Marina Beach stretches for 13 kilometres along the Bay of Bengal, running south from the Cooum River mouth through the heart of Chennai. It is the longest natural urban beach in India and one of the longest in the world — a fact the city is justifiably proud of.
Swimming is not advisable (strong undertows and contaminated water), but Marina is one of the great urban beaches in the world for everything except swimming. The evening hours transform the shoreline into an enormous public park: food stalls selling sundal (spiced chickpeas), murukku, fresh coconut water, and fried fish occupy the upper beach; kite vendors set up; crowds of families and couples spread across the sand.
Several important statues line the road running parallel to the beach — monuments to Tamil Nadu politicians and cultural figures, from Anna and MGR (the beloved former chief ministers) to Kannagi (the heroine of the Tamil epic Silappatikaram). The Ice House (now Swami Vivekananda House), where the great Hindu philosopher recovered after his return from the US, stands at the northern end near the Triplicane area.
The best time to visit is either early morning (5–7am, for the fishermen and morning walkers) or the two hours around sunset, when the beach is at its most animated.