Paradise Beach is the best swimming beach near Pondicherry, reached by a short boat ride from Chunnambar Resort, about 8 km south of the city. The beach is part of a sandbar formed at the mouth of the Chunnambar river backwaters, which means there is no road access — you come by motorboat or by paddling through the backwaters, which some visitors find is half the appeal.
The beach itself is wide and clean, with shade from casuarina trees and calmer water than the rocky town beaches. Boats run throughout the day from the Chunnambar boat house; the crossing takes about ten minutes. It can get crowded on weekends with local visitors; weekday mornings are considerably quieter. There are basic food stalls but no facilities beyond that.