Odisha Part 15: My Travel Guide to visiting the Golden Triangle in Odisha
- Anuradha Shankar
- Jul 12
- 7 min read
The Golden Triangle of Odisha marks the popular tourist circuit of Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark. These three cities actually encompass a very small section of the state of Odisha, not only in terms of size, but also in terms of heritage. However, within this circuit fall some of the most impressive sites in Odisha – the Konark Sun Temple, the Puri Jagannath Temple, the temples of Bhubaneshwar, and also Chilika Lake with its migratory birds. Hence, these are the most visited sites in the entire state, and this circuit is what most visitors to Odisha ever get to see. There is, of course, much more to see and experience in Odisha than just this. But that is for a different time, after I actually visit them. For now, let me share some of my thoughts about the Golden Triangle.
Where to Stay
Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark – all have good places to stay, and any of them would make good bases for a visit to the entire triangle. Most of the sites are only a day trip away from any of these places.
Puri – Puri is a popular place to stay, since there is no dearth of hotels. The temple is of course the main attraction, but so is the beach. You can find hotels of all budgets. I have stayed at Sterling Puri, and found it very comfortable and convenient.
Bhubaneshwar – as the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneshwar has plenty of options to stay at. I prefer not to stay in a bustling city when I travel, so I chose to stay at Svanir Wilderness Ecostay, a little outside the city, for a more relaxed experience. Read my post on Svanir to know more.
Konark – there are a few hotels in Konark, but the place I chose to stay at was Lotus Eco Beach Resort, which is on Ramchandi beach near Konark. Once again, this one is away from the bustle of the temple town, has direct access to the beach, and has some lovely wooden cottages to stay at. This is perfect if you, like me, like avoiding crowds and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Off the beaten track
Most people visit Chilika Lake as a day trip from Puri. However, if you enjoy nature, are interested in bird-watching, even casually, or simply like to avoid crowds and go for long walks in the countryside, you must explore the various stays maintained by Odisha Eco Tourism, run by the Government of Odisha. They have a wide range of stays – resorts, as well as nature camps – at various locations across Odisha. The places are well maintained and comfortable. We stayed at the Mangalajodi nature camp, but there are many others worth trying out. If you’re travelling to Chilika, do look at the nature camps at Berhampore and Rajhans as well. https://www.ecotourodisha.com/
When to visit
The ideal season to visit Odisha would be in the winter. The weather is good, and this is the time we can see migratory birds at Chilika Lake. However, travelling in off-season has its advantages. I visited Chilika Lake, first in January, and then in June beginning, some years apart, and I saw two completely different faces of the Lake. The monuments were also way less crowded in June than in January.
Travel suggestions
Bhubaneshwar is easily accessible from across the country, by road, rail and air. However, public transport is not really an option to travel within Odisha with any level of comfort or convenience. Hence, it is best to hire a car to explore the place at our own pace.
At Puri, be prepared to haggle with the priests for entry and darshan. Or be prepared to wait for a long time, and be pushed around, during the darshan. The temple can get quite crowded on any random day, and even more crowds can land during special days. Besides, the temple schedule is quite confusing for the new visitor, and the website is not very helpful. There are no tickets or any kind of organized darshan. The Bhog is the huge attraction, and do visit the kitchen, parts of which are open for viewing to the public.
Chilika is best approached from Puri, and needs a full day, even if you intend to only spend half a day on the lake. It is difficult to combine it with anything else. So, keep a whole day for Chilika from Puri.
At Konark, most people only visit the Sun Temple. However, there are 2 museums at the site. The first is the archaeological museum, which is a little away from the temple. The second is the newly built interpretation centre which is right at the entrance to the temple. Both museums are must-visits, preferably before you visit the temple. Plenty of guides are available at the temple, so please do hire one if you don’t know much about this temple.
Konark can be approached from both, Bhubaneshwar and Puri. It is a day trip, but please keep a whole day for the temple and the museums.
If you still have time, and are interested in ancient temples, there are two ancient temples to the goddess, best approached from Konark. One is the Varahi temple at Chaurasi, and the other is the Gangeshwari Temple. Both temples have some beautiful sculptures and are worth a visit.
