Vizag
Visakhapatnam, which is popularly referred to as Vizag, is named after God Vaishaka. The city is a port city, located along the shores of Bay of Bengal and is headquarters to the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. Although considered to be an industrial city, Vizag has a rich and vibrant culture and heritage. The city was part of the ancient Kalinga Empire and was ruled by renowned kings, such as Ashoka and Krishnadeva Raya. During the 18th century, the city was a Dutch colony. Today, Vizag embraces its past and present seamlessly, making it an interesting and attractive city to spend holidays.
Vizag is blessed with natural beauty, with hill ranges, pristine beaches along its coastline and lush, natural valleys. The city is surrounded by three hills, Sri Venkateswara Konda, Ross Hill and Dargah Konda. Each hill is home to a shrine, dedicated to three different religions. The Venkateswara Konda is home to the Vekateswara Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva; Ross Hill houses the Church of Virgin Mary; and the Dargah Konda is home to the tomb of a Muslim saint called Baba Ishaq Madina Dargah.
Accommodation
Haritha Hotel, Visakhapatnam
Located on Beach Road, the hotel has air-conditioned suites, air-conditioned rooms and standard rooms, which are located on the ground floor. This hotel is perfect to enjoy the wonders and attractions that the city has to offer.
Located on Beach Road, the hotel has air-conditioned suites, air-conditioned rooms and standard rooms, which are located on the ground floor. This hotel is perfect to enjoy the wonders and attractions that the city has to offer.
Haritha Beach Resort, Visakahapatnam
Located on Bhimli Road, Rushikonda, this beautiful beach resort has a presidential suite, 10 luxury rooms, air-conditioned executive and deluxe rooms and standard air-conditioned rooms. Guests can enjoy the beautiful waters of the Bay of Bengal and the pristine sandy beach while staying at this resort.
Located on Bhimli Road, Rushikonda, this beautiful beach resort has a presidential suite, 10 luxury rooms, air-conditioned executive and deluxe rooms and standard air-conditioned rooms. Guests can enjoy the beautiful waters of the Bay of Bengal and the pristine sandy beach while staying at this resort.
Haritha Jungle Bells
This unique and idyllic resort has wooden cottages, with and without air-conditioning and wooden log huts. It has a wonderful restaurant and a fabulous view tower. It is the perfect place for trekking on trails in the forests, bird watching, and enjoying tribal dances and sports. It is the resort for a rural holiday in Andhra Pradesh.
This unique and idyllic resort has wooden cottages, with and without air-conditioning and wooden log huts. It has a wonderful restaurant and a fabulous view tower. It is the perfect place for trekking on trails in the forests, bird watching, and enjoying tribal dances and sports. It is the resort for a rural holiday in Andhra Pradesh.
Araku Valley
Located at a height of 3,200 feet in the midst of the hills of Anantagiri, Araku Valley is a beautiful and enchanting hill station. The salubrious climate, musically gurgling streams, the rainbow-creating waterfalls and lush green landscape can offer a memorable escape from the city life. The valley is located about 112 kilometres from Visakhapatnam. Araku Valley is home to 19 indigenous tribes and offers a wonderful opportunity to get insights into the lifestyle of these tribes and their culture and traditions. Dhimsa dance, a kind of folk dance, is a major attraction for its rhythmic beats and colourful costumes. Itika Pongal is a popular festival that is celebrated in the region and is worth experiencing.
Accommodation
Valley Resort, Araku
Located amidst lush greenery of Araku Valley, this resort is a yatri nivas that offers air-conditioned suites, non-air-conditioned suites and non-air-conditioned deluxe rooms. It is tranquil and peaceful and has well-landscaped gardens to relax, rest and rejuvenate.
Haritha Mayuri, Araku
Enjoy the natural beauty of Araku Valley and its hidden treasures while staying at the Haritha Mayuri. It has suites, deluxe rooms and standard rooms, all air-conditioned. It also has deluxe rooms without air-conditioning. The resort has a wonderful craft centre that is worth exploring.
Borra Caves
These caves are located 1,400 metres above sea level in Visakhapatnam's Anantagiri area. The caves are famous for their beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations. Borra Caves have both religious and historical significance. The locals flock to the caves to worship a Shivalinga and an idol of Kamadenu, the divine bovine goddess of Hindu mythology. This idol is located deep inside caves. The rock formations inside the caves look like udders of a cow and hence, these caves also are called Gosthani William King George belonging to the Geological Survey of India was instrumental in discovering Paleolithic implements in 1807. It is believed that these implements were about 1 million years old.
