Simhachalam Temple


Andhra's second-most visited temple (after Tirumala) is a 16km drive northwest of town. It's dedicated to Varahalakshmi Narasimha, a combination of Vishnu's boar and lion-man avatars, and can get crowded. A ₹100 ticket will get you to the deity (and a sip of holy water) much quicker than a ₹20 one. Buses 6A and 28 go here from the RTC Complex and train station.

The temple's architecture bears much Odishan influence, including the 13th-century main shrine with its carved stone panels (the lion-man can be seen disembowelling a demon on the rear wall).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Ramakrishna Beach

5.84 MILES

Ramakrishna (RK) Beach stretches 4km up the coast from the large port area in the south of town, overlooking the Bay of Bengal with its mammoth ships and…

2. Aircraft Museum

6.16 MILES

Opened in 2017, this museum showcases a Soviet-era TU-142M aircraft that was used by the Indian military for 29 years (and 30,000 hours of accident-free…

3. Submarine Museum

6.2 MILES

A fantastic attraction located towards the north end of Ramakrishna Beach, the 91m-long, Soviet-built, Indian navy submarine Kursura is now a fascinating…

4. Kailasagiri Hill

6.27 MILES

Kailasagiri Hill, rising above Beach Rd in the north of town, is a landscaped park with panoramic views and jogging tracks. You may want to avoid the…

5. VUDA Park

6.52 MILES

This pretty park is at the north end of Ramakrishna Beach.

6. Bavikonda

9.38 MILES

Bavikonda was a hilltop Buddhist monastery with massive rainwater tanks and a natural well. It flourished from around the 3rd century BC to the 3rd…

7. Rushikonda Beach

9.64 MILES

Rushikonda, 10km north of town, has a wild beauty and is one of the nicest beaches on India's east coast. Swimming is officially prohibited (there have…

8. Thotlakonda

11.45 MILES

This scenic hilltop site, once a large monastery, merits visiting for those interested in Buddhism or archaeology. Its name comes from the nine cisterns…