The monuments are the reason to come. The entire collection — Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas, Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butterball, Mahishasuramardini Cave, Varaha Cave Temple, and Krishna Mandapam — forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are spread across a compact area walkable in a day. Buy a single combined ticket at the Archaeological Survey of India booth near the Shore Temple.
The Ganesha Ratha in town is free and still in active use. The nearby Sthalasayana Perumal Temple (Thirukadalmallai) is one of the 108 Divya Desams — sacred Vishnu temples of the Tamil Vaishnava tradition — and has been a working pilgrimage site for over a millennium. Tiger Cave, 3 km north, is off the main tourist circuit and worth the detour for the quiet. DakshinaChitra is 25 km north on the way to Chennai and merits a stop on the drive in or out.
Stone carving is the town's other speciality — workshops line the main street and the craft market, and many pieces are genuinely made here using techniques continuous with the Pallava tradition.