Now the main attraction of this small town in the Ganjam district of Orissa or Odisha as the State is now called, is its beautiful, unspoiled and immaculate beach that stretches over 10 kms of the coastal line. The beach is amongst the most unpolluted and picturesque beaches in India and thousands of tourists and holiday-makers throng the sunny silver sands especially in the best season; from October to April each year.

Gopalpur on Sea is all about the sun, the sand and the sea. The sun shines bright yet it is not hot and burning. The sands are soft, silky and golden and stretch for miles. The sea takes on a hundred shades of azure and shines in the golden sun. The tide brings with it thousands of sea shells and conches and drops them on the beach. Red crabs come out of their holes and walk around the beach in search of food.

The beach of Gopalpur on Sea is an idyllic heaven with coconut trees, cashew-nut gardens and the freshest and best seafood anywhere in the world. As yet, untouched by the humdrum of hi-tech modern life, the Gopalpur beach offers the most relaxed and restful holiday anytime and one can go there anytime as the weather is moderate all year round.

Location

Gopalpur on Sea is situated in the Ganjam district of Odisha State on the coast of the Bay of Bengal in India. The nearest town is Behrampur which is 16 kms away and Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha is 170 kms away. The temple town of Puri which also lies on the coast of the State is 240 kms away.

How To Reach

Gopalpur on Sea is accessible by Air, Rail and Road.

By Air

Gopalpur on Sea can be reached from Bhubaneshwar or Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh by Air. The nearer Bhubaneswar airport is 190kms away and the farther, Vishakhapatnam airport is around 260km away.

By Rail

Behrampur the nearest town which is 16 kms away has a railway station that lies on the South-Eastern Railway line that connects Chennai and Kolkata.

By Road

Gopalpur on Sea is well connected by a good motorable road to Berhampur (16-km), The National Highway no 5 or NH5 touches Behrampur and connects it to Bhubaneshwar which is at a distance of 180kms. and Puri which is 240 kms away. Since NH5 is part of the Golden Quadrilateral, Gopulpur can be considered as well connected by road to the rest of the country.

Local Transport

Gopalpur is a laid back place with no fancy transport. Yet, since it is a small town, auto rickshaws provide the convenience of going around the place. Tourists can hire taxis or private cars for sight-seeing around the area. