Araku-Valley Reviews

Overview of the destination
If u r planning a visit to Araku, try this plan.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
Subbiah's hotel is must have at Kakinada. Dont expect ambiance, just good food on 'pathroli' (banana leaf) and lots of goodies. Pic up a packet of dry spicy vegetable powders for home. At Araku, u cn safely bet and eat at Apsara Hotel on the araku market street. At near the jeep stand at Borra caves lunch at Sharada Hotel gives u a taste of tribal cooking methods.

Activities & things to do
While at Kakinada, hire a cab and go to Draksharama. An ancient Shiva Temple. A jyotirlinga. U can enjoy the ride with green fields around u for miles together. U can also visit Dwaraka Tirumala and while coming back u can also visit another Shiva Temple of ancient origins, at Bhimaeshwaram near Samaralakota. While going to Vizag by road u can visit Annavaram temple, where Lord Sathyanarayana Swamy resides. In case u r travelling by train, u can squeeze Annavaram while at Kakinada itself.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
There are several ways.

Overview of the destination
Nicely placed valley. Nice lush greenery all along the driveway. Innocent tribals.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
Fairly good restaurant at Araku, But a really good one at Ananthagiri. Nothing much to be seen at Araku But a lot of places around araku worth seeing. The best of all are the Borra Caves, then comes the Kataki falls the trek to this falls is worth it. Chaparai will be enjoyed by kids. To top them all the tribal museum gives us a good overview of the tribal living conditions and their culture

Activities & things to do
Get up early in the morning before daybreak and go for a walk on the misty road only to come back and to have a very very delicious Araku coffee

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
If you are a driving freak choose the road, or else go by the train. The railway line to Araku from Visakhapatnam is an engineering marvel having about 42 tunnels all along the way. If you are lucky enough you may also come across some waterfalls along the track. By road the lush greenery will soothe your senses especially for the city junkies who don't come across a lot of this stuff.