Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad!

Tripoto
11th Nov 2013
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 1/17 by Purnima Singh
A view from Horsley Hills
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 2/17 by Purnima Singh
A view from Horsley Hills
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 3/17 by Purnima Singh
A view from Nagarjuna Sagar Island
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 4/17 by Purnima Singh
AP Tourism Guest House, Vikarabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 5/17 by Purnima Singh
Bhavani Island, Vikaywada, Andhra Pradesh
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 6/17 by Purnima Singh
Bhavani Island, Vikaywada, Andhra Pradesh
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 7/17 by Purnima Singh
Buddha statue, Hydarabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 8/17 by Purnima Singh
Gandipeth, Hydrabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 9/17 by Purnima Singh
Golconda Fort, Hyderabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 10/17 by Purnima Singh
Krishna Canal, Tadepalli Reserve Forest
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 11/17 by Purnima Singh
Shilparamam gate, Hyderabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 12/17 by Purnima Singh
Shree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Vikara
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 13/17 by Purnima Singh
Undavalli Caves
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 14/17 by Purnima Singh
View from Ananthagiri Hills
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 15/17 by Purnima Singh
View from Ananthagiri Hills
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 16/17 by Purnima Singh
Mohamed Qali Qutb Shah Tomb, Hyderabad
Photo of Andhra Pradesh: A Coastal Ride to Hyderabad! 17/17 by Purnima Singh
"Welcome to Vikarabad"

My sister was persistent about me dropping by before I set out to explore another state, so Bangalore was, yet again, my starting point for my trip to Andhra Pradesh. This otherwise disputed state, has always mislead people away from its beautiful coastline, varied terrain around the Eastern Ghats and its never ending exhibit of splendid culture and landscape. Making Andhra a perfect amalgamation of scenic spots, wildlife arenas, and religious site and heritage locations in south India, this trip practically covered it all.

With 1265m of hilltops above sea level, I had to cross the Horsley valleys to reach the other side of the state. And so it struck me, why not take a round of the hills itself and explore a little more when I’ve had time! So I drove past the charming and enchanting hill station of Horsley and drove around forests, dense with a variety of species, exhibiting aromas all along the forest winds. And around these plush green plains and species of flora was also a good population of fauna. Wildlife of the east, as many have called them. However, my short stay and interaction with the Chenchu tribes and their famous Pungannur cows was definitely the highlight of this trip!

Photo of Horsley Hills, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

A strip of the coastline 50 km before Guntur district falls the Suryalanka beach. The attraction here was the hustle bustle of the town coming to a calm stop at the awe-inspiring beauty of nature as the sea meets the shore at this beach. It's wide a spacious and perfect for a drive along the coast! With crystal blue waters overlooking the coast makes it for a perfect sunrise point for the one-day stay I had!

Photo of Surya Lanka Beach by Purnima Singh

Located near the Prakasam Barrage, post a 2 hour drive from Surya Lanka, and a small boat ride, I reached the beautiful estuary island in the Krishna River. Bhavani Island makes for not only an amazing picnic spot, but also has a well-connected and developed state tourism facility of lodging and some really interesting boat rides around the island make for a good afternoon near the Durga ghat.

Amongst many other great dams and reservoirs built on the ferocious waters of Indian rivers stands one another great embankment on the Krishna river and its tributaries- the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. While it’s a piece of wondrous creation of man and cement, what followed this exploration was even better as I got to the lakes of reservoir water and then the Nagarjunakonda Island. Earlier known to have been a Buddhist site, this island floats near Nagarjuna Sagar, near the dam, in the Guntur-Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh. The interesting ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) sites dug out in the past decade or so makes this an amazing stopover on my trip.

Photo of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

For those who thought that the backwaters created an enchanting topography only in the coastal state of Kerala, well the town of Dindi proves you all wrong! This peaceful landscape is a beautiful village that landmarks the charm of backwaters in the state of Andhra Pradesh. And my houseboat cruise offered a tryst with the starlit night sky alongside the canvassed palm-fringed canals on the multi-hued lagoons and rivulets.

Photo of Dindi, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

Known more famously as Ananthagiri, and the starting point of Musi River, Vikarabad lies only 90 km away from the capital, in the Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh. It is also famous amongst pilgrims for the long-standing yet exquisite Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple. Besides this religious focus, Ananthagiri also offers a great deal of trekking and camping activities, which personally, I enjoyed the most. The Haritha Resort made for the perfect choice to spend the night before I headed off to my last stop.

Photo of Vikarabad, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

The buzzing capital of the state- Hyderabad is the focus of all developments and walks on the path of becoming one of the leading metropolitans in the world! It was my last stop and seemed to offer the right eclectic mix of culture and heritage along with technology and eco-touristy values. From the visit to Golconda Fort to the popular Charminar, from the Nehru Zoological Park to Birla Mandir, from the tranquillity of Hussainsagar Lake to the exquisiteness of the Chowmahalla Palace... Hyderabad has something to offer every traveler or tourist who sets foot into its enthralling and enigmatic eco-cultural experience.

Photo of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

Starting my trips from Bangalore, my very first entry into the state brought me to the foothills of Horsley Hills. From there I headed towards the east coast, and drove along this amazing coastline.

With the seashore on one side and the valley of the Eastern Ghats on the other side, my 7-hour drive (yes, that long!!) came to a halt at Suryalanka.

I next steered towards Bhavani Island and then headed to Bhadrachalam. After, a considerably religious experience and an amazing drive along the beach, I left for the town of Dindi, with a stopover at the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. And finally the last was Vikarabad, before I left for the city of the Nizams- Hyderabad.

Driving down to explore the offbeat routes and most exotic destinations of this east-coast state was the best way to spark off this trip!

Fishing and boating and other water sports, make this place hard to miss for any travelers in the region. Besides, another few kilometers away stand the testimony of time in the eroded walls and small crevices of the Undavalli cave. Better known for weekend adventurers from Guntur and Vijaywada region, these caves not only make for a great quest, but also stand to be a great example of some marvelous rock-cut architecture from India’s cultural past.

Photo of Undavalli Caves, Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh, India by Purnima Singh

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