Marina Beach History,Timing,Address,Contact Number,images,Best time to visit

Marina Beach History,Timing,Address,Contact Number,images,Best time to visit

Marina Beach is a natural urban beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, along the Bay of Bengal, The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of 6.0 km (3.7 mi), making it the longest natural urban beach in the country.The Marina is primarily sandy, unlike the short, rocky formations that make up the Juhu Beach in Mumbai.

The average width of the beach is 300 m (980 ft)and the width at the widest stretch is 437 m (1,434 ft) Bathing and swimming at the Marina Beach are legally prohibited because of the dangers, as the undercurrent is very turbulent.

It is one of the most crowded beaches in the country and attracts about 30,000 visitors a day during weekdaysand 50,000 visitors a day during the weekends and on holidays During summer months, about 15,000 to 20,000 people visit the beach daily

History of Marina Beach

The Marina Beach has an interesting history attached to it. Before the Madras Harbour was built, what the beach was nothing more than a strip of mud infested with mudskippers. The beach was formed a s a result of regular sand deposits towards the present day road until 1881,

when the harbour was built. The pristine beauty of the Marina beach was first noticed by Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff, who was the governor of Madras and he commissioned the building of a boulevard along the stretch of sand.

From 1881 to 1886, the beach was diligently worked upon and in 1884 it was christened the Madras Marina by Elphinstone himself. A number of structures were added to the Marina beach's coastline from the 19th century onwards.

Stretched over 13 kilometres, the glistening sands of the beach are as rejuvenating as they are picturesque. Keeping in mind the popularity of the place, there has been a huge number of significant buildings and monuments build across the promenade since the beginning of the 19th century.

Marina Beach Attractions :

The aquarium and the Ice House are the main attractions on the Marina beach. The Chepauk Palace, Senate House, PWD office, Presidency College, and the Chennai University are historical buildings located on the beach drive.

The Victory of Labor and Mahatma Gandhi are two prominent statues on the Marina beach. The other statues lined along this Chennai beach

include those of Swami Sivananda, Avaaiyar, Thanthai Periyar, Tiruvalluvar, Dr. Annie Beasant, G.U. Pope, Sir Thomas Munro, Subramaniya Bharathiyar, Kamarajar, Robert Caldwell, Kannagi, Kamarajar, M.G. Ramachandran, and Shivaji Ganesan.

Memorials in the honour of the famous politicians were also added along the beach.

Arignar Anna memorial was built in 1970 while in 1988 the Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran memorial was erected. Latest additions include the memorial of Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi.

it hosts India’s first aquarium which was constructed in 1909. Additionally, walking along the promenade, history lovers could find a great many statues commemorating the lives of some of the most illustrious dignitaries in Indian history.

Whether you wish to take a romantic horse ride by the seashore or enjoy a spellbinding 360° view of the city from the Chennai Lighthouse, Marina Beach is a must-visit in Chennai.

Popular Events at Marina Beach :

Marina beach is full of activity in the early morning hours and in the evenings Walking along the beaches during sunrise and sunset is a pleasant experience for all.

Going into the sea should be done under expert guidance as the undercurrent is strong Flying kites and pony riding are popular activities on this beach.

Marina Beach is very popular with the locals. The beach also has a skating arena, joggers track and aquarium. Pony rides, merry-go-rounds and giant wheels are also on the beach.

There is a 34 ft tall artificial waterfall that was installed in 2005 on the promenade, also known as Kamarajar Salai.

The beach is one of the most prominent open spaces in Chennai and is host to many important national and cultural events like the parades on Independence Day and Republic Day.

The annual Chennai Marathon, India’s biggest city marathon, starts from Anna Square near Marina beach. The Kaanum Pongal celebration in January attracts an estimated 150,000 people on the beach for the festivities. The Marina Beach has been featured in numerous Tamil movies over the years.

There are many other statues near Anna Square dedicated to legends like Mahatma Gandhi, C N Annadurai (former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) and M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR. The Victory War Memorial near the north end of the beach honours soldiers who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

The beach was damaged by waves as high as 20 ft during the tsunami in 2004.

The beach was extensively renovated in 2008 and there are many new installations all along the beach especially on the 3 km stretch from the lighthouse till the Triumph of Labour statue. Beach cricket and kite flying are popular activities on the beach. A giant chess board is a favourite with children.

The sea is rough and there is a strong undercurrent so swimming is strictly prohibited near the beach but there are two swimming pools along the beach.

In the evening this beach becomes a fair ground with numerous stalls selling artifacts, handcrafted showpieces, ethnic jewelry, and food items. Children play games and frolic around.

Best Time To Visit :

The best time to visit Marina beach is between the months of November and February. These months are relatively cooler than the rest of the year Visiting the beach during the summer months should be avoided as Chennai can get extremely hot and humid.

The monsoon months are also not recommended due to the risk of high water tide and aggressive current Also, it is best to plan your visit to the beach early in the morning or in the evening. Avoid going out there during noon.

Marina Beach Chennai Address :

Triplicane, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600005, India.

Suggested duration :

2-3 hours

Below are the various ways you can reach Marina Beach:

By Air:

Chennai Airport is the closest and most convenient airport. It is well-connected with the rest of the country as well as the world. The airport is approximately 18.6 kilometres from the beach.

By Train:

The nearest train stations to Marina Beach are Chepauk, Thiruvallikeni, and Lighthouse Most of these stations are connected to Chennai Central railway station through local trains.

It usually takes from 3 to 10 minutes to from Chennai Central to one of these stations. Chennai Central is very well-connected to the rest of the country.

By Bus:

The closest bus stop to the beach is the Marina Beach bus stop. It has regular buses plying between the rest of the city and the beach.

By road/taxi:

Renting a private car or hiring a taxi is the most convenient way to get to the beach from anywhere in the city. It could be slightly expensive for tourists on a budget, but it saves a lot of time and effort.

Must Try Restaurant Near Marina Beach Chennai :

Marina beach is popular for its sea food. There are many restaurants providing sea food and you can notice shops in the beach itself where you can get fresh fishes and other sea food like prawns, crabs and more.

Here are some of the famous restaurants and fast food joints near Marina Beach.

1. Titanic fast food

Address- Marina Beach, Triplicane, Chennai

Cuisines- South Indian