Marina Beach - Chennai (Tamilnadu)

If you are in Chennai, then don't miss to visit the Marina Beach, one of the longest urban beaches in the world. The beach is constructed as an Italian-style promenade, its Sicilian inspiration led to its name, given by Mountstuart Grant-Duff, Governor of Madras, in 1884. The "Marina procedure" is to find a good spot on the sands and plonk down. The original Marina dish is the thengai-mangai-pattani (coconut--mango-peas) sundal, a crumbly snack sold in paper cones by an army of sundal pasangal (lads). Chilli bajji (fritters) stalls, ice-cream carts, balloon sellers and merry-go-rounds for children add noisy colour to the waterfront. Come at the time of sunrise, to avoid the crowds and join the regulars. Statues of Tamil patrons and commemorative memorials to departed political leaders (Aringar Anna and M.G. Ramachandran) occupy the northern end of the beach.