Bhubhaneshwar 
It is the capital city of the modern state and the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, Bhubaneswar is known as the Temple City of India. Among the finest of its 600 temples is the Lingaraja Temple of Shiva, built in the 11th century. It is also the biggest in Bhubaneswar.

Other temples
Close to the Bindu Sagar Tank, the Vaital has a double storey 'wagon roof' , an influence from Buddhist cave architecture . Further north the Lakshamaneshwar is a very plain temple. Dating from the 7th century, it is one of the earliest specimens of Orissan architecture and acts as a gateway to the city.

Museum
The museum is opposite the Hotel Ashok Kalinga and has an interesting collection relating to Orissan history, culture and architecture and to the various Orissan tribes. The Tribal Research Bureau is also here. The museum is open from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 to 4 pm daily, except Mondays.

Udayagiri & Khandgiri Caves
About five km out of Bhubaneshwar , the two hills flanking the road on each side are riddled with caves. On the right, of the road is, Udayagiri, or Sunrise Hill.

Puri
On the coast , 55km from Bhubaneshwar, Puri is one of the four holiest cities in India . The city revolves around the great Jagannath Temple and its famous 'Rath Yatra' or 'Car Festival'. The beach : Puri has a fine stretch of white sand from which Indian pilgrims bathe in their customary, fully attired manner. Orissan fishers, wearing conical straw hats,guide bathers out through the surf.

Konark
Konarak is on the coast, 64 km from Bhubaneshwar and only about 33 km north of Puri. The site consist of a little more than the mighty temple and a handfull of shops , stalls and paces to stay . Pipli : Athe junction where the Konark road branches from the Bhubaneshwar to Puri road, this small village is notable for its appliqué craft. The colourful materials are used to make temple umbrellas and wall hangings.

Chilka Lake
South of Puri, Chilka Lake is doted with islands and is noted for the many migratory birds which flock here in winter (December to January) . The shallow lake is about 70 km long and averages 15 km wide, and is supposely one of the largest brackish-water lakes in the country.

Cuttack
Only 35 km north of Bhubaneshwar, this riverine city was the capital of Orissa until the new city was constructed at Bhubaneshwar.

Balasore & Chandipurs
Balasore is the first major town on the railway line from Calcutta in north Orissa. It was once important trading centre with Dutch, Danish, English and French Factories .

Similipal National Park
The Similipal National Park is in the north-east of the state, 250 km from Calcutta and 320 km from Bhubaneshwar. It is well known for its varied wildlife including tigers, leopards and elephants.

Jajpur 
A historic place of pilgrimage, Jajpur situated on the bank of river vaitarani, has the sacred shrines of mother Goddess Viraja (Durga), Sveta Varha (incarnation of Lord Vishnu as the white boar), Sapta Matruka and a host of other shrines. 

Phulbanis 
Phulbanis, the headquarters town of Kandhamal district, has varieties of attractions with a rich Tribal Culture. Balaskumpa, 18 km from Phulbani house goddess Barala Devi, Putudi is a place of natural beauty having a charming waterfall-15 km. Chakapad is renowned for the Shiva Temple of Lord Birupaksha and Learning Trees on the river Brutunga-60 km, Charisambhu, otherwise known as Jagati, has the temple of Lord Charisambhu Ananta Vishnu –85 km.
 
Bhawanipatna 
Bhawanipatna, the headquarters of Kalahandi District, is a town of numerous temples dedicated to different deities of Hindu pantheon. Named after its presiding deity ‘Bhawanishankar’, it is the most convenient base for touring various places of interest in the district and the nearby district of Nawapara. 

Sambalpur 
An ancient centre of diamond trade, Sambalpur is famous for its tie and dye textiles; folk dance and music; and also for the Hirakud Dam, one of the longest mainstream dams in the world.
 
Keonjhar 
Keonjhar, the district headquarters town, has varieties of attractions like Vishnu Temple, Jagannath Temple and on its outskirts the shrines of Siddha Jagannath, Siddha Kali and Panchabati amidst picturesque settings. Sitabinji, 30 km. from keonjhar, on river Sita, is a place having ancient fresco painting on a rock shelter called Ravan Chhaya.

Keonjhar having exciting water falls, are most popular picnic spots. 50 km from Keonjhar is Ghatgaon, home to Goddess Tarini. Also Gonasika, the origin of river Vaitarani, surrounded by a series of valleys and wooded hills, is a place of pilgrimage for the shrine of Lord Brahmeswar Shiva – 45 km.

