Lomography

Head to Pondicherry for an eclectic combination of sun, sand, sea and surf with some good French cuisine thrown in and long walks by the sea with a room overlooking it.

Pondicherry is on the eastern coast of India. The Indian Ocean, unlike the west coast beaches like Goa and Gokarna is full bodied with hardly any tidal movements. I did not see any significant changes in the sea level during the day. Swimming might not be as much fun thanks to all these reasons. Weather wise, the humidity and heat make this a good winter destination. We had quite the time walking around all day long.

The great things I had heard about food here did not quite ring true. We were served lasagna with no pasta in it for example, a lot like Shepherd’s Pie. Unless you want to eat Indian food, you might be in for a bad surprise. Alliance Francaise has a small cafe with good food or you can also go to Le Club for its Creme Brule. It soon became our dinner ritual. :)

Autorickshaws in Pondicherry have quite the monopoly and charge just about any random price. You will end up paying 3-4 times the actual fare unless you bargain. You can also hire bicycles to ride around the town.

DO NOT make plans for Sunday. Almost all shops/craft centers are shut.

Last but not least, if you are a beach bum and are in Pondicherry in the winter months, stay in the beach huts. They are cheap and have a breathtaking view of the sea.

Also taste the cheese locally made in Pondicherry by Le Ferme and plan a visit to the bakery. They have some good bread and cakes that you might not want to miss. I know I went on and on about food in this article but in terms of entertainment, options are few in this small, beautiful town.

Thanks for reading and hope you found this useful!