Visakapatanam

Visakhapatnam is known as the port city or the steel city or otherwise stylishly called Vizag. Visakhapatnam derived its name from the deity 'Visakha' who is the God of Valour. It is located on the eastern coast around 650 Kms from Hyderabad. It lies on the eastern coast of India and lies to the south of Andhra Pradesh. The city has a natural harbour and clean picturesque beaches. It is considered to be a tourist paradise with the major attractions being the Ramakrishna Mission Beach, Lawson's Bay Beach, Kailasagiri Hills and Park, Dolphin's Nose and Indira Gandhi Zoological Park. Visakhapatnam is also famous for its shipbuilding industry and oil refineries. There is also a submarine museum here which is the first of its kind in South Asia and is situated at Rama Krishna Beach.

Tourist Attractions

The Vizag Beaches

There are a number of lovely beaches in Visakhapatnam but the most beautiful amoung them are the Ramakrishna beach and the Lawson's Bay. These beaches offer many water sport activities and are best for other pasttime activities such as swimming, sun bathing, playing beach volleyball etc. These beaches also offer one of the most beautiful sights of the nature the sunset and sunrise.

The Vizag Port

The port at Vizag attracts a large number of visitors. You will be able to see a number of anchored ships. There is also a shipbuilding yard located at Gandhidham which is the largest shipyard of India. The shipbuilding yard is famous for the contruction of cargo vessels, naval ships and passenger ships.

Kailasagiri Park

The Kailasagiri park is spread over an area of 50 acres and is situated in the picturesque Kailasa hill and overlooks the sea. The park offers a panoramic view of the sea, Vizag city and the Eastern Ghats. This hill range is named after the celestial couple Siva-Parvathi whose statue is present on the hill. The park offer toy train rides and there is a ropeway connecting this park from the bottom of the hill.

VUDA Park

The VUDA park is located at the beginning of the Beach Road. The park has been developed by the Urban Development Authority. It offers entertainment for the kids in the form of musical fountain, mini disneyland and boating. There is a roller skating ground here where skating is taught and it is also a venue for several national and international skating competitions. It also offers facilities like pleasure rides on horses and camels.

Dolphin's Nose

The Dolphin's Nose is a huge rock which resembles the shape of a dolphin and is located on the beach. It is a single and massive hillock which measures more than 350 meters in height and protects the Visakhapatnam Harbour as well as the Head Quarters of Eastern Naval Command. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust’s Light House is situated on top this hill and it guides the approaching ships to Visakhapatnam. One of the most picturesque locations on the seaward side of the Dolphin nose mountain is the Yarada beach.

Indira Gandhi Zoological Park

The Indira Gandhi Zoological park is situated between the National Highway number 5 and the Beach Road. It covers a huge area of 625 acres and there are around 700 animals in total which belongs to around 89 species. The many different species of animals and birds in the zoo and different sections are allotted for primates, carnivores, lesser carnivores, small mammals, reptiles, ungulates, and birds. There is a separate deer park and a crocodile park. The other important attractions of the Zoo are Deer Safari, Nocturnal animals, Toy train, Shanty Sarovar view, Zoo van drive and Bay of Bengal view points.

Mudasarlova

Mudasarlova is a valley surrounded by hills. There is a tank there called Mudasarilova which has its own pumping and purification plant and it is located 10 kms from Vizag. The lake supplies drinking water to the city. It is also a very popular picnic spot and the site consists of a park with fountains, birds and peacocks, water tank and a beautiful garden. There is also an excellent scenic Golf Course Club located here.

Simhachalam

Simhachalam is a very popular piligrim center and the temple combines the architecture of the Orissan and Chalukyan. Simhachalam the word literally means the hill of the lion and it is located at a distance of 18 km from Vishakapatnam. The deity at the temple is Varaha Lakshminarasimha. It combines the iconographic features of Varaha and Narasimha. The image of the deity is covered with sandal paste and only once a year, during the Chandana Visarjana the sandal paste is removed, and the image can be seen by pilgrims. According to the legends the Ugra form of Narasimha as he killed the demon Hiranyakashipu was so fierce that the image is kept covered by sandal paste throughout the year.

Appikonda

Appikonda is a small village on the cost of the Bay of Bengal. Appikonda is also known as Kapilakonda and it has a popular Shiva temple and it is situated 18 kms from Visakhapatnam. The major attraction of the temple is a life size bull that has been carved out of black stone. There are inscriptions in the temple dating back to 12th century. The Mahashivaratri festival is celebrated here with great splendor.

Travel

Air: Vishakapatnam is well connected by daily Indian Airlines flights with Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Rail: All important trains pass through Visakhapatnam as it falls on the Chennai-Howrah and Secunderabad-Howrah railway route.

Road: Vishakapatnam is also well connected by the road network.

Related Topics
Andhra Pradesh