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Kayaking in Pondicherry Mangroves is an incredible experience you should not miss when visiting Pondicherry. Kayaking is always on adventure lovers’ bucket lists. Imagine if you can kayak during sunrise surrounded by lush green mangrove forest – “Pure Bliss”!
Few outdoor activities like Kayaking can provide an exhilarating experience. It doesn’t matter whether you need a roller coaster riding experience or a serene, peaceful experience; Kayaking can provide that.
Before you venture into this adventurous activity, you should learn the basics of Kayaking. Do you know there are different type of Kayaking that exists, and it needs different kinds of Kayak too? You cant use the same kayak for all the activities.
Whatsapp for details: +91- 7604942994
Book your hotels near the Mangrove forest
Booking.comTypes of Kayaking:
Recreational Kayaking:
Recreational Kayaking is basic Kayaking that happens in a lake or water body devoid of sea waves, heavy water currents, wind, etc. Recreational Kayaks are easy to operate, and the primary purpose of these kayaks is to have fun, even for beginners.
Sea Kayaking:
Sea kayaking, as the name suggests, is operated in the sea. Unlike other kayaks, these are designed for paddling long distances; offer faster cruising in the ocean. The size of the Kayak ranges from 10-18 feet, and it will have two sealed bulkheads, each on both ends of the Kayak.
Whitewater Kayaking:
Whitewater Kayaking is performed on rivers or streams with heavy water currents. It is an adrenaline rush activity, and it will be a heart-stopping roller coaster ride. White water is the most dangerous of all Kayaking, and it needs a partner and a very specialized kayak.
Kayaking in Pondicherry Mangrove Forest:
Kayaking in Pondicherry Mangrove forest is a recreational type of Kayaking, where you can do Kayaking in the calm waters of the mangrove forest. River water here stays steady throughout the season. So you can enjoy it at any month of the year.
They have Sit-on-top kayaks for recreational Kayaking. Sit-on-top kayaks have an open cockpit where your feet remain uncovered. For your information, Sit-in-kayaks have cockpits, where you can insert your feet inside the cockpit up to your waist.
Arts and Craft Village, Murungapakkam
Kayaking in Pondicherry Mangrove forest is in Arts and Crafts Village in Murungapakkam. It is just 6km from the White town of Pondicherry. After crossing the crafts shops in the art village, you need to enter the arts and crafts village. There will be an exit, which will take you to the Wills Boat House. Kayaking happens at Wills Boat House, where you can book your tickets.
Below are the price lists for Kayaking. If you kayak in groups, then the cost per person will come down:
Price List of Kayaking in Pondicherry at Arts and Crafts Village:
Double Kayak (2 people in a single Kayak): Rs.800 per person for 60 min/ Rs. 1450 per person for 120 min
Single Kayak (1 person in a single Kayak): Rs.1000 per person for 60 min/ Rs.1800 per person for 120 min
Note: Advance booking is mandatory.
We also take bookings for mangrove forest boating in Pondicherry. The timing is from 9 am till 5 pm.
Whatsapp for details: +91- 7604942994
Best time to Kayak:
Kayaking takes place in the Gingee River, where the Mangroves are located. A mixture of fresh water and seawater enters at low tides. You can go Kayaking only on high tides. The best time to do this is during the early morning and evening during sunsets. Kayaking during sunrise is an experience you will never forget.
Apart from Kayaking, you will see a lot of birds that visit mangroves for roosting and feeding. It will be a treat for your eyes for sure.
Instructions on Paddling and Kayaking:
Kayaking used here is a Sit on Top Kayak, and it is a stable one. The instructor will explain how to hold your paddles, orient the blades, adjust the grips, etc. They will also explain the paddle-like Forward strokes, Reverse strokes, Sweep Strokes and draw strokes. You will get the feel of the paddles once you start to paddle in the first few minutes to understand the movement of the Kayak.
