Good time to check out Yanam: Coastal Andhra Pradesh town still preserving its French legacy

It is about 30 km from both Kakinada town in the East Godavari district and Amalapuram town in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh.

A place with touristy vibes, in Yanam you would not see visitors in the same numbers as in Puducherry — or even Karaikal (in Tamil Nadu) or Mahe (in Kerala), the two other branches of the Union territory.

The vibrant town, which got its independence from France in 1954, has a blend of Telugu and French culture, called Frelugu, along with several structures from French times.

A riverside town

Godavari river at Yanam, locally famous as Yanam beach. (Ajay Toma/rSouth First)

Yanam is the farthest picturesque enclave of Puducherry and lies on the banks of the Gouthami-Godavari river.

As there is no railway station, the only option to reach Yanam is via road. Yanam is the farthest picturesque enclave of Puducherry and lies on the banks of the Gouthami-Godavari river.

The nearest railhead is Kakinada while the nearest domestic airport is Rajahmundry and the international airport is Visakhapatnam.

From there, buses ply to Yanam, with ticket costs ranging from ₹60 to ₹80. The journey from Kakinada to Yanam takes nearly an hour. There are buses also from Visakhapatnam and Amalapuram.

Ferry road of Yanam beach

Yanam beach is a prime spot on Ferry Road beside the Godavari river.

Ferry road at Yanam, locally famous as Yanam beach. (Yanam government)

A picturesque spot, the pathway along the road has local food stalls as well as multiple statues of Hindu deities and Jesus Christ.

Songs in Telugu could be heard from speakers installed under streetlights. Several people could be seen visiting the police booth, which also serves as a nursery, and taking pictures.

However, the main attraction is water sports. Visitors can rent boats, including a motor boat.

The minimum price is ₹300 for a midsize boat and goes up according to its size.

Water sports and boating in the Godavari river at Yanam. (Ajay Tomar/South First)

Meanwhile, the Ferry Road is also famous for its Tuesday market since the time of French rule — Marché du Mardi (French) or Mangalavaram Samta (Telugu).

“During French rule, people used to come to buy foreign goods as well as smuggled items. Now it is a weekly shandy (market) with vegetables and fish being sold,” SVV Satyanarayana, locally popular as Sadanala Babu, a representative of the local French-Telugu community, told South First.

Several enchanting spots

A near-replica of the renowned Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Obelisk tower of Yanam was inaugurated in 2015. (Supplied)

There are several other places in Yanam town where you can hang out for a good time.

The Yanam Obelisk Tower in Gurianpeta is a prime tourist spot — 101.6-metre tall, it is a near-replica of the renowned Eiffel tower. The tower provides a panoramic view of the Bay of Bengal and has a circular restaurant at a height of 40 metres.

Yanam is widely famous for its mangrove forests, also considered a prime tourist spot. Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary is situated about 15 km from Yanam. It is one of the largest mangrove forests in India and is a beautiful place to visit. Welcoming you is a wooden entrance with a “I love Coringa” sign.

There are aerial viewpoints to witness the beauty of the mangroves, and boating is the best way to see flora and fauna in the Coringa. It is located in the backwaters of Coringa to the Godavari.

“We charge ₹7,000 for a speed boat for one hour and ₹6,000 for a normal boat for the same time,” a boatman told South First.

Mangrove forests in Yanam. (Supplied)

The Botanical Garden is a serene place for tourists to visit and spend time among the greenery. The special attraction here is the 16-feet statue of Gandhi, the glass house and the evening laser show.

Similarly, there is a Buddha Garden with a statue of Buddha surrounded by a lake.

Other than this, several holy sites such as the Jamia Masjid (mosque, built on land donated by the French government) and temples such as Yanam Sivalayam, Sree Vireswara Swamy, Draksharamam Bhimeswara Swamy and Meesala Venkanna are located in Yanam and its vicinity.

Read more: Why Yanam citizens vote in French elections and the benefits they get

Life in Yanam

A weekday in Yanam on road opposite to main bus stand. (Ajay Tomar/South First)

With a population of around 60,000 people, the town has a literacy rate of about 80 percent, as per the 2011 Census of India.

“There is a government degree college of arts, a junior college and more than 30 schools,” Sathvik Thota, a class nine student, told South First. 

Most people are either involved in farming, fishing, business or are central government employees.

“Several people are in teaching, police and other ministry jobs of the Central government,” Babu quipped.

“Life here is quite peaceful… the crime rate is very low. We have just around 180 policemen to manage Yanam,” Ravi Kumar, a police sub-inspector, told South First.

Jesus Christ statue in Yanam beside Yanam beach and Church of the Living God. (Ajay Tomar/South First)

As one would expect, seafood — prawns, fish, and crabs — is eaten extensively in Yanam.

“Guddu pita (egg crab) is very popular here,” Manikantha, a resident, told South First.

Being a Union territory, the prices of electricity, petrol, diesel and liquor are lower in Yanam compared with the rest of Andhra Pradesh.

“Two rupees of Andhra Pradesh used to be four rupees in Yanam. There used to be tax reduction for us earlier; but after GST was implemented, all taxes have been regularised,” Babu recollected.

Preserved French heritage

St Ann Roman Catholic Church in Yanam. (Yanam government)

There are several structures constructed by the French, which give Yanam its unique flavour.

The most famous is St Ann’s Roman Catholic Church constructed in 1768 for European devotees in Yanam. The church has been constructed in the Gothic style and is unlike any other church in the region.

“In 1787 it was damaged by a heavy cyclone and was again reconstructed in 1846. The whole furniture of the church was brought from France,” Babu said.

Then there is the Manyam zamindar (landlord) building. “The zamindar had a cordial relationship with French people. It was constructed during the French regime,” Babu said.

The French bridge constructed when Yanam was a colony of France. (Supplied)

The French bridge — built in 1927 across the Coringa river — is one of the old entrances to Yanam is also a place to visit.

“The French people used this way; it was used by those who came to Yanam by boat from the sea,” Babu said.

Other French-built structures in Yanam are the Roman Catholic cemetery, statue of lady Marianne, regional administration, municipality and court (palais de palace in French). The cops still wear French police cap, known as kepi in French language.

Their pictures and description are in the gallery below.