Puri Reviews

Puri Experience: Destination is good.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Food- Prawn Masala, Pabda Fish Curry is good.

Activities & things to do: Chilka boating, Konark Temple visit & Sea bath.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: By train would be the best option.

Puri Experience: Puri has something for everyone - for the divine seeker, solace for the soul; for the children, plenty of fun while sea bathing; for the women, the joy of bargaining and shopping; and gastronomic delights for those interested in food.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: One should begin with a visit to the temple of Lord Jagannath. There are numerous other temples but one should not miss the Sun Temple of Konark. Shopping should include Cuttacki sarees for women. The beach bazaar has an enormous variety of sea shells. Puri has an enormous variety both for the vegetarians and non-vegetarians

Activities & things to do: A good sea-bath, specially during high tide when the waves are stronger, is strongly recommended. People can come out of depression after a good sea bath. Also a visit to see the dolphins in Chilka lake is worth taking.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: While taking the sea bath one should not venture too much into the sea. Also before going to the Jagannath Temple one should fix a Panda and negotiate the amounts payable in details to avoid feeling cheated later.

Puri Experience: Very nice Beach along the Marine and New Marine Drive...Golden Beach (as they call) in front of the Puri Hotel. Jaggnath Puri Darshan is awsome. You could take Rs 25/- ticket per person (available 7 times during the day at 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 5:00 PM, 7:30 PM, ...other times not very certain..separate line) and visit right up the the pedestal and parikrama darshan right in feet of Lord Jagannath (right inside the sanctum sanctorum). Pandas, as people believe, are not that bothersome now....you could offer as per your convenience and enjoy the everlasting memories ofholy darshan). Mobiles, camera, belts etc. not allowed...but a very convenient (chargeable) deposit rooms at each of the four dwars (enterance)are available...so no worry at all.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Goldem Beach, Marin Drive, Orissa State emporiums and shops and the Jagannath Puri Temple. Konark Temple (abt 35 KM from Puri), Chilk Lake (abt 50 KM from Puri) There are other very good local temples in Puri...you may read and plan in advance

Activities & things to do: Enjoy the golden beach, the temples and local shopping at the marine drive. Konark is mismerizing (take a professional guide)..Chandrabhaga beach (near Konark)

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Puri to Konark and back (2 hrs travel to-fro, 2-3 hrs at konark, 1 hr at Chandrabhaga beach, 15 min at Ramchandi temple) - Tavera (Rs 900/-), Sumo (Rs 800), Indica (Rs 500/-) , Tata Magic - Rs 600/-) - Negotiate in advance for time and duration else you wd feel short of time and in hurry Puri to chilka and back (abt 3.5 hrs travel to-fro, 3- 5 hrs at chilka) - Tavera (Rs 1200/-), Sumo (Rs 1000), Indica (Rs 700/-) , Tata Magic - Rs 800/-) - Negotiate in advance for time and duration else you wd feel short of time and in hurry..boat capacity is actually 10-12 people as per boatman..but agents/owners insist on 6 person...negotiate in advance lse you wd feel cheated (price per boat based on trip/duration is Rs 1600/- to Rs 2200/-...IT IS NEGOTIABLE....please bargain (4-5 hrs at chilka) It gets (Satpada) as dark quite early so plan to leave early in day. you will not be able to see dolphins if you do not go upto Nalabanda (you may tip your boatman!)

Puri Experience: It's the town of lord Jaggannath. It is the holy city first and then a town based on sea beach. Good number of hotels available at the beach side.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: During your trip you shold not miss to visit Chilka Lake and Konark Temple. Should avoid sea food from 'Thelawalas' on the beach.

Activities & things to do: Dolphin show in Chilka Lake.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Puri is hot and humid and best time for visit is during winters.

Puri Experience: Beautiful Beach, lovely waves/tides, Holy Jagannath Temple, beautiful sand art, beautiful temple architecture, good food, arts & crafts...Puri has almost everything a tourist wants!

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Beautiful temple architecture, good food, beautiful handicrafts & garments of Orissa, sarees & small gift items.

