BIHAR TOURISM WITH GLORY OF PAST AND PRESENT

Ancient Nalanda University Bihar

 

Capital: Patna       Largest city: Patna

Bihar is the 13^th largest state of India that has 3000 years of glorious history. In other words, the past of Bihar has been the stronghold of its imminence in the whole of India with vibrant economic activities, cultural exchanges, originating place for Buddhism and of conquest and expansion and sites of learning and scholarships. The land has history unlike anything any other states in India has seen. Bihar has abundance of mineral resources.

 

Introducing Bihar

Bihar is a state in East India and has an area of 94,163 square kilometers and is the 3^rd largest populated state of India. The political map of Bihar would show it being bordered by Uttar Pradesh on its west, Nepal at its north, on the east by Northern part of West Bengal and Jharkhand in the south.

Region where Bihar is situated is among the oldest inhabited places by man on the planet and this is primarily due to the River Ganges that flows through it making both sides of its banks very fertile. Apart from that the state is very rich in sources of natural minerals so essential for the development of industries in the whole country.

Bihar has 85% of population living in its numerous villages where subsistence is mainly agriculture. However, of late apart from other industrial development that has staged a comeback; the government of Bihar has laid out greater emphasis on the development of tourist centers in the State both for domestic and foreign travelers.

 

Notable parts of Bihar’s History

It is quite a common knowledge among archeologists and scholars that in India Bihar was the center of power for learning and culture in the ancient and classical India. Two prominent ruling dynasties and the most powerful India had ever produced on its soil came from Bihar. These were commonly known as the Magadha Empire which was ruled by the Mauryas and the Guptas dynasties. These dynasties together were very successful in keeping within its fold through conquests and co-operation a sizeable part of South Asia under their firm centralized power.

The state capital nowadays known as Patna has a very ancient history and was earlier known as Pataliputra. Near to Patna were the important centers of learning and these were known as Nalanda and Vikramshila. Archeological studies have revealed that these were established in Bihar in the 5^th and 8^th centuries.

It was here on this land that Buddha got enlightenment and introduced Buddhism to the whole world. In other words, India became a well known mystic land with untold wealth and was soon to be plundered and attacked by foreign invaders which led to the establishment of the Mughal Empire and later under British colonial rulers.

 

Climate and Geography

Bihar has a subtropical climate in general and yet is notable for its hot summers and cold winters. The banks of the Ganges River keep the temperature of the towns and cities near to it quite hospitable and support one of the largest population bases in the world. You will also see that most ancient monuments and architectures not too far away from the banks of this flowing river.

The Ganges has several tributaries and the most famous of them are Son, Budhi Gandak, Chandan, Orhani and Phalgu. The climate of the state is also greatly affected by the Himalayas although the latter falls in Nepal. You will also find the Rajagiri Hills in Central Bihar although this may affect the climate only mildly. If you proceed further south then you will come across Chota Nagpur Plateau that lies in the new state of Jharkhand.

The climate of Bihar is quite comfortable for average tourists entering the state from other states while for foreigners it would be better to avoid the extreme heat of the summer. Yet there are good affordable and star hotels and the state has good turnover of tourists as it is estimated that around 24 million tourists visit Bihar every year.

For those whom the climate is very important aspect for taking tours then Bihar’s temperature may range between 0 to 10 degrees C in the cold season while during hot season the mercury may sore to 40 degree C.

 

Tourist Spots of Ancient Wonder

One of the most important tourist center and that can keep you wondering about the learning culture that was predominant of the region’s past is the Nalanda University. This is a must see place as you will be astonished beyond words that this university was in existence in Bihar in India when the whole world had not even thought of a concept called university.

It was well planned structure with an entrance where they used to conduct what one would call an entrance exam and the most distinguished of the pupils would get a chance to enroll for further studies. There were about 2000 teaches who taught around 10000 student from all parts of the world. It is here that Buddha himself taught and the famous Chinese traveler Hein-Tsang was also a student.

