turnpike exits Just west of the bridge is the spectacular Osmania General Hospital (Map p900), on the north side, a

Vizag s well-organised RTC Complex (%2746400) has frequent turnpike exits bus services to Vijayawada (deluxe/Volvo 250/530, eight/seven hours) turnpike exits and, in the afternoon, Hyderabad ( superluxury / Volvo 470/870, 14/12 hours).

Just west of the bridge is the spectacular turnpike exits Osmania General Hospital (Map p900), on the north side, and, on the south, the High Court (Map p900) and Government City College (Map p900), all built under the seventh nizam in the Indo-Saracenic style.

The Vizag area s natural harbours turnpike exits have long been conducive to dropping anchor, which helped monks from Sri Lanka, China and Tibet come here to learn and practice meditation. Bavikonda (h9am-6pm) and Thotlakonda (h10am-3pm) were popular hilltop monasteries on the coast that hosted up to 150 monks at a time with the help of massive rainwater tanks and, at Thotlakonda, a natural spring.

You can also make your own way there from Hyderabad or Vijayawada. From Hyderabad, take a bus to Nagarjuna Sagar (from 85, four hours). From there, it s a 10 shared rickshaw to Pylon, and another 10 to the boat launch. The nearest train station is 22km away at Macherla, where buses leave regularly for Nagarjuna Sagar.