Activities & things to do: Apart from the beautiful sea & beaches, sadly, Puri doesn't have much activities.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Try and avoid peak seasons (yearends & Rathyatra mostly)

Puri Experience: Puri is not only a favorite holiday destination for Bengalis, but this holy Shree Kshetra attracts tourists across the globe. It was clearly visible during my last visit (my 5th time) there in the month of December 2010. Nice weather, cooperative local people, wonderful food (specially “Misti” and “Fried Sea fish” at Beach). There are a few conducted tour destinations around Puri. Plenty of Conducted Tour operators are available. Hotel travel desk may also assist one to get a good tour operator. Book your ticket at least one day in advance. Be friendly with the people. The local businessmen may ask for higher price. Bargain politely. Please remember that the main income here is tourism and it is obvious that additional income is expected by them during pick seasons. A Puri visit is a wonderful combination of pilgrimage and fun.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: There are two main conducted tour destinations. One is ‘Golden Triangle Tour’ – a 12 Hours trip comprising of short duration trips to Konark Sun Temple, Shree Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneshwar, Udaygiri & Khandgiri (Jain Cave & Temple), Dhabalgiri (Lord Buddha Temple) and Nandan Kanan Zoo. The second one is full day visit to “Chilika Lake and Dolphin Boat Riding”. First time travelers should take these two tours and may visit separately to those places that attract them most. Traveler with interest in Art & Culture must visit “Raghurajpur” – an art & craft artist’s village. Approx 12 KM from Puri. Three wheeler charge is Rs. 200/- to 250/- for to & fro travel plus one hour stay. Taxis are also available with additional Rs. 150/-. But plan for at least 2 hours stay at “Raghurajpur”. Be careful about the price of the products. Sometimes the artists will tell you long stories of skills of their ancestors and ask you for more than double price. Don’t get carried away with their stories. You may also visit ‘Pipili” – 35 KM from Puri. May be reached by Bus, Taxies etc. Fantastic place for ‘Appliqué Art’. A must visit place at Puri for Hindus are the Lord Jagannath Temple. Don’t worry about the myth about Pandas at temple. They may approach you to provide assistance on payment. Better to select any one of your choice. Beforehand tell them your willingness/unwillingness of offering PUJA. Also tell them the amount you are willing to spend for PUJA. Otherwise they will keep on sending you to numerous temples inside and you may have to pay all the Pujaries inside. I have a fixed Panda namely ‘Prabhat Jee’. He is a genuine person with very good attitude. You may contact him on his mobile 09853865564. Refer my name and I can assure you to have a good experience. There used to be a big fair throughout the year at Swargadwar Sea Beach in the evening. You will get various costume jewelries and other items made of Sea products like seashells. Also you will find temples made of Stone Dust (don’t mistake these with pure stone sculptures). For Orissa’s famous dresses and dress materials (Katki, Sambalpuri, Appliqué) etc. you may visit the numerous shops around Swargadwar.

Activities & things to do: Puri is famous for its Sea Beach. It would be a life time experience to dip into the roaring & big waves of the Sea. You may find it difficult to leave the Sea even after spending there from early morning till afternoon. You will find chain of fast-food vendors, who poke you every minute of your stay at the beach. That is also fun. Be careful when buying pearls from the sea beach vendors and from the fishermen at Rs. 5/- to 10/- !! per piece. These are all fake. Try to be at Sea Beach before 5:30 AM to experience the Sunrise of your life. You can enjoy the Sunset too at Puri Beach. At early morning, take your camera/camcorder and start walking towards east (from Swargadwar side) on the seashore. You will find fishermen struggling to come back to seashore by breaking the big waves on the backdrop of rising sun. I am sure; you will not forget the scene in your life. You may enjoy the fresh catches of the fishermen. Fish lovers may even buy the catches from their net directly. Your hotel will fry these for you.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Puri is well connected by Rail. From any part if India, you may reach Puri by Train. You may visit http://erail.in for more details. For aerial route, you have to come to Bhubaneshwar. From there Puri is 60 KM by road. For Conducted tour, you may take services from OTDC from Pantahnivas Hotel or their booking counter at Sea Beach Road (beside Hotel Victoria Club). Amongst privet tour operators, N.N Mukherjee and N.N Mukherjee & Sons are good. Rate for all of them are the same. A/c bus of OTDC is the best in Puri. But overall service and cooperation by the tour guide of N. N Mukherjee is better. You may try other tour operators also. Mostly, they are also equally good.

