Travel Information

Travel info

Visa & Immigration
A general visa and other immigration rules that apply to rest of India also apply for visiting Tamil Nadu.

Getting to Tamil Nadu
The best way of getting into Tamil Nadu is either by flight or train.

Airports:
Arakkonam Naval Air Station (IATA: N/A, ICAO: VOAR) is located near Arakkonam in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The runway is the second longest in India after the Hyderabad International Airport.

Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA, ICAO: VOMM) is located in Tirusulam, 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Chennai, India. It is the one of the largest international gateways into the country, the third busiest airport in India after Mumbai and Delhi, and also the main air hub for Tamil Nadu, handling around 12 million passengers in 2007 and serving more than 25 different airlines. It is also a hub for Jet Airways, Kingfisher Red, Air India and Paramount Airways. It is the second-largest cargo hub in the country, after Mumbai.

Coimbatore International Airport (IATA: CJB, ICAO: VOCB) is an international airport located in Peelamedu, serving Coimbatore. It was previously known as Peelamedu Aerodrome or Coimbatore Civil Aerodrome. It is about 13 km from the city centre.

Madurai Airport (IATA: IXM, ICAO: VOMD) is a public airport serving Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The airport is located about 13 km (8.1 mi) from the Madurai railway station. It is served by four airlines, and has connectivity to Bangalore, Ahmadabad,Goa, Chennai, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Cochin and Pune.

Tiruchirapalli Airport or Trichy Airport (IATA: TRZ, ICAO: VOTR) is a major airport mostly serving Tiruchirapalli and adjacent districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The airport, located on the NH 210 Tiruchirapalli-Rameswaram highway, is 5 km (3.1 mi)[1] south of the city centre. The airport serves domestic and international destinations. It is the second largest airport in Tamilnadu having connectivity to international destinations

Tuticorin Airport (IATA: TCR) is an airport located 10 km (6.2 mi) from Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu, India.

Vellore Airport (IATA: VOVR) is an airport located in Vellore, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

Climate of Tamil Nadu
The climate of Tamil Nadu is tropical in nature with little variation in summer and winter temperatures. While April-June is the hottest summer period with the temperature rising up to the 40ºC mark, November-February is the coolest winter period with temperature hovering around 20ºC, making the climate quite pleasant. Surprisingly, Tamil Nadu gets all its rains from the North-east Monsoons between October and December, when the rest of Tamil Nadu remains dry. The average annual rainfalls in Tamil Nadu range between 25 and 75 inches (635 and 1,905 mm) a year.

During summers (April- June), the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu become uncomfortably warm and humid, but the cool sea breezes in the afternoon make nights cool and pleasant. In this period the enchanting hill stations of the state provide much needed respite from heat and humidity of the plains.

The best period to visit Tamil Nadu is between Octobers to March, when the climate becomes pleasantly cool.

Fairs & Festivals of Tamil Nadu
Festivals in Tamil Nadu are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. Some of the prominent festivals celebrated here are, Pongal, Kanthuri, Chithrai, Mahamagam and many more.
check out Tamil Nadu festival dates information

Languages Spoken in Tamil Nadu
Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu state and one of the 18 languages mentioned in the eighth schedule of the Indian constitution. Tamil is one of the classical languages of the world, with a rich heritage of literature. It is the most widely spoken language in Tamil Nadu. Besides Tamil Nadu, Tamil is also spoken by a number of people in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Mauritius and Malaysia. The antiquity of Tamil is comparable to Sanskrit. Tamil is written in a derivative of the southern 'Brahmi' script. The alphabet of Tamil is unique (phonetic). That is, in Tamil language letters represent sounds, rather than ideas, as is the case in the 'Mandarin' language of China.

Tamil is spoken by most of the people while around ten percent of the people residing in Tamil Nadu speak Telugu. Other languages that are popular in the state are Kannada, Urdu and Malayalam (though they are spoken by much smaller percentage). The influence of the Malayalam language is more prominent in the west while people residing mostly in the North Eastern part, bordering Karnataka, speak Kannada. Besides the above-mentioned languages, English is also spoken as a subsidiary language in Tamil Nadu.

Food in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is famous for its hospitality and its deep belief that serving food to others is a service to humanity as is common in many regions of India. Traditionally, vegetarian dishes predominate the menu, including a variety of sweets and savories. However, the region has a rich cuisine involving chicken, goat and fish as well. It was developed over many centuries by Tamils who live in the region of present day Tamil Nadu in India. It is characterized by the use of rice, legumes and lentils, its distinct aroma and flavor achieved by the blending of spices including curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coconut and rosewater. The word "curry" is derived from the Tamil word 'kari' which meant "sauce".

Rice and legumes play an important role in Tamil cuisine. Lentils are also consumed extensively, either accompanying rice preparations, or in the form of independent dishes. Vegetables and dairy products are essential accompaniments.

On special occasions, traditional Tamil dishes are prepared in almost the same way as they were centuries ago—preparations that call for elaborate and leisurely cooking, and served in traditional style and ambience. The traditional way of eating a meal involves being seated on the floor, having the food served on a banana leaf, and using clean fingers of the right hand to transfer the food to the mouth. After the meal, the fingers are washed, and the banana leaf becomes food for cows. This is a very environment friendly way of life. These traditions are also common in other regions such as in Andhra Pradesh & Kerala.

Because of modernization, urbanization, cosmopolitan culture and the break-up of the joint family system, compromises and adaptations are being made. A movement towards a simpler cuisine can be sensed. Urbanization has introduced Western-style seating arrangements at traditional events with tables, chairs, plates and cutlery becoming the norm, and food being served buffet-style.

Despite changes in practices and their cultural implications, Tamil cuisine retains its basic character in the use of ingredients, and its aroma and flavor remain unchanged.