Karthigai Deepam is the South Indian version of Diwali. A festival of lights, it is celebrated in the Tamil month of Kaarthigai on a full moon day. Decorative uruli lamps are lit during this festival and special sweets and treats are made to serve to visiting family and friends.

Due to several beaches located here, Chennai is a haven for water sports. From surfing to  scuba diving or enjoying a simple banana boat ride, one can find it all. Water skiing, wake boarding and knee boarding, kayaking, speed boat rides, double tube rides and parasailing are the main sports that a traveller can experience here. Covelong is known for its pristine beaches and offers a delightful opportunity to water sport enthusiasts.

The Anna Zoological Park is one of the largest complexes of its kind in South East Asia. It is spread out over an area of about 602 hectare. About 40 varieties of mammals, 20 avian species and 14 species of reptiles call this park home. It also shelters a number of reptiles like crocodile, star tortoise, variety of snakes, lizards, etc. One can also find some popular migratory birds and the zo0 also has some rare birds including a variety of storks, cranes, herons, etc. Along with a butterfly park, the zoo also has set ups for conducting  animal welfare, research, veterinary services, horticulture and sanitation work. The park was established in 1976 and opened to public in 1985.

Elliot’s Beach is a stretch of sand along the coast that continues on the southern side of the popular Marina Beach. This area is home to three famed religious establishments: the Velankanni Church (like the church in Nagapattinam), the Ashtalakhmi Temple (with shrines dedicated to eight different incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi), and granite replica of Arupadai Veedu (the six special abodes of Lord Murugan), along with various other temples, where tourists can feel spirituality and seaside bliss. Elliot's Beach is also called Besant Nagar Beach. Visitors can enjoy multiple cuisines offered by an array of restaurants and fast food centres on the beach. 

There are many opportunities for shopping in Chennai. These include high-end boutiques, arts, crafts, souvenirs and textiles. One can head to T Nagar to shop for Kanjeevaram sarees and gold jewellery; Pondy Bazaar for leather goods, clothes for men and women and trinkets; Kader Nawaz Khan Road for branded shops and boutiques. While Ritchie Street is popular for electronic items, Anna Salai is famed for the Spencer Plaza Mall, which is one of the oldest shopping complexes in the city. There are a wide variety of malls located in Chennai that house international brands too.

One of the best buys in the city can be the renowned Tanjore paintings, an indigenous art form, which can be a great way to beautify the interiors of your homes. Wood carvings are a speciality of the city and you can indulge in shopping for various furniture and home décor items. Chennai is also noted for basket and fibre products that are made with palm trees, along with bamboo shoots, cane, grass and reeds. Besides the use of wooden barks, the artisans also use coconut fibres to make products like baskets, ropes, mats and other items. Found across the temples of Chennai, stone carvings are an exquisite attraction of the city, and tourists can buy souvenirs like figurines and sculptures reflecting duplications of those carvings. Moreover, there are many unique and handcrafted items available that make for great buys.