Puri is popular for not just one reason, be it its picturesque beach, the mighty pilgrimage center, the spectacular beach side views and hotels, or even the renowned sand artists who have taken the name and fame of Puri to a global extent. In fact, Puri has got such a nice charm that it has also turned into a wedding destination for a lot of people, especially the ones who are dwelling in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack as well as the nearby regions.

While a visit to the Jagannath Temple in Puri is a must, one should not miss out on sitting by its beach side, catching that excellent sunset or sunrise, taking some great pictures, going on a camel ride or even just lazing on the beach with some music by your side. And if you really want to take back something, you can always indulge in memoir shopping in the local stores located close to the beach itself. If possible, do also try the Mahaprasad at the Jagannath Temple, wherein everyday 56 food items are offered to the Lord, which is then served to the devotees. As much as it seems tasty, the food will also feel divine.

Also, if you’re lucky enough, you can even be awed at the sand artist at work, and crafting magic from the sand, especially that of Sudarsan Pattnaik’s. Depending on the number of days you’re staying in Puri, you can have an extremely nice vacation out here, be it with your friends and family, and take back some amazing memories.

To have that perfect pilgrimage tour, as well as to explore the real charm and culture inherent in the state, visiting Konark is also a must here. Rightly renowned for the world-famous Sun Temple, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Konark, the place even has an aura which will let you experience and enjoy the rich cultural heritage. Not just that, Konark is also famous for a beach named Chandrabhaga, which is so serene that you’ll feel like spending a day here.

For that, you can book a nice stay at the Lotus Ecotour resort and have a really fantastic time out there. You can also indulge in some water sporting activities out here, like Stand Up Paddling (SUP) and also Kayaking. If that’s not enough, you can also go for longboarding or skateboarding out here, and have a super adventurous time.

While this been a brief compilation of Puri Konark tour, what will make it more memorable is by driving on the Puri-Konark marine drive route wherein you will experience some magical moments of lush greenery and will always remember for the rest of your life.

The post Puri Konark Tour – Why So Special And Unique For Tourists first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Talking about Puri, the first thing that comes to the mind is the place being the abode of the mighty Lord Jagannath, and housing the Lord’s most majestic temple. Anyone visiting Puri cannot miss out on being at this Temple, and seeking the blessings of the Lord. While the temple itself is a feast for the eyes, its architectural grandeur, exquisite carvings, sculptures and religious tales attached to it easily finds a place in the hearts of visitors, leaving them in complete awe. The Puri Jagannath Temple is also the most revered pilgrimage site for Hindus as it is included in the pious Char Dham Yatra with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram. Especially during the annual festival Rath Yatra, Puri witnesses large number of pilgrims who participate in the grand procession of the deities.

Although we can go on talking about the majestic Puri Temple, but now let’s move on to another hugely famous tourist attraction of this place, which is the Puri Beach.

This pristine beach is located along the coast of Bay of Bengal, and is known for its crystal clear water, white sands, serene surroundings, and the vibrancy which it offers. You can either feel free to have a long walk at the beach, catch the spectacular views of the sunrise and sunset, collect sea shells, go for memoirs shopping in the local stores situated near the main beach, or even take a camel ride. And if you get lucky enough, on a certain day, you can even spot the wonderfully crafted sand art by the internationally renowned sand artist, Sudarshan Patnaik.

In case you are inclined towards arts and crafts, you can make your way towards the Sudarshan Craft Museum, which houses a great collection of artistic works done by Sudarshan Sahoo, such as carvings in wood, stone and fiber glass, handicraft items and also fine paintings. Not just that, within the premises of museum, you can also witness a Buddhist temple built in a Japanese style, a library as well as a workshop.

In case you have plenty of time while indulging in your Puri Konark City Tour, so you can always head towards the closely located Konark Sun Temple and also have a peaceful time at the Chandrabhaga Beach. You can take the Puri Konark Marine Drive route wherein you can enjoy some amazing natural scenery.

There are also plenty of accommodation choices available in Puri, most of them coming with private beach facilities, and luxury at its best. Based on your budget and preference, you can book the hotel which suits you the best.

Puri maybe the most famous tourist attraction, but the views and experiences which it provides is worth cherishing for a lifetime. We suggest, plan a tour for Puri and have a great stay, if you haven’t been here yet.