Maximum Weight Capacity of our kayaks:
Single Kayak: 100 Kg
Double Kayak: 240 Kg
Timing:
Morning: 6 Am- 9 Am*
Evening: 3 Pm- 6 Pm*
*Timings depend upon the high tide. Since Kayaking in arts and crafts village can be done only during high tides
Session Time: 60 or 120 Minutes per Kayak
Location: Arts and Crafts Village, Murungapakkam, Pondicherry
Nearby Attractions and Adventure Activities: Surfing, Paramotoring, White Town
Hotels Nearby: Best: Radisson Resort Pondicherry Bay/ Midrange: Villa Bordeaux Home Stay/ Budget: Malar Residency
Whatsapp for details: +91- 7604942994
Great time!!
They done good service, very friendly,
Thoroughly enjoyed boating..
Indeed it was a most rejuvenating and enthralling experience. Yes!
It’s the kayaking I’m talking about!
Reading the blog by Mr Ratheesh on Kayaking, I and my husband contacted him to know further details. He checked with the tides and informed us of the timing. We were so excited to see the Mangrove forest and the tides as soon as we arrived. Gypsy and Mr Prabhu received us and taught us how kayaking should be done. Initially, I was scared, but they assured us of safety and boosted our confidence. We paddled along the water, what a treat to the eyes! Gypsy and Mr Prabhu made sure we did the paddling properly right from holding it. They narrated to us the stories about Pondicherry. They had very good knowledge about the tides in that location. Then came the exciting part of the one-hour session, we went inside a cave of trees. The birds and the smell of freshness added life to the experience. After a while, they took us to the Arikamedu archaeological site and quickly brushed up on the historical facts. It was intriguing to know about the culture and the history. Gypsy and Mr Prabhu were very sweet, kind and friendly. It was so good to have known them and the first kayaking experience thus turned memorable. They also clicked beautiful pictures and videos of us.
Thank You Divya!
Was well organized and the staff looked after us well.
I had booked kayaking through Ratheesh. It was a fast and efficient process. The guys at the center taught us the right way to kayak and the instructors were always nearby, so there were no issues. It was a peaceful time and a great experience.
Thank You Mihika. Happy to hear that you had a great time.
Very friendly guides, value for money.
Thank You Veera Sai.
Had a really fun time Kayaking! Gypsy was a really great guide and knew about all the flora, fauna and history. Would recommend 5/5 for a quick kayak ride around the mangroves.
Had great fun kayaking! Guides are very friendly and looked after us well. Thoroughly enjoyed kayak ride.
Thank you Tejeshwar. Happy to host you again.
I’ve been here and tried kayaking in the mangroves forest. It was a great experience, guide will train you how to do kayaking and give you good support. The trainers were professional and they will be with you through out your journey. Also try boating to mangroves which is also a great experience as we went deep in to the mangroves forest. Will definitely visit again. Thank you Pondicherryin
Thank you Teja. Happy to host you.
These has been one of the best experiences of adventures in Puducherry and the mentor Mr . Bala (gypsy) has been the best of instructors with all the tips for a beautiful kayaking experience. Thank you
Thank You Naresh for your kind words.
Best kayaking experience we had lot fun it’s worth your while don’t miss it …
Thank You!
Must do activity.
Amazing experience and definitely a ‘must try’ when in Pondicherry. Gypsy and Mr Prabhu guided us throughout and are wonderful instructors! So glad to have done kayaking here 🙂
Thank You Sanika!
We had a great time at kayaking in the mangrove forest. Our slot was at 7AM. The guide Prabhu was there on time. He explained the history of the place and lot’s of things about fishing.
I’ll definitely go kayaking this place when I visit pondicherry again
Thank you for the wonderful trip, truly enjoyed the Kayaking experience with you 🙂
And special thanks to Prabhu and the organising team for showing us around and making it a memorable experience:) look forward to visiting again!
It was a beautiful experience with the calm backwaters, dense mangrove forest and the interesting ruins all making this kayaking trip memorable.
Kayaking on the river Gingee among the Mangroves, the morning sunshine kissing our cheeks, birds calling out to their mates, fishermen setting up their nets! Everything about that hour was perfect! Gypsy was indeed a professional guide!
Great experience and great guide that every employer should have .. thanks a lot
Guide name: Gypsy bala
It was an awesome experience, trainers we’re very patient and went an extra mile to give us the best experience. The kayaks were comfortable and well maintained.
