Southeastern India People & Culture

Coimbatore is a fairly industrial town in South India, mostly driven by the textiles industry but also home to Udhaya Semiconductors, a family owned solar module manufacturing plant. I wouldn't recommend it as a vacation spot, since if is your typical indian overpopulated and severely polluted city, but the people are wonderful and I very much enjoyed the year that I lived there.

Visit the Ashram! It is a fascinating and peaceful place. It's a bit scary, too, when you see so much devotion in a religion you might not share. A very interesting experience. Be cautious how people behave and try not to be the typical tourist. Remove your shoes when you see others do it.

good people there !

This French-Tamil city feels more Tamil than French in most parts but decidedly French in some and there are nice French touches everywhere... don't miss Auroville, which is what many come for... not only is it a uniquely successful example in international community living and a development model but also a place to meet somewhat different people from various countries, including plenty of French, sharing common values and insights...

Hyderabad is one of the biggest Muslim cities in India, perhaps that's why you find a nice mixture between India and the Muslim society. Be aware of being alone as a 'white guy' in Hyderabad, since some extremist locals -as I experienced- don't like European or American people.

My home town. None other place can beat Coimbatore :-). Its culture, freakness, flamboyance, passion well I can keep adding.. There are lot of places to visit around Coimbatore District. Kovai Coutrallam, Vaidehi falls (From Narasipuram or Viraliyur you will have to engage bullock cart, even today, to reach this falls) - Its an amazing place. Watch out for elephants if you are gonna stay late till evening. Some places are restricted forest area, so be vigilant. I will write more places shortly

Coimbatore is a major industrial city in India and the third largest city in the state of Tamil Nadu.. It is known as Manchestre of South India. Coimbatore is situated in the extreme west of Tamil Nadu, near the state of Kerala. Coimbatore has a population of over 1.5 million. Coimbatore is known for its textile factories, engineering firms, automobile parts manufacturers, health care facilities, educational institutions, pleasant weather, hospitality and for its Kongu Tamil. Coimbatore has a very pleasant, salubrious climate. Other towns in South India reach unbearable temperatures, while Coimbatore does not feel the heat as much. The temperature in this part of India is quite pleasant throughout the year. The best time to visit Coimbatore is between the months of July to February. The city has a multi-cultural society, mostly of cosmopolitan nature. Its inhabitants are largely conservative and traditional, retaining their roots in their native villages. There are numerous temples in the city. The city has three major temples, Marudamalai, Perur and Karamadai. Coimbatore cuisine is predominantly south Indian with rice as its base. Coimbatore flavours are generally fairly mild, with variations to suit the local palette. Most locals still retain their rural flavour, with many restaurants serving food over a banana leaf. North Indian, Chinese and continental cuisines are also available. Mysorepa (a sweet made from lentil flour and ghee), idly, dosa, Halwa (a sweet made of different ingredients like milk, wheat, rice) and vada-sambar and Biryani are popular among the locals. The recent influx of coffee shops and pizza shops has increased and serving as hangout locations for the youth. The city has its own airport catering to most of the domestic destinations and few international destinations. A well connected broad gauge rail system is present along with a small section of meter gauge rail link as well. Buses seems to be a major transport option for the city dwellers. A bus ride in the bus is always recommended to the visitors...a word of caution it is not for the light hearted...but one gets to see life of coimbatore there.

Three oceans coming together in One! It is a massive energy overthere!
Lots of stories about diffrent cultures to find...
Dont stay to long, toerist point.

Hyderabad, apart from its famous palaces, Mosque and biriyani, is also known for pearls. The old city has an area where the streets are lined with pearl jewellers (like the Dubai gold souk.) Needless to say the designs and prices are NICE.

Filmed in Nagapattinam soon after the Tsunami. It was one of the places where the waves had maximum impact. There were fears of an epidemic, but thankfully, none of that happened. The measures taken by the authorities to control/ prevent disease were commendable.
The impact was felt upto a mile from the sea. The visible signs ranged from houses that were totally destroyed, to fishing trawlers that remained lodged atop houses and bridges. The bulk of the casualities were amongst the fishermen. Most of whom lived by the sea.

A lovely town in Western Tamil Nad...Coimbatore is buzzing with activity but at a slow laid back pace. The town is pretty and with enough places to eat and shop offers just enough for a tourist. With lots of places of interest within short distances it serves as the ideal place of stay. Visit Bikes and Barrels for any pubbing experinece whatsoever

Walk by the beach and talk to the fisherman. Some of them offer rides in their catamaran (a fishing boat made of wooden logs tied together by natural twines). The cost can range from 400 to 700 rupees. Bring your own life jacket. They also serve a rice based alcoholic drink, fried fish and fried sea insects for a really cheap price. Not yummy but definitely something to try out.

Don't just hit the beach. Head beyond the lighthouse to the fishing villages beyond. Amazingly, they are completely untouched by tourism as very few Westerners seem to explore beyond the commercialised beach-front! There is a lovely mosque, and then you hit the village itself - full of gorgeous colourful boats and fishermen preparing their nets. Be sure to dress very modestly here. It is very conservative and predominantly muslim. I recommended the place to another girl I met in Kovalam and she got stones thrown at her! I had no trouble, but I think you do need to have your wits about you here. There is also a cool church that is all pink and white and looks very kitsch.

Quite a nice place but 3 hours of custom's paper to enter the country and 3 more hours to leaves is a far too much for one only day in India!!!

Chennai/Madras is one of the better cities in India. Indians 4th largest city its a little easier to handle than Delhi or Mumbai.

Hyderbad has a nickname called 'cyberabad' because it is India's computer and information centre. A must see here is the 'Ramoji film set', a 2000 acre site full of wild sets.

Coimbatore is a district and not really a city..
very poor public transport...
would do well to book car rental in advance..
is the spot to land to go to hill stations like Kodaikanal or Munnar

Get up early and get to the temple at dawn, watching it come alive before the hordes arrive is a fantastic experience...

Dont stay at the dodgy government hotel listed in the Lonely Planet!