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Puri is a dynamic and enticing part of India, home to grand old temples, colourful shorelines and pristine beaches, and is bursting with fun activities, colourful landmarks, and celebrations all year round. Fine white sands, the roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal and countless devotees flock its beaches, which continue to be a revered venue for an endless number of astute devotees coming to pay homage to Lord Jagannath and seek his blessings.
An entire beach stretch can be completely yours given the innumerable beaches and pilgrimage sites here. The best time exploring Puri is when you visit the scenic beaches of Puri. It features an impressive lineup of beaches that garner tourists from across the world, making it one of the favoured destinations for a wonderful holiday with friends and family.
The several beaches at Puri offer a unique opportunity to embrace the striking sunrises and the sunsets and are often crowded with holiday makers bathing in the afternoon, and enjoying the brightly lit kiosks in the night and the stretches parallel to the main Marine Drive Road. Situated beautifully on the Bay of Bengal, a vast area of Puri is covered in sprawling sands and lapping waves, which offers visitors some of the most mesmerizing beach experiences and some truly incredible ocean views.
Chandrabhaga Beach is the largest and most popular beaches situated in the village of Chandrabhaga in Puri district. It is considered one of the finest beaches along the eastern coast of India and is a short distance away from the World Heritage Site, Konark Temple. The beach holds great importance in the cultural and traditional identity of Orissa and hosts many cultural activities including the iconic Chandrabhaga Mela, which is a seven day fair organized to honor Lord Surya. Chandrabhaga Beach is a perfect destination for casual travelers and those who seek to spend some time amid natural beauty and peace and is safe for swimming and ideal for fun activities like parasailing, surfing, boating, fishing, paragliding, and sightseeing.
It is flocked round the year by travelers and locals alike who come to bask in the spectacular views of the beach. There are a number of affordable and lavish resorts in the vicinity from where you can get a promising view of the dramatic sunsets and sunrises. Family beaches like these are definitely the perfect getaway for holiday seekers, leisure travelers, and honeymooners looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can also relish mouth-watering local cuisines from beachside restaurants that provide delectable dishes such as Chakuli Pitha, Lentil Cooked with Vegetables-Dalma and Pakhala Bhata.
Location: Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark
Activities/Attractions: Swimming, surfing, parasailing, boating, sun bathing, local food, walking, sightseeing, and photography
Balighai Beach is one of the well-maintained and serene beaches in this part of Puri and is an enchanting sight to watch the waves crash on the low lying rocks below and admire the golden rays of the setting sun from the many sunset points. The many luxury and eco-resorts, cottages, and secluded retreats situated here make it a perfect destination for holiday seekers who can also enjoy the innumerable fun activities like a long stroll by the coastline, sunbathing, beach volleyball, handball, and swimming. Unlike most other beaches in Puri, this beach is secluded and not thronged by crowds, and has thus managed to retain its beauty and serenity. It is most preferred by the local fishermen for fishing, and you can always watch them in action and spot many ships far out in the sea, which makes for a beautiful view from the shore.
The long stretched Balighai Beach is situated on the Puri-Konark Marine drive road and is at a distance of 8 kilometres from Puri. The beach is flanked by trees like casuarinas, Alaska, and Eucalyptus that provide a nice green blanket. Just adjacent to the beach is stationed the Sea Turtle Research Centre, where one could find the large turtles fluttering around in their tanks and the Balihirana Sanctuary, which has the protected and endangered Balihirana antelopes. Both these places are a great option for animal lovers and photography fanatics. So, make sure on your visit to Puri, you experience the pure bliss of nature and explore this heavenly paradise on earth as it proffers a welcome relief and retreat for the tourists and visitors.
Location: Balighai Beach,Puri
Activities/Attractions: Sightseeing, photography, swimming, surfing, parasailing, sun bathing, and walking
Located on the tropical coastline of Orissa, Puri Beach is one of the wonderful destinations for holidaying where sun-kissed beaches wet your feet and gentle wind simply elevates you from the earthy fragrance to the clouds. One of the best family beaches of the country, it is a favourite among beach lovers who relish holidaying here as the beach enamours a bewitching opportunity to undergo its wild sea waves and enjoy fun activities like angling, boat ride, swimming, surfing, and sea cruising on its golden sands and the thunder of the breakers appearing from the Bay of Bengal.
