In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Tenkasi
தென்காசி
Half a day to one night: visit the Kasi Viswanathar temple and Courtallam waterfalls, then move on.
Tenkasi is a small temple town in southern Tamil Nadu, known as the 'Kashi of the South'. Its main draw is the 13th-century Kasi Viswanathar temple and the nearby Courtallam waterfalls. Most travellers use it as a half-day stop between Tirunelveli and Kerala.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- தென்காசி
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (hot), Jul–Sep (heavy rain at waterfalls)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High ₹4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Fire and ambulance 101 · All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a local stall | ₹10–20 |
| Parotta and curry meal | ₹60–100 |
| Auto-rickshaw within town (up to 3 km (1.9 mi))Auto-rickshaw within town (up to 1.9 mi (3 km)) | ₹50–100 |
| Bus Tenkasi–Courtallam | ₹10–20 |
| Temple entry (Kasi Viswanathar) | Free (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TRV · Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
- About 2.5 h by road; buses and taxis available
Typical fares
- Tenkasi → Courtallam, auto
- about ₹200, 20 min (check)
- Tenkasi → Tirunelveli, bus
- about ₹100, 1.5 h (check)
- Tenkasi → Madurai, bus
- about ₹200, 3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Auto-rickshaws and local buses cover the town and Courtallam. Walking is fine within the temple area.
See and do
Known for
- Kasi Viswanathar temple
- Courtallam waterfalls
- Border Parotta
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Courtallam | Bus or auto from Tenkasi, about 5 km (3.1 mi)Bus or auto from Tenkasi, about 3.1 mi (5 km) | About 20 min |
| Sankarankoil | Bus from Tenkasi, about 30 km (19 mi)Bus from Tenkasi, about 19 mi (30 km) | About 45 min |
| Puliangudi | Bus from Tenkasi, about 20 km (12 mi)Bus from Tenkasi, about 12 mi (20 km) | About 30 min |
| Surandai | Bus from Tenkasi, about 25 km (16 mi)Bus from Tenkasi, about 16 mi (25 km) | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Near the bus stand
- Budget lodges and a few mid-range hotels; walkable to the temple.
- Courtallam area
- Resorts and guesthouses near the waterfalls; quieter but farther from the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | வணக்கம்vanakkam |
| Thank you | நன்றிnandri |
| How much? | எவ்வளவு?evvalavu |
| Where is the bus stand? | பஸ் நிலையம் எங்கே?bus nilaiyam engé |
| I need a room | எனக்கு ஒரு அறை வேண்டும்enakku oru arai vendum |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Courtallam waterfalls can be dangerous after heavy rain: check local conditions before swimming.
- Temple dress code: remove footwear, cover shoulders and knees.
- Buses to Kerala fill up quickly; book ahead or arrive early.
Tenkasi is generally safe. Watch for slippery rocks at Courtallam and keep valuables secure in crowded buses.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tenkasi yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kasi Viswanathar temple
- Courtallam waterfalls
- Border Parotta
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Tenkasi, revision 5304774 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5304774
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tenkasiதென்காசி
இந்த முகவரிக்கு செல்லவும்
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Chennai; most other countries have embassies in New Delhi or consulates in Chennai.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tenkasi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.