Kailasagiri Hill
he hill station of Kailash Giri is a popular tourist destination and getaway. It offers an awe-inspiring view of the Bay of Bengal and is home to the beautiful Rushikonda Beach and RK Beach. The surrounding hills are lush and green and offer a wonderful respite from the concrete jungle of Visakhapatnam. One of the attractions of Kailash Giri is its huge park called the Floral Watch. This park is shared like a watch and covered with grass. However, the main attraction is undoubtedly the massive statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati made from white marble. These statues are located on the hill, on a platform. As the base of Lord Shiva's statue, there is a stream that flows all the way to the foot of the hill. There is a ropeway service that allows visitors to access the hill and offers stunning view of the city and the Bay. There even is a scenic and panoramic road leading to the top of the hill.
RamaKrishna Beach
RamaKrishna Beach
Located along the coast of Vizag, Rama Krishna Beach is known for its pristine sands and crystal clear waters of the Bay of Bengal. It is adjoining the Lawson's Bay Beach and offers awe-inspiring natural views and vistas. The beach is perfect for catching mesmerising sunsets and sunrises. The beach is home to the Kali Temple, VUDA Park, a submarine museum and several roadside eateries and restaurants. While the Rama Krishna Beach is not safe for swimming, there are many attractions and activities to keep visitors busy. There is a poignant war memorial on the beach called the Victory at Sea. This memorial is dedicated to the memory of brave soldiers, who laid down their lives during the 1971 Indo-Park War.
Submarine Museum
The city of Vizag offers so many creative and unique attractions that visitors will often be overwhelmed by them. One of the innovative attractions of the city is the submarine museum. Located on the Ram Krishna Beach, this museum is housed inside a real submarine. INS Kurusura is a Soviet-built submarine which was decommissioned on February 28, 2001 after serving the nation for 21 glorious years. The submarine with all its weaponry and fittings was hauled on to the beach and placed on a concrete foundation at the Gajapathi Raju Marg on the beachfront.
Dolphin's Nose & the Port
Dolphin's Nose is a huge rocky headland, around 174 metres in height. It is located in the southern part of Vizag. The rock gets its name because of its resemblance to a dolphin's nose and is located 358 metres above sea level. It projects majestically out into the Bay of Bengal and is a natural formation that attracts many visitors.On top of rock formation is a huge lighthouse, which is renowned for its powerful beam. The light beam can be seen far out in the sea, about 64 kilometres from land. This is the oldest lighthouse in the city and offers stunning and panoramic view of the Bay and the city.
RAJAHMUNDRY TOURISM PLACES:-
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry has the distinction of being the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh. It is claimed that the Telugu language originated in Rajahmundry. The poet, Nannaya, was responsible for coming up with the Telugu script, which transformed it into a language. Located west of Godavari River, Rajahmundry is about 400 kilometres from Hyderabad. The earliest rulers of the region were the Chalukyas. Rajaraja Narendra ruled over Rajahmundry in the 12th century. However, new archaeological findings suggest that the history of this region may go back even further.
Dindi
The tranquil and panoramic village of Dindi is about 80 kilometres from Rajahmundry. This village is renowned for its virgin backwaters that ooze of charm and splendour. The serene palm-fringed canals, lakes, lagoons and rivulets offer the perfect place to enjoy a soothing houseboat cruise. The quaint villages nestled amidst coconut groves have pristine beauty that can leave one mesmerised. Dindi is the place where visitors can count the twinkling stars in the ink-blue sky at night, while the moon rays shimmer enchantingly over the surface of the water bodies. The oasis of Dindi and its unspoilt beauty can rejuvenate visitors and offer a memorable getaway from the concrete jungle of the city.
Accommodation
Coconut Country Resort, Rajahmundry
The resort has an air-conditioned restaurant, swimming pool and conference hall. It has air-conditioned suites and rooms that are exquisitely furnished and decorated. The well-landscaped gardens and the towering coconut trees are peaceful and tranquil.
ISKCON Temple
The ISKCON Temple, also referred to as the Gowthami Ghat, is very popular with visitors to Rajahmundry. The temple lies over an area of 2 acres, making it the second largest ISKCON Temple is South India. This temple lies on the banks of Godavari River and was constructed by the ISKCON followers.Many sages and priests have performed penance and prayers at this beautifully designed temple. It houses the idols of Sri Radha Gopinath, Subhadra Devi, Sri Sri Govinda Srinivas, Sri Sri Jaganath Baladeva, Sri Sri Krishna Chaitany and Prabhu Nityananda
Markandeya Temple
The Markandeya Temple is located in the town of Rajahmundry. Initially, it was believed that the ruins at the site of the temple were those of a mosque. However, archaeological surveys discovered that the ruins were that of a Shiva temple. So, in 1818, Gundu Sobhanadriswara Rao reconstructed the temple and it can be accessed from the Gunduvari Street, the same street where Gundu Sobhanadriswara Rao resided. According to legend, the temple is associated with Muni Mrukhanada. It is claimed that she prayed to Lord Shiva for a child. Pleased with her prayers, Lord Shiva appeared before her and asked her to choose between a child, who would survive for 11 years, and a husband. Muni Mrukhanada chose the former. She had a boy, who spent his whole like praying to Lord Shiva and even made a lingam and placed it inside the temple. When 11 years passed and the God of Death, Yamaraj came to take the boy, Lord Shiva intervened and blessed him with life.
