Puducherry is a popular tourist destination in South India. It is located on the east coast, although one of its districts ( Mahe ) is located on the west coast. The history of Puducherry goes back to the ancient ages, when traders would carry Roman goods to this area. Roman artifacts have been discovered at a place called Arikamedu near Puducherry, indicating the presence of a flourishing trade between this region and Europe in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Present day Puducherry is one of the most important tourist destinations on the east coast. Tourism in Puducherry is growing at a steady pace, thanks to adequate support from the government. The erstwhile French colony has many colonial buildings and monuments that are covered by the tours to Puducherry. Touristplacesinindia.com is your online tourist guide in Puducherry, providing you information about the city, its history, tourist attractions and other facts about the city.

How to reach Puducherry
The online tourist guide in Puducherry tells you how to reach Puducherry by various means of transport. Puducherry is accessible by air from all major cities of India. Chennai is the nearest airport, located 135 kilometers away. The other nearby airports are Bangalore (320 kms) and Trichy (220 kms).

Puducherry is connected by railway with the major nearby railway stations including Chennai, Madurai and Trichy. Villupuram is the nearest railway station.

Tours to Puducherry most often take the road route to reach the city. Excellent roads connect Puducherry to all the major cities and towns of the nearby states of Tamilnadu and

Major tourist destinations in Puducherry
The tourist guide in Puducherry also offers summary information about the major attractions of Puducherry. These include old colonial buildings, museums, historic monuments, and the excellent promenade. The government square housing the important government buildings of Puducherry and some old structures, is also a major tourist spot. The city of Puducherry is famous for being the location of the ashrama built by Sri Aurobindo, one of India�s most famous spiritual leaders. A city named after him, Auroville, is striving to promote peace and harmony. There are many important churches and temples in and around Puducherry. These include the church of the sacred heart of Jesus, and many well known temples. The nearby locations are equally interesting, and include the archaeological site of Arikamedu, the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, Thiruvannamalai, and Chunnambar Resort. The promenade and Puducherry beach are the most popular tourist spots in the city.

Climate, clothing and general tips
The temperatures often reach 40 �C during the summer. The winter months are the ideal time to visit Puducherry and its other districts. Winter starts in November and is marked by showers brought by the north eastern winds. Light cottons are advised for summer and for winters, jackets and light woolens would suffice. For monsoons, umbrellas and waterproof bags are recommended.

Adequate precaution should be taken to safeguard the important travel documents, including passport, visa and identification papers. Photocopies should be carried at all times, so that you do not have to hand over the originals to anybody.

Although Puducherry is a safe place for the tourists, it is advised that tourists exercise caution regarding their transactions and acquaintances. Traveling in groups always helps. All bookings should ideally be done by approved travel agents, having certification from the tourism department of India.

Avoid uncooked local food, fruits sold openly, and water or water based drinks on the streets. Adequate medicines and other basic necessities like mosquito repellants should be carried.

Touristplacesinindia.com provides an online tourist guide in Puducherry, and information about the other tourist places in India.