If you have visited Nalanda then the next most important place would be the Bodhi Tree where Buddha got his enlightenment. This place is about 100 kilometers from Patna. You may also visit the Maha Bodhi Temple which is also situated quite close to it.

True, a larger part of Bihar tourism revolve around religious as well as learning centers yet for those who knows the ancient and medieval history of this region then this wouldn’t be a surprise. Hence, while visiting religious centers think that these are not simply religious ones, but are part of a greater understanding and revelation of different cultures that was predominantly sculpted out through religious dogmas and practices.

Hence, no tour to Bihar is complete without touring Machalinda Lake and Griddhakuta Peak. The beauty of the Machalinda Lake is that it is named after the serpent called Sesh Naga or the Snake King Machalinda. It is said that Gautama Buddha during his sixth week of meditation was threatened by a storm and it was this Snake King who protected him by providing shelter with its enormous hood. You will find a sculpted form of the Snake King with its hood open and on its coils resting in meditation Lord Buddha himself. The place is more popularly known as Bodh Gaya.

When you reach Griddhakuta Peak then you will be astonished that the whole rocky peak in its natural formation resembles a gigantic vulture. This is quite a marvel by nature itself and even more fantastic scene is that real vultures from the sky and that too in large numbers descend upon the rocks or fly around it.

The Rajgir Hot springs is yet another wonderful spot for tourists and nestles at the foot of the Vaibhava Hills. These hot springs get their water from Saptadhara which flows just behind the Saptaparni Caves. It is said that the hot water in the springs contain medicinal properties that can cure several ailments. Among these hot springs the Brahmakund spring is the hottest and its temperature may reach up to 450 C. It is established that both Buddha and Mahavira frequently bathed in these pools.

You may then visit Buxar Fort which is something quite different from the usual religious monuments. This fort is situated along the Ganga River and offers excellent views of the surrounding landscape. The next must see monument is the Hein-Tsang Memorial Hall which gives you the details about the lifestyles of the people then and the different kinds of cultures, art and crafts.

You may also see the Patna Museum which contains a lot of artifacts and items and also images and sculptor works. You will be amazed to hear that the museum was constructed in 1917.

 

Not much frequented tourist places

You may find it quite difficult to locate tourist spots that are not quite frequented in Bihar. However, you may visit the wild life sanctuaries which are quite remote and may need special permission from the forest department. These wild areas are great fun if you are touring in groups and have vast numbers of flora and fauna. Some like Bhimbandhu Wildlife Sanctuary is surrounded by thick human populations around its borders.

You may also locate a few good not much known places in Bihar by putting a query with your agents or online websites. In some place it is always better to travel in groups for safety reasons. The Cyclopean Walls which is around 2500 years old and stretches about 40 kilometers long is a mysterious fortification that you may find as something strange.

BIHAR TOURISM WITH GLORY OF PAST AND PRESENT

ASSAM - REVELING IN SCENIC ASSAM WITH RESPLENDENT TEA GARDENS

Bihu Festival Assam

 

Capital: Dispur      Largest city: Guwahati

Assam is a tourist abode due to its magnificent climate and scenery and also its vast tea gardens that stretches from hillock to the next and further than your eyes can see. Assam is known as the Tea Garden of India and any visitor to this state would be able to feast their eyes in almost any areas they are in. Tea estates abound in the state and you may watch thousand upon thousands of hectares of hills planted with world famous tea plants when you are on the road, rail or air. It is of course not just tea that Assam is famous for as it has petroleum and the well known Assam silks. The state also boasts of some of the finest wild life sanctuary and has unique flora and fauna for naturalists, animal lovers and photographers. From above Assam resembles a large bird taking off for flight with its wings spread. The entire area covers 78,438 square kilometers and is surrounded by the popularly called the Seven Sister States. These are Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya.

 

More of Assam

Assam is also known as the land of red river and blue hills a sharp contrast here and eye catching colors there in its ambience therefore makes it a must visit for anyone landing in India from abroad. The government has always encouraged tourism which is one of the top revenue earning industry apart from the other revenue sectors like petroleum and tea.