Puri Beach is also surrounded by ancient holy temples that captivate tourists from all over the world, who visit here to explore the scenic beauty of the beach. The beach also amazes its visitors by its colours of festivity with excellent artworks and the cultural dance programs including the annual ‘Puri Beach Festival’, which is a colourful extravaganza of culture and heritage held in the winter month of November.
The grand festivities include kaleidoscopic displays of various classical and folk dances of India, an exhibition of handicrafts, handloom and sand art, which is perhaps the highlight of this festival. Sand sculptors from all over the country participate in this event. The celebrations feature events such as fashion shows and musical performances, which add another element of fun to this celebration. Traditional sporting events like beach volleyball, kabaddi, malkham, regatta boat or yacht races are also quite popular.
The beach is located at a mere distance of 35 kilometres from the magnificent Sun Temple and is hence swarmed by devotees visiting the beach for a purification dip who come to Puri to seek blessings of Lord Jagannath. The beach is also renowned for the sand sculptures made by renowned sand artists who take a cue from the art covering the temple walls or other mythological character or episode.
Location: Puri Beach, Puri
Activities/Attractions: Sightseeing, photography, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, sun bathing, horse ride, and camel ride
Located at a distance of 20 kilometres from Puri on a little diversion on the highway leading to Konark, Golden Beach is a tranquil, laid back beach away from the din of the city. The beach is untarnished and desolated and boasts of a perfectly peaceful environment with only the crashing of sea waves to provide you company. As its name suggests, the beach is replete with the rich, glowing tones of the picture perfect sand that spills out onto the waterfront of the Bay of Bengal. When visiting this beach, make sure to catch a glimpse of the untouched views and magnificent sunrise and sunsets from the one of the sunset points.
Adorned with fine white sand and crystal clear water, Golden Beach is quite renowned for its peaceful and calm surroundings. You can get a glimpse of the local life of Puri as well, as it is a favourite hub of the natives of this place. The splashing waves of the sea beach are sure to capture one’s heart especially the moment of sharing your thoughts and desires when you are there with your special someone.
Location: Golden Beach, Puri
Activities/Attractions: Sightseeing, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, sun bathing, sunset viewing, and walking
Running along the main Marine Drive of Puri, right next to the Swargadwar Crematorium, this popular beach in Puri is the throbbing heartbeat of the city and is brimmed with visitors throughout the year. The beach is dotted with numerous stalls selling local handmade products, seashells, and fashion knick-knacks. The beach also has great religious importance as Swargadwar literally means ‘Door to Heaven’. Legend has it that this secluded beach was the place where Lord Jagannath entered from heaven on earth and it is believed that souls of people cremated in Swargdwar directly reach heaven. Devotees and visitors who come here can be seen praying and bathing at a place known as ‘Mahanadi’, as they believe a holy dip in the sparkling waters of the ocean will once again open and usher the way to heaven.
Location: Swargadwar Road, Puri
Activities/Attractions: Swimming, sun bathing, sunset viewing, and evening walk
Also known as Baliharachandi Beach, this is the much quieter and offbeat alternative to the other crowded beaches in the region and offers a peaceful calm and tranquillity. The beach is located between Puri and Konark, and travellers take a round on the way. You can spot local fishermen catching scurrying little crabs, scattered seashells, and lobsters in and around the beach. The spectacle of the unobstructed view of the sea flowing into the Bay of Bengal is a sight to behold and makes up for the lack of other entertainment options available here.
With the bustling beach festival taking place in November every year, the beach has become a favourite haunt for both Indian and foreign tourists. Its convenient location from the Sun Temple and from the city of Bhubaneshwar, makes it an ideal place for an introvert holiday maker for the scarcity of crowds here.
Location: Sipasurubili, Puri
Activities/Attractions: Swimming, sun bathing, sunset viewing, and walking
Puriis synonymous to many things that are indicative of a life without worries and carefree measures. While you go on a trail along the best beaches in Puri, you cannot fail but notice the quiet sunset from the beautiful Golden Beach, stunning vistas around the sun-kissed beaches, and the several shacks that offer unforgettable seafood and a mix of cuisines to delight you. Take a stroll along the beaches to witness unsurpassed beauty and calm that only a few beaches in Puri offer even in the peak of winters. Let nature and its miracles take their due course and you will see the real beauty of Puri and its splendid-looking beaches rising from the ocean water.
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April 15, 2024 
