
| So we have mentioned before. Take the tarvel option best suited to you. If you are starting your journey on Saturday, leave by atleast 4 to 4.30AM so that you can reach Mahabalipuram by 11.00 AM. And don't check in to your hotel. Go directly to Shore Temple.
There are 2 parking lots at Shore temple, one is small parking at left hand side, but then there is a big one on right hand side which we generally tend to overlook as the entrance is a bit hidden. So if you do not find a parking place on left hand you can try the other one. |
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| Day-1/Step-2 | 11.00AM to 1.00PM | Explore Shore Temple and Beach |
| Visit the shore temple first. You will need an hour to visit Shore temple. The temple is quite impressive. Please note that you need to take the entrance ticket and our recommendation is to take it online to avoid rush. One you come out of the temple premises, on your left hand side, you will find a narrow gully which leads to the beach. You can spend some 1 hour there. Don’t spend much time there now becuase you will come back in the evening and you are going to enjoy the evening there. |
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| Day-1/Step-3 | 1.00PM to 1.30PM | Drive to your Hotel and check-in |
| All the hotels in Mahabalipuram are at the max 15 to 20 mins drive from the Shore temple/beach and monuments. So drive back to hotel and check in. |
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| Day-1/Step-4 | 1.30PM to 3.30PM | Lunch and Rest |
| There are lot of good resturants around. You can try A2B or VOK and many more are there. So have your lunch and take some rest. Please note that you would have taken a left towrds shore tempe . The place where you took left is bus stand and just behind bust stand is sthalasayana perumal temple and behind that are other monuments! |
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| Day-1/Step-5 | 3.30PM to 4.00PM | Travel to Shri Shtalasyana perumal temple |
| We recommend that you leave your car in hotel and take a rickshwa or walk as all of these monuments are next to each other. Rickshaw generally charge Rs20 per person. Just behind bus stand is the Sthala sayana perumal temple . It is one of the 108 divya desam temples . Very hsitoric and ancient temple and just behind this temple is other famous mahabalipuram rock cut monuments. Now temple opens by 4.00 and remain open till 8.00 PM. So you can visit temple first and then other monuments are vice versa. |
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| Day-1/Step-6 | 4.00PM to 4.30PM | Visit Shri Shtalasyana perumal temple |
| Shri Shtalasyana perumal temple is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples and must visit. You will need not more than 30 mins.
Pay your respect to the lord and then you can visit the rock cut temple complex which is just at the back side of the temple. |
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| Day-1/Step-7 | 4.30PM to 7.00PM | Explore Rock cut monuments |
| Walk down to entrancen of the Rock cut monuments ground. You can take the tickets for rock cut monuments at the entrance or online as I have mentioned before. All together below are the monuments you will visit: So all together visited : Krishna mandapa, Arjuna penance, butter ball , Five rathas, Varaha cave temple, Raya Gopram, Triumrthi cave temple etc.. You will need atleast 2 to 3 hours to complete this visit. You need to walk a lot. Please take a note of that. |
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| Day-1/Step-8 | 7.00PM to 7.15PM | Drive or walk down to Beach near Shore Temple |
| By 7.00 , you can walk down to shore temple and go to the beach.
It's a walkable distance and that is why we said. Just take a Rickshaw from your hotel and come down to bust stop and then is every place is at walking distance. If your hotel is on the shore temple road, then you can probably just walk down from your hotel to the beach and other spots. |
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| Day-1/Step-9 | 7.15PM to 9.00PM | Spend time on the Shore temple beach |
| You will really like beach in the evening time. Very lively. You will enjoy some good time there. You will find lot of rush on the beach in the evening. If you love fish then there are lots of stalls selling fried fish. So spend some good time there. Once you come out on the main road there are lot of good resturants where you can have nice dinner. By 9.00 PM you can come back to your hotel! |
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Click on the "more options" link on the preview map below to open the directions for the day in google maps.
| Day / Step | Time Slot | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Day-2/Step-1 | 7.00AM to 8.00AM | Wakeup and get rady to check out! |
| On Day 2 you are going to cover some more interesting places. In general people know Mahabalipuram for these beautiful rock cut temples. But there are more. So get up a bit early and check out by 8.00AM. |
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| Day-2/Step-2 | 8.00AM to 9.00AM | Tarvel to A2B and have breakfast |
| A2B is quite big in Mahabalipuram. Lot of parking space available and you can have a quick breakfast there. But you are not limited to A2B, you can have your break fast at any other resturant! |
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| Day-2/Step-3 | 9.00AM to 9.10 AM | Drive to Seashell Museum |
| Seashell Museum is an interesting spot which you should not miss. It is very near around 3KM from A2B. So drive to Seashell Museum ! You will not take more than 10mins. |
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| Day-2/Step-4 | 9.15 AM to 10.00 AM | Explore Seashell Museum |
| Seashell Museum in Mahabalipuram showcases a vast collection of rare and exotic seashells from around the world. It features intricately designed shells, marine fossils, and coral exhibits. Visitors can explore educational displays, a souvenir shop, and an aquarium, making it a fascinating destination for marine life enthusiasts and collectors. You will probably need an hour or less to visit this spot! |
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| Day-2/Step-5 | 10.00AM to 10.20AM | Drive to Tigers Cave |
| From Seashell Museum to tigers cave is just 20 mins drive. Around 10 Kms. You can reach there by 10.20AM to 10.30AM |
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| Day-2/Step-6 | 10.30AM to 11.00AM | Explore tigers cave |
| You will not need more than 30 mins to see the place. Not much to see apart from som nice rock cut formations. But these rock cut carvings are wonderful and kids are going to have some nice time there! |
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| Day-2/Step-7 | 11.00AM to 11.15AM | Drive to Crocodile Bank |
| Crocodile bank is around 12KM from the Tigers Cave and is on the ECR road and you can easily reach in 15 mins. |
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| Day-2/Step-8 | 11.15AM to 1.15PM | Explore Crocodile Bank |
| The Crocodile Bank in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, is a renowned reptile conservation center founded in 1976. It houses numerous crocodile species, turtles, and snakes. Visitors can witness feeding sessions and learn about reptile conservation efforts. The park plays a crucial role in breeding and preserving endangered crocodilian species. Entry fee for Adults and Kids above 13 years is Rs100 per person. It is a very impressive area. It is said that it has an upwards of 5000 different varities of Crocodile. So good learning as well ! |
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| Day-2/Step-9 | 1.15PM to 2.30PM | Lunch |
| Afrer exploring Crocodile Bank you can go to Covelong beach. On the ECR road there are couple of good resturants where you can have some nice lunch. The Samudhra Sea Food resturant is quite good. You can try that. You can also try Hotel Reef or Pelican Deck resturnat and there are many others. So spend some 1 hour on lunch and then you can drive to Covelong Beach |
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| Day-2/Step-10 | 2.30PM to 2.45PM | Drive to Covelong Beach |
| Covlong beach is not very far from Crocodile bank. You will probably take 15 mins. You can spend some 1 hour to 1 hour 30 mins there and then you can plan to return back to Bangalore. |
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| Day-2/Step-11 | 2.45PM to 4.00 PM | Explore Covelong Beach |
| Not much to do here. Its just a beach. Not very good as well, but some good time you can spent here. Kids will enjoy playing in water. |
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| Day-2/Step-12 | 4.00PM to 11.00PM | Drive back to Bangalore |
| You will take 6 to 7 hours to drive back to Bangalore. Roads are good and there are many good food and lodging options on the way if you plan to take a pit stop !
Have a nice trip and Safe Journey ! |
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Click on the "more options" link on the preview map below to open the directions for the day in google maps.