jadrolinija ferries Vijaya Lodge HOTEL $ (%2501222; fax 2446864; Station Rd; s/d from 150/240) About 100m from the train

Vijaya Lodge HOTEL $ (%2501222; fax 2446864; Station Rd; s/d from 150/240) About 100m from the train station, the Vijaya is well organised with helpful staff, but the rooms are becoming a little dreary. jadrolinija ferries

Non-ashram options include the clean and simple Sai Surya Guest House (%288134; Gopuram Rd, 1st Cross; r from 350), and the excellent-value Sri Sai Sadan (Meda s Guest House; %287507; srisaisadan@gmail. com; Gopuram Rd; r from 810; a), near Venugopalaswamy Temple, with a roof garden and spacious rooms with fridges and balconies.

Bheemunipatnam, 25km north of Vizag, a former Dutch settlement and the oldest municipality in mainland jadrolinija ferries India, is worth a visit. Here you ll find more bizarre sculptures, a lighthouse dating from 1861, an interesting Dutch cemetery and Bheemli Beach, where local grommets surf on crude homemade boards. To get here catch bus 999 ( 19), or otherwise a shared autorickshaw