You must have heard much about Sun temple, but where is that located? Yes, you are somewhat correct- the answer is Konark -And if you ask me-is it must visit? My answer is yes, yes, and yes because of the beauty and the architecture this temple offers. You’ll find a secluded, clean Chandrabhaga Beach a few kilometers ahead. Puri is another 50 km from Konark, and you’ll find the Jaganath temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and a crowded Puri beach. Bhubaneshwar is a city of history and caves(Udaygiri and Khandagiri) with museums filled with historical facts.
11 Grand Reasons why you must visit Puri, Konark, and Bhubaneshwar:
- The 700-year-old Sun Temple at Konark, built during King Narsimhadeva, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 24 wheeled chariots driven by seven horses. This is a not to be missed destination if you are in India.
- Puri has a beautiful beach, not to forget an enormous crowd as well, and is a top surfing destination in India.
- One of the four dams, the Jagannath Puri temple, constructed in the 11th century, is the starting point for the famous Rath Yatra in July. If you can be part of this auspicious event, do take part but beware of the rush!
- Dhauli Hill on the banks of Daya River is historically significant because it was where the Kalinga war was fought. A Shanti Stupa is at the top, giving a view of the life of Buddha and presenting travelers with splendid green scenery of Konark city and around.
- Famous must-visit temples in Bhubaneshwar include the Brahmeshwara Temple, Lingaraja Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, and Parasurameswara Temple, which are known for impressive Kalingan architecture with intricate sculptures and carvings.
- A Music Festival is held in January and visited by famous musicians and thousands of music enthusiasts, which is just 4 km away from the Biju Patnaik Airport and the Bhubaneswar Junction Railway Station.
- Chandrabhaga beach organizes Sand Art Festival every year from 1st December to 5th December, a treat for the eyes as artists give their best shot to make sculptures out of the sand.
Location: Bhubaneshwar is 450 km south of Kolkata, and Konark is 50 km west of Bhubaneshwar. Puri is approximately 50 km from Konark or Bhubaneshwar; Chandrabagha beach is 5 km from Konark on the way to Puri-30 km ahead of this beach.
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
Sun Temple Konark, Chandrabhaga beach, in Bhubaneswar-Udaygiri-Khandagiri Caves, Lingaraja Temple, Nandankanan Zoo, State Museum, Tribal Museum, Shauli Shanti StupaRajrani, and Mukteswara Temples; Puri-
Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:
You can visit Araku Valley, Paradweep, Chilika Lake, Simplipal sanctuary, Hirakud Dam, and Visakhapatnam within 300-400 km.
Distance Charts:(Bhubaneshwar)
- Konark(100 km)
- Puri(70 km)
- Chilika(140 km)
- Paradeep(105 km)
- Chandrabhaga(90 km)
- Mumbai(1780 km)
- Hyderabad(1050 km)
- Cochin(1870 km)
- Mysuru(1580 km)
- Chennai(1230 km)
- Bangalore(1440 km)
- Rameswaram(1780 km)
- Kanyakumari(1920 km)
- Delhi(1720 km)
How to Reach Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Chandrabhaga-Puri:
Road Routes:
Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Chnadrabhaga-Puri-Chilika Lake
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)These places are best covered in winters between September and February as summers are humid and warm and rains are cyclone-prone and downpour oriented.
2)If you add one more day to your itinerary, you can be at Chilika lake-start seeing the lake early, and you’ll be able to complete the central part of it by evening. December to February are the best months! Even Paradweep can be covered in 3 days trip, but you have to leave out a few tourist spots from any of these places.
3)Have an umbrella and a drink to beat the sun and sweat.
4)In Puri, you should avoid the majority of pandits crowding around you for worship. You need to ignore or excuse them.
5)In Chilika, you will get original pearls and precious stones at significantly fewer prices. Do check that out.
6)Chandrabhaga beach and caves/museums in Bhubaneshwar are two other things you can’t make ignore-simply magnificent.
RAIL: Puri and Bhubaneshwar have railway stations with good connectivity to other Indian cities.
AIR: Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport.
ROAD: Road connectivity is superb to connect all these places, and PRIVATE bus transport is pretty good too.
Map:
Time to Visit:
September to February is the best time to be at these three places.
Spend Time With:
Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups
Food and Lodging:
You’ll find plenty of hotels in any of these places, and flooding is not an issue. So chillax and enjoy the scenes. If still booking is on your mind, go ahead and book in advance using Goibibo, Makemytrip, or Yatra website.
Expense:
A 2 day trip to Bhubaneshwar followed by Konark and Puri has the following cost structure:
Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport: For all these places, Public transportation is more than sufficient-will cost max INR 1000 altogether
Lodging: INR 700/day X2 (1 day in Konark and another day in Puri)
Entry Fees include various places (varies): Konark Temple, few caves/museums in Bhubaneshwar have fees-add it upto INR 300
Total: 3300 INR
Nearby Attractions(Puri/Konark/Bhubanehswar-distances from Bhubaneshwar)
