Home :: South India Travel Destinations :: Visakhapatnam India

» Location : Built Along The Seashore Of The Bay Of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh
» Also Known As : Vizag
» Famous As : Shipbuilding Centre
» Attractions : Kailasagiri, Dolphin's Nose, Ramakrishna Beach, Rishikonda Beach

Vishakapatnam was named after the God of valour, Visakha. Once a small fishing village, it formed a part of the Kalinga empire, under Ashoka in 260 BC., passed on successively from the Andhra kings to Vengi to the Pallavas, Cholas and Gangas. In the 15th century, Visakhapatnam became a part of the Vijayanagar empire. 

It was transformed into a port town under the British. Now a bustling industrial and commercial city, it is the country's largest ship building yard. The most famous landmark at Visakhapatnam is the Dolphin's Nose, a rocky promontory in the port that is 358 mt. in height. The Ramakrishna Mission Beach, on the east cost and Rishikonda, known for their serenity, are popular with tourists.

Popularly known as Vizag,it began as a small fishing village of just a few hundred people, and has developed into a progressive, cosmopolitan port city, and bustling industrial and commercial center with over one and half million people. Vizag is the amalgamation of what were originally two separate towns -- Waltair and Vishakapatnam. 

Prime Attractions of Vishakhapatnam
Kailasagiri : Kailasagiri is located on a hilltop and is a must to visiting place for all people visiting Vishakhapatnam. The charming hill on the seafront, affords a breath taking scenic view, especially towards Bheemunipatnam.

Rishikonda Beach : A golden, unspoiled beach, washed by the sun-warmed sea, Rishikonda is 8 km away from Vishakhapatnam. This spot is ideal for swimmers, water skiers, and wind surfers. Tourists can enjoy a holiday in picturesque settings.

Ramakrishna Beach : They give a picturesque and a beautiful scenic beauty. There is present a soul stirring panorama of golden beaches. Lush green vegetation and splendid monuments form a rich heritage.

Excursions of Vishakhapatnam
Ananthagiri Hills : Anantagiri is a breathtakingly beautiful resort sheltered in the lush undulating ranges of the Eastern Ghats. It is considered to be a perfect head off to get away from the blistering summer months. The Ananthagiri hills are on the way to Araku Valley and are famous for coffee plantations.

Simhachalam : 16 km from Vishakhapatnam, it is an important pilgrim centre. Owing to the existence of the Varaha Lakshmi Narasimhaswami temple on a hill, which is 800 feet above the sea level Simhachalam has attracted a lot of tourist.

Araku Valley : This valley is about 115 km, from Vishakhapatnam. The valley extending over 36 sq km is situated at an altitude of 610 to 915 metres above the sea level. Green, pleasant, and filled with the music of waterfalls is the picturesque Araku Valley. The valley, with its bracing climate and orchards, and the Ananthagiri Hills, which present an enchanting view, attract Indian and foreign tourists. The natural beauty of this valley comes alive with the aboriginal tribes who dwell here and who have, to this day, kept their tradition and culture alive. The Dhimsa dance, an age-old folk dance is still performed here during 'Itika Pongal' - the famous hunting festival in April.

Borra Caves : It is about 90 km from Vishakhapatnam and at a distance of 29 km from Araku Valley. Borra is a village lying in the Ananthagiri hills in the south-east corner of Srungavarapukota taluka. The caves have historical and religious value and archaeological importance due to the discovery of some Paleolithic implements. Dating back to a million years, they present a breathtaking display of naturally sculpted splendour, in superb stalactite and stalagmite formations. Deep in the caves, a Shivalingam and an idol of a Cow (Kamadhenu) can be found. The caves are illuminated by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. There are mica mines in and around Borra village and it is believed that there are immense possibilities of mining precious stones like rubies here.

Bheemunipatnam : At a distance of 24 km from Vishakhapatnam down to Mypad in Nellore district, the coastline of Andhra Pradesh offers unalloyed joy to the sun worshippers and sea bathers. This beach is located at the mouth of the river Gosthani. Once a Dutch settlement, the ruins of a fort and cemetery are still intact. The beach is very safe for swimmers. The journey between Vishakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam is exhilarating.

Festivals of Vishakhapatnam
The annual tourism event, the 'Vishakha Utsav' is held in Vishakhapatnam for three days from the third Friday to Sunday in the month of January.

Shopping in Vishakhapatnam
Vizag is better known as an industrial centre, but in reality it is a city of shopkeepers. For some reason shops in the same trade tend to be located next to each other, which makes shop hopping and bargain hunting easier. Earlier the area around Kurupam market with its narrow lanes and poky shops, was famous for Gold and Silver shopping.

Of late jewellery shops have sprung up in the area in Dwaraka Nagar on the other side of TSR complex. The entire stretch of road extending from Jagadamba Junction to the Old Post Office has literally countless shops selling a wide variety of items. Chandana Brothers, Bommana, Puchala, are the famous shops, which sell almost all sari varieties. The government owned / run Lepakshi is the place for handicrafts.

Places to stay in Vishakhapatnam
» Daspalla Hotels Limited
» Dolphin Hotels Limited
» Green Park
» Hotel Jyothi Swaroopa
» Hotel Meghalaya
» Hotel Prince
» Palm Beach
» Hotel Taj Residency

How to Get There
By Air: Indian Airlines flies to Vishakapatnam daily from Bombay, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Madras. 

By Railways:Visakhpatnam is the center point for the Trains which goes between Chennai & Howra and Howra & Secunderabad.

By Train:The APS RTC runs buses which connects major cities to Visakhaptnam and the cities in the nighbouring states Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

General Information about Vishakhapatnam
» Climate: Tropical
» Temperature Range (deg C):
- Summer- Max 36, Min 25
- Winter- Max 28, Min 19.6
» Altitude: 15 feet above sea level
» Clothing: Light Cottons in summers and light woollens in winters
» Best Season: August to October and January to March
»Languages Spoken: Telugu, Hindi, English
» STD Code: 0891