If you love water sports, then this is for you. You can spend hours skiing and wind surfing, though hiring gears can be a problem. The golden wind-swept sands and beautiful palms are perfect to relax and laze about in. The 14th-century Saptaruseshwara Temple is also here. Surrounded by seven hills, locals say the temple's Shivalinga has increased in height since the early 1990s. Rishikonda is 8 km from Vizag and there are buses as well as cabs to take you there.

Popularly known as Bheemli, this beach is like a page out of a history book. Explore the ruins of a Dutch fort, a Dutch cemetery, the country's most ancient lighthouse, and among the oldest surviving Christian graves for an Indian, dating back to 1661 AD. Legend has it that Bhima (one of the Pandava brothers, from the epic Mahabharata) confronted and killed the demon Bakasura, and installed an idol of Lord Narasimha atop the hill here. This is also the place where River Gosthani empties into the Bay of Bengal. Bheemunipatnam is 25 km from Vizag.

A picturesque hill station with well-laid out gardens, cascading waterfalls and gurgling streams, this is ideal for a day trip. The 112 km drive from Vizag will take you through the thickly forested Eastern Ghats. Don't miss the Tribal Museum here. A few kilometres further from Araku is Chaaparai, home to 19 aboriginal tribes. AP tourism offers packages that will give you a peek into tribal life.

Don't for anything miss these million-year-old caves with spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations. Each formation is named after a mythological character it bears remote resemblance to. The caves have been illuminated interestingly by the tourism department. Borra Caves is 90 km from Vizag hiring a cab is the best way to get there