Vishakhapatnam Travel Guide

¤ Vishakhapatnam or Vizag

Location : Built Along The Seashore of The Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh
Attractions : Kailasagiri, Dolphin's Nose, Ramakrishna Beach
Ideal Time To Visit : Throughout the year

¤ Visakhapatnam, The City of Destiny

The port city of Vishakhapatnam is situated along the seashore of the Bay of Bengal. It is surrounded by a huge rock called the Dolphin's Nose, which has a height of 357 m above the sea level. There is a long stretch of beautiful coastline here. The city has densely forested Eastern Ghats and numerous rivers like Godavari and Indravati.

Travel to Vishakhaptanam, also known as "Vizag" and is enclosed by three hills. Each of these hills has a shrine belonging to different religions. The Venkateswara temple on Venkateswara Konda is a Hindu shrine, Baba Ishaq Madina Dargah on Dargah Konda is a Muslim Shrine and Church of the Virgin Mary on Rose hill is a Christian shrine.


¤ History of The City

Visakhapatnam is named after the god of bravery, Visakha. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is also the ruler of the planet Mars and the god of war. Various dynasties ruled this ancient city, including the Kalinga's during 7th century, Chankya's during 8th century, Rajahmundry Reddy kings, Cholas, Golkonda Nawabs etc.

According to the archaeological sources, the temples were built between the 11th and 12th centuries AD by the Chola king, Kulottunga. Visakhapatnam is also mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It was once a part of the great Kalinga empire, extended up to the river Godavari.

Visakhapatnam is also mentioned in Hindu and Buddhist texts, which are as old as 5th to 6th centuries BC. Sanskrit grammarians, Panini and Katyayana in the 4th century BC have also mentioned it. Post independence, Visakhapatnam's emerged as the biggest district in the country. Later, it was divided into three districts viz. Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Visakhapatnam.


¤ Attractions In Vishakhapatnam

The beautiful Vishakhapatnam has some amazing travel attractions, luring numerous visitors.

Dolphin's Nose
The Dolphin's Nose is a massive rock with an height of 357 m. It was named after its shape that is similar to a Dolphin's nose. This huge rock emerges out of the sea forming an elevation which also has a lighthouse. It is a major travel attraction at Vishakhapatnam.

Kailasagiri
The charming Kailasagiri is located on a hilltop provides some exotic views, mainly towards the Bheemunipatnam. It is one of the must visit tourist spots, while on your travel vacations in Vishakhapatnam.

Mudasarlova Water Works and Park
It is situated 10 km from the Vishakhapatnam. It is a valley surrounded by hills with a lake that supplies water to the city. There is also a sprawling 18-hole Golf course owned by the East Point Golf Club.

Indira Gandhi Zoological Park
The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is situated in Vishakhapatnam enclosed by the mesmerizing eastern ghats of India. There are hills on either side of the park and the Bay of Bengal lies in its east.

Ramakrishna Beach
The Ramakrishna beach is one of the most beautiful and popular beach to travel in Andhra Pradesh. It is situated on the east coast and is a favorite resort of tourists coming to the city.

Rishikonda Beach
The Rishikonda beach, situated just 8-km from Vishakhapatnam is another famous beach of this city. With golden sand and vast stretch of water, this un spoilt beach, lures innumerable tourists to take up a travel trip to Rishikonda Beach.

The Harbour
Vishakhapatnam is one of the natural harbours in the world. Added attractions of this harbour are a temple, a mosque and a church located on hills. They overlook the Harbour.

Submarine Museum
Another Attraction at Vishakhapatnam is a submarine museum. It has been recently established here and is the only one of its kind in the country. A major highlight of the museum is that it is the first Museum in Asia to build a Submarine.

¤ Excursions

Bheemunipatnam-25 km
Bheemunipatnam is situated about 25-km from Vishakhapatnam. It is famous for its beautiful beach located along the east coast.

Simhachalam-16 km
The Simhachalam is situated about 16-km from Vishakhapatnam. The travel attraction of this place is a famous ancient temple of Sri Varaha Lakshminarasimha. This temple is known for its excellent architecture.

Araku Valley-115 km
About 115-km from Vishakhapatnam is the beautiful Araku Valley, with its bracing climate, orchards, and the Ananthagiri Ghats, which present an enchanting view to the visitors, is attracting tourists not only in India but from abroad too.

Borra Caves-90 to 95 km
The Borra caves situated at a distance of about 90-95-km from Vishakhapatnam is an important tourist attrction. It is famous for its historical and religious significance.

Ananthagiri Hills
The beautiful Anantagiri hills are situated in appealing ranges of the Eastern Ghats. These hills provide a respite from the hot summer months. They are located on the way to Araku Valley and are famous for coffee plantations.

¤ Shopping In Vishakhapatnam

Vishakhapatnam is an important industrial center of India. It is not famous for shopping but one can definitely move around the city to look for things that can be bought. The gold and silver jewelry and various varieties of Saris are some of the must buys of the city.


¤ Festival

Visakhapatnam celebrates many religious and state festivals. They are an integral part of the city's culture and tradition. Festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Holi are celebrated here with equal excitement and enthusiasm at Vizag also.

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. This festival celebrates the rich culture and traditions of the Vizag.


¤ Reach Vishakhapatnam

By Air : The Visakhapatnam airport is situated16km from city center. It is connected to Mumbai, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Madras, by the flights of Indian Airlines.

By Rail : Visakhapatnam is well connected with all the important cities of India by rail. Visakhapatnam junction railway station is on the main Calcutta to Chennai line.

By Road : National Highway No.5 (Howrah to Chennai) passes through Vishakhapatnam. The APSRTC as well as private operators offer bus services, that connect major cities of the state. These buses also take you to the neighboring states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

Local Transportation : Auto Rickshaws and taxis are available for local transportation.