The back waters are a bit dirty at places though.
Thanks to Ratheesh for managing the whole experience and Bala for teaching me Kayaking. He stood by me and showed us around with full patience.
Definitely worth trying and Kudos to Bala for the wholesome experience.
PS: thanks Ratheesh 🙂
Thanks a lot Nihal!
We booked morning kayaking session and our guide was Prabhu. He was very knowledgeable and friendly and we had a great time. Starting with fishermans setting up their net to the beautiful sunrise to all the greenery and narrow mangrove forests. Everything was perfect. A must have experience if you are in Pondicherry.
We had a wonderful experience. Gypsy, our guide, was very friendly and helpful.
Wonderful experience. The instructor was helpful and guided us well. Would recommend doing it either very early in the morning or late in the evening as the sun was very harsh. Otherwise, all great!
Had wonderful time
Must try adventure sport
Booking and instructions was too easy and good
Had a peaceful and calm experience in the mangroves kayaking. Saw varieties of birds and had fun. Guide Bala was really friendly and knowledgeable of the area.
Highly recommend this for beginners to have a short and wonderful experience of kayaking.
Overall it was an amazing experience. We (me and my wife) wished to have kayaking experience in mangrove forest during our recent Pondicherry trip in Nov 2022. Right from our call to Ratheesh for enquiry to booking and till we completed kayaking, the whole journey was quite smooth and hazzle-free. Our guide, Bala, was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful in every possible way. We really enjoyed it. Thanks for the whole team and wish you all a very success.
Wonderful magical experience. My first Kayak experience was beautiful. Bala is such a wonderful guide and Ratheesh was very helpful with the bookings and all other communications. Highly recommend for all peace seekers travelling to Pondy.
There was some hassle in getting the slots for us, but Kayaking was a great experience. Bala, the guide is very professional and guided us quite well.
Even on this cyclone period, Team has given us a remarkable experience .. instructor Bala(gypsy Bala)made oru experience much more enjoyable and made one our bucket list easy and ..must try place ..
Loved our experience! Our guide, Bala was extremely professional and also showed us around the Arikamedu ruins + tasted a cactus fruit (i really wanted to!!!! Had heard about it a lot) enjoyed our time
11/10 will recommend others for this
Took the morning 6AM kayaking session with Bala. He was very welcoming and friendly. We had a great time kayaking in the lagoon and witnessed a spectacular sunrise! Bala and his friend also clicked a lot of photos and videos for us!
It was a great experience!! Expert guidance and nice equipment’s kayak etc.
Wonderful experience!!
Kayaking in Pondicherry was a great experience!! We did it under the rain and it added a magical mood to the moment!
Only bad thing, we started one hour late, so the wake up at 6am was hurting a bit more 😕
Thanks anyway
Must do activity in pondicherry. The bookings were very easier with pondicherryin.
It was a very good experience ☺️
Booked kayaking and Auroville guided tour from PondicherryIn. Ratheesh connected me to the best people in Pondicherry for making the experience memorable and worthwhile.
Bala guided us well for the kayaking and Auroville tour by Gopi was a cherished enlightening tour.
Must connect with them to have the authentic essence of Pondicherry in a few days.
Had a wonderful time kayaking! It was very scenic and our guide, Bala was very attentive, respectful and took good videos for us. 10/10 Definitely recommend!
I had a fantastic time doing kayaking in the evening slot ! Mr Bala is an amazing trainer! A must do activity when you are in Pondicherry! Mr Ratheesh is indeed helpful and coordinates everything smoothly!
Best people to do Kayaking with👍👍👍
A must try place for adventure lovers. The kayaking experience was probably one of the best experiences that I ever had. Right from the training to the kayaking through the mangroves- everything was perfect. Especially the Guide Bala Sir was very supportive, helpful and friendly. This was the first experience for me and my friends and with his help, we could enjoy it to the fullest.
It was an awesome experience, trainer Mr. Bala was very patient and went an extra mile to give us the best experience. The kayaks were comfortable and well maintained. We did the kayaking in sun set and it was the best!!!!!
