Tourist
Spots::
Kanchipuram
(66kms) West of Mamallapuram. This temple town was once
the capital of the Pallava dynasty. The silk sarees produced here are renowned
throughout the
world.
Vedanthangal
Located 53 km from Mahabalipuram, Vedanthangal is one of the oldest bird
sanctuaries in India. The sheer number of birds that visit this sanctuary
is amazing. It is said that almost 1,00,000 avian species of varied shapes,
sizes and hues-including storks, egrets, cormorants, darter, and flamingos-visit
this sanctuary between October and March.
Kovalam::
Just 19 kilometres from Mahabalipuram is situated the picturesque
beach resort of Covelong, a quiet fishing village with the remains of a fort.
Facilities for windsurfing, swimming and water sports are available here. If
you are in Mahabalipuram, don't miss out on a visit to this place.
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Muttukadu
An ideal place for water sports, Muttukadu is 21 km from
Mahabalipuram. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has a
boathouse here. Visitors can enjoy boating, canoeing, kayaking, and windsurfing.
The Dakshina Chitra of Madras Craft Foundation here has replica of an old agricultural
house of Tamil Nadu, replica of Kanchipuram weavers house and replicas of ancient
houses presenting the lifestyle of South India
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Crocodile Bank
The Crocodile bank is situated barely 14 km from Mahabalipuram
on the Chennai-Mahabalipuram road. Set up by an American named Romulus Whitaker
in 1976, the number of crocodiles in the bank grew in its first 15 years from
just 15 to over 5,000. Located nearby is a snake farm where anti-venom is produced
for treating snakebites.
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