RRoampedia
Tiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu,India

Places to Visit in Chengam

The western base toward Sathanur Dam and the Jawadhu hills.

Tiruvannamalai districtGet directions →
Sathanur Dam, Chengam
Practical guide

Plan Chengam

Who's going?Tailor Chengam to your trip
DistrictTiruvannamalai
RoleWestern-gateway base
Places to visit4
What to expect

Highlights

  • Sathanur Dam — A major dam built in the 1950s across the Thenpennai (Ponnaiyar) river below the Chennakesava hills near Chengam, about 30 km from Tiruvannamalai, popular for its landscaped riverside park.
  • Jawadhu Hills — A cool upland plateau of the Eastern Ghats north-east of Tiruvannamalai, home to tribal settlements, coffee and pepper plantations, and scenic ghat roads.
  • Parvathamalai — A steep forested hill with a hilltop Shiva-Parvati shrine, reached by a strenuous barefoot climb of around 10 km through reserve forest, popular with pilgrim trekkers.
  • Kuppanatham Dam — Kuppanatham Dam, built in 1987 on the Solai River near Paramanandal in Chengam taluk, is the second-largest dam in Tiruvannamalai district after Sathanur, storing about 700 Mcft. Set amid mountains, the surrounding village and its seasonal waterfalls are a popular local picnic spot. The scenic valley has featured in Tamil films including Marumalarchi and Samudhiram.
Timing

Best time to visit Chengam

Weather in ChengamSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Chengam
Sunrise6:04 am
Sunset6:26 pm
Golden hour best light5:26 pm–6:26 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:26 pm–6:51 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 279°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 83%
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.

Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.

Nearby bases

Where to go from Chengam

Arunachaleswarar Temple, TiruvannamalaiFeatured: Arunachaleswarar Temple
Town / base

Tiruvannamalai

The pilgrimage-town base at the foot of Mount Arunachala for the Annamalaiyar temple, Girivalam and the Ramana ashrams.

Arunachaleswarar TempleMount ArunachalaGirivalam (Arunachala circumambulation path)Sri Ramana Ashram (Ramanasramam)
Open Tiruvannamalai guide →
Periyanayagi Amman Temple, Devikapuram, AraniFeatured: Periyanayagi Amman Temple, Devikapuram
Town / base

Arani

The northern silk-weaving town base for the Thennangur, Mamandur and Cheyyar temple country.

Periyanayagi Amman Temple, DevikapuramSri Panduranga Temple, ThennangurMamandur Cave Temples
Open Arani guide →
Tirumalai Jain Complex, PolurFeatured: Tirumalai Jain Complex
Town / base

Polur

The base for the Tirumalai Jain complex, Padavedu and the Parvathamalai pilgrim hill.

Tirumalai Jain ComplexRenugambal Temple, Padavedu
Open Polur guide →
Seeyamangalam Cave Temple, VandavasiFeatured: Seeyamangalam Cave Temple
Town / base

Vandavasi

The eastern historic-town base of the district.

Seeyamangalam Cave TempleVedapureeswarar Temple, Cheyyar
Open Vandavasi guide →
Vandavasi Fort, MunugapattuFeatured: Vandavasi Fort
Town / base

Munugapattu

Munugapattu area of the district.

Vandavasi FortPachaiyamman Sameda Mannarsamy Temple, Munugapattu
Open Munugapattu guide →
Arni base
Town / base

Arni

Arni area of the district.

Arni FortSathyavijayanagaram Palace, Arni
Open Arni guide →
Kuranganilmuttam Valeeswarar Temple, KuranganilmuttamFeatured: Kuranganilmuttam Valeeswarar Temple
Town / base

Kuranganilmuttam

Kuranganilmuttam area of the district.

Kuranganilmuttam Valeeswarar Temple
Open Kuranganilmuttam guide →
Thalapureeswarar Temple, Thirupanangadu, ThirupanangaduFeatured: Thalapureeswarar Temple, Thirupanangadu
Town / base

Thirupanangadu

Thirupanangadu area of the district.

Thalapureeswarar Temple, Thirupanangadu
Open Thirupanangadu guide →
Vengunram base
Town / base

Vengunram

Vengunram area of the district.

Sri Thavalagiriswarar Temple, Vengunram
Open Vengunram guide →
Vettavalam base
Town / base

Vettavalam

Vettavalam area of the district.

Agastheeswarar Temple, Vettavalam
Open Vettavalam guide →
Jawadhu Hills, Jawadhu HillsJawadhu Hills base
Town / base

Jawadhu Hills

Jawadhu Hills area of the district.

Kovilur Shiva Temple, Jawadhu Hills
Open Jawadhu Hills guide →
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop

Places in Chengam

Every verified place in Chengam — filter by what you’re after.

🍴 Where to eat in Chengam →List your place →
Verified inventory is being added here.

Verified places are being added. The category filters will fill in as approved stays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and nature listings go live.

List your place
Places to visit

The places themselves, around Chengam

The best tourist places to visit in Chengam — temples, viewpoints, lakes, heritage and nature, each with a full guide, how to reach it and what to see nearby.

Sathanur Dam, Chengam
PlaceSathanur Dam

A major dam built in the 1950s across the Thenpennai (Ponnaiyar) river below the Chennakesava hills near Chengam, about 30 km from Tiruvannamalai, popular for its landscaped riverside park.

Open guide →
Jawadhu Hills, Chengam
PlaceJawadhu Hills

A cool upland plateau of the Eastern Ghats north-east of Tiruvannamalai, home to tribal settlements, coffee and pepper plantations, and scenic ghat roads.

Open guide →
Parvathamalai, Chengam
PlaceParvathamalai

A steep forested hill with a hilltop Shiva-Parvati shrine, reached by a strenuous barefoot climb of around 10 km through reserve forest, popular with pilgrim trekkers.

Open guide →
Kuppanatham Dam, Chengam
PlaceKuppanatham Dam

Kuppanatham Dam, built in 1987 on the Solai River near Paramanandal in Chengam taluk, is the second-largest dam in Tiruvannamalai district after Sathanur, storing about 700 Mcft. Set amid mountains, the surrounding village and its seasonal waterfalls are a popular local picnic spot. The scenic valley has featured in Tamil films including Marumalarchi and Samudhiram.

Open guide →
For hotels, homestays and local businesses

Get listed in Chengam for free

Roampedia is commission-free. Travellers discover your business, book directly and contact you through official details. Basic listings are free, while Gold and Platinum package upgrades can be requested from the owner dashboard after approval.

List your business — free
Read before you go

Chengam guides, stories & itineraries

We have not published a story about Chengam itself yet. These cover Tiruvannamalai, the district it sits in, and travel in Tamil Nadu generally.

Nearby in Tiruvannamalai

We have not published a story about a place in Chengam itself yet. These are the nearest things we have written.

See all 4 Tiruvannamalai guides & stories →

Map

Where things are in Chengam

FAQ

Chengam travel FAQs

What are the best places to visit in Chengam?

Top places to visit in Chengam include Sathanur Dam, Jawadhu Hills, Parvathamalai, Kuppanatham Dam — each has a full guide with how to reach it and what to see nearby on this page.

What is the best time to visit Chengam?

November to February is the coolest, most comfortable season to visit Chengam and the rest of Tamil Nadu. April to June is very hot, and the October–December north-east monsoon brings the delta its main rains.

Image credits