The best hotel is in fact 42 km (7 1h miles) to the north at Kovelong. The Taj Group’s Fisherman’s Cove (tel 04428-2304, 6268 Madras 474849) set in a beautiful cove has an excellent pool, wind-surfing, sailing and cottages in addition to rooms from US$65.Mid-range (US$10-35/Rs250-1000 per room night)
At Mahabalipuram the resort hotels include the Shore Temple Bay Resort (tel 235), 1 3 km (4 3/4 miles) out of town, but ideal if you just want to snooze on a private beach. It has a good pool and restaurant, and large, bright rooms at Rs400. There are also a few air-conditioned cottages. Nearer town, Silversands (tel 228, tlx 44-8082, fax 04143-280) in Kovelong Rd is a simple, comfortable place with good facilities but excellent food. Single rooms here run from Rs350 in the off season (May-July) to Rs495 single and Rs750 double in the high season (Dec-Jan). The Temple Bay Ashok (tel 254) has cottages, some with attached kitchenettes, from Rs450 single and Rs850 double.Budget (under US$10/Rs250 per room night)
Cheaper lodgings are fairly basic, but since most people spend all day on the beach and only go home to sleep, nobody appears to mind. Mamalla Bhavan (tel 250) by the bus-stand had adequate double rooms for around Rs60. The best room—No.46—is light and airy, and has a lovely balcony. Downstairs of course, there’s the famous restaurant. TTDC Youth Hostel and Cottages, situated on the way to the Shore Temple, is another favourite. It’s a well-run place, with clean rooms at Rs425 and a nice Rs100 dormitory. If you don’t mind sleeping in the open, covered with mosquito repellent, lads at the bus-stand will offer you a place to stash your gear for just Rs70 per week.
WHERE TO EAT
Silversands still has the best food in town—Indian, Chinese and continental—with fresh grilled lobster the speciality. Seafood is very good in Mahabalipuram, as is the usual travellers’ fare of pancakes, chips and lassis. Sunrise restaurant, on the way down to the Shore Temple, offers tasty grilled/boiled lobster with all the trimmings at Rs400, grilled jumbo prawns at Rs75, and a whole giant swordfish at Rs200. It’s a popular meeting-place. Nearby, the Rose Garden is popular for toasted sandwiches and choc milkshakes, while Village Restaurant offers fresh lobster from Rs50, Madras Chicken at Rs20, and Western breakfasts at Rs20. Bamboo Hut, near Sunrise, has a regular clientele of laidback gourmands, though less patient diners head up to Shore Temple Bay Resort to get some food in under an hour.
TOURIST INFORMATION
TTDC (tel 232), East Raja St, near the post office, is friendly and helpful. Indian Overseas Bank is in the town centre, near the police station.
