Puri is such kind of place which has been a favorite choice of all age tourists. Whether it is a kid, teenager, couple, elder, even for single or group, from leisure seekers to business tycoons all can find their ways to enjoy in this tiny city of Odisha. It is the place which is crowded throughout the year for various reasons.

Puri is like a coin, which has two sides. At one side it is known for its rich culture, pilgrimage destination. One of the four Dhams of India whereas the other side describes its cool and crazy feature that adds, beach fun, attractive sports, adventure trips, meditational environments and chilling beach sides.

Known as the resting place of Lord Shiva, Puri in the state of Orissa is situated alongside the coast of Bay of Bengal. This spiritual capital of Odisha is home to one of the most sacred temples in Hindu mythology, the Jagannath Temple. The majestic history and heritage of Puri date back to the 3rd century B. C. Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar complete the Golden Triangle of Orissa, with their religious significance and cultural heritage being the centers of tourism in this state.

There are a lot of places in and around Puri that one must visit:

Jagannath Temple

Located in the sacred town of Puri, the Jagannath Temple or the pride of India was built in the 11th century by King Indradyumna. This glorious temple is the abode of Lord Jagannath who is a form of Lord Vishnu. It is the most revered pilgrimage site for Hindus and is included in the pious Char Dham Yatra with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram. Apart from the main shrine that rises high, many minor temples within the complex will make you feel like you have entered God's home itself.

Rath Yatra/Car Festival

Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of the most awaited and much-celebrated festival in Orissa as well as countrywide. It is dedicated to Lord Jagannath i.e. Lord Krishna, his sister Goddess Subhadra and his elder brother Lord Balabhadra. Commonly known as Gundicha Yatra, Dasavatara, Chariot Festival or Navadina Yatra, it is celebrated every year in the month of June or July.

The Yatra begins when three richly decorated chariots resembling temple structures are pulled through the streets of Badadanda in Puri. Devotees from all over the world assemble in Puri with an earnest desire to help pull the Lords' chariots along with the priests and their fellow devotees.

Puri Beach

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. Adorned with fine white sand and crystal clear water, 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 favorite haunt of the natives of this place. The beach is also renowned for the sand sculptures made by internationally known sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik and many other sand artists. 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. The Puri Beach plays host to the annual 'Puri Beach Festival' which is a colorful celebration of culture and heritage held in the month of November.

Narendra Tank

Narendra Tank is one of the largest tanks in Odisha and is believed to have been built during the 15th century. This tank is considered holy and has a lot of small and big temples surrounding it. There is an island in the middle of the lake with a small temple called Chandana Mandapa.

Gundhicha Temple

The Gundicha Temple was built by the Gundicha Queen, the queen of King Indradyumna the founder of the 1st Jagannath Temple. The temple is located right next to the Jagannath Temple and is popularly referred to as His aunt's house because when the Rath Yatra festival takes place, Lord Jagannath is shifted to the Gundicha Temple for seven days.

Balighai Beach

Situated at the mouth of Nuanai River, Balghai Beach is one of the most notable beaches in Odisha and is relatively undiscovered. This white sandy beach is ringed by casuarina trees, Alaska and Eucalyptus trees. The beach is completely standalone out of the crowd that attracts lots of tourists who are craving for some relaxing quite time. The magnificent view of Sunrise and Sunset from the beach amidst dazzling golden hues is an unforgettable experience for everyone who comes here from far off places.

Raghurajpur Craft Village

Raghurajpur is known for its world famous Pattachitra paintings and is one of the must visit places in Puri.

Raghurajpur was recognized as Odisha's first heritage craft village in 2000. The village is famous for its master Pattachitra painters and Gotipua dance troupes. The village is inhabited by artisans producing sheer poetry on pieces of treated cloth, dried palm leaf or paper. This style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms of Odisha. This is also the birthplace of legendary Odissi dancer Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Pipili

It is famous for appliqué work locally known as Chandua which is considered as the traditional art form of Odisha.

The village of Pipili was set up for accommodating the craftsmen of Orissa. Initially, the craftsmen only made banners, umbrellas and canopies for the festive occasions, but with the popularity of the art, the artisans started making many items of utility. Pipili is a town of artisans famous for their colorful fabrics. The applique work of Pipili is probably most well-known handicraft in Puri and surrounding areas.

The craft involves embroidering and stitching of small pieces of colored cloth with flowers, animals, village scene and traditional designs on to a larger base cloth.

Chilika

Chilika Lake is Asia's biggest inland salt water lagoon situated near Satapada in Odisha. Located at the mouth of the Daya River, Chilika Lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and also the second largest salt water lagoon in the world after the New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia. Chilika Lake is the most popular destination for eco-tourism in Odisha. Apart from having the presence of exotic wildlife in the area, the lake and its vicinity holds rich floral system with abundance of aquatic as well as non-aquatic plants. The recent environmental survey revealed the presence of more than 710 species of plants in and around the Chilika Lake. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. Birds from Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and Southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. Chilika Lake sanctuary also houses Irrawaddy dolphins which are different from the other dolphins as their color and dorsal fin being less prominent. Boating at Chilika is one of the most popular activity.

Konark

Konark Temple is one of the famous tourist destinations in Puri which was constructed by the renowned King Narasimha of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the 13th century. This beautiful tourist destination is well known for its beautiful structural design. This famous and one of the most beautiful architectural temples is situated near the shores of the Bay of Bengal and is dedicated to the magnificence of the Sun God. This beautiful temple is designed in the form of a chariot for the Sun God which has twelve giant wheels and driven by seven horses.