Andhra Pradesh is one state that has plenty of tourist friendly destinations. In fact, there's so much that some of them even remain unexplored by travellers. The state tourism board, realising the potential of these places is looking to promote these places in order to attract more investments in the tourism sector. Importance is being given to such an extent that the state's tourism policy is offering attractive incentives to investors -- the target is to receive an investment of Rs 10,000 crore by 2020 and and Rs 20,000 crore by 2029 in the tourism sector. Commenting on the state's tourism potential, Neerabh Kumar Prasad, Principal Secretary to Government, Tourism & Culture said, "The state is working towards creating six tourist hubs - Visakhapatnam; Rajahmundry-Konaseema-Kakinada; Vijayawada-Amaravati; Tirupati; Ananthapuramu-Puttaparthi and Srisailam."

India Today went into the depth of the situation and found the offbeat destinations that Andhra Pradesh tourism is actually looking to promote. Most of these places have hardly made to the tourist map, but each of them has plenty to offer to a traveller. Let's take a quick look at these places.



Hope Island

As a traveller, if you are looking to literally discover a place in the state of Andhra Pradesh then Hope Island needs to be at the top of your list. It is a 200-year-old naturally formed island off the coast of Kakinada, that is composed of the sand that has drifted from River Godavari over the years. The island is beautiful -- while there's ample amount of greenery, there are stunning views of the backwaters from one side. That's not all -- on the other side of the island are sandy beaches overlooking the Bay of Bengal.



Undavalli Caves

Located at a distance of 22 km from Guntur the Undavalli Caves are exemplary of the architectural skill of Indian rock caves built in the fourth and fifth centuries. Originally belonging to the Jains and eventually to the Buddhists, these caves were converted into the abode of Hindu deities over time. Housed in these caves is a huge recreated statue of Vishnu in his reclining pose, which is sculpted out of a single block of granite.

Amaravati

Being the new state capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amravati is being developed under a futuristic model that just can't be ignored. Apart from witnessing a modern city in the making, travellers can explore some of the country's finest Buddhist centres that this place is home to. Dhyana Buddha and Nagarjunakonda are among the most prominent ones.

Papikondalu

Not too far from the town of Rajahmundry is Papikondalu, which is a scenic river gorge. It's one place where travellers get the opportunity to avail the boating and cruising services offered by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Tourists can soak in the beauty of River Godavari and at the same time, enjoy stunning views of the surrounding hills that are teeming with a lush green vegetation and varied wildlife.

Pulicat Lake

Just a two-hour drive away from Tirupati is the Pulicat Lake, which is the second largest lagoon in India after Odisha's Chilika Lake. What makes this lake even more special is the presence of numerous migratory birds, with Greater Flamingo being one of the most prominent ones. Apart from the birds, travellers can witness the charm of some old buildings in the locality that showcase colonial-era architecture at its best.