“Open-air Museum”
Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram is a historic town and a UNESCO world heritage site in Tamil Nadu, India. An important place to visit classical monuments, monolithic and cave temples. Any visitor who visits Mahabalipuram will be spellbound by its grandeur.
Madras Crocodile Bank
Our first stop is the Crocodile Park. Under the wild life protection act 1972, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust was established. Today it houses 17 species of crocodilians, and several species of turtles, lizards and snakes, including a few endangered ones. If you are traveling with kids, this is a MUST SEE. The reptiles are very well taken care of, it is not a zoo – it is sort of a rehab home for these endangered repliles. The premises are very clean, no animal or reptile stink at all.
They have a night safari as well, for Rs 200, one could experience life of reptiles at night, if staying overnight at Mahabalipuram. The day time entry ticket for adult is Rs 80 and child is Rs 40. Please visit the website for revised pricing. Remember, they are closed on Mondays.
Crocodile park 
Temples and monuments
This quaint town is known for its temples and monuments. Many of these monuments are carved out of a single living rock. Beautiful carvings on each monument. The panch (five) rathas are mind-blowing.
Krishna’s butter ball (name given by some tourist guide while taking PM Indira Gandhi around Mahabalipuram) is a mysterious gigantic granite boulder, resting on an incline and still stable without falling down. Its original name is “Van Irai Kal” means stone of the sky god. It is the most amazing structure, as it appears to have a one-point contact with the hill on which it is resting. Many kings of the past and even Britishers have made efforts to move it but in vain. There is a well located close to this stone, called butter well.
krishnas butter ball 
Shore temples 
cave temples
Essential Sight-Seeing
- Shore temple – the temple is constructed in such a way that the first rays of the sun fall on the presiding deity, Lord Shiva. Beautiful!!!
- Arjuna’s Penance or Descent of the Ganges – a giant open air rock relief. Intricate carvings.
- Cave temples – include the Varaha, Adi Varaha, Krishna, Mahishasuramardini (Durga), Ramanuja, Dharmaraja, Koneri, Kotikal, Panchapandava and others.
- Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) – Monolithic structures, each carved out of a single rock. Each ratha or a chariot is shaped as a pyramid and named after the 5 Pandava brothers. Its amazing how each Ratha is different from the other, the carvings are all unique, not repeated.
Entry fee for Pancha Rathas and Shore temples together is Rs 30 for Indians and Rs 500 for foreigners. There is a parking fee as well if you consider taking your car. Please refer to the website for current entry pricing.
All these monuments are at least 5000 years old, hence Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO heritage site. There are many shops around here selling and carving sculptures out of rocks. If you can manage to ship these to your home town, then its an excellent momento.
One more thing – Mahabalipuram has gorgeous beaches. But we are anyways heading towards Pondicherry, yet another beach town so we skip the beaches here.