Madurai airport is mostly domestic, and there are no direct flights from Europe. There are several daily flights to Chennai, and currently there is one direct flight to Mumbai. Chennai is also connected by train - the fastest is the Tejas Express, at 6 hours 15 minutes to and from Madurai Junction station.
A very good hotel option is the JC Residency: compared to the Hotel North Gate (see below) it's somewhat more expensive, but newer, a category higher, and more spacious, quieter and overall much more comfortable. It's very clean, with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, en-suite bathrooms, wifi, laundry service. Good restaurant, small garden, small pool, small gym, small shop. It's 2km from Madurai Seed. Very hospitable, good value, and recommended - it's where we stay! There is a small shopping mall (with ATM) and a useful supermarket nearby, and there is an auto rickshaw stand right opposite the hotel. Another hotel, slightly closer to Madurai Seed (1.7km), is the Hotel North Gate: it's less expensive than the JC Residency. It's clean, with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, en-suite bathrooms, wifi, laundry service and a restaurant. Generally rather noisier and more "economy" class. We used to stay there, but now prefer the JC Residency. The neighbourhood around this hotel (Goripalayam) has shops, open-air markets, cash dispensers, a post office, small temples, a mosque. Towards Madurai Seed is the Gandhi Memorial Museum. |
Some practical information
The best time to visit Madurai is December to February when temperatures are at their lowest and humidity levels are tolerable. I would avoid April and May (very hot - around 40C plus). I would also avoid the monsoon season, which is usually September to November. Visitors to India need a visa. You should apply for a Tourist Visa - there is also an e-visa version that you can obtain online. Do this only through the official Government Visa website - there are other unofficial websites that charge you an extra fee for performing the same service (and who may not even perform it at all!). See these links: the first is to the traditional "visa pasted into your passport" version and the second is to the e-visa portal. You must print out your e-visa ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) and present the printout at the immigration desk on arrival in India. https://visa.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/india/switzerland/english/# https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html When flying within India, and on returning from India, it's important to check in online in advance and strongly recommended to print out your boarding passes. You need to show a boarding pass in order even to enter an airport building in India. Check with your doctor regarding vaccinations. Malaria is usually not considered a risk, but do check with your doctor! Use bottled (sealed) mineral water to clean your teeth. Wash fruit in mineral water, not tap water. Avoid ice in drinks. Take a sunhat. Take mosquito repellent spray, and something to help soothe any bites. Check on adapters you may need for your electrical devices (laptop and phone chargers especially). Swiss two-pin plugs fit some sockets, so an adaptor isn't always necessary. UK and North American visitors will need one. Check on mobile phone roaming packages to avoid excessive data costs. An alternative is to instal an e-sim if your phone supports one. There are several to choose from, and they are generally cheaper than roaming packages from Swiss mobile phone providers. India is still in many aspects a cash economy - you'll need rupees for tips, buying water at kiosks, for auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk) rides, and so on. Credit cards are accepted in hotels, and increasingly more local shops, but not everywhere. There are many more ATMs now, but not always in service... Tipping is widespread - I always tip room service, laundry service, hotel porters etc. In Madurai 30 Rs seems OK, in Mumbai and Chennai 50-70 Rs seems acceptable for small services. For the driver to and from the airport and hotel, at least 100 Rs. Cash dispensers (ATMs) accept major credit cards and also the Swiss Bankers TravelCash Card. Often, the maximum withdrawal per transaction is Rs 10,000 (about CHF 100). If you would like visit Madurai Seed, please contact me and I can help facilitate your visit. And if you would like to volunteer to teach there (even if only for a very short time), then please do contact me first so that your visit can be co-ordinated with Karthik and his team. We value all kinds of teaching input - for example, one of our members teaches maths and general science when he visits, another gave a presentation on Switzerland, another a music lesson (and so on). |
