Must Visit Best Places Near Puri

Know the details below for Must Visit Best Places Near Puri Temple, Best Sightseeing and Tourist Places Near Puri Temple, and Distance and Route Guide.

The four places that comprise Char Dams that every Hindu should visit once in a lifetime are Rameswaram, Badrinath, Puri, and Dwaraka. Puri is also known as Jagannath Dham which is located in the Odisha state of India. Out of all the tourist places in Orissa, Puri is considered the most amazing tourist spot because of the famous Jagannath temple and Golden Beach of the Bay of Bengal along with 50 other best tourist spots. 

Most of the tourist spots in Puri are temples followed by beaches, lakes, Museums, water parks, and wildlife sanctuaries to name a few. Below are some of the places that are categorized into temples, Beaches, Water parks, Museums, art and craft places, etc which are located near Puri Jagannath temple.

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Temples in Puri:

Puri is bombarded with temples out of which Lord Jagannath holds utmost importance because of its history and the festivals that are being conducted every year. Puri also has some other temples that no one wishes to miss on their trip to Puri. Some of them are

1. Gundicha Temple:  This temple plays a vital role during the annual Rath yatra as the deities stay here for seven days and finally head back to the main temple at the end of the Rath Yatra.
2. Lokanath Temple: Here, Lord shiva lingam is always submerged in water which explains the fact that Goddess Ganga always flows through the top of the shiva lingam. On Shivaratri, Thousands of pilgrims visit Lokanath temple for Darshan.
3. Vimala Temple: Vimala Temple is considered as a Shakti Peeta, one of the many sanctuaries around India. Dedicated to goddess Vimala, this temple is located inside Puri temple as a protector of the temple and the Lord.
4. Markandeshwar Temple: Known for its magnificent architecture and the essence of art which depicts Lord Shiva in several avatars with intricate details. It is clearly visible in the entrance itself with a Nataraja with ten arms. Overall, its past glory makes it one of the must-visit places in Puri.
5. Ganesh Temple: Located inside the Lord Jagannath temple, Ganesha temple here is famous for its exclusive image of Ganesha called Natya Ganesh. The King of Kanchi offered the idol as a gift thus holding archaeological importance.
6. Alarnath Temple: Alarnath Temple is located in Brahma Giri. After Snana Yatra, the deities are kept in a chamber for 15 days which is called as Anavasara period. One devotee named Chaitanya Prabhu was devastated that he could not see the lord for 15 days. Then, Lord Vishnu himself appeared before him and directed him to go to Alarnath temple during this period. Since then, Pilgrims have followed this ritual and made Alarnath Temple very popular.
7. Mausima Temple:  Mausima Temple is located near the Grand Road in Puri. It is believed that the Goddess Mausi Ma drank half of the seawater by saving the town of Puri. 

Beaches in Puri:

• Golden Beach – Golden beach is a very laid-back beach away from the city which is located 20 kilometers from Puri. The beach has that serene environment that draws people to just relax and enjoy the sounds of the waves from their busy lifestyles.

1. Baleswar Beach – Out of all the beaches in Odisha, Baleswar beach is popularly known as the less crowded place with serene vibes. The beach is known for its ebbtides which recedes the water back to 5 kilometers leaving a unique tide pattern. It boasts to be ecologically rich
2. Baliharachandi Beach – Located between Puri and Konark, this beach is a quieter alternative to Puri Beach. Visitors can find an unobstructed view of the sea with tiny crabs and seashells that are scattered everywhere.
3. Swargadwar Beach – Located in the middle of the city, this beach is crowded all year long with tons of entertainment. The beach has numerous stalls ranging from food to local selling handicrafts such as seashells, jewelry, etc.
4. Astaranga Beach – As the name suggests, the beach has jaw-dropping views of the sunset with the dramatic views of the sky and the blue water making the whole place magical. 

Water Parks in Puri:

1. Blue Splash Water Park: It has seven water rides with a different variety of pools, a play area, lockers, and an amusement park next to it.
2. Pratyush Ocean World -It is known as a destination for parties, family, and family gatherings on a reservation basis 

Arts and Crafts Places to Explore in Puri:

1. RaghuRajpur village – Raghurajpur village is a crafts village in Puri that is famous for wood and stone carvings, Pattachitra Paintings, Papier mache, Palm leaf engraving, Gotipua folk dance.
2. Pipili – Pipili is a town in Puri where the people of Pipili’s livelihood is based on the sale of products that are handmade. Their products range from handbags, purses, sheets, covers, idols of god, animals, birds, flowers, etc. Several food stalls are also located in the town as well.
3. Sudarshan Crafts Museum – Established by Sudarshan Sahoo, it provides an amazing opportunity for artists to showcase their arts and crafts in a workspace. The Museum also showcases the evolution of craftsmanship over the decades.

Other places in Puri:

1. Chilika Lake: Being one of the biggest inland saltwater lakes, Chilika lake draws massive crowds throughout the year because of its lush green landscape and beautiful island. Located 50 kilometers away from Puri, this island becomes a home for almost 181 different varieties of birds every year during winter.
2.  Nalbana Bird Sanctuary: It is located on Nalabana Island in Chilika Lake. During Winter, Several birds migrate here which makes it a treat for nature lovers, Photographers, and birdwatchers. We can spot 181 different types of birds during this season.
3.  Narendra Tank: Narendra Tank or Narendra Pokhari or Chandan Pushkarini became famous because of the Chandana Yatra festival which is conducted annually. Built-in the 15th century by Narendra Dev, Narendra Tank is one of the largest tanks in Odisha, surrounded by a lot of temples making it a holy tank. The tank has a beautiful island in the middle known as Chandan Mandapa where the deities of Lord Jagannath are taken around the tank in the evenings during Chandan Yatra.