The area is demarcated geographically as the Brahmaputra Valley which is large and very fertile and this may be recalled as the wing of the bird while the tail constitutes the Barak Valley. You will find the North Cachar Hills and the Karbi Plateau on the so called bird’s chest portion.

The biodiversity of Assam is extraordinary and being a convenient stop over for making visits to other neighboring states a very large number of tourists touch down on this place from far and wide. About 35% of the state is covered by forest and the rest by terraced tea gardens, fertile plains for crops, marshy land and hills.

 

Mythological and recorded history

Although Assam has a very old past civilization as proof of Stone Age relics have been found by archeologists, it has however no evidence of having crossed through the Bronze and Iron age. The recorded history has evidence in the 4^th Century Allahabad Pillar where it is inscribed the presence of Kamarupa or Western Assam and Dhanuka or Central Assam. The inscription has been depicted on the Samudragupta’s Pillar which shows that ancient people have recorded the might of the Gupta Empire and the limits of its eastern borders.

Apart from recorded history mythological tales from the Kalika Purana has mentioned the land often. It states that the first ruling dynasty of Assam was Mahiranga Danav and he formed the Danav dynasty. Later on it states he was thrown out by of his throne by Naraka of the Naraka dynasty. The last ruler of the Naraka was killed by Lord Krishna and Naraka’s son Bhagadata fought for Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra.

 

Physiographical outlay

Assam has three main divisions if you were to look at it from the physiographical way. These are the Northern Himalayas or Eastern Hills, the Northern Plains or Brahmaputra Plains as they are called here and the Deccan Plateau which in the local language is called Karbi Anglong.

 

Grand tourist sights for holidaying

Assam by virtue of its sceneries and friendly people has become a great tourist attraction and has therefore enticed people from all over India and abroad to take a few days holiday in one of its many resorts, hotels and outdoor camping facilities. The richness of nature abounds here and you will never see a piece of land wasted as the greenery is all pervasive here.

Assam boasts of one of the largest wild life sanctuaries in India and is the home of the famous one horn rhinoceros and other rare birds and animals. The banks of the rain fed and snow fed perennial River Brahmaputra is milder when it enters into Assam from Arunachal Pradesh and therefore better for boating, fishing, sightseeing and relaxing tours.

Guwahati is the capital of Assam and has a splendid airport both for domestic and international airlines and may even serve you as the vantage point of visiting not only the whole of Assam, but the neighboring states as well. You have good hotels and resorts to choose from at Guwahati and you may plan your whole tour of the state from here. Needless to say, the whole tour plan may take more than a week as there are enough tourist spots to last a whole month yet you may be choosy to begin with.

Guwahati offers both sightseeing and religious tourism. If you are religiously inclined then you may visit Kamakhya Temple and Umananda as first two spots and move around Guwahati and see what other religious places are possible to visit in one day. If you are not particular about religious tourism then you may visit Shankardass Kalakshetra or the Assam State Zoo, the latter may suffice as you may see the wild animals sheltered there if you are in a hurry.

Otherwise, you ought not to miss the Chandrapur and Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary. If you are in a group or with family members then you may be able to enjoy some of the best scenes by taking a river cruise on the River Brahmaputra. You may get some good guidance from the reception counter of the hotel where you are staying as most hospitality centers in Assam are tourist oriented and friendly.

You must surely take time to visit Kaziranga National Park which is a UNESCO world heritage center and is the home to one horn rhinoceros and other wild and usually not much seen animals and birds.

If you are also interested in some mystery and a place where there is some unusual happenings then you must never fail to visit Jatinga. This is a village located at Dima Hasau which has become famous due to a series of suicide by migratory birds and that too without any particular reason during the months of September and October. They do this by smashing themselves on the tree and buildings. The strange sight has jolted everyone including the tourists and a scientific explanation is yet to be made.

