Hyderabad to Konaseema!

[Ravi]

Exploring the country side of Andhra Pradesh

 

With a long weekend around the corner, and the festive mood already setting in at the workplace, it was time to brainstorm about how best the long weekend can be utilized. 

 

So it was decided that we will be heading to konaseema (Rajahmundry, Amalapuram, Kakinada) to celebrate the festival of sankranti.

 

A teaser of what you can expect in this post

 

Our Drive 

Hyundai Creta 1.6 CRDi

 

Route

Hyderabad - Vijayawada - Eluru - Rajahmundry (Ravulapalem, Muramalla) - Kakinada (Yanam, Coringa, Adharipeta)

 

The Numbers

Total Distance : 475 kms (Hyd to RJY)

Drive Time : 6hrs including breakfast pitstop of 30mins

Mileage : 16 kmpl 

 

Stay :

Rajamundry - Jetty Grand (Decent stay)

Kakinada - R L Grand (Decent stay) 

 

Itinerary

 

Day 1 : Start to Rajahmundry at 5 am at avoid the festive traffic enroute Vijayawada. 

Day 2 : The festival day, visit kodi pandems (Cock Fights) at Ravulapalem, covering yanam and Coringa National park and night stay at Kakinada.

Day 3 : Drive along Uppada beach road to visit Adharipeta near by Kakinada and drive back to Hyderabad.

 

Bags packed and hit the sack a little early than usual, woke up at 4 am and we were on course by 5 am. As it was major festival in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh , the whole of Hyderabad was on the move towards Andhra, and the traffic was evident on NH9, leading to Vijayawada.

 

The evident festive traffic at an 8-lane toll gate around 5 a.m. 

 

A short pit-stop after we exited the toll

 

Journey continued and we reached Vijayawada by 8:30 a.m skipping the customary pit-stop at 7 restaurant at Suryapet just to cross the early hour major highway traffic.  

 

The Vijayawada Highway was a breeze, covering chunk of the distance without any traffic

 

We stopped by for breakfast in the city of Vijayawada and reached this small hotel at the behest of our fellow 'India-drive' member, Kashyap

 

 

They severed only Idlys at this place and I must say, they were very delicious (Nothing out of the ordinary, but they had a different taste altogether)

 

Having had a sumptuous breakfast, we drove on! Crossing eluru, on the smooth tarmac, we had to be very careful about the vagrant mongrels (we killed one on the way ) and the scurrying traffic. 

 

The drive from Vijayawada via Eluru until the outskirts of Rajamundry was uneventful and we have covered the distance in no time.

 

The greenery on either sides of the highway indicated that we were getting close "Konaseema". The lush green fields amidst the coconut trees.

 

We deviated off the highway onto a small kacha road leading into the fields for the customary photoshoot

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a short photo break, we moved ahead towards Rajamundry to explore a bit driving down until the banks of the Godavari river

 

 

After a pleasant evening on the river banks, we moved to our hotel to close down for the day 

 

Day :02 - We woke up to this beautiful sunrise throwing its rays to clear the thick fog on the green fields 

 

 

 

Our first destination was to experience the traditional festive activity 'Kodi pandhem' which is one native celebration of the locals on the occasion of Sankranthi festival

 

Entry pass to the arena

 

Few glimpses of the play arena

 

 

On the outside, the festival is being celebrated amidst of this beautiful farmlands 

 

 

 

 

Few glimpses of the beautiful country side in 'Konaseema'

 

 

We drove down towards Yanam which is enroute Kakinada from Muramalla

 

Our next destination was 'Coringa' wild life sanctuary which was beautiful for an evening pleasant walk on the wooden ridges between the forest. 

 

 

At the end of the forest walk, there is a boat ride facility into the back waters

 

Having had a tiring day, we retired for the day to check-in at Kakinada.

