art isle the Park hotel, out the back are tables in the sand on the edge of the beach where you can indulge i

the Park hotel, out the back are tables in the sand on the edge of the beach where you can indulge in delicious spicy fried fish ( 120) and tiger prawns ( 160). It s also a great spot for a cold beer with ocean views and a big outdoor screen. It s an overwhelmingly male clientele, but isn t seedy like some Indian bars.

Big Dosa Company INDIAN $ (Rd No 45, Jubilee Hills; dosas 75-135; h8am11pm) There s a lot that s big about this dosa joint: the portions, the taste and the very idea itself of a gourmet dosa. The feta cheese and roasted pepper dosa, served with sundried-tomato chutney or the shredded chicken dosa make the journey out to Jubilee Hills worthwhile.

Vijayawada is on the main Chenna Kolkata and Chennai Delhi railway lines. The daily Coromandel Express (2841) runs to Chennai (sleeper/3AC/2AC art isle 214/544/732, seven hours) and, the other way, to Kolkata (2842; sleeper/3AC/2AC 395/1054/1440, 20 hours). Speedy Rajdhani (Thursday and Saturday) and Jan Shatabdi (daily except Tuesday) trains also ply the Vijayawada Chennai route. Trains galore run to Hyderabad (sleeper/3AC/2AC 190/478/639, 6 hours) and Tirupathi (sleeper/3AC/2AC 198/502/674, seven hours). The computerised advance-booking offi ce (%enquiry 2577775, reservations 2578955; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, till 2pm Sun) is in the basement.

Tirupathi station is well served by express trains, running to Chennai art isle (2nd-class chair/ chair ( 62/206, three hours), Bengaluru (sleeper/3AC/2AC 168/470/628, seven hours), Hyderabad/Secunderabad (sleeper/3AC/2AC 284/764/1047, 12 hours) and Vijayawada (sleeper/3AC/2AC 198/502/674, seven hours). The reservation office (%2225850; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 8am-2pm Sun) is across the street.