Six months after our magical Himalayan honeymoon, we were ready for round two—this time in the warm, colourful south of India. Tamil Nadu promised beaches, temples, spice-filled meals, and a completely different rhythm of life.
What we didn't expect was how dramatically the trip would begin.
The Night We Arrived With No Money
We landed at Chennai Airport late at night, tired but excited… until we realised there was no ATM anywhere. Not one.
Our taxi driver was waiting, and we had no cash to pay him.
So instead of heading straight to the beach town of Mahabalipuram, we ended up driving miles into the darkness in search of an ATM that would actually accept our cards. By the time we finally found one and paid the very patient driver, it was the early hours of the morning.
When we reached Mahabalipuram, every nice hotel was booked. We stumbled into a tiny one-bedroom guesthouse with a single bed, which meant: one bed for Charlie… and one floor for Jonny. Not exactly five-star luxury—but a memorable start.
Balancing Boulders & Early Morning Wanders
The next morning, slightly delirious from lack of sleep, we headed to Krishna’s Butter Ball—a massive boulder perched impossibly on a slope. Somehow, seeing this giant rock balancing itself felt symbolic of our chaotic entry into Tamil Nadu.
Escaping the Worst Hotel in Kodaikanal
From the heat of the coast, we made our way up into the cool air of Kodaikanal Hill Station. It should have been peaceful—but the hotel we booked turned out to be so bad that we literally ran away in the middle of the night.
With our bags half-zipped and adrenaline at full blast, we sprinted out, caught the last bus heading downhill, and rode it into the night until we reached a random train station shrouded in darkness.
There we waited—just the two of us, sitting on our bags—until a local train rattled in to take us to Madurai.
Madurai Magic: Temples & Rooftop Drinks
Madurai was the calm after the storm. We visited the magnificent Meenakshi Temple, a maze of colour, sculpture, and devotion. After the chaos of Kodaikanal, standing beneath its towering gopurams felt grounding.
That evening, we treated ourselves to a rooftop bar overlooking the city, sipping cold drinks while the lights of Madurai twinkled below us. For the first time on the trip, everything felt peaceful.
Tiruvannamalai: Temples & Two Nights of Pure Luxury
Our final stop was Tiruvannamalai, home to the famous Arunachaleswarar Temple—a vast, ancient complex at the foot of the sacred Arunachala Hill. The scale, the devotion, the energy… it was unforgettable.
And after all the running, night travel, and questionable hotels, we treated ourselves to a spa resort for two blissful nights. Warm water, soft beds, quiet gardens—it felt like paradise.
A Honeymoon of Chaos, Charm & Tamil Nadu Energy
Our second honeymoon wasn’t smooth or predictable, but it was full of stories—stories of midnight escapes, ancient temples, rooftop views, and moments of serenity snatched from the middle of chaos.
If our first honeymoon in Ladakh was peaceful and scenic, this one was wild and unforgettable. And together, Charlie and Jonny survived it all—with laughter, teamwork, and a lot of love.
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