turnpike exits Vizag s train station is on the western edge of town, near the port. Visakhapatnam Junction station

Abids Area Sights 15 Sagar Papaji Ka Dhaba.C5 1 AP State Museum. B3 2 Birla Mandir. A2 Entertainment Birla Modern Art Gallery. (see 3) 16 Ravindra Bharati Theatre.A3 3 Birla Planetarium & Science Museum. B3 Shopping Birla Temple. (see 3) 17 Kalanjali.B3 4 Buddha Statue.B1 18 Lepakshi.B4 5 Health Museum. A3 19 Meena Bazar.B5 ICCR Art Gallery. (see 16) 6 Legislative Assembly. turnpike exits A3 Information 7 Snow World.C1 20 Apollo Pharmacy.C3 21 APTDC.B3 Sleeping 22 APTDC.B2 8 Hotel Harsha. turnpike exits B4 23 Care Hospital.B5 9 Hotel Mandakini Jaya 24 Indiatourism.C3 International. C5 10 Hotel Suhail. B5 Transport 11 Taj Mahal Hotel. B4 25 Air India.B3 26 AirAsia.B3 Eating 27 Boats to Buddha Statue. B1 12 Kamat Andhra Meals. B5 28 GSA Transworld Travels.B4 Kamat Coffee Shop. (see 12) Indian Airlines. turnpike exits (see 25) 13 Kamat Hotel. B4 29 IndiGo.B3 14 Kamat Hotel. A2 30 Jet Airways.B3 Kamat Jowar Bhakri. (see 12) 31 Neo Globe Tours & Travel.A3 Kamat Restaurant. (see 12) Abids Area Sights 15 Sagar Papaji Ka Dhaba.C5 1 AP State Museum. B3 2 Birla Mandir. A2 Entertainment Birla Modern Art Gallery. turnpike exits (see 3) 16 Ravindra Bharati Theatre.A3 3 Birla Planetarium & Science Museum. B3 Shopping Birla Temple. (see 3) 17 Kalanjali.B3 4 Buddha Statue.B1 18 Lepakshi.B4 5 Health turnpike exits Museum. A3 19 Meena Bazar.B5 ICCR Art Gallery. (see 16) 6 Legislative Assembly. A3 Information 7 Snow World.C1 20 Apollo turnpike exits Pharmacy.C3 21 APTDC.B3 Sleeping 22 APTDC.B2 8 Hotel Harsha. B4 23 Care Hospital.B5 9 Hotel Mandakini Jaya 24 Indiatourism.C3 International. C5 10 Hotel Suhail. B5 Transport 11 Taj Mahal Hotel. B4 25 Air India.B3 26 AirAsia.B3 Eating 27 Boats to Buddha turnpike exits Statue. B1 12 Kamat Andhra Meals. B5 28 GSA Transworld Travels.B4 turnpike exits Kamat Coffee Shop. (see 12) Indian Airlines. (see 25) 13 Kamat Hotel. B4 29 IndiGo.B3 14 Kamat Hotel. A2 30 Jet Airways.B3 turnpike exits Kamat Jowar Bhakri. (see 12) 31 Neo Globe Tours & Travel.A3 Kamat Restaurant. (see 12)

Vizag s train station is on the western edge of town, near the port. Visakhapatnam Junction station is on the Kolkata-Chennai line. The overnight Coromandel Express (sleeper/3AC/2AC 333/881/1199, 13 hours) is the fastest of the five daily trains running to Kolkata. Heading south, it goes to Chennai (sleeper/3AC/2AC 310/817/1112, 14 hours). Frequent trains head to Vijayawada including 2717, the Ratnachalam Express (2nd-class/chair 108/477).

From the 2nd century BC the Satavahana empire, also known as the Andhras, reigned throughout the Deccan plateau. It evolved from the Andhra people, whose presence in southern India may date back to 1000 BC. The Buddha s teaching took root here early on, and in the 3rd century BC the Andhras fully embraced it, building turnpike exits huge edifices in its honour. In the coming centuries, the Andhras would develop a fl ourishing civilisation that extended from the west to the east coasts of South India.