BHPian neil.jericho recently shared this with other enthusiasts:Rediscovering an Underrated Coastal Classic:Earlier in the year, an impromptu solo ride to the coastal town of Mahabalipuram made me realize exactly what an underrated gem this really is. Situated a scant 100 kilometers away from the more upmarket, fashionable, tourist-centric, and Instagram-friendly union territory of Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram finds it understandably hard to jump onto the radar of tourists from different parts of the country. Despite its perceived limitations, this was a place that I was keen to visit again in 2025, and as fate would have it, TBHPian shaikhmimran and I were able to ride down to Mahabalipuram over a long weekend.Back on the Road:Given that we were in no real rush to get to our destination, we planned for a late departure from Bangalore, only to encounter mind-numbingly awful traffic while exiting the city. A quick breakfast at Shoolagiri did wonders to satiate our appetites and freshen our minds before we continued towards Krishnagiri. At Chengilikuppam, while I was tanking up the GSXRRRR 250, shaikhmimran realized that his motorcyclist friends had coincidentally stopped for brunch at the adjoining restaurant. The large group of gentlemen most graciously invited us to join them, which we happily did, even if it did eventually set us back by around half an hour, and took away some of the sea food appetite that I had been steadily building for our late lunch. Great weather Mirror mirror on the wall, I think Ill have them all Munching miles towards Mahabalipuram After the unanticipated break, we maintained a very fair clip on the highway until Google Maps took us through the chaotic streets of Kanchipuram, instead of bypassing the City of 1000 Temples, as it normally does. This unplanned, albeit in-depth exploration of the city showed us enough to become local tour guides, but it also delayed us by quite a bit. There was a fair amount of midday traffic in Walajabad, as well, but from there on out, it was smooth sailing. After a quick coffee break, we proceeded on towards Mahabalipuram, where we were greeted by cloudy skies and less than expected humidity. Seafood delight Peaceful easy feeling Strolling around Mahabalipuram after dinner357 Kilometres of Surprises and Stories:Our late lunch at Moonrakers included a lovely squid roast, but the prawns that we ordered were surprisingly not fresh. The rest of the evening was spent watching the sun go down on the world, before we walked around Mahabalipuram, indulged in some shopping, and finally, grabbed a simple dinner of local food at a nondescript restaurant. Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
