Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka?

JoseVijay · 11th December 2014, 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by adimicra

Thanks, I think I should be able to figure that out.
I will take this route.

Is the below route correct?

Spot on. That is the exact route I wanted to convey

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adimicra

So, is it better to stick to the NH9-NH5 route?
Or, should I give the route through Malgonda-Miryalguda worth trying?

If I start at 6 AM from Hyderabad and take the ORR, when I can expect to reach Chirala through either route?

If you take the Nalgonda - Miryalaguda route, hotel/food options are very dim. Stick to Vijayawada route and you can have your breakfast at "7" near Suryapet. Very good place with decent washrooms for all.

venuvedam · 11th December 2014, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by adimicra

Hi Venu,
Many thanks! I think i stay in the same apartment complex where you stay. Sent you a PM.

So, is it better to stick to the NH9-NH5 route?
Or, should I give the route through Malgonda-Miryalguda worth trying?

If I start at 6 AM from Hyderabad and take the ORR, when I can expect to reach Chirala through either route?

Updated my post above with the exact route to bypass VJY. As per a friend of mine who had been there sometime ago, VJY-Mangalagiri-Chirala route is the best. Will confirm with him once again and let you know.

Ocizer · 11th December 2014, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by adimicra

We are going with 3 families. So, I guess it should be fine.
I didn't get reservation in Sea breeze resorts. So, I booked the Palm Beach resort. It is supposed to have a private beach. Obviously, if the crowd is bad, they can spoil the atmosphere.

Hi adimicra

both sea breeze and palm beach resorts are next to each other

we went to sea breeze first without any reservation they quoted a very high price for one night so we decided to move to palm beach

Let me tell you its no way near to what you think it would be
I wouldn't call it as a resort
'private beach'

is out of question, both the resorts are built along the beach there are no perimeters to call it as private beach

Don't get fooled by what you see in the images

the pool was unusable there were only two deluxe(as they call it) rooms and
the rest were non deluxe
these are filled with roaches and frogs

My suggestion is to ask them and confirm if it is indeed the deluxe rooms that are reserved for you and if the pool is open

adimicra · 12th December 2014, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ocizer

Hi adimicra

both sea breeze and palm beach resorts are next to each other

we went to sea breeze first without any reservation they quoted a very high price for one night so we decided to move to palm beach

Let me tell you its no way near to what you think it would be
I wouldn't call it as a resort
'private beach'

is out of question, both the resorts are built along the beach there are no perimeters to call it as private beach

Don't get fooled by what you see in the images

the pool was unusable there were only two deluxe(as they call it) rooms and
the rest were non deluxe
these are filled with roaches and frogs

My suggestion is to ask them and confirm if it is indeed the deluxe rooms that are reserved for you and if the pool is open

When did you go there?
I am asking this because it seems like they have renovated the place and all the rooms are more or less new. That's the feedback I got from some people on tripadvisor. I have checked about the pool and they said it was operational. I will check about the deluxe rooms.
I am having low expectations...let's see.
The crowd is a bigger problem for me. I think I will take a chance..If it doesn't work out, I will probably come back early.

adimicra · 12th December 2014, 13:01

Some more information about the resort.

I talked to a former colleague who stays in Bapatla.
As per him, the resort was terrible earlier. But, since the last few months, they have renovated the place and changed the management team as well.
He told me that it's absolutely fine to go with family but don't expect luxury and top-grade service.
He also advised to go through Vijaywada only and as per him, it should take around 6 hours without breaks. So, I am budgeting for 6.5-7 hours drive.
Thanks for the help.

I will post more information once I am back from the trip.

adimicra · 27th December 2014, 20:59

Quick update -

Back from my trip today.

First about the road - Hyd-Vjaywada is one of the best highways I have driven on in India..even better than the Hyd-Blore one as it has more greenery and not so monotonous. The toll charged is 240/- I guess for one way.
On our way to Chirala, we took the Prakasham barrage road. There was very heavy traffic in Vijaywada and I think we spent a good 30 mins before hitting the barrage. Then we hit the NH5 at Mangalagiri as suggested. Nh5 is also in brilliant condition. on NH5, you need to be careful so that you don't miss the exit for Bapatla. We overshot it by around 3-4 kms. There is a signboard indicating 'Tenali' - that's the exit you should be looking at. Road after that is okay..no real bad patch but typical state road which passes through various small towns.

Home to 7 foodcourt, Suryapet - 175 kms - 2 hours
7 foodcourt to Vijaywada outskirts - 140 kms - 1.5 hours
crossing Vjaywada - 0.5 hours
Vijaywada to Chirla resort - 110 kms - 2.15 hours.