kotilingeshwara temple
The kotilingeshwara temple was built in the 10th century and is surrounded by several bathing ghats that attract devotees. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and many pilgrims throng to the temple to take a holy dip in the surrounding waters.The local legend claims that a sage named Gautama was cursed by Lord Indra and to rid himself off the curse, the sage placed a shivalingam and prayed to Lord Shiva. He anointed the lingam with waters of 10 million rivers. The same shivalingam now rests in the precinct of the temples. Kotilingeswara Temple is popular with believers of Lord Shiva and the festival of Maha Shivratri is celebrated in the temple with a lot of fervour.
Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari River flows a distance of 1,465 kilometres, making it the second longest river in India, after the Ganges. The town of Rajahmundry is located on the banks of Godavari River and the river is the widest at this point. Its width is about 5 kilometres from Rajahmundry to the other side, where Kovvur is located. This mighty river is one of the main attractions of Rajahmundry. Three bridges span the river; and along its banks are several bathing ghats and parks. The river holds a place of importance in the lives of Hindus, who believe in bathing in it once in 12 years to wash away their sins.
THIRUPATHI TOURISM PLACES:-
Tirupati
Located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is a temple town that is revered by Hindus. Each year millions of devotees and believers come to the town to pay homage at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This amazing temple is located on top of the Tirumala Hill, while the town of Tirupati is situated at the foot of the hill.
Tirupati is a fascinating town for people, who want to find out more about Hinduism, or those, who want to exercise their religious beliefs. The numerous temples in the town and its vicinity give a tranquil and serene ambience to Tirupati. Waking up to the temple bells and hearing the chanting of the temple priests and devotees can be a rejuvenating experience that can soothe the mind and soul. The town is also famous for its wooden toys, which are made from a type of red wood.
Accommodation
Haritha Hotel, Tirupathi (Srinivasam) With air-conditioned suites and rooms and standard rooms, the Haritha Hotel is the perfect base to visit the exquisite and beautiful temples of Tirupathi and Tirumala.
Goddess Alamelumanga Temple
This temple is about 5 kilometres from the town of Tirupati. Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple is dedicated to Goddess Padmavathi, who was the consort of Lord Venketswara. The temple was constructed during the reign of King Thondaman Chakravarthy. It is claimed that worshippers used to first visit this temple and pay homage to Goddess Padmavathi before going to the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. Padmavathi was the daughter of Akasha Raja of Thondamandalam. It is believed that after performing oblation to the Gods, he found a baby girl resting on a lotus and named her Padmavathi. This girl went on to marry Lord Venkateswara. Goddess Padmavathi also is known as Alamelu Manga, which means an inexhaustible source of compassion and love.
Tirumala
Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy Temple
The king of all temples lies in Tirupati, which is located in the Chittoor District. The town is located at the foothills of Tirumala Hills, which is home to one of the most ancient and holy temples of India. This temple attracts millions of devotees each year and is called Sri Venkateswara Temple. It is claimed that the temple get more pilgrims than Mecca and Jerusalem. Tirupati is about 525 kilometres from Hyderabad and is surrounded by seven panoramic hills, which are home to perennial waterfalls, lush valleys and verdant forests. Besides the Sri Venkateswara Temple, other shrines located in the region include the Sri Govindrajaswamy Temple, Sri Kondandaramaswami Temple, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple and the Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple.
Kanipakam
The village of Kanipakam is located in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of Bahuda River. This village is famous for its Lord Ganesha temple, which is known as Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple. According to archaeological and historical evidence, the temple was built in the early part of the 11th century CE by King Kulothunga Chola I and was expanded subsequently by the kings of the Vijayanagar Dynasty. Local legend claims that the idol of Lord Ganesha housed in the temple grows continuously. Another local legend claims that the temple was constructed after a self-manifested idol of Lord Vinayaka made an appearance in the local well waters. Even today, the idol is housed in this well and the water in the well is perennial. During the rainy season, the holy water from the well overflows.
