Following the inclusion of the French colonized area in the Indian union territory, there has been a significant rise in the tourism industry. The old Victorian style architectures and the battlegrounds where multiple battles were fought for the dominance of the city, generate a vast amount of interest amongst tourists. They are the significant tourist attractions still preserving the old colonial ambiance in the city. A popular activity amongst the tourists is taking a lazy day break to visit the tranquil beaches and spend some time relaxing and rejuvenating. There four main beaches, namely: Auroville Beach, Serenity Beach, Promenade Beach, and the Beach. Unlike the popular beach towns of neighbouring Tamil Nadu state, the beaches here are quiet and less crowded. One may find hawkers selling junk jewelleries and chances are one may find some interesting souvenirs.
Thirukameswar temple, a very old temple located about 10 k.m. away from the city, is a popular tourist attraction. It is a temple of Lord Shiva with the idols of the lord and goddess Kokilambogai. It is one of the prime constituents of the city's culture and gets extremely busy with pilgrims and tourists during festive seasons, particularly in Shivratri. The other significant places to visit in and around the city are: Villianur, Auroville City, Raj Niwas, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Kottucherry, French Colony, Pondicherry Beach, Arikamedu, Promenade beach, Pondicherry Museum, Navagraha Temples, Chunnambar Boat House, Romain Rolland Library, Karaikal Ammaiyar, and French War Memorial.
All the tourist attractions are easily accessible. One can contact the tour companies or hire taxis. Plus, most of the 5 Star hotels in Pondicherry also offer tour packages that one may opt for. However, going solo while exploring the city is probably the best way to tour it.