Vetapalem is a small coastal town about 7 km south of Chirala, set at the mouth of the Gundlakamma River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. The estuary here is a productive fishing ground and the town has an active fishing harbour. The rivermouth itself creates a natural landscape of sandbars and shallow channels that attracts wading birds during winter, including painted storks, herons, and occasional spoonbills.
The drive or auto-rickshaw ride south from Chirala passes through coconut groves and paddy fields typical of coastal Andhra. Vetapalem has a small railway station on the Chennai–Kolkata main line, making it a possible short-trip from Chirala without needing to arrange transport. The town is quiet and sees very few visitors; the appeal is the landscape and the working fishing community rather than any formal attraction.