12 Top Attractions of Odisha And Tourist Places to Visit

The tribal state of India has various attractions ranging from natural wonders such as coastline and beaches, Chilka Lake and many religious sites. List of eye catching tourist attractions of Odisha are Hindu temples, Buddhist monuments and many ore religious places, which are visited by the large number of tourists from the state as well as from the world.

Sea Beach Puri

Beaches of Orissa are represented by a long Coastline of Bay of Bengal with golden sand,deep blue sea and pleasant climent. The state of Orissa has a coastline of 480 km, due to its location it offers one of the most dynamic coastal environments and beautiful beaches. Most exquisite beaches of Odisha are Puri and Chandipur Beach along with Konark Beaches,Talasari Beach and Chandrabhaga Beach.

Bhubaneshwar Temples

The city of Bhubaneswar is also referred to as a Temple City of India, Important and most famous temples of Orissa are listed as Jagannath Temple Puri,Sun Temple Konarak,Lingaraj temple bhubaneswar and Cuttack Chandi Temple. Jagannath Temple of Puri is one of the Char Dham and most sacred sites for Hindus.

Puri Ratha Yatra

Ratha Yatra or the Festival of Chariot is huge Hindu festival, dedicated to Lord Jagannath held in the temple town of Jagannath Puri. Puri Ratha Yatra is a world famous annual festival and attracts more then one million pilgrims from all around the world.

Chilika Lake Dolphins

The most famous and the largest coastal lagoon of India and the second largest lagoon in the World. Chilika Lake is the brackish water lagoon and home of migratory birds and rare and endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.

Satapada is known as the Dolphin Sanctuary, located near to Puri. Other lakes of Orissa includes Ansupa Lake a freshwater lake in Cuttack, Kanjia lake and Chilika Lake.

Mangalajodi Birding

Mangalajodi is a village located in Khordha district in the northern edge of famous Chilika Lake, It is one of the prime tourist attraction and known for its scenic beauty,vast wetland and the paradise of birds. The vast wetlands of Mangalajodi attract thousands of migratory birds and declared as an International Bird Conservation Area.

Simlipal National Park

The amazing and most famous national park of Odisha is an elephant reserve,located in the Mayurbhanj district. Simlipal National Park is home to 99 Royal Bengal Tigers,432 Wild Indian elephants, Gaurs-Indian Bisons and Chausingha. Simlipal elephant reserve is declared as one of the 15 biospheres of India.

Barehipani Waterfalls

The Barehipani Falls is the second tallest waterfall of the state and listed 3rd amongst the top 10 highest waterfalls of India with total height 399 metres (1,309 ft). 

Barehipani Waterfalls located in the deep forest of Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj and Joranda Falls is located close to it. Khandadhar Falls of Sundagarh is another most famous waterfall of the state and 12th highest waterfall in India.

Bhitarkanika Mangrove

Bhitarkanika Mangroves is one of the largest ramsar sites in India,created by river delta of the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers in Bhitarkanika National Park. The Bhitarkanika Mangrove is a mangrove swamp and home to the endangered and largest Saltwater Crocodile, Indian python, White Crocodile, King Cobra and many other species of flora and fauna.

Konark Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple is a must visit place in Odisha and also featured on various list of Seven Wonders of India. The complex is in the shape of a gigantic chariot with great carved stone wheels, pillars and walls.

Caves of Khandagiri

The Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves are natural and partly artificial caves, located in the city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha. Udayagiri and Khandagiri has 18 and 15 caves, Ranigumpha is the most important cave among this group of caves in Udayagiri which is a double story monastery.

Shanti Stupa Dhauligiri

Dhauli Giri is a historically and an important center of Buddhist activities near Bhubaneswar city,on the banks of the river Daya. Shanti Stupa of Dhauligiri has major edicts of great Ashoka, white peace pagoda, Buddha statue and an ancient Shiva temple.

Nandankanan Zoological Park

The zoo and botanical garden is one of the major tourists attraction of Orissa and known for its beauty of forest and wild animals such as rare Asiatic lions,three Indian crocodilians, big rock Python and the most famous white tigers.

Other famous tourist attraction of Odisha includes Raghurajpur- a heritage crafts village,Sishupalgarh-a ruined fortification, Lalitgiri-a Buddhist complex and group of islands in Lakes along with one of the largest Hirakud Dam, Second Mahanadi Rail Bridge and Paradip seaport-one of the 13 major sea ports of India.