 

Day : 03 - We checked out of our hotel to experience a beach side drive between Kakinada <---> Uppada <---> Adharipeta

 

A beautiful ancient bridge on the sea coast at Adharipeta

 

Had an amazing time at this place during the early hours as we waited for the sun to rise 

 

Overall, It has been one heck of an amazing drive towards the country side to experience something new apart from our daily routine urban life.. End of our trip and we drove back to Hyderabad 

 

[sagar]

It has been a wonderful trip. It still reminds me of the food we relished on, the twerky roads, green fields and not to forget the isolated beaches we hit. Will share the pics that I've clicked soon.   

[Kashyap]

I scrupulously savour the commute.

Stunning photography[mention=7]sagar[/mention],[mention=35]ravi[/mention] and @adithya

Kudos to the team for coming up with such an effulgent write up.

Sent from my iPhone using India-Drive

[Gowtham]

Fantastic Ravi.
Nice pictures and details.[emoji106]

[Ravi]

It has been a wonderful trip. It still reminds me of the food we relished on, the twerky roads, green fields and not to forget the isolated beaches we hit. Will share the pics that I've clicked soon.   

The gripping moment of trip will surely be the drive at 120kmph on a single lane canal road , enroute kodi pandems!!


Sent from my iPhone using India-Drive

[sagar]

Few clicks captured from my mobile.. Please excuse for the quality [emoji16]

[anil]

The pictures look so beautiful and the place looks so serene.. Wonderful details in the log.. Thanks a lot for sharing this info.

[tejub]

Wowww totally in love with the greenery [emoji85][emoji7][emoji7]


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[Balakrishna]

Beautiful.. The place looks so blissful. I always wanted to explore this side Andhra Pradesh for its nativity and my urge towards this place has pepped up even more. Excellent report @Ravi and amazing pictures too.. 

[Charan9]

Beautiful clicks guys... I really missed the trip...@ravi ... Great post...[emoji106][emoji106][emoji108][emoji108]

[vivek]

Awesome pics @Ravi .. Never knew about the country side being so beautiful.. Thanks a lot for sharing your story in detail. Any information about the beach side stays in Kakinada would help me better.. 

Thanks in advance

[brteja]

@Ravi Brilliant stuff bro, I am getting to see your pics again after our Gandikota drive meet up. sagar and Kashyap, you pics are no less, Over all a superb post about the hidden paradise in Andhrapradesh. Thanks a lot for sharing all the information

[sharma]

Lovely pictures guys, Any idea of staying around a beach side private guesthouse around kakinada or yanam as vivek asked..?

 

[santoshk]

Awesome stuff guys, The drive looks so much fun by the pics put up. And Koringa is never a place for long weekend as it gets crowded but otherwise, one of the nicest places in the region.

[Raghavendra_ch]

Super trip. I am planning for the same trip. Can you detail the itinerary?

[shiva]

It is tough to build a itinerary for konaseema.

Select a place to explore, which will pass by konaseema.

I would suggest you to visit maredumilli via Rajamundry, this way you can cover both konaseema and maredumilli.

Others can provide more information, I have visited konaseema only once.
 

[uday]

34 minutes ago, Raghavendra_ch said:

Super trip. I am planning for the same trip. Can you detail the itinerary?

It depends on number of days you are planning.
Any place in your mind?
Is this your first time visit?
 

[Sam88]

None of the places can beat the konaseema's greenery...
Pictures are really beautiful..

[sahil]

Scenic and lovely pictures!!!!

I heard that we can do Godavari Back water boating @yanam. Is it good and safe with kids?

How long the boating will be. Will they take the boat near the island at Kakinda beach. Not sure if its Uppda beach?

 

I planned many times the same itenerary as you did, but never materialised. 

Edited January 11, 2018 by sahil

[Gowtham]

20 hours ago, sahil said:

planned many times the same itinerary as you did, but never materialized. 