Total travel time - 6.15 hours.
Plus, we took a hour-long breakfast break at 7...and a couple of short 5 min breaks.
the 7 foodcourt at Suryapet is one of the best highway joint I have ever used in the country. Expensive but totally worth it. The cleanliness of the restrooms deserves special mention.

On our way back, we didn't take the Mangalagiri-Prakasham barrage road. Instead we continued further on the NH5 and hit Vijaywada and took a left from there...this was faster than the onward journey. So, I really don;t think there is any benefit in taking the Prakasham barrage - Mangalagiri road. There is some additional traffic you have to negotiate (even if you take the Prakasham barrage, you still have to negotiate some traffic) but it's not so bad and you can really travel fast on the NH 5. Took me 6 hours without counting breaks- 6 hours for 430 kms approx.

I think you should budget for a 6 hours drive without breaks if you are driving fast. Otherwise, if you are driving sedately or caring about mileage, the time can increase to 7 hours+ quite easily.

adimicra · 28th December 2014, 12:30

Update on the resort ..http://www.palmcoastbeachresorts.com/

First of all, I dont think this can be called a resort.
It's just a building with some open area in front of it.
The location is Okay..its just 150-200m from the beach and the sea is visible from the rooms. There is a creek/backwater flowing beside the resort and good greenery beside it. But the area between the beach and the resort ? is dirty and littered. Overall, I was okay with the location.
The moment I entered the resort I felt like going back...first of all, it does not look anywhere close to a resort. On top of it, its dirty and renovation work is going on...they are building another block which is supposed to have a gym and spa and convention center

Anyways, the only saving grace is the rooms and toilets were clean ..and so were the bedsheets and towels. So, we decided to stay back. Surprisingly, the TV was working and so was the AC.

The staircase has to be one of the narrowest staircase I have used and the corridor is also the narrowest I have used (hardly 2 ft wide)..There are rooms on both side of the corridor.

Coming to the service, it's non existent. For everything, you have to keep on yelling at them multiple times...actually, they are way understaffed and the staff doesnt have training. With Christmas holidays, the resort ? was full and they didn't know how to manage.

Coming to the food, it was average. Not many varieties which is okay..The jeera rice and dal dry were good. Chicken 65 was fine as well. The fish dishes surprisingly was not good and the overall hygiene level was bad. There were flies all around and it was a struggle eating food. The evening was better as there were less flies around and we could enjoy our drinks in the garden.They certainly need to improve the cleanliness and hygiene levels before anything else.

On the positive side, the staff were friendly and willing to help as much as possible. And the crowd was very decent ..all families. So, that was a plus for us.

I did manage to have a look at the Sea breeze resort nearby and it looks much better..I dont know the level of service or hygiene there but certainly looks like a proper hotel/resort and it's closer to the beach as well.It's unfortunate that I did not get a reservation there.
Here is a link to the Sea breeze resorts -

http://seabreeze-beachresorts.com/

--------------------

A bit about the place ...the beach is called the Ramapuram beach. It's clean and nice and not crowded at all unlike Suryalanka. The beach is also very safe as there are no rocks or boulders and the slope is not steep at all. We walked for long stretches on the beach and it was very very peaceful..to give an idea, we crossed hardly a couple of people in a 3 km walk along the beach. Awesome!

Besides the beach, there is nothing much to do. We found out that Chirala is famous for sarees and textiles. So, the ladies went shopping to a place called 'Chirala Weaves' and ended up buying a lot of sarees. Unplanned expenses

Chirala is also famous for cashews. Make sure you pick up some on your way back.

For the adventurous type, there is place where the fishermen take you in their boats to the sea..but we were not brave enough to try without any life jackets or safety measure.

Overall, we came back happy though the resort? stay was not pleasant (we went with very low expectations but still was disappointed) It's a good option for people staying in Hyderabad. I would say go to the Sea breeze resort (should be a much better place based on what I saw and the feedback from a friend)and enjoy the place.

JoseVijay · 2nd February 2015, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by adimicra

Update on the resort ..http://www.palmcoastbeachresorts.com/

First of all, I dont think this can be called a resort.

My office colleagues had been to this resort this weekend and they had a very pleasant time there. Their experience was completely different. They say that the staff were courteous and attended to all their needs on time. May be they had to be that way as they had a bigger group as guests

. The construction is still on in this particular site, so I guess it might take them sometime to operate in full strength.

ottocycle · 9th February 2021, 12:01

Hi Guys,

Bumping the old thread. Looking for suggestions on which resort to stay on baptla/chirala/suryalanka. Given Covid time, cleanliness and distancing is most important factor.

Is sea breeze resort good?

Thanks

FlashMustang · 13th February 2021, 15:34

If you are looking for an option to relax with family, I would recommend looking at alternate destinations.
I went there in mid 2014, and regretted it. We stayed at Sea Breeze Resort, but, ended up cutting short the trip and returned earlier than planned.
It's been many years since then, but, I doubt things would have changed much, based on looking at reviews on TripAdvisor.

