Andhra Pradesh · India
Machilipatnam travel guide
Machilipatnam is a city in Andhra Pradesh, India, home to about 170,000 people.
- Best months
- January
- Nearest airport
- VGA54 km · Vijayawada International Airport
- Currency
- INRIndian rupee
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Language
- English, Hindi
About
About Machilipatnam
It is believed that Machlipatnam derived its name owing to the construction of a gateway to the town decorated with eyes of a fish, also called machlī (मछली) in Hindi. Machilipatnam was founded in the 14th century by the trading Arabs who found their way from the red sea to southern India to the spot of eastern peninsula. Machilipatnam was a flourishing seaport on the east coast during the time of the Satavahanas and in the 17th century AD, it was a centre of French, British, and Dutch trade.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Machilipatnam
See
Machilipatnam is a city with a rich history of foreign conquests, business and trade. During its heydays Machilipatnam port served as a gateway to India.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Machilipatnam to stay in
There are few hotels where you can stay comfortably. Hotels are inexpensive but not clean. Apsara, RR Bhavan, Eswara Residency peacock residency and Raghava Residency are the relatively better hotels. Tariff vary between ₹500 to ₹1,000. If one wants luxury stay, Vijayawada is not far off and has better options.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Machilipatnam
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Machilipatnam are January. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; October is the wettest, with about 242 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Machilipatnam: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Vijayawada International Airport (VGA), about 54 km from the city centre in a straight line; Rajahmundry Airport (RJA, 127 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Machilipatnam is well connected to other parts of the state by rail and road. Nearest airport is located at Gannavaram/Vijayawada, which is about 70 km from Machilipatnam. There are two railway stations in Machilipatnam: Machilipatnam Railway Station and Chilakalapudi Railway Station. Although there is a third railway station called Bandar Port, that is not being used. South Central Railways runs its services from Machilipatnam to Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Tirupati and Bangalore. There are plans to run a train to Mumbai via Hyderabad.
Getting around
There are many ways to get around in Machilipatnam. You can travel by buses run by private operators called as 'City bus'. Autorickshaws or an auto in Machilipatnam does not have meters. Normally, drivers fix a rate and passengers have to bargain to get a better prices. Normally, Autos should carry a maximum of 3 passengers excluding the driver, but it is common to find them being overloaded to carry up to six passengers. Unlike autorickshaw, which is run by an engine, rickshaw is pulled by human. Although the slowest means of travel, it is convenient to travel short distances.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
VGA · Vijayawada International Airport
RJA · Rajahmundry Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Machilipatnam
Eat
Machilipatnam is popular for sweets (Bandar Laddu and Bandar Halwa are quite popular). There are many chat like snacks in Machilipatnam where the locals stand in queue, especially in the evenings at the mobile chat vendors. These are spicy, but tasty. There are a number of restaurants and a lot of hotels make Chinese dishes also. Otherwise, for rice eaters (South Indians), this place is like heaven for food. Food is relatively very cheap and tasty. You can enjoy local dishes. As regards to fruits, you can find bananas, mangoes and other seasonal fruits at a reasonable rate.
Drink
If you have the habit of drinking mineral water, better to continue the same habit. Though the tap water (municipal water) tastes good, as in the case of many places in India, outsiders may get infected easily. Mineral water is available everywhere and costs around ₹15/- per litre bottle. All popular brands in India are available in shops.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Machilipatnam: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Machilipatnam?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Machilipatnam are January. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 38 °C; October is the wettest, with about 242 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Machilipatnam?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Vijayawada International Airport (VGA), about 54 km from the city centre in a straight line; Rajahmundry Airport (RJA, 127 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Machilipatnam?
Indian rupee (INR).
Nearby
Destinations near Machilipatnam
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.