TRIP BLOG Photo: Kkcvs3 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A quiet day at Mypadu beach, the rock-cut cave temples of Bhairavakona, and a last day on the sand at Suryalanka.

A relaxed coastal trip with one detour inland. Start near Nellore at Mypadu, a long, quiet beach where fishing boats come in. Day two heads inland to Bhairavakona, a set of rock-cut cave temples from the Pallava era hidden in the hills, with a small waterfall nearby. The last day is at Suryalanka near Bapatla, one of the most popular beaches on the Andhra coast, good for a long walk and sunset. Distances are moderate and the roads are easy. The sea along this coast can be rough, so swim only where it is allowed and lifeguards are present. October to February brings the most pleasant weather.

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Mypadu Beach

Near Nellore, Mypadu is a quiet, clean beach with soft sand and gentle waves, popular with families on weekends. Fishing boats come ashore in the mornings, and the sunsets are lovely.

Best weather: Dec – Mar Heavy rain: Oct

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Bhairavakona

Deep in the Nallamala hills, Bhairavakona has eight rock-cut cave temples to Shiva carved in the 7th to 8th centuries, set beside a waterfall that drops into a pool. On full-moon nights in the month of Karthika, moonlight is said to fall on the Durga image in one of the caves.

Best weather: Dec – Mar

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Suryalanka Beach

Near Bapatla, Suryalanka is one of the most popular beaches in coastal Andhra Pradesh, a long stretch of sand with gentle waves and a few resorts. It gets busy on weekends with visitors from Guntur and Vijayawada, and is best visited in the cooler months.

Best weather: Nov – Feb

Seasons from 20 years of NASA POWER climate data.