Nightlife in Chennai

The Safety of Chennai Nightlife

Although the city has in recent times acquired a reputation as one of the centers of India’s IT boom, Chennai’s nightlife calendar hasn’t kept pace with the residents’ increased wealth and social mobility.  There aren’t many great nightclubs and the ones which do open are regularly shut down by the local police.  On the plus side, the nightlife is safer than in some other Indian cities, and the police presence around popular watering holes ensures that no brawls or bar fights spill over into the streets.

Finding Pubs and Clubs in Chennai

To a certain extent, Chennai is still a tradition-bound orthodox South Indian city with not much to offer by way of afterhours fun, although some Chennaiites might object vehemently to this view.  The fact is that there isn’t the kind of night time activity here that you would find in Mumbai for instance. Having said that, there are still plenty of bars or restaurants where you can have a few drinks after your meal, or after a day of sightseeing around the city.  The newest bars have themed décor, and with most of the clubs confined to five star hotels, some bars double up as impromptu dance venues with a DJ and band on weekends. Quieter but no less trendy are the pool parlors where you can relax with a drink after a day spent soaking in the city’s culture. 

Nighttime Activities around Chennai

For some welcome respite from the daytime heat, head to one of Chennai’s famous beaches, some of which are open till well past midnight.  Or if you’re looking for a more ethnic cultural experience to fill your Chennai nights, there are the city’s famed theater groups, performing arts schools which put on traditional dance ballet performances, dasi attam (a temple dance form), and theater productions.