Editing Chennai (section)

== Tourism and recreation ==
{{Main|Tourism in Chennai}}
[[File:Chennai - bird's-eye view.ogv|thumb|[[Marina Beach]], one of the longest urban beaches]]

With temples, beaches and centres of historical and cultural significance including the [[UNESCO Heritage Site]] of Mahabalipuram, Chennai is one of the most-visited cities in India with 11 million domestic and 630,000 foreign tourists visiting in 2020.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.tn.gov.in/deptst/tourism.pdf|title=Tourism handbook|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The gateway to the [[South India|southern part of India]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/chennai-madras|title=Silk road: Chennai|publisher=[[UNESCO]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> Chennai was ranked among the top hundred destinations by [[Euromonitor]].<ref>{{cite report|last1=Bremner|first1=Caroline|title=Top 100 City Destinations Ranking |url=http://go.euromonitor.com/rs/805-KOK-719/images/2017%20Top%20100%20Cities%20Destinations%20Final%20Report.pdf|publisher=Euromonitor International|access-date=9 August 2016|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223093124/http://go.euromonitor.com/rs/805-KOK-719/images/2017%20Top%20100%20Cities%20Destinations%20Final%20Report.pdf|archive-date=23 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|title=Top 100 city destinations|url=http://go.euromonitor.com/rs/805-KOK-719/images/wpTop100Cities19.pdf|publisher=Euromonitor International|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224065335/http://go.euromonitor.com/rs/805-KOK-719/images/wpTop100Cities19.pdf|archive-date=24 February 2021}}</ref> {{As of|2018}}, the city has about [[List of hotels in Chennai|7,000 luxury rooms]] across four- and five-star categories, with 85 per cent of the room demand coming from business travellers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chandramouli|first=Rajesh|title=Hotels full as Chennai turns into wedding destination|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|location=Chennai|date=27 April 2018|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/hotels-full-as-city-turns-into-wedding-destination/articleshow/63932181.cms|access-date=6 September 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428104119/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/hotels-full-as-city-turns-into-wedding-destination/articleshow/63932181.cms|archive-date=28 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Siva Prasanna Kumar|first=J. V.|title=Chennai emerges top among Indian cities in hotel room addition|newspaper=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|date=29 April 2019|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/290419/chennai-emerges-top-among-indian-cities-in-hotel-room-addition.html|access-date=6 September 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124214024/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/290419/chennai-emerges-top-among-indian-cities-in-hotel-room-addition.html|archive-date=24 November 2020}}</ref> Chennai has a {{cvt|19|km}} coastline with many beaches including the [[Marina Beach|Marina]] spanning {{cvt|13|km}} which is the second-longest urban beach in the world and [[Elliot's Beach]] south of the Adyar delta.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJfu5vbPbA0C&pg=PA81|title=Observing our environment from space: new solutions for a new millennium|author=EARSeL|year=2002|isbn=90-5809-254-2|publisher=A. A. Balakema}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chennai.org.uk/beaches/elliot-beach.html|title=Elliot's Beach|access-date=12 October 2015|publisher=chennai.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227012841/http://www.chennai.org.uk/beaches/elliot-beach.html|archive-date=27 December 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Semmozhi_Poonga_4.jpg|thumb|left|[[Semmozhi Poonga]], a {{convert|20|acre}} [[botanical garden]]]]

{{As of|2023}}, Chennai has 835 public parks maintained by the corporation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chennaicorporation.gov.in/gcc/department/park/|title=Parks of Chennai|publisher=[[Greater Chennai Corporation]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The largest park is the 358-acre [[Tholkappia Poonga]], developed to restore the fragile ecosystem of the Adyar estuary.<ref>{{cite report|title=Adyar eco park|url=https://www.chennairivers.gov.in/adyar_poonga_Phase-1.html|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref> [[Semmozhi Poonga]] is a {{convert|20|acre}} [[botanical garden]] maintained by the horticulture department.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sivan|first=Jayraj|title=Collector refutes MK's charge, says property on Cathedral Rd not govt's|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|location=Chennai|date=11 October 2011|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/collector-refutes-mks-charge-says-property-on-cathedral-rd-not-govts/articleshow/10308598.cms|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928023337/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Collector-refutes-MKs-charge-says-property-on-Cathedral-Rd-not-govts/articleshow/10308598.cms|archive-date=28 September 2016}}</ref> [[Madras Crocodile Bank]] is a [[reptile]] [[zoo]] located {{cvt|40|km}} south of the city and has one of the largest collections of reptiles in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/03/science/saving-the-crocodile-and-putting-on-a-spectacular-show.html|title=Saving the Crocodile and Putting on a Spectacular Show|newspaper=[[New York Times]]|access-date=30 August 2011|first=Stephen|last=Kinzer|date=3 February 1998|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222204538/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/03/science/saving-the-crocodile-and-putting-on-a-spectacular-show.html|archive-date=22 February 2019}}</ref> Arignar Anna zoological park is a large urban zoo with more than two million visitors annually.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=IBN Live|title=Wandering down Chennais wild side|date=3 June 2011|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2011/jun/01/wandering-down-chennais-wild-side-258486.html|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|access-date=28 December 2012}}</ref> Guindy National Park is a protected area within the city limits and has a children's park and a [[Chennai Snake Park Trust|snake park]] associated with it.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guindy National Park|publisher=[[Tamil Nadu Forest Department]]|url=https://guindypark.com/|access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref> Chennai also houses several theme parks and amusement parks.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusement parks: a preferred destination|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/downtown/amusement-parks-a-preferred-destination/article3536508.ece|first=Madhavan|last=T|date=16 June 2012|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803235358/https://www.thehindu.com/features/downtown/amusement-parks-a-preferred-destination/article3536508.ece|archive-date=3 August 2020}}</ref>

{{As of|2012}}, there are 120 cinema screens and multiplexes.<ref>{{cite news|last=RamaKrishnan|first=Deepa H.|title=Cinema halls oppose service tax, stay shut|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=24 February 2012|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/cinema-halls-oppose-service-tax-stay-shut/article2925250.ece|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126060008/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/cinema-halls-oppose-service-tax-stay-shut/article2925250.ece|archive-date=26 January 2021}}</ref> Stage plays and dramas of different genres and languages are enacted in theatres across the city.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080616-all-for-a-laugh-736499-2008-06-04|title=All for a laugh|work=[[India Today]]|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202103932/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080616-all-for-a-laugh-736499-2008-06-04|archive-date=2 December 2020}}</ref> Chennai is also home to [[Shopping in Chennai|several malls]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Mall activity picks up in Chennai IT hubs|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-economy/Mall-activity-picks-up-in-Chennai-IT-hubs/article20216955.ece|first=Nina|last=Varghese|date=7 August 2006|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804040615/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-economy/Mall-activity-picks-up-in-Chennai-IT-hubs/article20216955.ece|archive-date=4 August 2020}}</ref> The city is an important market for [[jewellery]].<ref>{{cite news|title=South India accounts for 40 percent gold purchases|date=29 December 2011|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/south-india-accounts-for-40-of-gold-purchases/articleshow/11287083.cms|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> [[Anna Nagar]] and [[Nungambakkam]] are amongst the expensive retail zones in the country.<ref>{{cite news|title=How much does it cost to rent space in top retail streets|newspaper=[[Financial Times]]|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/money/how-much-it-costs-to-rent-space-in-indias-top-retail-high-streets-survey-finds-3081835/|date=12 May 2023|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>