You may also visit Jorhat which is called the tea capital of India and you can enjoy the beauty of the grand tea gardens stretching out into the horizon. If you love such natural scenery then you may also visit Haflong which is the only hill station in the whole of Assam.

But surely not the least in importance is Sonitpur from where you may visit Nameri National Park, Bura Chapon Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, and Orang National Park. Just a little way from Sonitpur is Tezpur which is a small town and has unique culture and history of its own. Suppose you and your group members would like to see something quite different and perhaps keep in touch with the lifestyles of the modern day comforts then you may choose to go to Tinsukia. This place has malls and other city attractions to give you the delight of a city life. You may likewise make a visit to Dibrugarh and its nearby areas for historical values. Further, Dibrugarh has the biggest railway station in Assam and the Rajdhani Express starts off from here.

 

Some unseen and virgin spots in Assam

If you wish to spot a place in Assam that has not been seen by any other tourist then you may easily look around places which are nestled closely to the River Brahmaputra or the wild life sanctuaries. These spots form an excellent place where you may take great unseen photographs and if you are passing in groups, which you had better, then you may even have a picnic.

The fact is that Assam has innumerous picnic spots and each quite different than the other and may offer you some of the panoramic views of nature. If you are a bird lover then you may spot several new varieties and enjoy a picnic with your friends while doing so. For the over enthusiastic people they may contact the tourism office or their agents at Guwahati and get good information about more strange and mysterious places.

Another unique spots that may not have been seen by several people is to locate them for a trek or picnic on the largest fresh water island called Majuli on the River Brahmaputra. This spot is so unique that you may discover small creatures and birds and even fishes. As stated earlier there is no dearth of unseen spots in Assam and you may simply have fun if you are travelling in groups.

You will also find Assam well connected with the rest of the country by road and rail and even by air.

ASSAM - REVELING IN SCENIC ASSAM WITH RESPLENDENT TEA GARDENS

ARUNACHAL PRADESH IS WHERE NATURE TELLS ITS OWN MYRIAD TALES

Lohit River Arunachal Pradesh

 

Capital: Itanagar   Largest city: Itanagar

If someone tells you that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has lots of scenic beauties and flora and fauna then it will always be an underestimation. This is one region in India that nestles among the tallest mountain ranges of the world namely the Himalayas. The lower ranges of these mountains are covered with one of the least explored rain forest full of birds, insects and other animals. The higher range is full of shrubs and beyond which is the snow clad peaks of the Himalayas and this difference and the markedly cool and comfortable climate gives the place an enchantment of all its own. In fact, there is no proper season for Arunachal Pradesh as most parts of the year you may enjoy some of the most magnificent and virgin sights that may lie within the state. Arunachal means dawn lit mountains in the local language and is also known as the Orchid State of India. It not only offers panoramic view of the undulating plains and the mountains, but is heaven made true for archeologists, botanists, zoologists, ornithologists and of course tourists.

 

Introducing visitors to Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is the largest among the North-east Indian states and is well connected by air and railways. You may visit the place during the warmer seasons in case you are not comfortable with very low temperature during the cold season. The capital city is Itanagar. The state covers an area of 83,743 square kilometers and most part of the state has innumerable deep valleys, forests, ridges and plateaus. The forest area covers around two thirds of the state’s area and is full of unexplored areas containing known and little known flora and fauna.

The land is like a series of lower hills in the south and they extend from the plains and elevate to the north with peaks ranging from 1000 feet to 3300 feet. The hills rise even further when you cover north and some may reach up to 10000 feet above sea level. The highest peak in Arunachal Pradesh is known as Kangto and is above 23000 feet.

The river Brahmaputra is the longest and most important river of the state with several tributaries and keeps the lower areas like valleys and forest lush with greenery all round the year. It is simply a wonderland for bird and animal lovers to insect lovers and has numerous opportunities for trekkers and climbers or for those who would like to go kayaking or rafting. If you love photographing something out of the usual then this is right place to be and you will surely get your best shots that may catapult you to fame.