Puri Experience: Puri offers great sea beaches - one of the best in India. The Temple of Lord Jagannath is one of the holiest places for hindus.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Around Puri - A trip to Satpada on River Chilka to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins. Satapada is 1.5 hrs by car from Puri and then a boat trip of 2.5 hrs to see the dolphins. Also Konarak (Sun Temple), Bhubaneshwar, Udaygiri offer good sightseeing options

Activities & things to do: Fun and frolic on the sea beaches; offer puja at Jagannath Temple

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Puri is well connected from Howrah (Kolkata) by train

Puri Experience: pray from home infront of pictures of lord jagnatha? instead visit the temple personally.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: pipli is good place to buy aplique work hanggings or orissa cotton & silk You will never miss food for such dirty place temple is also v v v dirty due to 6times bhogas a day, very sleeperry,wet everywhere people sitting on floor & eating rice dal prasadam there is no restriction for cleanliness.

Activities & things to do: nothing

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: be aware of pandas & prasadam its totally unhiginic I suffered stomach inffection due to this

Puri Experience: Don't forget to visit the temple of Lord Shiva- at Lokenath near Balia Panda (1 km away from Puri) and the Adiyatwa ashram. If you need to meditate, please stay a couple of hours over there. You should also visit the temple of Lord Vishnu (known as Ollarnath) which is just 18 km away from Puri city. This is the place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to worship Lord Jagannath when he was refused to enter the temple at Puri by the local priests (pandas).

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: You can purchase local handmade towels (known as gamcha), popularly known as Cuttacki and Sambalpuri gamchas.

Activities & things to do: Have a bath at Puri. But don't forget to take the help from nulias.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Train is the the best way to reach Puri.

Puri Experience: It's a fantastic place for a short vacation, everyone must go, the waves are awesome... go and enjoy...

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Many restaurants with Indian, Chinese cuisine... Khaja is the best,,, also idols, handicrafts & many things for shopping.

Activities & things to do: 2 day sightseeing - 1 day In Jagannath Temple, 1 day for shopping...but schedule as you want... don't forget to enjoy the sea at evening, sitting in the beach with a cup of tea.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Train trip is the best...200-250 Rs. from station to Swargadar(main hotels are here). Normal charges start from 500 Rs. per day per room. Beware of the touts. For sight seeing, OTDC service is the best...

Puri Experience: Puri is perhaps the best suited place for sea lovers. Book the room well in advance if you are going in holidays. Always look for a hotel on the sea beach.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Amber and Puri Hotel on the Sea Beach have the best AC Restaurants with very economical Food. Visit Jaganath Mandir only after 8 pm. The rush is all gone. Do not carry anything made from leather, camera, mobiles etc. Make sure you do not carry more money than required at the Mandir. Beware of thugs and thieves and take care of the money and jewellery. Another thing to be taken care of is the thugs in the disguise of pundits. We had our known pundit at the mandir and as such did not face any problem. If you are visiting Puri, you can contact Pundit Prabhat Ji. Ph no. 009853865564 and I assure you that you will not face any problem. Pundit is a very nice person and is different from other pundits. He will guide you nicely. Regarding Shopping, you can visit Cuttaki Saree Emporium, Bagaria Dharamshala right opposite the Jaganath Mandir. You can find the best at economical rates. Regarding Sight seeing, the best place is the Beach. Visit the Jaganath Mandir without fail. Konark Temple is around 40km from Puri. An auto charges Rs. 300 and a taxi takes Rs. 500. On the way to Konark, you can go to Chandrabhaga Beach which is famous for the highest tides all across Asia. Chilka Lake is another popular spot. But please read the following details before you visit the place. An auto charges Rs 300 and a taxi charges Rs. 450. It is around 55km from puri. The fare is less because the carrier gets 10 pct. comm. Of your bill at the chilka lake. At Chilka lake, you will be charges a minimum of Rs. 1000 for a group of max 8 persons for seeing the Dolphins, Red crab and Sea mouth where the Sea meets the Lake – a 3-hours exhausting trip. The Dolphins are in the water and if you are lucky enough you can catch a glimpse of 1-2 of them. But in total a place where you are cheated as there is not Dolphin Sanctuary. The boats are not given on sharing basis and even if you are 2-3, you will have to pay Rs. 1000. Try to find someone with whom you can share the boat before going to the booking office. If the booking staff comes to know about it, you will have to pay for the whole boat individually. The Chilka Lake can be avoided as there is nothing to be seen or talked about. In the evening you can visit the bazar at the sea side. Make sure to bargain at half the price.

