Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a 17th-century palace erected in 1636 AD by King Thirumalai Nayak, a king of Madurai's Nayaka dynasty who ruled Madurai from 1623–59, in the city of Madurai, India. This Palace is a classic fusion of Dravidian and Rajput styles. The building, which can be seen today, was the main Palace, in which the king lived. The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure. In its heyday, Tirumalai Nayak Palace at Madurai was considered to be one of the wonders of the South. The palace is well equipped to perform Light & Sound shows depicting the story of Silappathikaram both in Tamil and English languages. It is held in the evenings

Gandhi Memorial Museum, established in 1959 and situated 15 km away from Airport, is one of the five Gandhi Sanghralayas (Gandhi Museums) in the country. It includes a part of the blood-stained garment worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. This museum was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 15 April 1959. It comes under the Peace Museums Worldwide selected by United Nations Organisation (UNO). The palace of Rani Mangammal was renovated and converted into the museum.

Kodaikanal is a hill station city near Madurai. Its name in the Tamil language means 'The Gift of the Forest'. Kodaikanal is referred to as the 'Princess of Hill stations' and has a long history as a retreat and popular tourist destination. The 2–3-hour drive to Kodaikanal via the steep and winding Ghat roads from Batlagundu or Palani is a memorable experience. Kodaikanal has several scenic natural attraction which are enjoyed by its visitors and make it a popular romantic destination for newlyweds. Places such as Kodaikanal Lake, an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45 ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863, Bryant Park, a wonderfully maintained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden, Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, which holds outstanding taxidermy collection of more than 500 species of animals, birds and insects and a living collection of over 300 exotic orchid species and many more place are attracting people from all part of the world.

Thekkady / Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, situated 114 km from Madurai Airport, is located near Tamilnadu-Kerala Border. It is spread across 777 km2 (300 sq mi), of which 360 km2 (140 sq mi) is thick evergreen forest. The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. The greatest attractions of Periyar are the herds of wild elephants, deer and bison that come down to drink in the lake. The sanctuary can be accessed through a trekking, boating or jeep safari.

Munnar, located about 164 km from Madurai Airport, is a famous hill station. It is situated at around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) above mean sea level, in the Western Ghats range of mountains. Munnar is famously known as 'The Kashmir of South India'. It is centrally located to many tourist places such as Eravikulam National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Anamudi Peak which is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and South India, at an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft), Munnar Tea Museum and Mattupetty Dam.

Coutrallam Falls, 160 km away from Madurai Airport, is located on the Western Ghats on the river Chittar and is considered a 'medical spa' on account of the medical smell in the waters. There are a total of nine falls of which Peraruvi, Aintharuvi and Puli Aruvi being the most prominent. The falls is the most prominent tourist destination in the region and usually frequented by devotees of the Papanasanathar Temple and Sabarimala. The season starts with the South West monsoon from July to September. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has a boat house that operates boating during season.

A small Island and Major Pilgrim Centre which is situated in the Gulf of Mannar, at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. It is located on Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, and connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Together with Varanasi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimage. Some of the main attractions to visit are Ramanathaswamy Temple, Pamban Bridge and Dhanushkodi which is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island. The Island is 180 km away from Madurai Airport.