 

Glimpses of history

Arunachal Pradesh has more verbal than written history although mention has been made in the Puranas and the Mahabharata that the region is called Prabhu Mountains. It is also said it is here in the Brahmaputra River that Sage Parasurama washed away his sins and King Bhishmaka founded his kingdom.

Whatever written history is there and those pointed out by scholars that the Arunachalli people have similar foods, habits and culture derived from the Burmese area hill tribes. This proves that the people of Arunachal Pradesh may have had strong bonds with people of Myanmar. The rest of the history is mysterious and remain in the realms of fantasy and story telling.

 

Best tourist spots to watch out for in Arunachal

You will find that the whole place is a beauty spot and equally fabulous when it comes to exploring, climbing and kayaking. However, for those who have come to enjoy within a limited time and budgets they may be able to get a good look at the magnificent scenery of the state by visiting certain hot spots.

If you have stopped at Itanagar then make sure that you have taken a good hotel as there are several that are affordable and those having star facilities for tourists. From here you may either plan your itinerary or you may hope to reach each one of the important towns or tourist centers and then visit important places by halting for a day or more at one of the tourist hotels.

You may need a good guide if you have any intention of exploring some of the least known places and Arunachal Pradesh, to tell you the truth, has enough of such places.

If you have landed at Itanagar then you may visit the nearby wild life sanctuary, the famous Forts of this area, The State Museum, Ganga Lake and the Polo Park Botanical gardens.

You may plan your next best location or rather this one would be the best in the state of Arunachal Pradesh yet it is always better to start off your journey from the capital city. The next scenic wonderland is Tawang which is situated at a height of 10000 feet and has one of the oldest monasteries. You may love to go through the Sela pass which is the highest motorable roadway in the whole world. The best thing about taking a trip through this route is that you may find one of the loveliest lakes here known as the Paradise Lake. Soon after watching this on your way you may come across the famed Taktsary Gampa monastery.

Roing is yet another beautiful and must see places in Arunachal Pradesh and is ideally located in lower Dibang Valley. Here there is no dearth of sights and is said to be flocking with ornithologists, naturalists, zoologists and educationists from all over the country and abroad. This area has numerous clear crystal lakes and splendid waterfalls.

Bombdilla is another great spot to be in and extraordinary as far as scenery is concerned. You may get really stunning views of the Himalayas with its snow clad peaks. This is a good place to rest and relax for even a whole week if you are not in a great hurry. You will find the place buzzing with craft making and artisans and craftsmen making numerous artifacts for tourists to purchase.

If you want to see the UNESCO world heritage site at Kaziranga National Park then you must go to Bhalukpong. The forest contains one horn rhinoceros and other unique animals that would be a feast for any eyes. From here you may also visit Pakhin Wildlife Sanctuary. If you have time then do not forget to visit the Bhalukpong Fort and Tipi, the latter which has over 50000 varieties of orchids.

You may also visit Pasighat as it is stated to be the gateway to Arunachal Pradesh and contains a lot of tourist attractions. The river Brahmaputra flows through here and this alone offers you stunning sights.

The above tourist spots are only to get you to know something about the state if you were to land here. Arunachal Pradesh has many unique spots that would be a real great fun spots to travel, explore and entertain especially if you are going there in groups.

 

Tourist spots that are yet to be explored

Arunachal Pradesh abounds in virgin areas and places where no man has set foot even to this day. The colorfully dressed folks make themselves comfortable within areas where there is reasonable access to public transport and other amenities. You may easily trek around with a group of friends and would sooner or later find the spot that you may be having in your mind.

The beauty of the place is like eternity in divinity where you trek and explore to your heart’s content and still go on finding places that are way different in topography and flora and fauna. You may visit each of the districts and ask for a waterfall a rare spectacular looking valley or simply snow covered hill tops and you will get quick suggestions from the colorful and friendly locals.

The grand perennial river Brahmaputra as it is called when it enters India from the Tibetan plateau offers plenty of sights near to its banks and its tributaries that are by any standards really sights worth photographing and enjoyable.