Bhubaneshwar is the city of temples. There are easily around 100 temples worth visiting. However, since that is not humanly possible, don’t miss the following temples –
Raja Rani Temple - Odisha Part 7: The Raja Rani Temple Bhubaneshwar
Parasurameshwara Temple Odisha Part 8: The Parasurameshwara Temple, Bhubaneshwar
Vaital Temple Odisha Part 9: The Vaital Temple, Bhubaneshwar
Lingaraj Temple
Ananta Vasudeva Temple
Mukteshwar Temple
Around Bhubaneshwar, there are a few places worth a visit –
The Hirapur Yogini temple is on the route between Puri and Bhubaneshwar.
The Udaygiri and Khandgiri Caves give us an insight into Jainism in this region.
Dhauli, just 7 Km away, is where Ashoka converted to Buddhism. The Shanti Stupa here is visited by loads of people, tourists and pilgrims alike. However, don’t miss the rock cut elephant and the Ashokan inscription here. (I haven’t written a separate post on Dhauli, but it is mentioned in this post on the Buddhist heritage of Odisha.)
The Nandankanan Zoological Park is located adjacent to the Chandaka Dampara Wildlife sanctuary. The zoo is well maintained and has a variety of animals in huge enclosures. The zoo sprawls over a huge area, but battery-operated vehicles are available to take you around. There is a toy train that your kids will enjoy, other than multiple safaris. Unlike other zoos, this one also has boating and a ropeway. They also have ‘Adopt an Animal’ schemes. You can easily spend the whole day here if you are so inclined. If you’re travelling with your kids, this zoo should definitely be on your list. If you plan to visit, check out their website, which is quite detailed, and book your tickets in advance. I haven’t written about the zoo on the blog, though I visited it on my first trip. It is one of the very few zoos in India that I actually liked.
While in Bhubaneswar, there are a few museums you must not miss.
The Odisha State Museum has a superb Archaeological gallery with some stunning and very interesting sculptures.
The Odisha State Tribal museum is an amazing museum which gives us an insight into the numerous tribes of Odisha. before I visited this museum, there was very little that I knew about this part of Odisha, and it has encouraged me to try and explore this aspect of the state more. The museum has artisans from some tribes present on the site, creating artwork unique to each of these tribes, which are available for sale. There is an interactive digital section, which is among the best I have seen anywhere. It encourages everyone, adults and kids alike, to seek more information, in a fun manner.
Kalabhoomi is the Odisha Crafts Museum, run by the Handlooms, textiles and Handicrafts Department, Government of Odisha. This is a beautiful museum, dedicated to crafts from across the region, as the name suggests. However, the highlight of the museum is the section on Jagannath of Puri.
Travelling between Puri and Konark, you must not miss the opportunity to stop at Raghurajpur and Pipli, two villages known for their crafts. Raghurajpur is known for its Patachitra paintings, while Pipli is known for its patchwork. While at both villages you can see the work being done, and buy artwork for yourself, Raghurajpur is truly an artists’ village, where every wall of every house is covered with paintings, usually from mythology. It’s a pleasure to simply walk around and see this brilliant expression of creativity.
One excursion outside the Golden Triangle, but accessible from it is the so-called Diamond Triangle – 3 prominent Buddhist sites known for their practice of the Vajrayana form of Buddhism. The 3 sites – Ratnagiri, Udaygiri and Lalitgiri – are roughly around 80 Km from Bhubaneshwar. They can be completed in a single day, but the full day is required for the trip, which can get quite exhausting, since the sites are extensive. They are well worth the effort, though.
There is much more to see in Odisha outside the Golden Triangle. Two cities which can be combined with a visit here are Cuttack and Jajpur, both of which have some very interesting places to visit. During both my trips, however, I did not have time to do them justice, and hence haven’t visited them yet. I hope to visit them some other time and write about it. Hope this travel guide to the Golden Triangle in Odisha is useful to you. If you visit this region, do write in with your comments and thoughts.
Lovely.. I did a trip to odisha back in 2018 and it was so much fun, 10 days wasnt enough...