Sivakasi

Sivakasi is a town in Tamil Nadu, India.

Get in
Sivakasi is located:
 * 77 km southwest of Madurai via BH 44 and NH 42
 * 18.5 km northwest of Sattur on NH 187
 * 28 km southwest of Virudhunagar on NH 42
 * 21 km east of Srivilliputhur on NH 42

By plane
There are direct flights from Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), and Bangalore to Madurai.

By bus
It is well connected to all parts of Tamil Nadu by bus. Bus service is available from Sivakasi to Madurai throughout the day.

Bus times from Sivakasi:
 * To Coimbatore: 6:50, 10:20AM; 12:30, 1:25, 8:30, 9:10, 10:10PM.
 * To Trichy: 	3:15, 5:30, 6:00, 7:45AM; 12:40, 3:10, 4:20, 5:40, 8:40PM.
 * To Dindugul: 	5:20, 7:52, 9:50AM; 2:55, 7:50PM.
 * To Karaikudi: 	3:55, 5:00, 9:00AM; 12:45, 2:45, 3:00, 7:57PM, midnight
 * To Rameswaram: 	6:50, 8:20, 10:20AM; 1:40, 4:45PM
 * To Tirupur: 	9:07AM; 8:35PM
 * To Palani: 	7:07AM
 * To Virudhunagar and Madurai: 24-hour bus service available (once in every 10 minutes)
 * To Chennai: 	6:30PM - State Transport; 6:30PM - Parveen Travels; 6:30PM - Sonai Meena; 6:30PM - Muthu Mari Travels; 7:30PM - Parveen Travels

By train
Trains to all major cities of India are available from Virudhunagar junction which is 25 km from Sivakasi.

From Sivakasi railway station: And also Chennai Egmore to Sengottai No.2661 also runs on all days via Sivakasi at 6AM.
 * Pothigai Express Train No.2662 from Sengottai to Chennai Egmore runs on all days via Sivakasi at 9PM.
 * Twice daily passenger - to Madurai via Virudhunagar, Tirumangalam
 * Twice daily to Tenkasi via Srivilliputhur, Rajapalayam, Sankarankoil

From Sengottai to Erode via Thenkasi, Sankarankoil, Rajapalayam, Srivilliputhur, Sivakasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, and Karur.

Get around
You can get around Sivakasi in
 * Taxi & tourist van
 * Auto rickshaw
 * Mini bus

See

 * Kasi Viswanatha Swamy Temple
 * Sri Badrakaliamman Temple - the Rajagopuram is believed to be the tallest of all kali temple towers in the state.
 * Sri Mariamman Temple
 * Ninranarayanaperumal koil, Thiruthangal, Sivakasi
 * Printing Press
 * Fireworks Industries
 * Safety Match Industries

Do
Sivakasi is known for printing industry and match boxes and its highly industrious nature and was given the nickname Kutty Japan (meaning "Little Japan" in Tamil) by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Sivakasi may be called as "A town of three industries", namely - printing/offset printing press, fireworks, and safety matches & colour matches.

Sivakasi has the second-most offset printing machines in the world, next to Gutenberg, Germany.

Cinemas

 * Adlabs Cinemas
 * Thangamani Cinemas
 * Palaniyandavar Cinemas

Theatres

 * Palaniandavar Theatre
 * Adlabs Ganesh Theatre
 * Adlabs Balaganesh Theatre
 * Thangamani Theatre
 * Rasi Theatre
 * ChinnaKani Theatre

Major festivals

 * Panguni Pongal (Apr 1/2 week)
 * Chithirai Pongal (May 1/2/3 week)
 * Karthigai (Nov/Dec)
 * Aathirai (Dec/Jan)

Eat
The list of hotels in Sivakasi:
 * Bell Hotels & Lodging 
 * DOSA Corner 
 * Karpagam Hotel 
 * Kali Das Mess 
 * Vijayam Mess 
 * Hotel Palson 
 * Hotel Murugesh 
 * Hotel Aruna & Vasanth 
 * Hotel Chidambaram 
 * Hotel Pandy-by-night 
 * Hotel Appans 
 * Hotel Megha 
 * Selvam Mess 
 * Appans Hotel 
 * Kathick Hotel 

Sweet & snack shops

 * Ayyanar sweets and snacks - Thiruthangal Road
 * Velayutham sweets and snacks - main bazaar
 * Nandhini sweets and snacks - Thiruthangal Road
 * Tamilnadu sweets and snacks - opp to bus stand
 * Ayankar sweets and snacks - near Ratnavilas bus stop
 * Malgudi Mithai

Specialties of the area include: Parotta, Dosai, Idli, pakkodaa, halwa, and Vadai.

Drink

 * Ayyanar Iceland 
 * Kanmark soft drink in all petty shop
 * Pandiyan Iceland 
 * Vinayaka Iceland 
 * Velayutham Iceland 
 * Ganesh coffee bar 

Bar and restaurant

 * Hotel Chidambaram
 * Muhil Bar and Restaurant

Sleep

 * Sri Sivasakthi a/c Lodge (+91 04562 226833)
 * Sakthi Complex (Lodge) (+91 04562 221172)
 * Bell Hotels & Lodging 
 * Hotel Palson 
 * Hotel Murugesh 
 * Hotel Aruna & Vasanth 
 * Hotel Chidambaram 
 * Nadar Lodge 
 * Bala Krishna Lodge 
 * Thai Lodge 
 * Arun Lodge 
 * Sapna Lodge 
 * Sangeetha Lodge 
 * Pandiyan Lodge 
 * Palaniappa Mansion 
 * Deepak's enclaves 
 * Deepak's enclaves 

Connect
Newspapers: Dinathanthi, Dinamalar, Dinakaran, Dinamani & all leading Tamil & English dailies are available at Bus station & City centre.

Cable TV: Local Cable TVs are telecasted nearly at all lodges.

Internet Cafe: Sify cafe are at main areas in the city. BSNL - Dataone Broadband is also available at many places.