Places to Explore

• Bhubaneswar

  Known as India's city of temples, Bhubaneswar once had some 7,000 religious shrines. Today only a fraction survives, but they still total around 500, in various stages of preservation. Unfortunately, the... (more)

• Chilika Lake

  From November through January, a visit to India's largest inland lake, covering 1,100 square km (425 square mi), is repaid with the sight of millions of birds, both residents and winter visitors. Siberian... (more)

• Gopalpur-on-Sea

  Gopalpur-on-Sea, a beach resort popular and often overrun with Bengalis holidaying from Kolkata (what Goa is to Mumbai folks), is a small fishing village with a few simple hotels scattered along the sand... (more)

• Konark

  The sleepy town of Konark, 1½ hours from Bhubaneswar, is home to one of India's most fabulous, awe-inspiring temples—a World Heritage site. Visiting Orissa and not visiting Konark would be... (more)

• Pipli

  The little village of Pipli is famous throughout India for its brightly colored appliqué work that incorporates peacocks, elephants, parrots, trees, lotuses, jasmine, the sun, and Rahu (a naughty... (more)

• Puri

  In addition to the religious contingent, Puri is also a peaceful, pleasant beach and temple town with its very own laid-back rhythm attracting its share of modern hippies and backpackers drawn by the ethos... (more)

• Raghurajpur

  Less than two hours' drive from Bhubaneswar, and just 20 minutes from Puri is the village of Raghurajpur, where every thatch-roof dwelling houses a family of artisans (chitrakars). Their skills in stone-and-wood... (more)