Visakhapatnam or Vizag is a port city and industrial center in the state of AndhraPradesh, India on the Bay of Bengal. The lush green city Visakhapatnam, the city of destiny got its name from Lord Visakheswara Temple (also known as Karthikeya, second son of Lord Shiva) which is now located beneath the sea waters of the city. Thus the name eventually transformed and was cut short to Vizag. Vizag is sometimes referred to as the “Goa of the East Coast.”. As the fifth-busiest cargo port in India, the city is a major tourist destination and is particularly known for its many beaches, well-built and maintained parks, laterite hillocks, nearby scenic areas, Buddhist sites, and natural beauty.
It has been nicknamed the “City of Destiny” and the “Jewel of the East Coast” for the same reason. Vizag is known for its Ramakrishna Beach, home to a preserved submarine at the Kursura Submarine Museum. Nearby are the elaborate Kali Temple and the Visakha Museum, an old Dutch bungalow housing local maritime and historical exhibits. Located at a distance of 651 kms from Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam the largest city in Andhra Pradesh is well connected by rail, road, air, and sea with all major cities of India and the world.
As a major industrial town, Vizag is home to numerous well-known government sector enterprises like Vizag Steel Plant, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Shipyard, Indian Navy Dockyard, NTPC-Simhadri Thermal power plant, and many other private sectors small & medium scale industries In recent years Vizag has also developed into a major hub for IT sector with many major IT companies like Wipro, TCS opening offices here. .Though open to tourist throughout the year best time to visit Vishakhapatnam is from October to March. During this time, the weather of the region becomes more pleasing and comfortable.
Being a cosmopolitan township and a naval base there is a large population of migrant workers from other parts of India, who have made Vizag their home. There are Marwaris, Oriya, Bengalis, Punjabis, Maharashtrians, Tamil, and Malayalees besides local Telugu people. Vizag is the staging point to visit the picturesque Araku Valley on the eastern ghats that are 115 km away, Annavaram 110 kms away, Simhachalam 130kms away. Tourism in Vizag Is centered around some beautiful locations The top most visited locations in and around Visakhapatnam, are Submarine Museum, Rushikonda beach, Gangavaram beach, Yarada beach, Bhimili beach, Dolphin’s Nose, Borra Caves, Kailasagiri, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Bunkers N Bonkers, Simhachalam Temple, and Ramakrishna Beach.
Other places that can be visited are Kambalakonda, Kailasagiri, Matsyadarshini Aquarium, Ross Hill. Vizag is a city known for the INS Kusura Submarine Museum and Naval Museum, Bojana Konda, Thotla Konda, Bhavi Konda, and Salihundam around Visakhapatnam were centers of Buddhism during the second century. Vizag is a paradise for adventure seekers with a lot of options available for hiking and trekking on the mountains as well as boating, surfing, diving, parasailing, and paragliding options available. Vizag is a shoppers paradise with numerous markets and shopping malls selling a variety of branded and local products such as Araku coffee, handicrafts, Araku Chocolates, Ponduru Khadi, Madugula Halwa, Artefacts, ad Etikoppaka wooden toys.
There are numerous hotels, resorts, lodges, and guesthouses that provide luxurious, mid-range, and budget accommodation. The restaurants of Vizag serve delicious spicey veg and non-veg Andhra meals. But the most famous food of Vizag are masala dosa, sweet corn, and other street foods and are available at most on the beaches. Vizag is a major educational hub with numerous well-known institutions that draw students from across the country and abroad. Vizag is perfect for an extended weekend visit
