The Best Time to Visit Puri and Explore its Various Attractions

Puri is one of those ideal destinations that combines many features together to entice its visitors. While I t has soothing, sandy beaches that welcome tourists from everywhere, it is also a holy destination, home to the popular Jagannath Temple as well as many other ashrams, temples, and monasteries. Besides this, the place also features a rich and vibrant architecture that was crafted years ago. These various offerings make this destination an ideal one for groups of families and friends to drop by for a happy and content vacation. Puri’s climate is quite pleasant allowing travelers to enjoy their visit.

However, it has been suggested that you should plan a visit to Puri during the cool winter months to enjoy your visit to the fullest. Wintersun Puriare is quite comforting and cool. On the other hand, the best time to visit Puri sea beach is during the summers such that you can enjoy various activities in the cool waters. The following article highlights Puri tourism based on the various season for your convenience such that you can plan a trip in accordance. Puri hotels are available for booking at all times during the year.

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Puri in the Winter Months (October-February)

General Temperatures Ranges

October:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 32
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 24
November:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 30
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 19
December:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 29
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 16
January:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 29
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 16
February:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 33
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 21

Months ranging from October to February are ideal for a visit to Puri as the climate stays cool, pleasant, and soothing during this time.
During these months, the climate stays pleasant and Puri tourism also touches its peak hosting the maximum number of visitors. All the various tourism destinations feature a mesmerizing aura during the winter months.
It is also the ideal most time to explore and enjoy the beaches of Puri including the Balighai Beach, Baliharachandi Beach, the Puri Beach, the Baleshwar Beach, and the Swargadwar Beach. While the beaches are a sight to behold, the waters maybe a little too chilly to enjoy. Puri hotels near the beach are available for bookings.

Places to visit in the Winter Months- Various tourist destinations to visit during the winter months include the tranquil Chilika Lake, the Raghurajpur Artist Village, Pipili, the majestic Markandeswara Temple, the calm Daya River, and Sudarshan Crafts Museum.

Puri in the Monsoon months (June-September)

General Temperatures Ranges

June:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 36
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 27
July:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 32
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 26
August:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 32
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 26
September:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 31
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 26

During months ranging from June to September, Puri experiences regular thunderstorms and heavy rains all throughout.
Although monsoon is not considered to be an ideal time to visit Puri’s beaches owing to the various accidents that take place each year, Puri still welcomes thousands of visitors and pilgrims for the renowned festival that is celebrated in the city – RathYatra. This festival is much-renowned where thousands of pilgrims flock to the Jagannath Temple to worship and offer prayer to Lord Jagannath. Therefore, in case you are looking forward to witnessing this particular colorful festival of RathYatra, make sure to get your bookings done in advance for the same as places to live are jam-packed with visitors during the season.
The monsoon months feature a stable range of temperatures ranging from twenty-seven degrees Celsius to thirty-one-degree Celsius. The months experience heavy rains quite often.

Attraction in the Monsoon months- The majestic chariot festival, popularly known as Rath Yatra, is the major attraction during the monsoon months.

Places to visit in the Monsoon Months – Konark Sun Temple, Lord Jagannath Temple, Buddhist Temple, Nalabana Bird Sanctuary, Mausi Ma Temple, Sakshi Gopal Temple, Gundicha Temple, Museum and Sudersan Workshop, Elephants, Raghurajpur Artist Village, Alarnatha Temple, Gulmi Waterfall, Vimala Temple, Lakshmi Temple, Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Daria Mahabir Temple, Markandesvara Temple, Sree Gour Vihar, Narendra Pokhari, and Kanchi Ganesha Temple.

Puri in the Summer months (March to May)

General Temperatures Ranges:

March:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 34
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 24
April:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 37
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 27
May:
Max. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 38
Min. Avg. Recorded Temp. – 28

Summer in Puri is quite difficult to tolerate. Summer in this coastal city features a truly humid environment with extremely scorching heat. The place gets quite heated which makes it difficult for travellers to explore the place easily.
In case you plan to visit this tourist spot during the summer months, you will definitely go back home with a prominent tan, in all probabilities much more than what you expect.
Although in Summer, it gets difficult to explore the various places of attraction in Puri, it is quite soothing to spend time on the beach. The cool waters of the beach are a comfort to various travellers who visit the beaches of Puri.
The temperatures during the Summer range from as low as twenty-degree Celsius to as high as forty-five-degree Celsius. The weather is quite humid and hot, making the days and nights quite warm.

Attraction in the Summer months- Summer is the best time to visit Puri’s Chilka Lake. You can take a boat to the lake and enjoy the calm and soothing ride with friends and family. This is also the best time to visit Puri sea beaches as the cool waters of the beaches balance the scorching heat of the summers. Some of the soothing beaches of Puri include Puri Beach, Swargadwar Beach, Balighai beach, Beleswar Beach, and Golden Beach. Book Puri hotels right away to enjoy a memorable trip.

