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Balasore/ Chandipur at Sea, Orissa

When you reach Balasore railway station, it looks like nothing more than a dusty little town. But don't let this fool you as the beach at Chandipur is one of the most unique I have ever seen. If you are hiring a rickshaw to your hotel, haggle on the fare. Chandipore is 16 km from Balasore.

What's interesting about the beach at Chandipur is that during low tide, you can walk up to almost four km (maybe five km; that is how much the sea water recedes) towards the sea. During high tide, you will be lucky if you can see even an inch of the beach.

Take a stroll by the sea during low tide and watch the locals picking up mussels, which is a delicacy. The famous horse shoe crab can be found on this beach. My weekend trip to Balasore was one of the most beautiful and memorable.

Other places of interest in and around Balasore are the Khirochora Gopinath temple in Remuna (nine km from Balasore), another smaller Jagannath temple at Niligiri, Bhudharchandi temple in Sajanagarh (30 km), the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (100 km) and the Shakti Shrine of Deokund.

Where to stay
Plenty of lodging options are available like Orissa Tourism Development Corporation's Panthanivas, Hotel Subham, Hotel Chandipur, Hotel Anandamayee and Hotel Pacific Inn. For details, check www.orissatourism.gov.in/hotels.htm#Chandipur.

How to get there