HYDERABAD, one of India's largest cities and the capital of Andhra Pradesh state, has long been appreciated for its Islamic minarets, Hindu temples, British colonial architecture and centuries-old pearl markets. But now, helped by an influx of global software and financial companies like Microsoft and UBS, Hyderabad is a happening city, buzzing with coffee bars, stylish restaurants, bouncer-at-the-door clubs and sophisticated boutiques.
Situated on the Musi River in central India, Hyderabad is experiencing an economic boom that is not only attracting business travelers, but has also put the city's splendid monuments, spicy cuisine and bustling bazaars on the cultural map.In the past three years, the number of international air arrivals has doubled to more than one million a year. From New York, round-trip flights start at about $1,300, while in India, low-cost domestic carriers like Air Deccan and Jet Airways bring tourists from Mumbai, New Delhi and beyond for quick pearl-shopping and sightseeing fixes. (You can do both by visiting the shops near the famous Charminar, the majestic 400-year old arched gate.) A new airport is scheduled to open in March 2008.
The Taj Hotels chain operates three luxury hotels in the city, but new developers are challenging its dominance. The Leela Group, affiliated with the Kempinski chain, has announced plans for a 300-room Leela Palace, while the Indian-American hotelier Vikram Chatwal is looking to import his “Dream” brand of designer boutique hotels.
Despite its new riches, Hyderabad retains a certain shabbiness, with crumbling concrete buildings and tent cities to prove it. Still, for an introduction to hip Hyderabad, take an auto-rickshaw through the scary traffic to Banjara Hills, an upmarket area west of the commercial district, where you'll find some of the city's newest, most cosmopolitan eateries.
Fusion 9, on the third floor of a modern building (6-3-249/A, First Avenue, Road No 1, 91-40-6557-7755/22), is a coolly contemporary space with a huge bar, open kitchen, eclectic menu and, unusual for this city, an international wine list (though Indian wines, like the Sula sauvignon blanc, are surprisingly drinkable). The crowd is young and casual, and seems to be as comfortable ordering wood-fired pizzas (255 rupees, or about $5.60 at 45.36 rupees to the dollar) as they are biryanis (235 rupees), the city's famous meat-and-rice dish.
For a more romantic evening, book a private, open-air pavilion in the junglelike gardens of Our Place (8-2-602/E Charan Pahadi, Road No. 10, 91-40-2335-3422). The tandoori and other North Indian dishes (about 150 rupees) are terrific. Between courses, you can check out handmade linens, picture frames and crafts at the classy Bombay Store just next door.
To see what's going on after dinner, pick up a copy of the monthly English-language magazine Wow! But be warned: some of the hottest nightclubs like Touch in Banjara Hills (Trendset Towers, Road 2, 91-40-2354-2422) and Bottles and Chimney (near the airport in Begumpet, 91-40-2776-6464) are known to turn away single Western men, for fear they might get a little too rowdy.
On a recent Wednesday night, a jeans-clad crowd of locals and N.R.I.s (Non-Resident Indians) packed the small dance floor at Ahala, a subterranean club in the Taj Krishna hotel (Road 1, 91-40-6666-2323). The space was filled with comfy cushions, glowing candles and pulsating house music.
“I felt like the oldest guy in the room,” said a 35-year-old N.R.I. from Kansas as he left the club just after 12 a.m. For all of Hyderabad's newfound hyperactivity, closing time is still midnight.
SOURCE :http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/travel/21surfacing.html
Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centres. Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the richest and most visited religious center (of any faith) in the world. Srisailam, the abode of Sri Mallikarjuna, is one of twelve Jyothirlingalu in India, Amaravati's Siva temple is one of the Pancharamams, and Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. The Ramappa temple and Thousand Pillars temple in Warangal are famous for some fine temple carvings. The state has numerous Buddhist centres at Amaravati, Nagarjuna Konda, Bhattiprolu, Ghantasala, Nelakondapalli, Dhulikatta, Bavikonda, Thotlakonda, Shalihundam, Pavuralakonda, Sankaram, Phanigiri and Kolanpaka.
The golden beaches at Visakhapatnam,the one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque Araku Valley, hill resorts of Horsley Hills, river Godavari racing through a narrow gorge at Papi Kondalu, waterfalls at Ettipotala, Kuntala and rich bio-diversity at Talakona, are some of the natural attractions of the state.Near the beach Kailasagiri hill is there, it is one of the beautiful sight which shows the entire beauty of visakhapatnam having other side sea.
The Borra Caves are located in the Anatagiri Hills of Eastern Ghats, near Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh State in India. They are at a height of about 800 to 1300 metres above Mean Sea Level and are famous for millions of years old stalactite and stalagmite formations. They were discovered by William King George, the British geologist in the year 1807.The caves get their name from a formation inside the caves that looks like the human brain, which in the local language, Telugu, is known as borra.Similarly Belum caves was formed due to erosion in limestone deposite in the area by Chitravati River, millions of years ago. This limestone caves was formed due to action of carbonic acid — or weakly acidic groundwater formed due to reaction between limestone and water.
Belum Caves are the second largest cave in Indian sub-continent and the longest caves in plains of Indian Subcontinent. Belum Caves derives its name from "Bilum" Sanskrit word for caves. In Telugu language, it is called Belum Guhalu. Belum Caves has a length of 3229 meters, making it the second largest natural caves in Indian Subcontinent. Belum Caves have long passages, spacious chambers, fresh water galleries and siphons. The caves reach its deepest point (120 feet from entrance level) at the point known as Patalganaga.Horsley Hills Horsley Hills, elevation 1,265 m, is a famous summer hill resort in Andhra Pradesh, about 160 km from Bangalore, India and 144 km from Tirupati. The town of Madanapalle lies nearby. Major tourist attractions include the Mallamma temple and the Rishi valley school. Horsely Hills is the departure point for the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary at a distance of 87 km.
The narrow road to Horsely Hills is very scenic. It is surrounded throughout its entire length with dense growths of eucalyptus, jacaranda, allamanda, and gulmohar trees. This place is also believed to be haunted by some ghosts.
Charminar, Golconda Fort, Chandragiri Fort, Chowmahalla Palace and Falaknuma Palace are some of the monuments in the state.
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andhra_Pradesh