Chettinad Tour Packages from Coimbatore

How to reach Chettinad from Coimbatore

Chettinad is about 255 km from Coimbatore, roughly 5 hours by road with stops. Karaikudi is the main town and the base for most visits. We pick you up in Coimbatore and drive in our own AC vehicle. An early start puts you in Karaikudi by early afternoon.

Chettinad is a cluster of villages around Karaikudi, mostly in Sivaganga district and partly in Pudukkottai. Wikipedia counts 56 villages in Sivaganga and 20 in Pudukkottai, and says 74 of the original 96 villages remained by 2010. Most of the sights you will visit sit within 25 km of Karaikudi.

Chettinad Palace and the main places to see

The Chettinad Palace is in Kanadukathan, about 10 km from Karaikudi. It was built by Dr. Annamalai Chettiyar, the founder of Indian Bank and Annamalai University, and dates to 1912, according to the Sivaganga district website. Interior access can vary, so we check it for your date.

• Kanadukathan. A small town known for Chettinad-style houses with large carved entrances that look like temple gateways. The 19th-century mansions have wide courtyards, with marble and teak that were largely imported (marble from Italy, teak from Burma), per Wikipedia.
• Athangudi. 24 km from Karaikudi, known for handmade tiles. They are made from local soil and glass plates, in many colours and patterns.
• Pillayarpatti. The Karpaga Vinayagar Temple, described by the district website as one of the oldest rock-cut cave temples in Tamil Nadu.
• Aayiram Jannal Veedu. A house in Karaikudi built in 1941, said to have about 1,000 windows.
• Kundrakudi. A Murugan temple listed among the area's famous temples.

Chettinad food and why the mansions exist

Chettinad cooking uses plenty of herbs and spices, which reflects the Chettiars' history as traders in salt and spices. The Nattukottai Chettiars were a banking and trading community, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries many traded across South and Southeast Asia, including Burma, Ceylon, Vietnam and Malaysia. That trade income paid for the mansions.

Meals are not included in the package price, so you choose where to eat.

How many days do you need, and what does it cost?

Two days covers the palace, Kanadukathan, an Athangudi tile unit and Pillayarpatti. The 2-day Chettinad package starts at ₹8,000 per person. If you want temples as well, the 5-day Kumbakonam Chettinad package starts at ₹14,200. Both include the AC vehicle, driver, fuel, toll, parking and hotel; meals, tickets and personal expenses are extra.

The 2-day Chettinad tour suits couples, food lovers and anyone who wants to see mansion architecture or buy tiles. The 5-day Kumbakonam Chettinad tour spends two nights in Kumbakonam for Navagraha temples and Darasuram, then two in Chettinad. That package shows a price range, so your quote fixes the exact amount for your group and dates.

Best time to visit Chettinad

November to February is the best time for Chettinad: it is cooler and better for walking the mansion lanes. April to June is hot, and the northeast monsoon brings rain from October to December. Plan walks for the morning and evening in the hot months.

Related pages: Kumbakonam, Madurai, Trichy, Thanjavur and the Tamil Nadu guide. WhatsApp +91 86101 62373 with your dates.