 

Flora and Fauna

It is quite an entertainment and trekking delights if you were to watch out for those barking deer or a bear in one of the several National Parks of Arunachal Pradesh. You may need to take a guide and make some preplanned arrangements with the wildlife department before venturing deep into these wild parks. You will surely find plenty of gibbons, macaques, capped langurs. In the upper slopes you often find wild sheep, red pandas and the rare musk deer.

The swampy rainforest is a host of numerous birds and insects and these are quite unique to this state such that you will not find another in any other place on earth. In fact, there are several different kinds of snakes and fishes in the region that you need to take utmost care while trekking around.

You will love Arunachal Pradesh as the government and the tourism ministry has unfolded several plans for the North Eastern states of India for tourists visiting here. Most of all you will love the local folks who always wear a friendly smile.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH IS WHERE NATURE TELLS ITS OWN MYRIAD TALES

ANDHRA PRADESH TOURIST ATTRACTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER MISS

Lepakshi Andhra Pradesh

 

Capital: Amaravati (de facto) Hyderabad (de jure) Largest city: Visakhapatnam

One of the many surprises that are in store for tourism across all sectors in the India is in Andhra Pradesh. It is the 8^th largest state with great many varieties to see and these include cultural, historical, religious, economical, flora and fauna, caves, waterfall and many more unique sightseeing opportunities for the right minded people who think that tourism is not just exploring the past, but footsteps leading to a just future as well instilling oneself with positive thoughts that the world is as diverse and myriad as one can imagine. The overall benefit of tourism is beneficial for the body and mind and helps you to learn more about other cultures. In the light of all these the Andhra Pradesh tourism department has set out with concrete goals and plans to make the state one of the major hot spots of both domestic and foreign tourism.

 

Size and location of Andhra Pradesh

The modern Andhra Pradesh after splitting with new Indian state of Telengana is 8^th largest in size and covers 160,205 square kilometers. Its erstwhile capital was Hyderabad and it continues to be the capital (de jury) for now but after the formation of Telengana, the proposed capital city of Andhra Pradesh is Amaravati (de facto) in Guntur district. It is 10^th largest state in population and shares borders with the newly formed state of Telengana in the northwest. With others it has Odisha in the northeast, Chhattisgarh in the north, Karnataka in the west, Tamil Nadu in the south and flanked on the east by the Bay of Bengal. There is also a spot which is like a small enclave in the northeast which is the union territory of Pondicherry.

The state of Andhra Pradesh has the 2^nd longest coastline and therefore has beautiful and scenic seaside views for tourists from any parts of the country as well as outside. Although Telegu is the most spoken language there are other languages too and Hindi is also followed by most of the urban population of the state the latter performing like a link language with English too spoken by the educated.

The people here have a long history and claim to be coming down from the Vedic ages. As per the Rig Veda the Andhra people have migrated south to this place after the Aryans came and established themselves in the north. In fact studies have revealed that the root of the Telegu language dates to the Cholas of the 5^th century CE.

 

Geological history

The Indian plate along with Australian plate while drifting north towards the Tethys Ocean encircled it and closed in on the Tibetan plateau which gave rise to the Himalayas. These are called the new fold mountain ranges and cover the whole of North India. The original plate that survived comprises of the peninsular India which is in fact the oldest and the most stable part geologically. This extends up to the Satpura and the Vindhya ranges in the central India and contains within it the sea coast of Gujarat in the western side while Chota Nagpur plateaus in the east. The remaining portion is in the south and is called the Deccan Plateau and the rocks here are seen to be not less than a billion years old.

It is therefore quite a geological marvel and eye opener if you visit Andhra Pradesh and study the rock formation as well as the surrounding landscapes. Tourists would at once remain wonderstruck at the innumerous caves and natural rock structures including man made monuments constructed out of the rocks here.

