About Besant Nagar

The upscale residential neighbourhood of Besant Nagar enjoys a strategic location in South Chennai, along the beautiful Elliot’s Beach. Bound by the Bay of Bengal on the east, this area is inhabited by a number of famous personalities and officials of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Customs, and the Central Government. It is also famous for housing Kalakshetra Academy, a world-famous dance school, within the sprawling green campus of the Theosophical Society. Staying at hotels in Besant Nagar, Chennai offers access to many commercial complexes, schools, parks, restaurants, shops and religious centres as well.

Shopping and Dining in and around Besant Nagar

It would be a delight for shopaholics to stay at one of the hotels in Besant Nagar as the area is home to a large number of shops selling clothes, bags, books, gift items, home décor, vegan products, and more. An all-time famous shopping adda in the neighbourhood is Fast Fashions that sells high-street and other casual apparel brands at factory prices. Trends is another popular place to shop in Besant Nagar for beauty brands. The multi-brand store called Maal Gaadi is a favourite among those looking for designer everything. There is also a small street market in the area for budget shoppers.

The lanes of Bessie (as the area is fondly called) are lined with options aplenty when it comes to food and drinks. Among the popular places to eat are Murugan Idli Shop and Vishranti Hot Point, offering South Indian specialities. Jonah’s Bistro, Mash Resto Cafe, Blind Ch3mistry, and Pupil are some other restaurants and cafes that are worth visiting. In bars and pubs, the best place to go is BOATS – Based on a True Story. Street food lovers can head to Elliot’s Beach to enjoy fried fish, chaat, etc.

Places to Visit in and around Besant Nagar

The star attraction in Besant Nagar is Elliot's Beach, which marks the end-point of the more popular Marina Beach. There are also many popular shrines near Besant Nagar hotels like Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple, Annai Velankanni Church, Varasiddhi Vinayakar Temple, Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple, and Sri Rathnagiriswarar Temple. Besant Gardens is one of the best-known verdant spaces in the city and a must-visit for exploring the local flora and fauna. Some nearby popular attractions include Sri Marundeeswarar Temple (2.4 km), MGR Film City (3.4 km) and Guindy National Park (4.6 km).

How to Reach Besant Nagar

The Besant Nagar bus terminal (soon to be converted into a depot) is serviced by some 85 different buses in a day and makes one of the preferred transit hubs for travellers who have booked Chennai hotels in the area. From Chennai International Airport (13.7 km) as well as the city’s main railheads, Chennai Central (11.3 km) and Egmore (13 km), it takes around half an hour to reach here. Pre-paid taxis and suburban trains are easily available from these points to commute to Besant Nagar.