Good service and friendly trainer. Had a wonderful experience in kayaking.
It was such a nice experience. Bala is a very nice guide who understands the psyche of a person trying kayaking for the first time. It was a first for me and I’m glad I chose this experience with Pondicherryin team. I’d recommend it without any doubt!
The guide was highly supportive and the experience was beautiful in every way!
100 % recommend doing it while in pondicherry. Bala was the perfect host and guide. Made our experience even richer. Wish we had more time to explore the rest of the mangrove.
We had an amazing experience doing kayaking with them. The guide was supportive and had really good time
Hi, what a wonderful experience.
I did kayaking for first time . Instructor Bala made it so simple that I never felt I am doing it for first time. With the serene of nature, calm, peace felt to mesmerising
On top of all could see peacock flying above us, watched kingfisher,bee eater and many more
Cherry on the cake saw movie shoot going on there.
Thank you Bala for amazing experience
We had booked Kayaking through Ratheesh. It was a very wonderful experience, Instructor Bala was very jovial & supportive, we actually didn’t feel like we were doing it for the first time. He made us feel confident, calm & safe. He also helped us in taking beautiful photos & videos.
Planning for Kayaking? This is the best!
Also, We would love to visit again soon.
Excellent kayaking experience. Saw lots of water birds and went through mangroves. Saw Arikamedu historical site on one stop. Worth the time for sure. Instructors are knowledgeable and professional. Highly recommended.
10/10! Fully recommend this experience and operator!
It was my first time Kayaking and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was reasonably priced, and the booking process was a breeze, with no unnecessarily complicated formalities. The boathouse is easy to reach. Mr. Bala was a patient and systematic instructor, he even shared his knowledge of the local cacti and snakes with us. The experience of tasting the beautiful purple cactus fruit was truly memorable. The mangroves of course are serene and peaceful, especially in the mornings, we even spotted a jellyfish! Lastly, their kayaking equipment is also quite new and of good quality.
One suggestion: you could provide the option for a local experience like a village tour and authentic meal along with this, many people (including myself) are seeking that kind of experience.
Thanks again!
Hi Ruchi,
We do have Village tours, a Cuisine tour, and Cycle tours. I will share the details. Thanks a lot for your comments.
We enjoyed our kayaking experience. We were late but the guide accommodated us and didn’t rush much through the tour.
Easy recommendation.
It was amazing, thanks to the guide, Bala, for training and guidance throughout the trip.
We enjoyed a lot.
Had a great time kayaking in the mangroves.
This was my first time kayaking and I had a great time. The mangroves were magical even with the low tide. Bala, our guide and coach, made the experience unforgettable because of his clear instructions, patience, and encouragement. He even took us to the Arikamedu archeological site and gave us a mini tour. Many thanks to Ratheesh for organizing this and Bala for being a great guide. I can’t wait to go back! 10/10 recommend.
Had a great time in mangroves. Thanks to Ratheesh and Bala. Very affordable & value for money experience. Don’t fall for fancy adventure centres and their high costs, book directly with Ratheesh. Planing my next trip soon.
Plan all activities in early morning slots specially kayaking if you wanna enjoy birds chirping in the mangroves.
Great Kayaking experience at Gingee, Bala was an amazing guide and an absolute great photographer as well! Must have experience when in Pondy
We did kayaking with Bala. It was an amazing experience. One of a kind. Highly recommend for anyone coming to pondicherry.
Try going for early morning batch. The view is most breathtaking.
Did the Auroville tour and Kayaking with Ratheesh. Both experiences were beyond amazing. Wouldn’t have seen so much of Auroville without Ratheesh and Auroville resident and tour guide, who showed me around and helped me secure the meditation slot at Maitri Mandir. I cannot be more grateful! Did Kayaking with Bala, very encouraging, enthusiastic and interesting guide, had lots of fun. It was beautiful!❤️
It was a great first experience. Bala guided us with ease and taught some lessons on basic kayaking. Keep up the good work 👍
Amazing experience!!! The instructor Bala was so good and we had a really great time.