 

Important Tourists places to see and enjoy

You may find Andhra Pradesh full of tourist attraction as the place is full of caves, seaside views, flora and fauna and natural forests. Apart from these you may find religious tourism too an excellent way to explore the culture and its people. People here are friendly and full of fun and you will easily find your way in and out as most of the folks here wouldn’t ever like to see a hesitant and confused tourist.

You will find that most of the cultural, historical and religious tourist centers are well connected with airport, rail and road and therefore all you need to have is a good tourist map while going about your way.

You may find Vishakhapatnam among the top tourist center as it is a sea port and business center too. Although it is a sprawling populated city it has numerous famed beaches on its sea coast where an average tourist may find comfort and solitude far away from the crowded city life. Then there are hilltop views that are quite rare and enchanting.

There is a wildlife sanctuary nearby and you may be able to gasp in wonders at the famous Borra caves and the Katiki waterfalls. You may also go to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Garden as well Submarine Museum and the Dolphin nose all in one day. It would be better if you stay at one of the affordable or star hotels in the city before you cover the place as you may need two or three days here.

Tirupathi is one of the most important religious centers of the state and is visited by the most number of tourists from across the country. It is the home of the famed Sree Venkateswara one of the famous form of Lord Vishnu. It still remains as one of the richest temples of India.

Vijayawada is yet another scenic town and is also the 3^rd largest in Andhra Pradesh. The beauty of the city is that the river Krishna runs through it providing several beautiful spots on its banks. It too has its several temples, religious monuments, ancient canal and other tourist sites. You will also love the famed Kondapalli Toys.

You ought not to forget the several caves, Bhavani Island, Victoria Museum, Kondapalli Fort, Kolleru lakes and not the least the Gandhi Hills while you are at Vijayawada.

Among the other places of importance is Nellore which has Forts and bird sanctuary and numerous bird lovers and ornithologists visit this place to study different wings of color. You may simply enjoy the ambience if you have no ideas about birds and would surely feel enchanted by the scenery.

Apart from these there are hundreds of small and big tourist spots and you may easily get their names if you browse through the Internet. It is better to locate good cities and book your hotel room before taking tours as it may consume your time and you may need a good rest too.

 

Unusual and not much visited spots

In Andhra Pradesh you are likely to find more unseen yet marvelous spots that have not been visited than any other place. This is because the region simply has just about enough surprises or spots that could baffle a tourist like you. These are mysterious and you may at once cry out in surprise why these spots have been left out. Perhaps due to improper road transport or absence of star staying facilities nearby these spots may have been overlooked.

One of these unique spots is the Lanbasinghi which is situated in Vishakhapatnam and is rather unusual place to be in a hot place like Andhra where the tropical heat is overwhelming at times. In sharp contrast this spot has a temperature that may be as low as 0 degrees and also receives good snowfall. It is also nicknamed as the ‘Kashmir of South India’.

Another unusual spot although having human habitation is Pochampally which is actually a weaver’s village exclusively. You will be mesmerized by the designs by these expert weavers on cotton and silk cloths and this is done with the help of either mechanized or pit looms. While there you may purchase some of the cloths at highly discounted price for the same may be twice as much elsewhere and try to visit some other tourist spots.

For instance, you may visit the Spartan museum, Chenethakala kendram and a temple for Vinobha Bhave Nagarjuna. If you plan well then your Andhra Pradesh visit may be strategized from each of the important cities that you may be staying. You may either use bus, rail or motor vehicle transport as then you may cut down your expenses significantly.

 

Other centers that you ought not to miss

Among the other busy center from where you may carry souvenirs to your friends and relations back home these places are hot spots not mentioned above as the same may already have grabbed the headlines in the tourist map that you may have received from your agents. Yet these are great spots and would give you as much thrill as you did when you traveled to other parts of the state.

There are several yet among the ones that stand up conspicuously as a hot spot for tourists is the ancient city of Warrangal and the Osmania University, the latter is one of the oldest universities in India. For those religiously inclined Puttaparthy of Sai Baba is a good place and quite unique too.

ANDHRA PRADESH TOURIST ATTRACTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER MISS