Visakhapatnam – ‘Land of the Gaekwads’
The largest city in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam, earlier known as Vizag, is also interestingly one of the proposed smart cities under India’s Industry 4.0 endeavour of Smart Cities Mission. It is also the only city in India having two major ports – Vizag and Gangavaram. Visakhapatnam is significant in more ways than one. It has a rich history embedded in modernity as well as an important naval site. The first naval base of India and the site of the construction of India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant are both in Visakhapatnam.
Things to do in Visakhapatnam
You can get inside a real submarine here at Asia’s first submarine museum, the INS Kursura. For more avid adventurers, the cable car ride to Kailasagiri is invigorating indeed. For those seeking a more serene and spiritual experience, the ancient temples of Simhachalam are a treat for the soul.
Popular tourist attractions in Visakhapatnam
The Araku Tribal Museum at Visakhapatnam is quite the crowd puller but if you are more into geology than anthropology, then the Borra Caves is bound to take your breath away, sometimes literally since there may be some lack of oxygen in the deepest cave system in all of India. For a more chilly experience, there is always the 17th-century Dutch cemetery.
Places to shop in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is also a popular shopper’s paradise with local flea markets like One Town, Nehru Bazaar, Kummari Veedhi, New Colony Market, Rama Talkies, MVP Rythu Bazaar and more.
Best time to visit Visakhapatnam
This city is quite hot during the summers and hence the best time to visit would be the winter months of October to March. While December to February attracts the peak inflow of tourists, the summer months remain lean.
Modes of transport
Public transport systems like buses and trains carry large crowds of people across this large city. Other than that, taxis and auto-rickshaws are also abundant as a means of transportation.
Weather at Visakhapatnam
This port city lies just 28 metres above sea level and has a generally tropical climate. The maximum precipitation is received during summer and yearly it averages to just a little over 1 metre. The average year-round temperature here is 27.8°C.
Airport at Visakhapatnam
The Visakhapatnam Airport (IATA: VTZ) is a gigantic airport spanning 20,400 square metres and has just one terminal that is capable of handling a total of 1000 incoming and outgoing passengers. IndiGo especially operates about 100 weekly flights from here.