A little isolated from the mainland, Paradise beach is a privy beach, and is a little under 8km from the Pondicherry city, located along the Cuddalore Main Road stretch. The idyllic beach is discrete and sits right at the mouth of the backwaters, where the Chunnambar River unites with the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. With time, as the beach gained popularity, residents named the beach Plage Paradiso, where Plage is a French word for beach, and ideally refers to a sandy beach near a seaside resort.
Quite a popular weekend getaway, the Paradise beach is a hidden haven for the residents to escape the city, and is frequently visited by the younger crowd and tourists. Accessed only from the boathouse at Chunnambar backwaters via ferry, the boat ride is under 30 minutes from the northern shores of Chunnambar River. Unhurried and tranquil, tourists can enjoy the ferry ride, overlooking the white sandy banks of the beach, that come into full-view from the upper deck of the boat.
Ideally the Paradise beach is great for beach volleyball, sunbathing, resting under the beach umbrellas, palm trees and has built-in shelters for shade, from rain and sun. For adventure seekers, carry your bathing suit and enjoy swimming under low tides near the shore, and as a cautionary rule, swimming in the deep is restricted for public during high tides. After all the fun with water rides and playing under the sun, beat your hunger pangs at the beach restaurant, with mouth-watering Indian and Continental delicacies, refreshments, casual brunch, or snack on light meals with coffee and club sandwiches.
For public convenience, beach umbrellas, chairs, fishing rods, nets, and volleyball are available for rent at the beach on hourly rate, and a water sports agency rents jet-skis and kayaks, and entertains people with water-sled rides and speed boat tours. Monsoon season is closed off for the public from June to October, and peak tourist season begins from late October – March, as the weather is more comfortable and ideal for spending time at the beach.
Open from 9am until sunset, the entry fee for the seaside beach is Rs 200 per head, and boathouse fee is Rs 10 per adult and Rs 5 Rupees for children below 6. The ferry rides frequent every 20 minutes from the boathouse to the beach, and long beach rides are not allowed after 4pm and cost between Rs 100 – Rs 650. After 4pm, only short boat rides around the Chunnambar backwaters are allowed.
For the best experience, the golden hours of the early morning boat rides are highly recommended for photography, bird spotting, and to watch dolphins glide through the coast of Bay of Bengal, which meets the Chunnambar River at the entrance of the seaside beach. As the boat cuts through the backwaters, the scenic background of lush coconut trees, hedged by the dense mangrove forests, and clear blue skies, is truly paradisiacal for the viewer, and is a perfect keepsake for Instagram holiday stories.
Address & Contact
Paradise Beach,
Manaveli Rd, Chinna Veerampattinam,
Puducherry 605007
Directions: Google Maps
Phone: +91 413 2339497 (tourism centre)
