In this age of Tinder, Truly Madly and Shaadi.com, one thing that’s thriving is the dating scene. Restaurants, clubs, pubs, parks and beaches are the go-to places for such set-ups.
Amethyst, for example, is more often than not one of the first choices where couples opting for an arranged marriage meet.
But, where do you go if you’ve ticked off all the predictable places ? Here’s our list...
The view from the top
Ask a sailor the joy of spotting a lighthouse on a dark stormy night and he would perhaps write paeans on it. Lighthouses have often evoked romanticism. And that’s why we feel this is an excellent place to go on a date. The lighthouse at the Marina is newly renovated and stands tall at 150 feet. The triangular red-and-white towering structure makes for a fabulous backdrop in photographs. The views it provides are stunning. You can see as far as MRC Nagar. Spotting places that you know can be fun... just in case there is a lull in the conversation.
Look into the endless sea of blue and you will spot a few boats merrily bobbing about; peer further, and there are ships gliding along the horizon. Who knows, the place may just inspire you to write poems about your significant other. A lift takes you to the ninth floor from where a flight of stairs leads to the viewing platform. Even before your eyes take in the view, feel the pleasant breeze caress your face. And just like in the movies, take this opportunity to gently brush the strands of hair off the other person’s face. We can’t guarantee if it’ll work though.
Up for a challenge?
What better than a challenging activity to spice up a date? Oh come on, it certainly is better than daintily sitting, sipping on coffee and biting into muffins, or chugging down cocktails. How about a day of surfing or deep sea diving? Drive down to Covelong Surf Point, hop onto a surf board and see who can quickly balance themselves on it. The one who falls into the water first buys lunch.
Tried a diving date, yet?
Besides the perfect alliteration, it’s also a perfectly fun thing to do on a date. (At least it saves you the awkward conversation!) Barefoot Scuba runs a deep-sea dive course. A catamaran takes divers into the sea, from where they jump into the water along with instructors. Look out for butterflyfish, bannerfish, honeycomb morays, puffer fish, snappers, octopus and manta rays. A word of advice dear couples — it makes more sense to admire the fish and underwater life than stare into each other’s eyes through those goggles. You can always do that when you surface.
Loll in luxury
This feels like a scene out of a Hollywood romcom — the sea, an elegant yacht and a couple stylishly lazing aboard while Adele and Bruno Mars blare from the speakers. With Blue Waters’ luxury yachts, you can spend a few hours or a day on the high seas. Take it up to Mammallapuram or sail across to Pulicat and watch the elegant flamingos flap about. The yacht passes by numerous ships with large containers as it leaves the Chennai Port. Fifteen minutes later, all that your eyes can see are vast stretches of blue up to the horizon.
“A few couples have rented it; some even decorate it with heart-shaped balloons. If they are celebrating an occasion, we organise cake. Additionally, we also have speed boats that are popular,” says Santhosh Jagadeesh who started Blue Waters, a sport fishing institute.
The yacht also has a barbecue. There are fishing rods, and so this is perhaps the best time to hook a fresh catch and try your hand at barbecuing.
“This yacht is called Moonbeam and is a 16-seater. It costs Rs. 35,000 for three hours,” adds Santhosh.
Kasimedu Pier
Beyond the bustle of Royapuram, a bumpy passage leads to the famous boat yard of Kasimedu. Stand there early in the morning, to watch the mammoth structures take shape and let the sound of the waves draw you into a wide road by the yard. A few metres in and you’ll see the pier, a narrow stretch of road sandwiched between moss-covered groynes. The road traverses into the sea, merging with it at a faraway circular platform. With some luck, you might spot the friendly sundal seller seated in a corner, watching his customers — often couples and laughing children.
It’s the best place to let the wind ruffle your hair as you perch atop a groyne. It bears testimony to young love from years ago — you might spot some hearts scribbled on one, bearing the names of people who announced to the sea and beyond, their love.
Thalankuppam Pier
A quaint little fishing town at the far north of Chennai, Thalankuppam Pier (located at Ennore) is the perfect place for at-the-break-of-dawn dates, where the sky, tinged a luminescent orange, is met with the slow and hesitant rise of the sun. Though the short walk on the slightly narrow pier is somewhat scary, especially if one does not know how to swim, once you reach the end and sit on those rocks, you will find yourself surrounded by the misty veil of crashing waves — a peaceful blend of teal and turquoise hues, while the sun shines majestically.
As the vanilla foam swirls above the water, you find yourself immersed in the spirit of love and peace. The pier seems to be a rarely visited place for a date, maybe because of its unpopularity. But you still find couples walking along the pier, watching the sun rise, blissfully happy. Incidentally, this was the very pier where Suriya and Jyothika proclaimed their undying love for each other in Kaakha Kaakha .
(With inputs from Akila Kannadasan and Zahira Fathima)
