maps driving Kondapalli fort (admission 5, camera 100; h10.30am-5pm), strategically situated on the old Machilipa

1 Sights Undavalli Cave Temples HINDU SITE (Indian/ foreigner 5/100; h8am-5.30pm) Four kilometres southwest of Vijayawada, these stunning cave temples cut a fi ne silhouette against the palm trees and rice paddies. Shrines are dedicated to the Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and one cave on the third level houses a huge, beautiful statue of reclining Vishnu while seated deities and animals stand guard out front. The caves, in their Hindu form, date to the 7th century, but they re thought to have been constructed for Buddhist monks 500 years earlier. Bus 301 ( 9, 20 minutes) goes here.

Kondapalli fort (admission 5, camera 100; h10.30am-5pm), strategically situated on the old Machilipatnam maps driving Golconda trade route, was built in 1360 by the Reddy kings, and was held by the Gajapathis, the Qutb Shahis, the Mughals and the nizams before becoming a British military camp in 1767. Today it s a quiet, lovely ruin. On weekdays, maps driving you ll likely have the place to yourself and you can easily spend a few hours hiking around. Kondapalli village, 1km downhill, maps driving is famous for its wooden dolls. The fort is 21km from Vijayawada; an autorickshaw is 400 return.