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Salem

4.6 /5

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Tamil Nadu India

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73 out of 55 Places to visit in Tamil Nadu

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Salem Travel Essentials

Rating:

4.6 /5 Rate This Destination

Weather:

Ideal duration: 1-2 days

Best Time: January to February Read More

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"Cultural Centre Amidst Natural Beauty"

Salem Tourism

Salem may be the fifth largest city in Tamil Nadu in terms of area but is largest when it comes to breathtaking natural beauty and tranquil holy shrines. There are several famous Hindu temples – Kottai Mariamman Temple, Sugavaneshwarar Temple, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), to name a few. The city also houses several noteworthy mosques and churches.

Located in the Salem district, the city is also surrounded by metropolises at a very short distance – Bangalore, in Karnataka is only 186 km away while Coimbatore, another major city in Tamil Nadu is located 160 km away. Salem is located 340 km away from the capital, Chennai.

Must Know Before You Travel to Salem

Places To Visit In Salem

Oothumalai Hill

Government Museum

Paravasa Ulagam

Kurumbapatti Zoological Park

1008 Lingam Temple

Kalangi Siddhar Temple

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Top Hotels In Salem

Radisson Salem

8.7 (875 reviews)

$ 92 onwards

Hotel Elpaso

8.4 (40 reviews)

$ 60 onwards

ZIBE Salem By GRT Hotels

8.3 (458 reviews)

$ 52 onwards

YMCA PROGRAM CENTRE

8.3 (124 reviews)

$ 20 onwards

Sri K residency

8.0 (341 reviews)

$ 20 onwards

The Palm Residency- Ariyanoor

7.6 (97 reviews)

$ 52 onwards

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More on Salem Travel

Geography

Placed at an average elevation of 280 meters Salem is a city surrounded by hills in all directions. On the north lies Nagaramalai, Jarugumalai is towards the south, The west side is covered by Kanjamalai, and Godumalai and Shevaroy Hills lies on east and northeast respectively. The southwest is covered by Kariyaperumal Hill. The fort area of Salem is considered to be the oldest part. River Thirumanimutharu flows through the city, dividing it into two parts.

History

Salem derives its name from 'Sailam' which translates to "a place surrounded by mountain ranges." In the earlier times, the Chera Dynasty ruled over the town and the surrounding mountain areas and was inclusively involved in trades with the Roman Empire. Polygars took over later and built many forts and temples during their governance. Salem was under the Vijayanagara empire but was soon seized in the eighteenth century by Hyder Ali. The area was handed over to the British in 1768 until 1947 when India got its independence and Salem became a part of Salem district.