The beach is nice, but, that's where the good things end.

The rooms felt over-priced for what they offered.
The resort was more or less tuned to work for weekends, and so, on weekdays, most of them items on the food menu were not available (resulting in having to order a handful of items repeatedly).
Aggressive push to sell over-priced bottled water at nearly every interaction point was another irritant.
Staff training was in sore need of multiple levels of improvement back then.
Pest control was another area that was lacking, and there was a need to keep the rooms shut come evenings.

In my analysis, the lack of competition in the area means there's little incentive to improve.
I'm all for getting close to nature, and disconnecting from everything for a few days. That's what I thought when I narrowed down to this place. But, the numerous irritants detract away from enjoying the positives of the location.

My honest suggestion would be to choose an alternate place for a visit.
Hope this helps. Take care and stay safe!

VikramS · 29th September 2021, 22:09

Roads are good overall. The taxing part is when you are in Chirala and the town before reaching the resort. We just went there this last weekend and stayed at THE HUTS RESORT. Excellent place to stay at. Good decent rooms , clean ambience , excellent location as well. The golden sands beach is the closest to this resort and is fantastic to be at. The resort offers to bring the tables and chairs for you at the beach as well. Make sure you are packing enough stuff to eat with you while heading out on the drive , ensure you are carrying money since ATMS are not available enroute.

12th December 2014, 13:01	#20
adimicra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,007 Thanked: 2,443 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? Some more information about the resort. I talked to a former colleague who stays in Bapatla. As per him, the resort was terrible earlier. But, since the last few months, they have renovated the place and changed the management team as well. He told me that it's absolutely fine to go with family but don't expect luxury and top-grade service. He also advised to go through Vijaywada only and as per him, it should take around 6 hours without breaks. So, I am budgeting for 6.5-7 hours drive. Thanks for the help. I will post more information once I am back from the trip.
	() Thanks

27th December 2014, 20:59	#21
adimicra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,007 Thanked: 2,443 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? Quick update - Back from my trip today. First about the road - Hyd-Vjaywada is one of the best highways I have driven on in India..even better than the Hyd-Blore one as it has more greenery and not so monotonous. The toll charged is 240/- I guess for one way. On our way to Chirala, we took the Prakasham barrage road. There was very heavy traffic in Vijaywada and I think we spent a good 30 mins before hitting the barrage. Then we hit the NH5 at Mangalagiri as suggested. Nh5 is also in brilliant condition. on NH5, you need to be careful so that you don't miss the exit for Bapatla. We overshot it by around 3-4 kms. There is a signboard indicating 'Tenali' - that's the exit you should be looking at. Road after that is okay..no real bad patch but typical state road which passes through various small towns. Home to 7 foodcourt, Suryapet - 175 kms - 2 hours 7 foodcourt to Vijaywada outskirts - 140 kms - 1.5 hours crossing Vjaywada - 0.5 hours Vijaywada to Chirla resort - 110 kms - 2.15 hours. Total travel time - 6.15 hours. Plus, we took a hour-long breakfast break at 7...and a couple of short 5 min breaks. the 7 foodcourt at Suryapet is one of the best highway joint I have ever used in the country. Expensive but totally worth it. The cleanliness of the restrooms deserves special mention. On our way back, we didn't take the Mangalagiri-Prakasham barrage road. Instead we continued further on the NH5 and hit Vijaywada and took a left from there...this was faster than the onward journey. So, I really don;t think there is any benefit in taking the Prakasham barrage - Mangalagiri road. There is some additional traffic you have to negotiate (even if you take the Prakasham barrage, you still have to negotiate some traffic) but it's not so bad and you can really travel fast on the NH 5. Took me 6 hours without counting breaks- 6 hours for 430 kms approx. I think you should budget for a 6 hours drive without breaks if you are driving fast. Otherwise, if you are driving sedately or caring about mileage, the time can increase to 7 hours+ quite easily. Last edited by adimicra : 27th December 2014 at 21:03.
	(4) Thanks