Nearby Places to Visit in Puri

Once you have completed your sightseeing within the precincts of Puri, do head out of the temple city for a couple of days to enjoy the very distinct rural surroundings. The areas around Puri are deeply immersed in art and craft and are home to some of the most eminent craftsmen in the country. Book a Puri hotel to make your stay comfortable.

Raghurajpur

Located merely 12 km away from Puri, Raghurajpur is an artisan’s haven. It is like a museum inhabited by people. The artisans here are skilled in their work on silk, especially Tassar. It is Heritage Craft Village in Odisha and the houses here are painted in beautiful motifs. Paintings from this region, or patchitra are a collector’s delight.

Sakhigopal

The village of Sakhigopal is about 17 km away from Puri and it is also a temple town. The town has been built around the temple of Radha and Krishna and the idol itself was brought here by King Prataprudra Deva after his victory over Kanchi in South India. It is a quiet little temple town and a great place to enjoy a semi-urban lifestyle. Book the best Puri hotel to enjoy a hearty stay in India’s east.

Pipili

Pipili is another art and craft village that is situated about 40 km from Puri can be accessed by the National Highway. The village is mainly known for its appliqué work and one can find lamp shades, table cloths, bed covers, curtains, and sheets in vibrant colors and motifs. From here, one can head straight to Dhauli which is about 15 minutes away, which is another historical site for its many stupas and temples.

Konark: A visit to Puri would be incomplete if you do not visit Konark on the trip. It is a World Heritage Site located 35 km from Puri. The Sun Temple of Konark is a grand sight to behold and entry to the premises is a mere INR 5. One can also know about the ancient ritual of sun worship here. The Chandrabhaga beach here is a beauty in itself and the sea here is magnificent. Puri hotel booking can be made simpler by going online and booking in advance.

Where to Stay

There are a number of budget options when it comes to hotels in Puri. Since this is a temple city, people come here from all parts of India and the rest of the world so there is something to suit every pocket. However, if you are planning to come for Rath Yatra, then you have to book your rooms well in advance because every room and guest house in Puri is filled to the brim at that time of the year. The next most popular time of the year is Durga Puja and Bengalis descend on Puri in huge numbers for their Puja holidays. Puri hotels are manned by courteous and amiable staff and you can book a hotel within your budget, and at your preferred location quite easily through the OYO app.

What to Eat

Odisha, and especially Puri, have their own distinct platter, so do try out an Odiya platter when you are in Puri. The seafood here is noteworthy and there are a number of dishes that you may try out with prawns and crabs. The food here is mostly on the spicier side and rice is the main staple here, but there is a number of vegetarian dishes to choose from. Fish is another staple here, and almost all the restaurants here serve the day’s fresh catch. Odisha had also recently got its own GI status for their Rosogolla, which is also served as bhog to Lord Jagannath in the temple. Do not fail to try out this juicy and syrupy sweet which is sold in almost every roadside sweet shop here. Puri hotels offer some of the best delicacies for the tourists to eat.

Where to Shop

Shopping in Puri is a real pleasure and there are a number of street shops lining the beaches of Puri. The most popular items for sale here are items made from the conch. Conch jewelry and figurines are popular souvenirs to collect from here. In terms of clothing, Puri is famous for selling Kotki garments, a kind of thick and soft cotton cloth, which has mostly rustic and batik prints on it. They are very comfortable to wear in the hot and humid climate of eastern India. Men’s kurta and women’s dress materials from kotki material are extremely popular.

Puri is also the place to shop if you are an avid saree lover. The Bomkai, Sambalpuri, and Ikat sarees are the top picks here. Puri is also a great place to buy things if you love handicrafts as the patchitra and the coir products here deserve special mention. Wooden filigree work and horn work are also other favorites. The prices here are a bit high due to the large volume of tourists so some bargaining may have to be done.

How to Reach

Puri is well connected by road and railway. The Puri station is a major stop at East Coast railway and it has direct, superfast trains from all major Indian cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and New Delhi, and others. Those coming in from Western India can reach the Khurdah station, which is 44 km from Puri, and then take a cab or a bus to Puri city.

By road, one can reach Puri directly from Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata. The bus stand is near Gundicha Temple.One can also reach Puri by flight and the nearest airport is at Bhubaneshwar which is about 60 km away from Puri. You can get a cab to Puri or also arrange for your own transportation from the hotel you are staying.

Almost all the places of sightseeing here allow cameras or mobile cameras though it is important that you ask for permission or look for a notice board while visiting a museum or a temple, especially the Jagannath Temple. A nominal fee has to be paid for photography in such places.

Puri is an ideal destination if you wish to explore it in your next vacation plans. However, it is important for you to pick the perfect season for your visit so that you can get the most out of such a trip. Additionally, no matter what months you plan your visit, you will surely experience one of the best vacations with family and friends. Also, while visiting the place during any of the seasons, make sure to get your bookings done in advance as the place stays jam-packed with tourists throughout most of the year. Happy Holidaying!

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