Puri, a beach city situated along the Bay of Bengal coast, is a holy ground and home to some of the most consecrated temples in Hindu mythology. There are ample budget hotels in Puri, making the city a perfect place for vacations. Alongside the famous Jagannath Temple and the Konark Temple, there are many other destinations in and around Puri which cannot be missed out. We have listed down a few for you.
Puri Beach
Puri Beach is a sacred site where a large of number of pilgrims gather to worship Lord Jagannath. The beach offers an inimitable experience to witness a stunning sunrise and a sunset. Often crammed with vacationers taking a dip in the afternoon, the beach is extended with stretches full of lodging options, food stalls, and stores selling souvenirs. You can spot plenty of local fishermen, in their customary triangular straw hats and dhotis. They often offer their services as lifeguards on the beach, and double up their earnings by taking visitors out to sea in their boats to catch a glimpse of the sunset. Take caution while going for a swim as the currents can get really deceitful!
Konark Beach
Konark Beach, sited in Odisha on the eastern coast of India is regarded as the country’s finest beach. Located at a distance of 3 km from the well-known Sun Temple, this beach is a heavenly tourist attraction that guarantees to enchant you and give you the pleasure of a lifetime. The extensive stretches of the sylvan sands and the calming blue sea breaking in rolling waves makes Konark Beach the best place to relax after a frantic sightseeing schedule. The charisma and beauty of this place is simply beyond comparison.
You must try the water sports activities here if you are an adventurous loving soul. A leisurely stroll along the beach with the cool sea breeze wafting gently would make for a cherished experience for you and your loved ones.
Raghurajpur Artist Village
Don’t you dare to leave Odisha without visiting the Raghurajpur Artist Village! Located 10 km from Puri and 55 kms from the state capital Bhubaneshwar, this place is blessed with Pattachitra painters. The pattachitra paintings date back to 5 BC. The artform is created on a piece of cloth, called Patta. The other base is a dried palm leaf, first tinted with a mixture of chalk and gum. Thereafter, the artists make colourful paintings of various mythological scenes with ornamentation of flowers, trees, and animals. There are nearly 100 houses in the village and almost every house is gifted with an artisan. The paintings on Tussar saris, particularly the Sambalpuri Saree illustrating Mathura Vijay, Raslila and Ayodhya Vijay owe their derivation to ‘Raghurajpur Pattachitra paintings’. These artisans also make traditional masks, stone idols, sculptures and wooden toys.
Chilka Lake
Chilika is an important quagmire and home to an outstanding variety of birds. Experience a colourful avian exquisiteness in a thousand varied manners offered by over 160 species in the peak season between November and February at the Chilka Lake. You can spot flamingos, birds-white bellied sea eagles, golden plovers, ospreys, sand pipers, gulls, pelicans and many more migrating from great distances such as Iran, Central Asia and Siberia.
Chilika is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia with water sprawling across 1165 square kilometres, extending from Puri in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjan in the South, unglued from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long fine strip of marshy islands and sand-flats.
Chilka Wildlife Sanctuary
Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular sanctuary in Odisha. It is set at the south west of Puri, covering an area of 1100 square kilometre. Home to numerous migratory and local birds such as Brahminy Kite, Spot billed Pelican, Bar-headed Goose, Spoonbill, etc, the sanctuary is also occupied by blackbucks, spotted deer, golden jackals, hyenas and many more. The aquatic wildlife is also rich with the presence of dolphins, limbless lizard and crustaceans and crabs along with some 225 species of fish that includes Alepes Djedaba, Acentrogobius Griseus, Elops Machnata and Arius.
Swargadwar Beach
Swargdwar Beach is known to be the bathing area of Sri Chaitanyadev, and is one of the most popular religious beaches of Puri. The word Swargdwar is a grouping of two words, ‘’Swarg’’ and ‘’Dwar’’, translating to ‘the door to heaven’.
Mahadadhi is a renowned spot to take a bath here and it is believed that one who takes a dip in the holy waters will be cleansed off all the sins.
With plenty of hotels in Puri, you can also plan your stays close to the above destinations and save time on travelling.
Clare Louise 
Paul Petersen