Similipal 
It spread over 1,100 sq. km. Chilika is the country’s largest inland lake. Dotted with islands, it has the richest variety of aquatic fauna and is a bird watcher’s paradise when migratory birds arrive in winter. Sunset and Sunrise are memorable experiences here. Boating and fishing facilities are available in this lake, which is rich in fish.

One can view the dolphins at Chilika mouth near Satpara. For cruising and visiting the islands, one can make use of the motor launches of the OTDC at Barkul and Rambha, and of the Revenue Department at Balugaon. Private boats are also available. OTDC organises water sports in Chilika at the Water Sports Complex, located at Barkul.

Puri 
Puri, the city by the sea, is a major pilgrim centre in India. Adi Shankara founded one of the Peethas here. Puri is also famous for its Golden Beach, ideal for swimming and surfing.
 
Konark 
Konark completes the Golden Triangle of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark for the best of Orissan temple architecture. The Temple Chariot of the Sun God (Black Pagoda) on the sands of the bay of Bengal is a 13th century architectural marvel. Lingaraj temple.

Paradeep 
Paradeep, a major sea port of India for trade activities with a fine sea beach, is an enjoyable tourist resort – 94 km from Cuttack. Important pilgrim centre Kendrapara is 65 km from Cuttack. Known as Tulasi Kshetra it is famous for the temple of Lord Baladeva. A grand car festival is held here annually which draws a mammoth crowd.
 
Bindu sagar 
The Ocean Drop tank just north of the great temple is said to contain water from every holy stream, pool and tank in India. Consequently , when it comes to washing away sin this is the tank that washes whitest. There are a number of temples and shrines scattered around the tank, ones at the Lingaraj Temple.
 
Siddharanya 
Close to the main Bhubaneshwar to puri road, on the same side as the Lingaraj Temple, the 'Grove of the Perfect Beings' is a cluster of about 20 smaller temples, including some of the most important in Bhubaneshwar.
 
Chilika Lake 
It spreads over 1,100 sq. km. Chilika is the country’s largest inland lake. Dotted with islands, it has the richest variety of aquatic fauna and is a bird watcher’s paradise when migratory birds arrive in winter. Sunset and Sunrise are memorable experiences here. Boating and fishing facilities are available in this lake, which is rich in fish. One can view the dolphins at Chilika mouth near Satpara. For cruising and visiting the islands, one can make use of the motor launches of the OTDC at Barkul and Rambha, and of the Revenue Department at Balugaon. Private boats are also available. OTDC organises water sports in Chilika at the Water Sports Complex, located at Barkul.

Jeypore 
Jeypore , the commercial nerve centre of Koraput district, endowed with falls and forests thronged with colourful wildlife has all such facilities to serve as the convenient base for visiting the places of interest in and around.
 
Rourkela 
It is famous for the Steel Plant, Rourkela has the beautiful Indira Gandhi Park and with a zoo. The Hanuman Batika in the centre of the city is also added attraction. It is the most convenient base for visiting other interesting places in Sundargarh district.

Raj Rani 
Across the road and about 100 metres to the right ,the Raj Rani stands alone in a green field. Its one of the latest of the Bhubaneshwar temples and is particularly finely sited. Brahmeswar : About a km east of the main road , the Brahmeshwar temple stands in a courtyard flanked by four smaller structures with erotic and sometimes amusing elements - such as the young lady with the surprised look of her face, no doubt due to her lovers hand in her pants! The temple dates from the 9th century.
Historical:
Khandagiri 
Only a few buses go specifically to the caves, but there are plenty which pass the nearby junction, the main Calcutta to Madras highway.

The caves on the opposite hill, Khandagiri, can be reached either by the long flights of steps leading from the road, just up from the main entrance to the Udaigiri caves, or cutting directly across from Hathi Gumpha via steps that drop down from cave 17. The latter route brings you out at caves 1 and 2, known as the "Parrot Caves" for the carvings of birds on their doorway-arches. Cave 2, excavated in the first century BC, is the larger and more interesting.

On the back wall of one of its cells, a few faint lines in red brahmini script are thought to have been scrawled 2000 years ago by a monk practicing his handwriting. The relief's in cave 3, the Ananta Gumpha or "Snake Cave"- serpents decorate the doorways - contain the best of the sculpture on Khandagiri hill, albeit badly vandalzed in places.

Caves 7 and 8 both house relief's of Tirthankaras on their walls as well as Hindu deities which had, by the time conversion work was done, become part of the Jain pantheon. The best place to wind up a visit to Khandagiri is the modern Jain Temple at the top of the hill. Aside from some old Tirthankars in the shrine room, the building itself, erected during the nineteenth century on the site of a much earlier structure. 
 
