Eden Beach Pondicherry is one of the latest additions to the beaches of Pondicherry. And also the very first blue flag beach of Pondicherry. It is one of the newest additions to the blue flag beaches of India, getting it’s certification in 20119. And also one of the couple of blue flag beaches of India that I have got to visit so far. The other one being the Radhanagar Beach of Andaman and Nicobar Islands on my 7 days trip to the Isands of Andaman.
Although not as big as some of my favorite beaches of Goa like Palolem Beach, Agonda Beach and Benaulim Beach. Still, Eden Beach has facilities like none other in India. Let’s talk about that in a moment. And also take you through a virtual tour of the Eden Beach Pondicherry.
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Where is Eden Beach Pondicherry located?
Eden Beach is located between the Paradise Beach and the Arts & Crafts Village – two famous tourist spots of Pondicherry. Although, on our last trip to Pondicherry, there was no sign of this beach. When we visited Paradise beach. But, over the recent past, this stretch of beach has been properly developed into a nice beach. The Eden beach is located almost 9km from MG Road and 7km from White Town area and Promenade beach of Pondicherry. The much more famous Paradise Beach is just 1km south of Eden Beach.
The first thing that will greet you as you arrive at Eden Beach Pondicherry is backwaters of Chunnabar river, along with thick palm groves. Which elevates the whole scene altogether. And also creates a reason for people to compare this beach with some of the beaches of South Goa. Where you find similar backwaters and Palm Groves.
How to reach Eden Beach Pondicherry?
You can drive down to Eden Beach Pondicherry. There is a free parking lot available here. But, it tends to get crowded, particularly in the evening in weekends. Then, you can park right outside the parking lot on the street. But, beware that while returning back from here, you might have to face chaotic evening traffic. We drove down here. And on the way back, it took us 1 hour to cover the nearly 8km stretch back to our hotel!
Another economical option will be to catch a bus to Eden Beach Pondicherry or to Chunnambar Jetty from where boats comply to Paradise beach. Or, you can as well hire a taxi or take an autorickshaw to the beach.
What are the timings of Eden Beach Pondicherry?
The Eden Beach is open from 6:00am in the morning to 6:00pm in the evening. It will be really good to visit here early in the morning to catch a beautiful sunrise. Hopefully the crowd will also be less then.
What are the facilities at Eden Beach Pondicherry?
I must say that Eden Beach Pondicherry has facilities like none other beaches in India that I have been to so far. Some of the facilities include:
Washrooms at Eden Beach Pondicherry
There are separate ladies and gents washrooms at Eden Beach Pondicherry. Each washroom has several toilets. But alas, only one was operational when we visited. And rest all were locked, in the ladies room. So, when I asked one of the cleaning ladies the reason behind it, she said it was because there was no water supply. But, I doubt that. I felt that the staff locked up the other rooms in order to make it easy for them to clean and maintain.
Which was sad. Hope all the toilets are made operational. Which will be way more convenient for the visitors. Also, evening, when we came back to the changing room around 6:00pm, the staff had already locked the rooms, closed the water supply and left the site. So, please be mindful of that and reach here a little ahead of time if you want to avail of the facilities.
Changing Rooms at Eden Beach Pondicherry
There are separate changing rooms at Eden Beach Pondicherry for both ladies and gents. And also shower areas to take shower before or after coming from the sea. But again, just like the washrooms, the changing rooms were also not in good condition. There were no lights inside the changing room. So, if you closed the doors, it was pitch dark. Also, there was only one room available and rest were locked.
Drinking Water at Eden Beach Pondicherry
There is drinking water also available at Eden Beach Pondicherry.
Kids Play Area at Eden Beach Pondicherry
There is a kids play area available at Eden Beach that comprises of swings, slides and few other kids play equipments. So, this is one of the few beaches where the kids can totally enjoy on the shore, in the play area. While you enjoy the other activities.
Open Gym
There is an open Gym at the Eden Beach where one can exercise.
Swimming Zone
The beaches of Pondicherry are not particularly known for swimming. Because the tide is often high on this side of the ocean. And also, the beaches have quiet a slope. So, the depth increases all of a sudden. But at Eden Beach, there is a safe swimming zone marked. Where one can swim. Of course there will be life guards around to help you in case there is anything required.
Food Outlets
There are no major food outlets but some basic food outlets around the Eden Beach. These sell tea, coffee, drinking water, maggie and packaged ready to eat food stuff. But no major restaurants nearby that we spotted.
Apart from the above facilities, this beach also has solar power plants and grey water treatment plant!!
Can I swim at Eden Beach Pondicherry?
Yes, the Eden Beach is one of the few beaches in Pondicherry where you can swim. There is a safe swimming zone defined where you can swim. And there are lifeguards to help you.
What are the things to do at Eden Beach?
There are a multitude of things that one can do at Eden Beach Pondicherry. Some of these include:
- Swimming in the safe zone.
- Playing in play area at Eden Beach.
- Exercising in the open gym.
- Walking on the beach. In fact, you can walk all the way to Paradise beach from Eden Beach.
- Watching sunrise. The beaches of Pondicherry, being on the east coast of India, provide for some of the most stunning sunrise scenes. The picture below is one that my brother took on our recent trip to Pondicherry. It’s so beautiful. And reminds me of the time when we visited Andaman. And I woke up at 4:00am in the morning to capture a sunrise at Vijayanagar Beach there!
- Relaxing on a bench. One of my favorite things to do in Pondicherry is to relax on the beach. And the Eden beach is even equipped with nice benches. Where you can simply sit and relax and watch the waves crash against the shore.
- Photography. With the backwaters, the colorful boats and the beach with it’s stunning sunrises, the Eden beach provides beautiful opportunities for the photographers.
- Boating on the backwaters.
- Enjoying the street food.
Where to stay near Eden Beach?
Although I don’t know of many stay options near Eden Beach Pondicherry. But, Radisson Resort Pondicherry Bay is a good one at a stones throw away. So, if you want a relaxing beach vacation with a small slice of luxury, you can plan to stay here. Apart from this , there are several options around MG road and in White Town which fit all the budget ranges. And you can always stay in one of them. Some of these being Hotel Surguru Pondicherry, Hotel Atithi, Anandha Inn, Le Dupleix, Palais de Mahe – CGH Earth, La Villa, Grand Hotel D’ Europe and many others.
Click this link to browse through the list of properties in Pondicherry and book a suitable accommodation from our travel partner booking.com.. Just remember to book your accommodation in advance. Particularly when visiting on a weekend. We visited on a long weekend and found the whole town insanely crowded.
Also, read our 4 days Pondicherry trip itinerary along with insider tips on when will be the best time to visit Pondicherry and how to plan your complete trip here.
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