Things to do in Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram, officially Mamallapuram, lies about 60 km south of Chennai at the end of the ECR's weekend stretch. Its 7th- and 8th-century Pallava monuments, including the Shore Temple, the Pancha Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and the boulder called Krishna's Butter Ball, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Tamil Nadu Tourism holds the Indian Dance Festival here each winter on an open-air stage near the monuments; the 2025–26 edition ran from 21 December to 19 January, and the 2026–27 dates had not been published at the time of writing. Beach resorts north of the town host weekend music events, yoga retreats and New Year parties.