28th December 2014, 12:30	#22
adimicra Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,007 Thanked: 2,443 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? Update on the resort ..http://www.palmcoastbeachresorts.com/ First of all, I dont think this can be called a resort. It's just a building with some open area in front of it. The location is Okay..its just 150-200m from the beach and the sea is visible from the rooms. There is a creek/backwater flowing beside the resort and good greenery beside it. But the area between the beach and the resort ? is dirty and littered. Overall, I was okay with the location. The moment I entered the resort I felt like going back...first of all, it does not look anywhere close to a resort. On top of it, its dirty and renovation work is going on...they are building another block which is supposed to have a gym and spa and convention center Anyways, the only saving grace is the rooms and toilets were clean ..and so were the bedsheets and towels. So, we decided to stay back. Surprisingly, the TV was working and so was the AC. The staircase has to be one of the narrowest staircase I have used and the corridor is also the narrowest I have used (hardly 2 ft wide)..There are rooms on both side of the corridor. Coming to the service, it's non existent. For everything, you have to keep on yelling at them multiple times...actually, they are way understaffed and the staff doesnt have training. With Christmas holidays, the resort ? was full and they didn't know how to manage. Coming to the food, it was average. Not many varieties which is okay..The jeera rice and dal dry were good. Chicken 65 was fine as well. The fish dishes surprisingly was not good and the overall hygiene level was bad. There were flies all around and it was a struggle eating food. The evening was better as there were less flies around and we could enjoy our drinks in the garden.They certainly need to improve the cleanliness and hygiene levels before anything else. On the positive side, the staff were friendly and willing to help as much as possible. And the crowd was very decent ..all families. So, that was a plus for us. I did manage to have a look at the Sea breeze resort nearby and it looks much better..I dont know the level of service or hygiene there but certainly looks like a proper hotel/resort and it's closer to the beach as well.It's unfortunate that I did not get a reservation there. Here is a link to the Sea breeze resorts - http://seabreeze-beachresorts.com/ -------------------- A bit about the place ...the beach is called the Ramapuram beach. It's clean and nice and not crowded at all unlike Suryalanka. The beach is also very safe as there are no rocks or boulders and the slope is not steep at all. We walked for long stretches on the beach and it was very very peaceful..to give an idea, we crossed hardly a couple of people in a 3 km walk along the beach. Awesome! Besides the beach, there is nothing much to do. We found out that Chirala is famous for sarees and textiles. So, the ladies went shopping to a place called 'Chirala Weaves' and ended up buying a lot of sarees. Unplanned expenses Chirala is also famous for cashews. Make sure you pick up some on your way back. For the adventurous type, there is place where the fishermen take you in their boats to the sea..but we were not brave enough to try without any life jackets or safety measure. Overall, we came back happy though the resort? stay was not pleasant (we went with very low expectations but still was disappointed) It's a good option for people staying in Hyderabad. I would say go to the Sea breeze resort (should be a much better place based on what I saw and the feedback from a friend)and enjoy the place. Last edited by adimicra : 28th December 2014 at 12:35.
	(3) Thanks

9th February 2021, 12:01	#24
ottocycle BANNED Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 491 Thanked: 589 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? Hi Guys, Bumping the old thread. Looking for suggestions on which resort to stay on baptla/chirala/suryalanka. Given Covid time, cleanliness and distancing is most important factor. Is sea breeze resort good? Thanks
	(1) Thanks

13th February 2021, 15:34	#25
FlashMustang BHPian Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Noida Posts: 117 Thanked: 463 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? If you are looking for an option to relax with family, I would recommend looking at alternate destinations. I went there in mid 2014, and regretted it. We stayed at Sea Breeze Resort, but, ended up cutting short the trip and returned earlier than planned. It's been many years since then, but, I doubt things would have changed much, based on looking at reviews on TripAdvisor. The beach is nice, but, that's where the good things end. The rooms felt over-priced for what they offered. The resort was more or less tuned to work for weekends, and so, on weekdays, most of them items on the food menu were not available (resulting in having to order a handful of items repeatedly). Aggressive push to sell over-priced bottled water at nearly every interaction point was another irritant. Staff training was in sore need of multiple levels of improvement back then. Pest control was another area that was lacking, and there was a need to keep the rooms shut come evenings. In my analysis, the lack of competition in the area means there's little incentive to improve. I'm all for getting close to nature, and disconnecting from everything for a few days. That's what I thought when I narrowed down to this place. But, the numerous irritants detract away from enjoying the positives of the location. My honest suggestion would be to choose an alternate place for a visit. Hope this helps. Take care and stay safe! Last edited by FlashMustang : 13th February 2021 at 15:35.
	() Thanks

29th September 2021, 22:09	#26
VikramS Newbie Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: transferrable Posts: 3 Thanked: 0 Times	Re: Hyderabad to Bapatla, Chirala & Suryalanka? Roads are good overall. The taxing part is when you are in Chirala and the town before reaching the resort. We just went there this last weekend and stayed at THE HUTS RESORT. Excellent place to stay at. Good decent rooms , clean ambience , excellent location as well. The golden sands beach is the closest to this resort and is fantastic to be at. The resort offers to bring the tables and chairs for you at the beach as well. Make sure you are packing enough stuff to eat with you while heading out on the drive , ensure you are carrying money since ATMS are not available enroute.
	() Thanks