Puri - Places to Visit - Things To Do - Best Time - All Info

Puri which is also known as Jagannath Puri because and the Purusottama Puri. The Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, is one of the holy char Dham abodes of God that are considered to be extremely auspicious for Hindus to visit (the others are Badrinath, Dwarka, and Rameshwaram). There are many other places as well to explore near Puri. In this article, we get to know about all the travel details about Puri.

Places To Visit in Puri-

Here is a short detailed list of places, you can visit and explore in Puri, Odisha-

Shree Jagannath Puri Temple-

Shree Jagannath Puri Temple is one of the famous Char Dham of India. It is a very famous temple of the state Odisha. This temple was built by Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva, a renowned king of Ganga Dynasty. The most awaited of them is the Rath Yatra which is celebrated with immense enthusiasm. The remarkable thing about this temple is that there are no evil practices like discrimination in castes. You will find this temple very crowded every-time, so you need at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to cover the area of this temple. You need to submit your mobile phone, camera, laptop and all other belonging to the lockers outside the temple before entering the temple.

Entry Ticket- Free

Timing - All days of the week: 5.30 AM to 10 PM, Ideally visited before 10 AM

Photography and Filmmaking - Not Allowed.

Puri Beach-

Puri beach is situated at the shore of Bay of Bengal. The beach is also renowned for the sand sculptures made by internationally known sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik. You can see lots of sand arts here (Don’t visit here in monsoon season for watching sand work). You can also attend the annual beach festival In the Puri Beach (you need to check on google for dates). The best time to visit the Puri beach is sunrise and sunset time.

Entry Ticket - Free

Timing - 24 hours open, all day

Photography and Filmmaking - Allowed.

Chilika Lake-

Chilika Lake is the biggest saltwater lake of India. Visiting here is like a dream for almost every bird-watchers and nature lovers. You can spot the Dolphin in this lake at the dolphin point near Satapada. You can do boating and visit the sea mouth island, where this magnificent lake and the Bay of Bengal sea meet. You can also taste the delicious and fresh seafood here.

Entry Ticket - Free

Boating Cost - Around Rs. 1000 for six people.

Timing - 24 hours open, all day

Photography and Filmmaking - Allowed.

Ragurajpur - A Heritage Village-

Ragurajpur is a village located near Puri. It is famous for Pattachitra painters and their artworks, Odia culture, and Gotipua Dance. Here you can taste the local homemade Odia thali. If you love the art & craft, you must visit here. The village is also the only place where the traditional decoration for Lord Jagannath's throne, called Patas, is made. The fold dance of this region - Gotipua is famous worldwide. You can easily reach here by taxi, auto or bus. It will take around 25-30 for reaching here from Puri.

Entry Ticket - Free

Timing - 24 hours open, all day

Photography and Filmmaking - Allowed.

Sudarshan Crafts Museum-

This is the famous museum of Puri district famous for- artworks like carvings in wood, stone and fiberglass, handicraft items and also fine paintings. This museum started in the year 1977 by Shri Sudarshan Sahoo. You can go to the workroom of the artist and see how they are working.

Entry Tickets- Indians: INR 5 Foreigners: INR 50

Timings - Sunday - Saturday: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 02:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Photography and Filmmaking - Allowed.

Gundicha Ghar Temple-

Gundicha Ghar Temple built by the queen of king Indradyumna, the founder of 1st Jagannath Temple. It is built in a distinctive Kalinga style. This temple is situated at the distance of 3 km from Puri city. This temple marks the ending of the Ratha Yatra, where the deities rest for seven days, before making the journey back to their original home. You will find a heavy crowd here in the time of Rath Yatra and empty in rest of the year.

Entry Ticket- Free

Timing - All days of the week: 5.30 AM to 10 PM

Photography and Filmmaking - Not Allowed.

Where to Stay in Puri, Odisha?

Hotels-

There are many Hotels in Puri. You can easily find accommodation option near the temple, railway station, beach, etc. Staying near to temple is a good option, but I prefer you to stay near the beach and enjoy the precious view of sunrise and sunset from the window of your room.

