16 beautiful places to visit in Vizag and its surroundings

Nestled amidst the Eastern Ghats, with beautiful golden sandy beaches on one side and the alluring lush green hills on the other, Vizag is deservingly called ‘The Jewel of the East’. The natural beauty of the city and its rich history should not be missed by people visiting the city. To truly soak in the essence of this beautiful place, here are 16 places to visit in Vizag.

#1 Rama Krishna (RK) Beach

The air around RK Beach holds the spirit of Vizag. The many cafes and bandis that line the beach road are perfect to serve foodies that throng the beach. The RK beach has to be on top of everyone’s list of places to visit in Vizag.

#2 Kailasagiri

The most famed hill in Vizag offers plenty of breathtaking views of the city and the Bay of Bengal on the way to the park atop the hill. One can choose to go up the hill by road, or also climb the thousands of steps while taking in the views with every step. Alternatively, one can also choose the cable car ride to the top of the hill that offers equally stunning views while gliding to the top.

#3 Submarine and TU-142 Aircraft Museums

Indian Navy’s jewel the INS Kursura was decommissioned on 27 February 2001 and as a first in Asia, was transformed into a museum as is. Explore the life of a submariner with a visit to this unique museum on the RK Beach.

The TU-142, also known as the Albatross, was inducted into the Indian Navy in 1988. Known for its capability to fly for 16 hours at a stretch, it was mainly appointed for surveillance missions. Having served at Operation Cactus in the Maldives and was a part of Operations Vijay and Parakram. After being de-commissioned recently, the giant bird now rests on the RK beach as a museum for tourists to visit open-mouthed and wide-eyed.

#4 Rushikonda Beach

A short drive from the RK Beach is the Rushikonda Beach which lies enveloped between the hills and the sea. The number of water sports like kayaking, surfing, speed boating and jetskiing make this beach a place to visit.

#5 Ramanaidu Studios

A little ahead of the Rushikonda Beach is the Ramanaidu film studios. Perched on the top of a hill, one must visit this place to know about the exciting world of film-making.

#6 Thotlakonda

This ancient Buddhist Heritage site from 3rd Century BC to 3rd Century AD gives us a glimpse of Vizag is ancient links to Buddhism. It also offers a panoramic view of the Bay.

#7 Erra Matti Dibbalu

These red sand hillocks have been carved out naturally and are an awe-inspiring sight. This place has to be on the list of places to visit in Vizag. It is also a famous location for filming many songs in Telugu movies.

#8 Mangamaripeta Beach

This beach is lined with palm trees that add to its beauty. Famous for the water sports like scuba diving and snorkeling, there is also a go-karting track near the beach.

#9 Bheemili

This quiet town has a rich history with many Dutch structures that are worth visiting like the clock tower, the lighthouse and the Dutch cemetery.

#10 Indira Gandhi Zoological Park

The 625 acres zoo is a wonderful option for a day-long picnic with your family and friends. The park houses 97 species of animals, an aquarium with a wide range of freshwater fishes and a beautiful butterfly park.

#11 Kambalakonda Wildlife Reserve

The wildlife reserve houses a wide range of rare species of birds and animals. Trekking activities carried out here make you one with nature along the jungle route. Also keep an eye out for other adventure activities like zip lining, boating making it one of the very intriguing places to visit in Vizag.

#12 Meghadri Gedda Reservoir

One of the main water supply sources to Visakhapatnam offers amazing views and the peace around it. Try visiting the reservoir when the gates open to witness the gushing water into the canals.

#13 Lighthouse

The lighthouse at Dolphin’s Nose offers a brilliant view of the Yarada beach. The rich history of the lighthouse is put up on the walls at the entrance to give you a peek into the past.

#14 Tatipudi Reservoir

Built over the river Gosthani, the Tatipudi reservoir is a must on your list of ‘places to visit in Vizag. Located near Vizianagaram, one can also enjoy the boat ride on the lake that takes you up close to the gate.

#15 Araku Valley

Also known as the Ooty of Andhra Pradesh and is one of the most frequented tourist places in Vizag. It is located around 111 km from Vizag, This hill station will woo you over with its enchanting coffee plantations and the serpentine Ghat roads. Monsoons make for the best time to visit this place as the Katiki waterfalls nearby will be gushing.

Be sure to visit the million years old Borra Caves nearby to take a look at the amazing limestone stalactites and stalagmites formations within the cave. There is also a naturally made Shivalinga deep within.

#16 Lambasingi

This hill station located near Chintapalli in the Vizag agency area is covered with deciduous forests. The temperatures here go down to 5 degrees Celsius in the winters. With camping spots available throughout Lambasingi, pick your favourite spot and set up a camp with your friends and family. The strawberry farm and apple orchard should not be missed while there.The best time to visit Lambasingi is during the winter months December to March when one can even partake in strawberry picking at the farm.