Activities & things to do: Go to the beach early in the moning at around 6 am. Make sure you apply cream to avoid tanning or blackening of your skin.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: None in particular. From Bhubneshwar, Puri is 60km and an auto takes Rs.350 and a taxi takes Rs.550 for one and a half hour journey.

Puri Experience: Puri's long stretch of sandy beach is the best in India. The waves crashing on the sand dunes, the spray of salt-water into the air, the cool breeze that caresses you are a charm. It's like God's gift to mankind. There are some good hotels like Puri Hotel, Hotel Victoria on the beach front which are good.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Great food for Non-veg lovers. There are some fish and chips stalls, fastfood stalls on the road that are good. The food at Bidesh Ghar is also excellent Bengali cuisine.

Activities & things to do: 1. Enjoy sunrise on the beach. 2. Taking a bath on the beach at around 9 AM when the water is cool compared to the hot sand. 3. Going shopping for Oriya art 4. Visiting the Puri Jagannath Temple is a definite Yes. Taking a panda and going to the sanctorium of Jagannath is truly an amazing and touching experience.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: From Kolkata there are many trains and buses to Puri daily. From Bhubaneswar Puri is 60 Kms and you can go by buses or taxis.

Puri Experience: The Swargadwar area and its nearby areas are thickly packed with people, shops,hawkers, cycle rickshaws and other noise making elements and that creates a repulsive mood in tourists come in Puri for tranquility.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: The quality of food in wayside restaurants are very bad. The gift shops charges very high. Most of the travel agents are not honest.

Activities & things to do: The sea-bath, roaming on sand in the evening, waiting for the sunrise in sea at early morning worth visiting the place.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: There are several express trains, Garib-rath trains, coming directly from Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore and other important cities. The place is well connected by roads.

Puri Experience: Puri is the First Name every Bangali spell , when he is asked for any Holiday Destination. Reason behind this is the proximity from the Kolkata and the range of Hotels that you get there. I think , puri is the Only Beach , where you can even find a Sea facing rooom at Rs. 500/- Water is much cleaner . A small stretch of Beach is crowded , other are lonely.Enjoy Beach & Fish.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: 1. Jaganaath Temple-Beware of Pandas. Just ignore them. 2. Chilka (1Hr 4m Puri)- You should must visit 2 see the Dolphins. Yatri Nivas is having a good Lodging and food options at Rs. 800/ .Try it if you have a group, else you get bored at night. 3. Konark ( 1Hr 4m Puri) - Enjoy Food at OTDC Resturent. 4. Deer Park-(15 Min) Shop -- Saaries and Pearls

Activities & things to do: Early Morning - Enjoy the Sun Rise followed by watch fishes caught by the Local Fisherman. Noon - Take Bath at Beach or Go for Sight Seeing Evening to Night - Hire a Seat from the Tea Vendors and enjoy the Sea. Don't Venture the Fried Fishes at Beach.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Train : From Kolkata, I preferred Puri Express or Jaganaath. Air : you can board for Bhubaneshwar and drive to Puri( 1.5 Hrs). Drive from Kolkata by Road to Puri also liked by some of my friends ( 6-7 hrs). Tips : (a)Choose your hotel carefully , not all hotels are Safe.(b) Take help of 'Nulia' if you don't now swimming.(c) Avoid Fried Fishes at Beaches

Puri Experience: Puri is a city which synthesizes ancient with modernism. A place famous for Lord Jagannath temple and its beautiful beach with clear blue sky attracts tourists from all places in all seasons. Well connected by train, road (only 65kms from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa) and air to most parts of India. The Jagannath temple, is worth seeing. You can spend hours in the evenings on the beach counting waves.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Food is not a problem for people from any part of India and outside. A number of star and medium range hotels are available. Hotel Neelachal Ashok, Shaphire International, Vijaya International, Holiday resort, Puri Hotel are to name a few hotels where descent accommodation is available. One should stay at Puri for a minimum of 2 days. This stay also can be combined with a stay at Bhubaneswar

