comprises of sun, sand and surf. Countedamong one of the longest
beaches in Asia, it is stretched across a 12-km long area. This beach
was given a makeover by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff in
the early 1880's, and is Chennai's major tourist attraction today.
Adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, Chennai has one of the loveliest
beaches in India. A walk along the Marina, whether in the morning or
evening, re-energizes one. The old buildings dotting the otherside of
Kamarajar Salai, a main road along the Marina, bring back memories of
good old British Raj. The Senate House of the University of Madras and
the old buildings now housing government offices, such as Ezhilagam
and the Director General of Police office. They wear a mysterious look
in the morning when the Sun rises.
Walk along the beach bordered with a green lawn will entice you to go
on a leisurely stroll. At the intersections of this promenade stand
beautifulstatues of Tamil scholars, patriots, and noted personalities.
The Statue ofLabour is a beautiful sculpture depicting the efforts of
a team of laborers who are at strenuous, manual work.
¤ Activities At Marina Beach
Located on the eastern sideof Chennai, adjoining the Bay of Bengal is
the mesmerizing Marina beach.Watching the sun set and rise from the
beach is a fascinating experience.
Bathing and swimming canbe dangerous here, as the undercurrent is very
strong. But still people come for swimming here. The beach also offers
a lot of water sports opportunities, like, para-sailing, gliding,
windsurfing, cruising, etc.
In the evenings, the beach turns into a fair ground with various kinds
of entertainment and food stalls lining the beach. One can even shop
around the beach, buying shell and glass baubles to kites and fruit
juices. The Marina, is also the venue for important state functions,
accommodate a good number of visitors. There are also facilities of
pony rides at the beach site, which attract the children'sinterest the
most.
¤ Aquarium
Aquarium is located close to the Marina beach, which has some of the
most exotic collection of tropical sea fishes and fresh water fishes.
The aquarium offers a chance to have a closer look at the aquatic
life. TheIce House, which was used to store ice brought from Great
Lakes in North America, is south to the Aquarium.
Situated on the beach, good number of visitors everyday.
¤ Attractions Around Marina Beach
Beautiful buildings in Chennai such as the University of Madras,
Senate-House, Chepauk Palace, Presidency College, P.W.D office and Ice
House are located on the beach drive. At the other end of the beach is
the new lighthouse. In between, sentinels on the promenade, are
several statues of Tamil scholars and two splendid bits of sculpture-
the Victory of Labour/