For a super memorable Puri Tour, Contact Best Choice Holiday today!

The post Puri Is One Of The Most Visited Tourist Destinations Of Odisha Tour For These Reasons! first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Duration: 04 Nights/05 Days

The blend of prehistoric culture and heritage tour of Odisha

Boasting of some of the spectacular and striking monuments belonging to the medieval and prehistoric ages, Odisha is one of the most beautiful and worth places to visit across the country. Located at the Eastern end of India, the state is loaded and filled with rich culture as well as heritage. The upscale and prosperous heritage can be simply experienced because of the great and age old monuments that are situated at almost every area of the state. A well devised Konark Puri Chilika Lake tour could be a perfect amalgamation of getting the chance to visit the ancient heritage of the land on one end and on the other, simply savour its natural picturesque beauty, exquisiteness and serenity.

The 04 Nights and 05 Days itinerary will take the visitors coming from all around the corners to the tour of natural heritage and culture that is been prevailing over the land from centuries and how even the locals follow them and are fully devoted towards them. The tour will cover visits to destinations involving Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark and Chilika. Indeed, the trip will be an excellent opportunity to not only check out the cultural heritage of the unscathed land but also a chance to revive oneself and be at peace. Puri is a holy pilgrimage destination, Konark is a sacred city of the state and Chilika Lake is counted among the Asia’s second largest brackish water lagoon, blessed with one of the finest eco systems of the country. The tour will cover visit to each one of them and have an altogether mix experience including religiousness, spirituality, see rare migratory birds, dolphins at Satapada Chilika, architectural beauty and more. Best Choice Holiday is one of the top notch choices when it comes to tour operators in Odisha as it has been serving travellers from years by simply providing them with well devised itineraries and meeting with all the requests and concerns that they seek for while travelling and more, within their budget and time constraints. Famous for planning and coming up with the best itinerary for Odisha, do make sure to connect with them anytime and make your tour itinerary and trip none but an unforgettable experience altogether.

Day to Day Itinerary:

Day 01: Bhubaneswar

Upon your arrival at the Railway Station/Airport, our representative will meet you there and take you to do check-in at the hotel and complete all formalities. The evening time is free at leisure. Enjoy the delightful delicacies of the city and the overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 02: Bhubaneswar – Konark – Puri

In the morning, after grabbing breakfast, proceed to the pilgrimage city that is Puri, also referred to as one of the Char Dhams for Hindus. On the way, visit Konark Sun Temple, also been listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site and regarded as one of the world wonders, in accord to Mark Twain. Boasting architectural beauty and representing great artwork, it is certainly worth to visit to. Afterward, proceed to Puri, do check-in at the hotel there and the overnight stay will be there.

Day 03: Puri

In the morning, after breakfast, proceed to visit the famous Lord Jagannath Temple, only Hindus can enter inside the temple and others can see it from outside. Later, enjoy the time being spent at the long shoreline of the golden beach that is Puri beach and enjoy the time being there. Go for a long walk or stroll around the beach or go for shopping around the city. The rest of the time will be at leisure. The overnight stay will be at the hotel in Puri.

Day 04: Puri – Chilika tour

In the morning, proceed to Chilika Lake at Satapada, also popular as the biggest brackish water lake. Take the boat from there to check out the Sea Mouth, Irrawaddy dolphins and the Rajhans Island. Do make sure to also cover the beach market and have an enjoyable time there. Later, drive back to Puri and the overnight stay will be there in the hotel.

Day 05:

The morning time will be at leisure. Feel free to relax or enjoy your time as per the choice. Do check-out on time and our representative will drop you at the Airport/Railway Station as desired, with pleasant memories of the trip back.

End of tour and services!

The post Konark Puri Chilika Tour – The Blend of Prehistoric Culture and Heritage Tour of Odisha first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Duration: 04 Days/05 Nights

The perfect balance of beauty, spirituality and nature

Our country, India is blessed with so much of beauty and nature and indeed thousands of attractions to visit to including forests, waterfalls, rivers, hills, beaches, and so much more. Chilika Lake is one of them, referred to as the biggest brackish water coastal lagoon of the country. Have you ever been to the sacred land of Odisha yet? If not, indeed it is one of the most popular travel destinations where travellers and visitors come by in thousands from all over the world. The state, Odisha is been popular for so many things as visitors can come by to check out lakes and waterfalls, beaches, temples, wildlife, and so much more, all at once and can actually enjoy an enriching great experience altogether.

