Visakhapatnam or Vizag is a port city of Andhra Pradesh, located on the eastern coast of India. The city nestled amidst the Eastern Ghats Hill ranges, overlooking the Bay of Bengal on the East. Vishakhapatnam is located 650 Kms north-east of the Capital city,Hyderabad. Jewelled with a natural harbour and unspoilt beaches, the city is matchless in its beauty and landscape. The long stretches of beaches on one side of the city and lush green hills on the other side has made the city, a Tourist Haven. The tourist destination equally attracts the Buddhist pilgrims, the fun-lovers and adventure-seekers. According to legend Visakhapatnam got its name from a temple deity Visakha (God of Valour). A Hindu King built a monument in the 11th Century on his way to Banaras. The monument was washed away by the sea, but the name and the town remain.Visakhapatnam became famous as Vizag, from a little fishing village in the previous century. Apart from a tourist destination the city is primarily an industrial city. The city has one of the largest ports in the country and it houses largest ship building yard. Vizag is the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command and has industries like Coromandel Fertilizers, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and a big Steel Plant.
Attractons at Visakhapatnam :
» Kailasagiri Hills and Park - A beautiful hill situated at the sea coast, Kailasagiri Hill can be considered as a gift of nature. On the hilltop a beautiful park have been developed in an area of 50acres. This lush green park situated in a serene atmosphere offers the panoramic sea view. The park has a Musical Fountain, boating facility and a Skating Rink. In addition the Park has a well-equipped gymnasium and facilities of horse and camel riding.
» Ramakrishna Mission Beach - Ramakrishna Mission Beach is an excellent place for leisurely activities. A Kali Temple stands closer to the beach. The Aquarium and Visakha Museum are other attractions here.
» Lawson's Bay Beach - 
Lawson'sBay Beach has several beaches and it is a nice place for swimming and surfing. One can bathe in crystal clear waters of the Bay, which has proven to be the safest areas to bathe.
» Dolphin's Nose - The 174 meters high huge rock,358 meters above sea level, is a famous landmark in Vizag. Dolphin's Nose isa massive rocky structure, resembles the dolphin. The rock forms a headland,on which a light house has been formed. The beam of lighthouse can be seen 65Km out at sea.
» Indira Gandhi Zoological Park - The Zoo spreads over an area of 450 acres houses exotic species of animals and birds. Half of the park is functioning as a deer park, while the other half provides shelter to around 300 types of specimens. A large enclosure in the park forms the Crocodile Park.
Excursions :
» Sankaram - The famous Buddhist monuments are situated on the two hillocks near the village called Sankaram. A rock cut temple stands on the eastern side of the hills, which houses several Buddhist sculptures and a life-size statue of Buddha.
» Mudasarlova - Located at a distance of 10 Kms from the city, Mudasarlova is a valley surrounded by hills. The valley has a lake that supplies drinking water to the city. The lake is a nice picnic spot.
» Etikoppaka - Situated 20 kilometers south of Yellamanchili, Etikoppaka lies on the bank of river Varaha. Etikoppaka is popular for the toys made with the Ankudu wood.
» Rushikonda Beach -
Thebeach, eight Kms from the city, is famous for its clean golden sand.Rushikonda is a beautiful place for swimming, water sports and wind surfing.
» Bheemunipatnam Beach - The beach is situated at the mouth of Gosthani river. It is located at a distance of 24 Kms from Visakhapatnam. The beach forms ideal for swimming and water sports.
» Simhachalam - Simhachalam (Hill of the Lion) is a famous pilgrimage place, lies 16 Kms away from Visakhapatnam. Sri Varaha Lakshminarasimha temple is situated here, which is considered as one of the best-sculpted shrines in Andhra Pradesh.
» Appikonda - Appikonda also known as Kapilakonda,lies at a distance of 18 Kms from Visakhapatnam. A Siva temple with a lifesize statue of a bull stands here. The Siva temple has the inscriptions of the 12th Century AD.
Accessibility :Visakhapatnam is well connected with Air, Rail and Road link.
» Air - Visakhapatnam is connected with Hyderabad,Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Bhubaneshwar. Indian Airlines offer daily flights to Hyderabad and five times a week to Chennai, New Delhi and Kolkata. Jet Airways and Air Sahara also operate regular flights from Visakhaptnam to some of the important cities of the country.
» Rail : Visakhapatnam Railway station falls on Chennai-Kolkata rail line. The port city is well connected by rail with New Delhi (1861 Kms), Chennai (799 Kms), Kolkata (879 Kms)and Hyderabad (650Kms)etc.
» Road - Visakhapatnam is connected by good motorable road with some cities, the distance of major places from the cityare Hyderabad (650 Kms), Vijayawada (350 Kms), Araku Valley (120 Kms),Arasavalli (110 Kms), Bheemunipatnam (29 Kms), Bhubaneshwar (426 Kms),Kolkata (879 Kms), Cuttack (444 Kms), Jagdalpur (304 Kms), Kakinada (165Kms), Koraput (198 Kms), Chennai (799 Kms), Tirupati (746 Kms) and Warangal-(619 Kms).
Accommodation :
The Accommodation facility is available in Hotels. Hotels are available according the budgets of tourists. Some of the important hotels of the city are Taj Residency (5 Star), The Park (5 Star), Dolphin Hotel (4 Star), Hotel Meghalaya (3 Star), Daspala (3 Star) and Talasila Continental (3 Star) etc.
Best Time to Visit :
The climate of the Visakhapatnam remains pleasant through out the year. The maximum temperature during the summers goes to 39oC, while in winters it falls to a minimum of 19oC.
