The sand dunes of Puri

Where?
Though India has coastal lines on the east and the west, the eastern coastal line is not given much prominence as its western counterpart. The beaches in the west definitely are exotic, but one cannot afford ignoring the ones on the eastern coast of India. For instance the Puri beach in Orissa is one of the finest beaches in India.

Why Puri ?
Puri is a pious city as the Jagannath Temple, built in the late eleventh century, is located there. In fact a dip at the beach is considered to be pious. Besides its holy aspect, the Puri beach can be experienced for the glowing sands and the scintillating beauty of the waves. The beach, the temple, the sand and the waves-a perfect combination to mesmerize you! It is crowded with tourists, both Indian and foreign, during the Puri Beach Festival in November.
The sand work on the Puri beach is acclaimed all over the world, and includes the work by international award winning localite Sudarshan Patnaik. Visitors throng to see his art work on the sand.Puri is a pious city as the Jagannath Temple, built in the late eleventh century, is located there. In fact a dip at the beach is considered to be pious. Besides its holy aspect, the Puri beach can be experienced for the glowing sands and the scintillating beauty of the waves. The beach, the temple, the sand and the waves-a perfect combination to mesmerize you! It is crowded with tourists, both Indian and foreign, during the Puri Beach Festival in November.
The sand work on the Puri beach is acclaimed all over the world, and includes the work by international award winning localite Sudarshan Patnaik. Visitors throng to see his art work on the sand.

What else?
And if that’s not enough, then the Oriya touch of artistry, cuisines and culture will not fail to charm you. The Puri beach festival is a complete contradiction to its religious shade. At the festival, you can shake a leg to some rocking music.
The Balighai Beach that lies about 8 kms from Puri is another beautiful location to visit. The sunrise and the sunset at this beach is something that you cannot afford to miss.
After enjoying the serenity of the beaches, you can shop to your heart’s content and pick up all indigenous handicrafts at the Bada Danda. Since Puri is located along the coast of Bay of Bengal and is a pilgrimage centre, it sees a constant inflow of visitors from India as well as abroad. Visitors can find excellent lodging facilities here .Most luxurious hotels offer a spa, Ayurvedic massage and multi cuisine restaurants.

How do I get there?
Puri can be easily accessed. The city is located at a distance of about 60 kms from Bhubaneshwar and is well connected through air; rail and road .Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport to Puri, which connects the holy city with the other major Indian cities. The Puri railway station is the nearest railway station. Transport buses are available to and from Calcutta, Vishakhapatnam, Guwahati and Chennai. So beach enthusiasts who have explored the more famous beaches on the western coast can now pack their bags to the east. The enchanting waves and the glittering sand is waiting for your welcome, do explore them at the Puri beach.

Where do I stay?
There are many cottages and guesthouses available, which are safe enough.