Udaigiri 
Near Bhubaneshwar. Udaigiri caves occupy a fairly compact area around the south of the hill. Cave 1, the Rani Gumpha or "Queen's Cave", is tucked away around the corner. Its best sculpture is to be found over the pillars, arches and to the rear of the courtyard on the lower level, and across the back wall of the upper storey, where a long frieze shows rampaging elephants, panicking monkeys, sword fights and the abduction of a women.

Nobody, as yet, has managed to string all these scenes into a coherent narrative, though some are thought to illustrate episodes from the life of Kalinga's King Kharavela. As you return along the same path, the first caves of interest are numbers 3 and 4 - a double-storied cave containing sculptures of a lion holding its prey, elephants with snakes wrapped around them and pillars topped by pairs of peculiar winged animals.

Its popular name, Ganesh Gumpha, is not derived from the elephants in front of the cave, but from the appearance on the rear wall of the cell on the right of the elephant-heades Ganesh. From here, follow the path to the ledge at the very top of Udaigiri hill for good views and the ruins of an old chaitya hall. This was probably the main place of worship for the Jain monks who lived below and may even once have housed the legendary .

Beaches:
Puri 
Abode of Lord Jagannatha, literally Lord of the World, Puri is one of the four holy places in India. Located on the shores of Bay of Bengal, it has one of the finest beaches in the world. The population size of Puri is 125,000. Puri is situated at sea level. It has an equitable type of climate, with maximum temperature varying between 25-33 degree Celsius and minimum temperature varies from 18-26 degree Celsius. November to March is the best time to visit Puri. 
 
Chandipur 
An ideal beach resort of Orissa situated 16 kms. from Balasore, 200 km from Cuttack and 230 km from Bhubaneswar, awaits you for a memorable experience along its shores. It is a unique sea beach where seawater recedes about 5 kms. during low tide and advances to the shoreline again during high tide , each day. For assistance contact: Government of Orissa Tourist Office, SPA Marketing Complex, Block-B, Station Square, Balasore. Tel: (06782)-62048. 
 
Gahirmatha beach
The Gahirmatha beach in Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary is the largest breeding ground of `Olive Ridley' turtles in the world. The temple of `Nahak Babu', is a renovated Khakara temple and enshrines Durga, Uma Maheshwar and other sculptures. Another small but compact and beautiful temple built in sandstone of reddish hue is found close by. 
 
Gopalpur-on-sea 
On the Bay of Bengal lies this favourite spot for sea lovers. Warm and gentle sunshine greets you and the golden beach is an ideal place to swim or laze around. Once an ancient seaport, today Gopalpur-on-sea is a modern beach resort fringed by sand dunes attracting tourists from all over the world. Nearby are the ruins of an old jetty from where sailors set out to Indonesia in medieval times.

Bolighai Beach 
8 km from Puri, this is a sea beach and Sea Turtle Research Center. Witness tranquility turning into an unforgettable vacation along this quaint beach along the coastline of Orissa. The beach is bordered by casuarinas plantations. Its serene environs are an ideal getaway from the tensions of the city life.

Konark Beach 
The place is famous for it's sun temple. The population size of this small town is 12,000. Although most people make a day trip to Konark from Puri or Bhubaneswar, it's a wonderfully peaceful place to spend a few days. However, there isn't a lot of accommodation here as yet. 
 
Paradeep 
Paradeep offers evergreen forests, a huge estuary of the Mahanadi with islands and creeks, a good marine drive and beach. This is a major commercial seaport of the country. It is 94 kms. from Cuttack and 125 kms. from Bhubaneswar. 
 
Wildlife:
Similipal
A vast and beautiful area protecting India's largest region of sal forest, with magnificient scenery and a variety of wildlife, including tiger, elephant, leopard, sambar, chital, muntjac and chevrotain. The best time is from November to June. In the centre of Mayurbhanj district of Orissa, is Simlipal- one of the 18 tiger reserves of India. 2,750 sq. kms of lush grassland and Sal forests, this reserved forest was declared a sanctuary in 1979. It has an awesome beauty: the water falls, tribal settlements and mountain peaks add grace to the park. 

Nandakanha
The 'Garden of Pleasure', a combination of a beautiful botanical garden, a zoo and a sanctuary, Nandankanan, situated 20 km from Bhubaneshwar, provides perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It's quiet environment sets amidst a vast expanse of the Chandaka forest where the flora and fauna flourish in their most natural habitat and environment.

The zoo at Nandankanan is world famous for its white tigers. In 1980, for the first time, three white cubs were born to ordinary tiger parents. Leopards, Lions, Bears and other reptiles and smaller mammals keep the tigers company. Among other sanctuaries, Nandankanan also has the first Gharial breeding centre.