According to the history, the city was named after the god of 'Valor-Vishakha'. It was a part of the Kalinga Kingdom, under Ashoka's rule in 260 B.C. It passed on later to the Andhra Kings of 'Vengi'. After this Pallava, Chola and Ganga dynasties ruled the city. In the 15th century, Vishakhapatnam became a part of the Vijayanagar Empire.

The Europeans, the Dutch, the French and the English established themselves from the 17th century onwards and used this as a major trading center to export textiles, ivory, tobacco, indigo etc. This port is well documented in the histories of these colonial powers as well as in Indian historical records. This coast played a major role during the reign of the Asaf Jahis and the Golcondas.

Vishakhapatnam is built along the seashore of the Bay of Bengal, and is bounded and broken by the bold headland called the Dolphin's Nose (357m above the sea level). The city boasts of a beautiful beach with a long beach road ending at nearly Bheemunipatnam on the northern end. The surrounding area is dominated on the west by the well-forested Eastern Ghats and farther east is drained by numerous rivers, among them the Godavari and Indravati.

The city is also known as "Vizag" and is surrounded by three hills, each of which has a shrine dedicated to a different religion - Venkateswara temple (also spelt as Venkateshwara) on Venkateswara Konda, Baba Ishaq Madina Dargah on Dargah Konda and Church of the Virgin Mary on Rose hill.

Air : Vishakhapatnam has an airport. Indian Airlines flies to Vishakhapatnam daily from Mumbai, Kolkatta, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Rail : Vishakhapatnam is the centre point for the trains going between Chennai and Howra and Howrah and Secunderabad. It is well connected by rail to all the important places in and outside the state.

Road : National Highway No.5 (Howrah to Chennai) passes through Vishakhapatnam. The Vishakhapatnam to Steel Plant - Anakapalli Road is most modern 4 Line Highway spans 45-km. The APSRTC runs buses and private buses connect major cities of the state and the cities in the neighboring states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh with Vishakhapatnam.

Kailasagiri :Kailasagiri is located on a hilltop and is a must to visiting place for all people visiting Vishakhapatnam. The charming hill on the seafront, affords a breath taking scenic view, especially towards Bheemunipatnam.

Rishikonda Beach :Just 8-km from Vishakhapatnam is the Rishikonda Beach, a golden, unspoilt beach, washed by the sun-warmed sea.

Ramakrishna Beach : One of the loveliest beaches on the East Coast, the Ramakrishna beach is a favorite resort for tourists visiting Vishakhapatnam.

Indira Gandhi Zoological Park : The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is located in Vishakhapatnam amidst the scenic eastern ghats of India, flanked by hills on either sides and Bay of Bengal on the east.

Ananthagiri Hills : Anantagiri is a breathtakingly beautiful resort sheltered in the lush undulating ranges of the Eastern Ghats. It is considered to be a perfect head off to get away from the blistering summer months. The Ananthagiri hills are on the way to Araku Valley and are famous for coffee plantations.

Simhachalam : About 16-km from Vishakhapatnam is Simhachalam, famous for the temple of Sri Varaha Lakshminarasimha. Architecturally this ancient temple deserves high praise.

Araku Valley :About 115-km from Vishakhapatnam is the beautiful Araku Valley, with its bracing climate, orchards, and the Ananthagiri Ghats, which present an enchanting view to the visitors, is attracting tourists not only in India but from abroad too.

Borra Caves : At a distance of about 90-95-km from Vishakhapatnam are the Borra Caves, which attained historical and religious importance.

Bheemunipatnam : About 25-km from Vishakhapatnam is Bheemunipatnam. The most important aspect of interest at the place is the beach, which is perhaps matchless for its beauty all along the east coast.