Resorts-

As like hotels, there are lot of resorts in Puri, but I prefer you to stay at Sterling Puri - Golden Sand Resort. It is a beach resort located at the scenic spot where Bhargavi River meets the sea. Here you get the comfort and luxurious stay. Here you will find the swimming pool, Spa, Gym, Saloon, and many more activities. You can spend a pleasant holiday here by enjoying the private beach, swim in the swimming pool, playing indoor games in their common room area, take your kids for playing in the kids' playground, enjoying the mesmerizing view of the sunset from the side area of this resort. I am sharing these details about this resort as per my experience of staying here.

For More Details - You can check my experience of staying in Sterling Puri - Golden Sands.

Things To Do in Puri, Odisha-

Here is a short detailed list of Things, you can do in Puri, Odisha-

Attend Jagannath Rath Yatra-

Popularly known as the ‘Festival of Chariots,’ Rath Yatra is the most famous festival of Odisha. This is the golden chance to be witnessed of this tremendous rath Yatra if you are coming to Puri in the month of June and July. It is a thought that each year Lord Jagannath wishes to cover the visit to his birthplace Mathura for a couple of days. To match his appetite, this yatra starts from Jagannath temple and move towards Gundicha Temple.

Enjoy the Bird Watching in Chilika Lake-

If you are a birds lover or nature lover, then Chilika lake is should must on your bucket list, but you can see the birds in Chilika lake is in the winter season. So, visit Puri for bird watching in between the months of October to March. The cost of boating in Chilika lake is starting from Rs 1000 for 6 people. It was a fantastic experience to watching the dolphins in this lake, visiting the sea mouth beach.

Learn how to make sand castles?

The guy behind the International Sand Art Festival Sudarsan Pattanaik began an institute in 1995 to pass his learning to other people interested in this specialized art form. An open-minded institute around the sand, he also educates eager kids and adults the art of turning sand into something spectacular. It is located in the stretch between Hotel May Fair Beach Resort and Panthanivas.

What is The Best Time to Visit Puri, Odisha?

The best time to visit Puri is the winter Time, in between the months of October to February. It is the most pleasant time to visit Puri and explore Puri beyond the Jagannath Temple. In this time, You can see lots of birds in the Chilika Lake which is just 50 km far away from Puri. If you are coming to Puri for Jagannath Rath Yatra, then you need to visit June-July (precise dates change each year).

Raghurajpur - Best Offbeat places near Puri

How to Reach Puri, Odisha?

You can reach Puri easily-

By Flight-

The nearest airport to Puri is Bhubaneswar. It is 60 km far away from Puri. You can reach Puri by hiring a taxi from Bhubaneswar Airport or catch a bus from Bhubaneswar bus station. There are train options as well in between Puri and Bhubaneswar. It will take around 1 and half hour to reach Puri from Bhubaneswar.

By Train-

You can reach Puri by train easily; Puri railway station is located on East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc.

By Road-

Reaching Puri through Road - The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes.

Tourists Emergency Contacts Details of Puri, Odisha-

Police Station - 06752 - 222039, 94389 16389

Jagannath Temple- +91-6752 222001

Kumbharapara Police Station- +91-6752 222014

Sea Beach Police Station- +91-6752 222025

Sadar Thana Police Station- +91-6752 222043

Fire Station- 101

Ambulance (Govt.)- 102

Ambulance (Govt.)- 108

Ambulance (Apollo Hospital)- 1066

Puri - Places to Visit - Things To Do - Best Time - All Info

Tips You Should Follow if You Are Planning a Trip to Puri, Odisha-

Carry A Sunscreen Lotion-

If you are visiting Puri, Odisha in the summer-time, you will find the sunny weather which is harmful to your skin. So always carry a sunscreen lotion of SPF 30+. Use Waterproof sunscreen lotion before going to the sea.

Beware of thieves-

As like other destinations in India, here also you may find thieves. So beware of it, especially solo traveler keep notice it.

I hope you like this article about the Places to Visit, Things To Do and Best Time to visit Puri. I yes, Then share your valuable feedback in the comment section.

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