Chirala sits directly on the Bay of Bengal and has good beach access. The town beach is largely the preserve of local fishing communities — colourful catamarans, morning fish auctions, and an absence of tourist infrastructure. Suryalanka Beach, 12 km south, is cleaner and more accessible for swimming during the winter months (October to March), when the sea is calm. Andhra Pradesh Tourism operates a resort there.
The water is warm year-round, but the monsoon (June to September) brings rough surf and rip currents — swimming is not advisable during that period. The coastal landscape south of town is attractive: casuarina forests, low dunes, and salt flats that attract migratory birds in winter.