Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram): One of south India's most famous sights, 50km (31miles) south of Chennai along the East Coast Highway, Mamallapuram is a popular place for a beach holiday with picturesque beaches and a good selection of places to stay. The beachfront restaurants and some of the fishing community were affected by the 2004 tsunami, but are back to normal now. Mamallapuram has a superb collection of ancient shore temples that have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is still a renowned centre of stone carving and artisans are seen and heard chipping away. Highlights include: the Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance, one of the largest bas-reliefs in the world, the five monolithic stone shrines of Panch Pandava Rathas, and Mahishmardini Cave, a triple-celled temple with a mandapam in front.

Puducherry (Pondicherry): A former French trading station 189km (117 miles) south of Chennai, easygoing Pondi is a pleasant seaside town with broad boulevards and some charming  hotels and restaurants. It is home to the  famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram (website: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.in), founded in 1926, which draws visitors from throughout the world. It also has the French Institute of Pondicherry (tel: (0413) 233 4168; website: www.ifpindia.org), opened in 1955 for the study of Indian culture, and a number of interesting French-influenced churches. The 19th-century Botanical Gardens are a relaxing place for an unhurried stroll.

Kanchipuram: This holy city 80km (50 miles) southwest of Chennai is one of Hinduism's seven most sacred and it has been a pilgrimage place for centuries. It now contains over 50  temples, each one with different characteristics: Ekambaresvara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one you shouldn't miss, with its exquisitely carved Thousand Pillar Hall (although it has fewer than 1,000 pillars today). Kanchipuram has also been famous for its weavers for the last four centuries.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary: The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, 85km (53 miles) southwest of Chennai, is a sensational place to appreciate some local environment - this is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in India; a marshy 30-hectare (74-acre) park with a lake, visited by an estimated 100,000 migratory birds annually. The best time to visit is between November and February. Species include herons, storks, spoonbills, pelicans and white ibis.