 

Yanam is just an average place.
If you are planning to explore back waters and beaches.
Would suggest you to try

• Coringa forest
• Hope Island
• Uppada beach (evening/early morning)

Also avoid these places during Holidays, specially during Sankranthi and Dussera.

 

[sahil]

3 hours ago, Ranger said:

 

Yanam is just an average place.
If you are planning to explore back waters and beaches.
Would suggest you to try

• Coringa forest
• Hope Island
• Uppada beach (evening/early morning)

Also avoid these places during Holidays, specially during Sankranthi and Dussera.

 

Oh I see. Thanks for the details. Puducherry is very beautiful. So, expected the same. Thank you for the details. I will try to visit after rainy season.

[sagar]

This would be the best place and season to experience the traditional festive activities of Sankranthi. But, definitely not the right time if you are looking at exploring the places around here. All the tourist places and places to explore would be hyper populated. So, it would be better to plan accordingly.

I am starting tonight and I'm quite mentally prepared to face the heavy city like highway traffic for the next 4 days between Hyderabad to Konaseema.

[sahil]

Nice. Have fun.

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[RedCruiser]

Great Pics. A very well written travelogue indeed

[sagar]

Konaseema never disappoints me with its beauty. Drive through the lush green fields is the most enjoyable thing during my visits every year.

I made sure I toured places starting from Bhimavaram, Palakollu, Amalapuram, Godilanka, Vodalrevu (River Godavari merges into the Bay of Bengal), Coringa etc. 

 

Couldn’t click much pictures as I have squeezed in too many a places into a very short time. 

 

Started off with celebrating the Bhogi Festival as part of Sankranthi

 

A short drive to the Odalrevu beach. You can spot the confluence of the Godavari river and the Bay of Bengal sea in this area.

 

The beach was pretty much less populated during this major festive season and we can imagine the amount of crowd this place this place usually carries during the regular days

 

 

 

On the banks of this Odalrevu beach, we have seen a beach stay named Samudhra. Doesn't look so great from the outside but gave us a decent impression. Not aware of the conditions inside this place.

 

On the banks of the river Godavari at a small boating point. You can go on a boat ride at this place hiring the private fishermen.

 

 

 

On a bike ride towards Coringa. This is a small bridge constructed over the beautiful backwaters of the Bay of Bengal.

 

 

Beautiful views of the canal surrounded by coconut groves from the bridge

 

 

 

Sunset at the backwaters.

[Gowtham]

2 hours ago, sagar said:

Konaseema never disappoints me with its beauty.

 

Beautiful pictures, 

Missed the trip this year.

 

Most of the places in Konaseema are crowded during Sankranthi. 

[ksa171983]

On 1/21/2019 at 12:37 PM, Ranger said:

Konaseema never disappoints me with its beauty

True that ... i keep missing this drive .. will ensure to cover this this year ..

[sagar]

34 minutes ago, ksa171983 said:

True that ... i keep missing this drive .. will ensure to cover this this year ..

If I'm not wrong, you were raised around the place close to Konaseema and I can totally imagine how peaceful your childhood must have been  

[ksa171983]

27 minutes ago, sagar said:

If I'm not wrong, you were raised around the place close to Konaseema and I can totally imagine how peaceful your childhood must have been

lol not at all actually .. my childhood was peaceful with lots of greenery (steel plant township), well laid roads, excellent traffic sense it was not in the south of India ..

I did a small konaseema trip in 2017 in my celerio  but never got a chance to visit the serene places above..

[sagar]

2 hours ago, ksa171983 said:

lol not at all actually .. my childhood was peaceful with lots of greenery (steel plant township), well laid roads, excellent traffic sense it was not in the south of India ..

I did a small konaseema trip in 2017 in my celerio  but never got a chance to visit the serene places above..

 

You should plan it for a drive soon.

[ksa171983]

5 minutes ago, sagar said:

You should plan it for a drive soon.

yea before my inlaws plan to leave RJY forever ..