The city derives its name from God Visakha, or the God of Courage. The earliest documented history the city states that it was ruled by the mighty King Ashoka, but was sacked by one dynasty after another during the course of history.

The land of the golden beaches was just over half a century ago a small fishing village. One would be amazed at the manner in which this port city with a natural harbour developed into one of the fastest growing cities in Asia.

Travel to Vishakhapatnam, 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.

Places to see in Vishakhapatnam:

• 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.

• Ross Hill

A unique site to see is the area around Ross hill which has three hills dedicated to three different faiths in proximity to the port. Ross Hill, named after a certain Monsieur Ross who built a house on it in 1864, it has now been converted into a chapel Mother Mary’s Church.

• The Araku valley

The Araku valley, located on the Anatagiri hills at a height of 1,161 m from Sea Level is the place with the best natural scenery and greenery can be found. The Valley is located 112-Km from Vishakhapatnam and has Waterfalls and streams, which give a pleasant feeling to the mind. The 17 tribes living in this valley wear colourful dresses and costumes and were untouched with modern civilizations. Their rhythmic songs and tribal dances, the Dhimsa dance in particular are just marvelous. The valley has Cottages and Resorts for tourists who visit here on a weeklong trip.

• Kailasa Giri

Ropeway Terminal A local favorite, a short ride on to this hill gives you a spectacular view of the sea, RK.Beach and Rushikonda Beach on right and left hand side. There is a huge sculpture of Shiva and Parvathi. With a children’s play area, a people-mover akin to a ski lift called a ropeway. Beautiful scenic view can be obtained from the ropeway, specially in the evening, when the city comes alive with all the lights.

• The Submarine Museum – Kurusura

Vishakhapatnam has another Golden leaf in its feather and this Golden leaf has its specialty. The Submarine Museum – Kurusura being set up at the Rama Krishna Beach in Vishakhapatnam has a specialty. The Submarine Museum was the first submarine tuned to a museum in the whole of Asia. INS Kusura is a Russian built submarine. It was built on Dec 18th 1969 and began its journey on Feb 20, 1970 via the Baltic Sea and reached Vishakhapatnam on the 11th of May 1970. Since then INS Kusura was being used by the Indian Defence.

• Ramakrishna Beach

Kali Temple at R.K. Beach is the most popular beach in the sense that, you can find the locals hanging out during the hot summers, and relatively less hot winters. On weekends and holidays, one can see that the entire beach comes alive, but not in a western sense where people take a plunge in the water, or surf. You can see people dressed in their best clothes, just sitting on the benches, or walking along.

• Vizag harbour

Vizag harbour is one of the natural harbors in the world. A temple, mosque and church are located on hills overlooking the harbour. The Vizag beaches, particularly the Ramakrishna Beach, are lovely and serene. The beaches are ideal for swimming and water sports. On the north of Vizag is this pretty cove, Lawson’s Bay, ideal for swimming. Old Dutch museum and the drive to Bheemli are also very enjoyable.

Excursions of Vishakhapatnam:

Bheemunipatnam

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

Simhachalam

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.

Borra Caves

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

How to get there:

By Air

Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, King Fisher and Sahara operate daily flights to Vizag from Hyderabad and Mumbai. Flights from and to Chennai and New Delhi are available 4 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun).

By Train

Vishakhapatnam is on Kolkata-Chennai main line and is connected to both the cities by train. This being a major station, all trains including the super fast expresses have a stop in the station.

By Road

Vishakhapatnam is 650 km from Hyderabad and 350 km from Vijayawada. Regular bus services are available to Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, Chennai and Tirupati.