Puri Chilika Lake tour could be one of the best and soul soothing experiences that one can opt for. The package will include visit to the Chilika Lake, the second biggest lagoon in the world, hosting more than 160 different species of migratory birds flocking down from all over, the rare Irrawaddy dolphins to catch out for, and much more. At the Southern end of the magnificent lake, many great islands are there involving Honeymoon Island, Breakfast Island, Bird Island, Kalijai Island, Parikud Island, and more. Nature lovers and wildlife freaks especially wish to come here from all corners of the globe to experience the finest eco system of the state along with large varieties of wildlife and do grasp knowledge and do research on them. Even, good accommodation facilities and amenities are been available here for visitors that could be arranged by the tour planner in Odisha – Best Choice Holiday as per the preference. Puri is been reckoned among one of the famous Char Dhams and for its spirituality and Hindu devotees in large numbers come from all around to visit the temple, seek blessings of the divine and get good luck and fortune for the long run.

Best Choice Holiday is a reckoned and well established tour operator in Odisha and is been devising Odisha tour packages itinerary from years. One of them is Puri Chilika Lake tour and kindly go through the well devised itinerary been mentioned in below and also get in touch with the travel agent in case of any request or customization required.

Day 01: Bhubaneswar

Upon your arrival at the Airport/Railway Station, our representative will take you to do check-in at the hotel. Feel free to relax and enjoy the leisure time as you want to.

Day 02: Bhubaneswar – Mangalajodi

In the morning, after breakfast, head to Mangalajodi which is a 2 hour drive from the city. Mangalajodi is famous for checking out different migratory birds and have lunch there. Later, drive back to Bhubaneswar city, and the overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 03: Chilika Lake – Nalban – Rambha

Early morning, head to Barkul and from there; proceed to Nalban to check out the beautiful migratory flemingos. Take the lunch at Barkul and then drive towards Rambha and do check-in at the hotel there at Chilika Lake. Spend the leisure time as you want to and the overnight stay will be there.

Day 04: Satapada – Puri

After breakfast, proceed to Satapada by simply crossing the lake by ferry, which is a famous joint for watching the wild Irrawaddy dolphins. Later, proceed to Puri which is about at 1 and a half hour distance from there and once reached, do check-in at the hotel in Puri. Spend the leisure time as per the preference and the overnight stay will be at the hotel.

Day 05: Puri

Early morning after breakfast, proceed to check out the Lord Jagannath temple and get the blessing of the deity. Later, enjoy your time being at the Puri beach or doing shopping by visiting the local villages of the city. In the evening, our representative will take you back at the Airport/Railway Station as desired with happy and pleasant memories of the trip back altogether.

End of the tour and services!

To book this packages Call/WhatsApp on +91-811-437-8182 or email at book@bestchoiceholiday.com!

The post How to Plan Your Puri Chilika Lake Tour – Here’s A Detailed Itinerary to Follow first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Famous Places to Visit While in Puri, Odisha:

The land of Puri, Odisha is counted among one of the most famous pilgrimage destinations in the country. The heavenly abode blessed with the blessings and charisma of Lord Jagannath, Hindus and Jains in millions either come and visit here or dream about visiting here once in their lifetime. Aside from the angelic temple, there are many other places to explore and have a look at in Puri.

• Lord Jagannath temple
• Puri Beach
• Raghunathpur village
• Swargadwar
• The Pancha Tirtha
• Gundicha temple
• District Museum
• Chilika Lake
• Kalijai temple

Aside from them, festivals are held in Puri every year that is reckoned at a large scale as these are celebrated with full enthusiasm and spirituality. Do make sure to opt for the Puri tour package that could cover them like Rath Yatra festival at Puri, Chandan Yatra, Chhera Pahara, Samudra Aarti, Snana Yatra, etc. Here, travellers can get the sense of knowing about the customs and rituals of festivals held in Puri.

