Hey there! I hope you are hereafter deciding to catch a quick break from your routines and escape to a peaceful place, and what better than Pondicherry for a quick getaway. Especially if you are travelling from anywhere in South India. So here is my guide if you are looking to explore Pondicherry on a Budget.
I personally love Pondicherry for a weekend getaway and I have been there multiple times. The serene streets of white streets, the calmness at the rock beach promenade and the surfers and blue waves at the serenity beach makes it a perfect getaway.
Here is what I do every time I travel from Bangalore to Pondicherry on a budget.
How to get to Pondicherry on a budget?
From Bangalore, I take an overnight bus which usually cost around 800 INR for a sleeper and around 650 INR for Semi sleeper AC buses, Private or State Transport. So getting to Puducherry from Bangalore in a budget is pretty easy. You can also drive down there, but that won't be a budget-friendly trip. But, if you are planning a trip to Pondicherry from Delhi it is not going to be that easy too!
From Delhi or Kolkata or Bombay, Take a flight to Chennai and take a bus from Chennai to Pondicherry, which usually takes 2 hours and 200 rupees.
Where to stay in Pondicherry?
Best bet on a budget is to stay at the ashram guest house, but for that, you need to follow quite a few rules and curfews, but It is more than worth because of the people there, the location and price!
If you want to stay at a hotel, I suggest book online, look out for options near the Pondicherry bus stand. There is a couple of reason why I would suggest this. The Promenade is walk-able from the bus stand, around 1.5 km and about 900 meters to the market to rent bikes.
So you save on the around 400 INR coming and going to the bus stand, sometimes per person even {during holiday seasons}
And second, cause you can leave your luggage at the hotel, {which is near the stand} and go around for as long as you want after checking out and freshen up before boarding the bus, at a decent restroom, while you go for picking up the luggage. But, do make sure you don't leave anything expensive there.
But if you want to relax at the lap of luxury, try getting a reservation at the promenade hotel or a few around the Promenade area. Thankfully, there are a lot of hotels in Pondicherry, especially in this area, so you have quite a few options to chose from.
And if you are a gipsy soul, a few beautiful air-bnbs in the same area, filled with lush green plants and an old-world charm might be the best fit for you.
Now the most important thing,
What to do in Pondicherry on a budget?
Relax!! Relax!! Relax!!
I love to do just that sitting on the serenity beach or the promenade. But there is something for everyone there.
- Visit Auroville, see how a society like that can exist, if you have got time try to arrange a stay there. Explore the cheeses made locally, the fresh food as well.
- If you are into surfing, then serenity beach is the spot to stay for you. Stay for a week, plan to get enrolled in surfing schools. You might have to plan this a bit ahead.
- Explore the town, the French Quarter is beautiful, the city itself is dotted with beautiful with churches and temples in the Tamil part of the city. It has a balance of peace and quiet and the everyday Indian hustle-bustle and makes it that more dynamic.
- Don't forget the lip-smacking fresh food, you want gelato, no problem, wood fire pizzas, no worries, you want to try some authentic south Indian food, don't worry about that at all! You will be surprised, how many types of foods you can try at the various artsy cafes and restaurants.
- Lastly, for all the shoppers! Look for minimal designs, cotton clothes, beautiful pieces for your home at boutiques located in the White town and apart from that, look out for cheeses to bring home!
I am super happy to post a travel blog after so long! Let me know what you think of this post and if at all you actually venture out to explore Pondicherry on a budget after reading this, I'd love to know if it helped you!
Loads of love,
Priyanjana
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Wonderful Ideas to travel on a budget!