Srikalahasti Temple
Srikalahasti is located close to Tirupati, on the banks of Swarnamukhi River. This town is considered to be one of the important sites for ancient Shiva temple. The Srikalahasti Temple is situated between the banks of the river and the foot of the neighbouring hills and is also referred to as Dakshina Kailasam. The temple has three majestic towers, which can leave visitors spellbound with the ornate and beautiful architecture. The original temple was constructed during the Pallava Dynasty and the temple that visitors see today was built in the 11th century during the reign of the Chola Dynasty. The massive 100-pillared mandapam was constructed in the 16th century by Krishnadevaraya.
Accommodation
Haritha Hotel, Srikalahasti
Enjoy visiting the ancient temples in Srikalahasti when you stay at the Haritha Hotel here. The hotel has one suite, 15 air-conditioned rooms, 1 deluxe non-air-conditioned room and 8 standard rooms.
Chandragiri Fort
This fort was built on a massive rock in 1000 AD. It is located at a height of 183 metres and is a testimony of the outstanding architectural expertise that prevalent during the Vijayanagar Empire. The exquisite stucco work, natural light and ventilation is the hallmark of this fort. The fort hosts a daily sound and light show twice a day in English and Telugu which attracts many visitors. The collection of the royal family displayed in Raja Mahal is sufficient to leave visitors spellbound. There is a Hanuman Temple dominating the entrance of the fort and thereafter there are bastions leading up to the Mahals. These bastions are made from granite and mortar and have beautiful carved pillars showing humans and lions.
Horsley Hills
Horsley Hills is a beautiful and scenic hill station in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Located at an altitude of 4,100 feet, Horsley Hills is about 144 kilometres from Tirupati and offers a wonderful escape. The road leading to the town is extremely scenic and panoramic, with Mahogany, Jacaranda, Sandalwood, Gulmohar and Eucalyptus trees lining the road in the form of a dense and verdant forest.The town is a paradise for adventure sports lovers, as they can experience the thrills of zorbing, rappelling, rock climbing and trekking. Horsley Hills is the perfect destination to commune with nature and lose oneself to the untouched natural beauty that Mother Nature has bestowed on this town.
Accommodation
Haritha Hill Resort
Escape to the hills of Tirupathi and enjoy communing with nature at the Haritha Hill Resort. The resort has rooms located in different areas, and each one offers a unique perspective of the surrounding hills and forests. There are bungalows, cottages and Governor's suite that guests can choose from. Large groups can even opt for dormitory, which has 30 beds.
Swami Pushkarini
Swami Pushikarini is the name of the lake that is located within the temple premises of Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. This lake has great religious importance, as the devotees believe that it is the holy Lake of Vaikuntha, where Lord Vishnu took a bath along with his wife. It is believed that Garuda, the mount of Lord Vishnu, brought the water to this site. Today, people bath in the holy lake to cleanse their sins and evils. The Swami Pushikarini is a natural freshwater spring lake and is spread over an area of 1.5 acres. It has a madapam in the centre which was constructed by Saluva King Narasimha Raya in 1468. The steps leading to the mandapam were built by saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya.
Akasa Ganga
Located on the hill of Tirumala, near the temple of Sri Venkateswara is a beautiful waterfall, which has been there since time immemorial. The devotees believe that the water of the cascade flows from the feet of Lord Vishnu. The Akasa Ganga waterfalls are considered holy because the water is used for the daily maintenance of the temples and shrines. The devotees believe that the waters of the cascade is as holy as the waters of the Ganga and can be seen sprinkling it over their heads as an act to absolve their sins. The surroundings around the waterfalls are beautiful and spellbinding. There is a walkway leading to the falls and one can find a beautiful idol of Lord Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi on either side. All the three idols have a divine glow that attracts passerbys, who stop there to offer prayers before proceeding to Akasa Ganga.
Tallapaka
The village of Tallapaka is located in the Kadapa District. The village is about 48 kilometres from the city of Kadapa and 469 kilometres from Hyderabad. It is known across Andhra Pradesh and rest of Indian for being the birthplace of the noted carnatic music composer, Annamacharya. Annamacharya was known for composing devotional songs and the village has built a Dhyana Mandiram as homage to the composer, who lived during the 15th century. The main attraction in the village is the beautiful temple of Sudarashanachakra, which is abode to the idols of Lord Vishnu and Saint Gopalkrishna. The village also is home to a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman and Lord Garuthmantha.
Kuppam
The town of Kuppam is located in the Chittoor District, and is closer to the cities of Bengaluru and Chennai than Hyderabad. It is at the borders of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states, about 105 kilometres from Bengaluru and 250 odd kilometres from Chennai. The town is known for its granite quarries and different types of granite. It also is an educational hub and has the Dravidian University, an engineering college and a medical college. Kuppam is home to the Kuppam Palace, which is located in the centre of the town. In addition, it also houses the popular Sri Prasanna Tirupathi Gangamamba Temple, which holds festival every year in May, attracting many devotees and worshippers. The festival lasts for 8 days.
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