Activities & things to do: The temple is open from 5 am in the morning till 11 pm in the evening with temporary breaks in day time for rites. If you are staying in a hotel, spend the early morning on the beach and see the sun rise, spend the day for shopping(Good handicraft items are available), visit the sea beach again at around 4pm and visit the temple in the evening. On the second day, you may visit Chilka lake (about 70 kms from Puri) where dolphins are also cultures)

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Puri is a safe destination. For visits to temple and beach, you may depend on taxi service. Cycle rickshaws are also used for shuttling between the temple and the beach as a low cost mode of transport. Bathing on Puri beach is enjoyable but be very careful of sea currents as almost every month one person dies while bathing. In the temple, purchase the official ticket to reach the sanctum sanctorum of the temple

Puri Experience: A lovely place which can accomodate people of all income group and has attractions for everyone from young to the old and from Theist to the atheist. A place where a Family from Grandfather to Grandson can enjoy. It has the Temple, it has the Beach

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Food of all types are available. It is a very accomodative city, you can get there and people are there to help you. DONOT MISS THE FAMOUS KHAJA(Sweet) and SORBHAJA(Sweet) in Puri. There are plenty of places to visit and see. The conducted tours are common and easily available.

Activities & things to do: Bathe in the Sea. Visit the Jagannath Temple(Hindus only). The soul of Puri.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Connectivity is very good. Just one Warning please do not let children and non swimmers to venture into Sea at Puri alone. The sea is rough and any slip might prove fatal.

Puri Experience: cheap, enjoy both piligim and fun filled destination

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: food is good both sea food and veg. Sightseeing: konark, dhauligiri and sipakuda the chilka lake ( do not go to satapada to trap by touts at satapada, chilka lake ) shopping saree at priyadarsini. restaurants like honey bee, the pizza shop at CT road and chung wah the chinese restaurant at vip road are very good

Activities & things to do: A picnic to chilka lake with EXOTIC ORISSA is really give you real fun with family.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: By train at puri or flight to bhubaneswar, 60 kms away from puri. do not go to satapada, instead go to sipakuda and barkul or rambha.

Puri Experience: Have you ever realized the amount of joy a conch shell can hold for you? Visit Puri to realize that. Puri is a perfect place for introspection as well as to pull one's life inside out . Puri being the abode of Lord Jagannath, is one of the four most holiest places in India, but being situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal , it also has one of the finest beaches which extends for miles together . Though the town is most vibrant during the annual Rath Yatra, which is held in the beggining of the monsoon , it is no less attractive even in the other months.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Puri offers tourists with the rare opportunity of witnessing both sunrise and sunset from its beaches . The never to be missed attraction of the city is the Jagannath Temple which is a majestic structure , in the heart of the city. A never to be missed food item here is the Chana Pora, which is an unique processed milk product of Orissa. Not to be missed shopping item from Puri are the typical Puri handicrafts , of which mention may be made of Sambalpuri Cotton Dress material, Applique works of Pipli, and Potto-Chittra or paintings done in the unique style of the land in cloth.

Activities & things to do: Besides allowing one to become a pilgrim, the sea here is a major activity centre . The long and winding beach here with its golden sands beckons one to laze in it for hours together and offers the perfect environment to retrospect and introspect . This is also a perfect place for honeymoon, more so on a full-moon night . Newly married couples can spend hours together on its beach gazing into each other eyes, the blue sea providing the perfect backdrop to paint all their wishes and the cool sea breeze blowing into them all the freshness to start a new conjugal life.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Bhubaneswar ,the capital of Orissa, is just about two hours drive from Puri , the railroad taking about half an hour less. Bhubaneswar is well connected by the railroad as well by air to all the state capitals of india as well as to the national capital of Delhi. Since the call of the sea is irresistible here ,it is best to stay in a hotel near the sea beach so as to facilitate a fast bath in fresh water after a session in the saline waters .

Puri Experience: Great place/uninvented sea beach/Lord jagganaths Temple -symbol of Hinduism/nearby place konak-place of black pagoda

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Puri temple' s prasad a mustin the life time,BNR hotel a heritage Hotel,

Activities & things to do: Puri beach festival, Rath yatra-when the god comes to earth for wellbeing of the mankind

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: From Bhubaneswar airport to puri-66 km approx by hired taxi, BUS, Train always available caution take help of temple authority for visit & Govt travel agents for tavel