Though, tourists can visit Puri throughout the year but the best time to visit and get the blessings is in between months of October to April. The Rath Yatra festival is held in the months of June and July every year. It is located at an approximate distance of 60 kms from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Puri tourism has been playing an important role in developing tourism in Odisha and even everything in the state from infrastructure to cleanliness and others is been taking care of, improvising day by day with the provision of providing new facilities and services by the government. The markets and the city is been renovated and became more advance in order to attract attention of tourists in large numbers and from all over.

The tour and travel service providers have been offering different attractive Puri tour packages, so that travellers can get a glimpse of Puri and the entire state Odisha in a way that they can remember, increase the number of visits of people, make arrangements in a way that could meet their expectations to the core. Even, travellers prefer to opt for customized Puri tour package that could include the itinerary as they wish to. The locals of the place are extremely humble and friendly and in all provide a very soothing environment to roam around for others. They make excellent artwork and handicraft, so do not forget to get the best buys from there including Appliques, Shell Products and Handloom Sarees. Best Choice Holiday is a well reputed travel agent offering Puri tour packages, Odisha tour packages and other customized services to customers worldwide within their budget and time constraint. So, make plans to visit the holy land, take some time off from your busy and mundane routine, get the angelic blessings of the deity Lord Jagannath and simply get back with the best of moments enjoyed with your close ones.

The post Puri Tour Package to Have A Pleasing Time in The Land of Odisha first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Amongst all tour packages to Odisha, one of the famous and widely opted ones is Bhubaneswar Konark Puri tour packages. Certainly, counted among the best plan to enjoy the beauty, heritage and charisma of Odisha, all at one time and in one tour package, during the tour, one can experience art, culture, heritage, charm of the land. It will cover visit to Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri and as per your preferences; the travel agent can even customize the itinerary too.

Bhubaneswar:

The tour will likely begin with visit to Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha and famously known worldwide as the ‘City of Temples’. There are so many ancient temples that are known to be developed during 11th century and the artwork, sculptures and paintings done on the walls of temples, both externally and internally couldn’t be described in words. The famous attractions of the city and the tour will cover visit to Lingaraja temple, Rajarani temple, Mukteswar temple, Brahmeswar temple, Ananta Vasudeva temples, Parsurameswar temple, Dhauli Hill, Nandankanan Biological Park, Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, and Ekamra Kanan. The tour to Bhubaneswar will be full with devotion, fun and entertainment.

Konark:

Afterwards, the next focus of the tour will be on Konark. Just for the knowledge, Konark is world famous for its great ancient Konark Sun Temple. The temple is crafted with stone and in a chariot like shape. It is even been counted among the Seven Wonders of the World. Aside from this, it is reckoned for its lovely sand kissed Chandrabagha beach. A lot of honeymooners and couples come at this beach to enjoy the natural beauty, spend some quiet and lovely time with their special ones, watch sunrise and sunset together. The trip to Konark will be full with love, revival and contentment.

Puri:

The last visit of Bhubaneswar Konark Puri tour packages will be in Puri, which is indeed another beautiful and splendid city to spend time into. Puri is been recognized as one of the four Char Dhams, as per Hindu mythology, and it is a pilgrimage place, visited by thousands of followers every year. Lord Jagannath temple is the main attraction to visit here in Puri. People come with full devotion here in Puri, and many only dream to visit here at least for once in their lifetime just to seek the blessings of the deity Lord Jagannath. Other prime attractions that will bewitch the travellers with the beauty and divinity here is Puri Beach and Gundicha temple.

A visit to these three places in Odisha is indeed one of the best explorations that travellers can do. In between Puri and Bhubaneswar, tourists can even think of visiting the villages of artisans that is Pipli and Raghurajpur, and could buy artwork, appliqué, shell products, handloom sarees and other handicrafts as the memorandum for their family and friends. Are you looking for a known tour organizer who can make arrangements for you and your friends in the way you like and prefer? Best Choice Holiday is one of them, simply get in touch with them, let them know about your preferences, and they will assuredly come up with the best itinerary within your budget. Have a memorable journey! Bon Voyage!

