8 Places You Must Visit Around Bengaluru If A Quick Getaway Is What You Require

7. Pondicherry

This former French colony is a major tourist attraction in the South and is famous for beaches, museums, botanical gardens, churches, landmarks, historical monuments and just about everything.

It takes a little over five hours from Bengaluru to reach Pondy, as it is fondly called by locales. To begin with, the clear 1500 metre long beach is ideal for sunbathing and swimming. Move to the 400-year old Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple with stunning paintings, the Sacred Heart Basilica and Notre Dame des Anges, and on to the ‘universal city’ of Auroville with its most famous landmark, the Matri Mandir.

8. Kannur

A journey of over six and half hours from Bangalore, Kannur formerly known as Cannanore, serves as a perfect weekend getaway. The presence of India’s longest drive-in-beach, Muzhappilangad is one of the important tourist attractions. One can only imagine its importance with the beach celebration that takes place in the month of April. Kannur is also blessed with mesmerizing Payyambalam Beach. Apart from the exhilarating beaches, Kannur has the unique Parassinikkadavu snake park, a farm dedicated to preservation and conservation of snakes in Kannur. The notable places to visit include St. Angelo Fort, Arakkal Museum in Ayikkara, Meenkunnu Beach in Azhikode, Aralam wildlife sanctuary, Tellicherry Fort and Cannanore Lighthouse.