Name: Puri
Rating: 4.2

Puri Beach, Puri Overview

Puri Beach is one of the finest coastlines in East India, bordering the Bay of Bengal and is located at a distance of 35 km from the Sun Temple. With the sun gleaming on the pristine waters of the beach, the place is ideal for holiday makers looking for some solitude. It is often flocked by devotees visiting the beach for a purification dip who come to Puri to pay their homage to Lord Jagannath. The beach is also renowned for the sand sculptures made by internationally known sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik. The sculptures are usually inspired by the art covering the temple walls or other mythological character or episode.

Adorned with fine golden sand and gushing waves, Puri Beach is quite renowned for its peaceful and calm surroundings. You can get a taste of the local life of Puri as well, as it is a favourite haunt of the natives of this place. Tourists can easily distinguish the local fishermen by their triangular straw hats and dhotis. These fishermen also serve as the lifeguards on the beach and take visitors out in the sea on their boats to look at the mesmerising sunset. The stretch on the Chakratirtha side is much more tranquil and pleasant for a long stroll, and if you're feeling a little adventurous you can also go into the waters for a swim.

Puri Beach Hotels and Resorts

Since the Puri Beach is a major stop en route the Jagganath Temple, you might want to rent a room near this destination. Some of the popular accommodation options near the Puri Beach include Reba Beach Resort, The Chariot, Hotel Sonar Bangla, Hotel Jeevan Sandhya, Hotel Shakti International, Hotel Naren Palace and Hotel New Shankar International. All these hotels near Puri cater to a different budget as per your convenience. They have unfussy rooms with all the basic facilities such as AC, inbuilt restaurants and free Wifi.

Puri Beach Festival

Interestingly, the Puri Beach plays host to the annual 'Puri Beach Festival' which is a colourful celebration of culture and heritage held in the month of November. It is conducted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (Orissa) (HRAO), co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha (Orissa), Development Commissioner of Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center, Calcutta. The 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 festivals. Sand sculptors from all over the country participate in this event. The celebrations are carried forward by events such as fashion shows and rock shows are also held 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.

Puri Beach Activities

A coastline as picturesque as that of the Puri Beach is always the perfect place to enjoy a quiet walk as the sun goes down, or looking out to the beautiful horizon of the landscape. However, this attraction has a lot more to offer its visitors. Tourists can have great fun with camel rides and horse ride at the beach side, which is the perfect way to get a better look at the wonderful sceneries of this place. In addition to these, scuba diving, surfing, swimming and sun bathing are popular activities in Puri Beach.

Tips For Visiting Puri Beach

1. This clean beach of Puri is ideal for surfing lovers.
2. Be careful while swimming during the nights of full moon, especially on the Chakra Tirtha road end.
3. For swimming go towards the eastern end which is comparatively clean and quiet and also perfect for sunbathing.
4. Also, be careful while swimming as currents in Puri are quite strong and prove to be perilous.