The post The Famous And Highly Opted Bhubaneswar Konark Puri Tour Packages first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

History of the Temple:

Lord Jagannath Temple is been constructed way back in 12th century. Started by the famous Kalinga ruler Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev, it was later completed by the King Ananga Bhima Deva. The temple is home to main three deities, Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and his elder brother Balabhadra. Each one of their wooden idols is present in the temple and sitting on a throne. The idol of Balabhadra is six feet tall, of Lord Jagannath it is five feet tall, and of Subhadra it is four feet tall. Lord Jagannath, also been well known as the Lord of the Universe, is known to be a form of both Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu. He is the prime and directing deity of Odisha and is worshipped in most of the households throughout the state. Lord Jagannath worship boosts communal harmony, tolerance and peace. Considering the Char Dham, it is believed that Lord Vishnu used to dine at Puri, bathe at Rameshwaram, get sanctified at Dwarka, and meditate at Badrinath. This is the reason that high priority is given to food at this temple in Puri. In fact, as a form of Mahaprasad, Lord Jagannath gives his devotees to eat 56 items that are served to him, as a way of spiritual revival and advancement.

Features of the temple:

There is an 11 metre high towering pillar at the temple’s main gate, also known as Aruna Stambha representing the charioteer of the Sun God. The inner courtyard of the temple could be reached by climbing 22 steps from the main gate and there are about 30 smaller temples around the main temple, and it is believed to visit all of them before visiting the deities of the main temple. Though, if people have less time than they can visit the most important deities in the main temple, along with smaller temples around including Vimala temple, Ganesha temple, Laxmi temple and so. Other interesting feature is that the temple is built in a large 10 acre complex, along with an ancient banyan tree, the kitchen where the Mahaprasad is cooked and it is known to be among the world’s largest kitchen and Anand Bazar where Mahaprasad is sold to all devotees daily in between 3 PM to 5 PM. The kitchen makes enough food that is needed to feed to over 100,000 people every day. Over 20 different rituals are held at the temple on daily basis starting from 5 in the morning till midnight. The rituals reflect everything that is carried out in a day to day routine including brushing teeth, bathing, eating, and getting dressed and so. There is a tradition that is been going on from more than 800 years, which cover the changing of flags tied to the temple’s Neela Chakra during sunset in between 6 PM to 7 PM. The old flags are sold to very lucky few devotees.

How to Visit the temple:

Except cycle rickshaws, any other vehicle is not allowed nearby the temple complex. People need to walk from the car parking and the temple has four entry gates. Entrance is absolutely free of cost. Guides could always be found and are around the temple complex every time and will ask for showing the complex around in about Rs. 200. To enter the inner sanctum and get blessing of the deities, there are two ways to do the same.

•  Do attend the public darshan that is held in the morning daily for an hour usually in between 7 AM to 8 AM, also been known as Sahana Mela after the Abakash Puja referring to the brushing of God’s teeth and bathing routine.
•  From inside the temple complex, buy a Parimanik Darshan ticket that will cost about Rs. 50 and viewers can go in at specific times of the day and covers activities like Mangal Aarti, Sandhay Aarti, Abakash Puja, Chandan Lagi. The timings for the same are 5 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM and 8 PM and make sure to reach 30 minutes prior to buy tickets.
•  Otherwise, people can see the temple and deities from a distance.
•  There is also a provision to view the temple’s kitchen and the ticket costs about Rs. 5 each.
•  Do come with a couple of hours in order to fully explore the temple complex.

Things to make sure while visiting the temple:

•  Try to get early if possible at the temple, like by 5:30 in the morning.
•  Do understand that no belongings are allowed to carry along inside the temple including shoes, cell phones, socks, cameras, leather items and so. At the main entrance, there are facilities available where you can deposit the items for security.

The Famous Rath Yatra Festival:

Every year, once in June or July, the idols are taken outside of the temple and that is what this Rath Yatra festival is all about. Reckoned to be the most iconic and splendid festivals of Odisha, tourists and believers from all corners come to Puri just to get a glimpse of the deities and see the huge arrangement and celebration of this festival. The festival is held for 10 days and during the period, Gods are transported around on towering chariots that symbolize and resemble like temples. The chariot construction is indeed in itself is a detailed and intense process, thus it starts from the January or February month of the year.

Wish to visit the Lord Jagannnath temple in Puri and get the blessing of the divine deity? Let Best Choice Holiday tour organizer, be the one arranging your itinerary this time and do the desired arrangements as per the expectations and wishes so that you can remember it for lifetime.

The post Guide to Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.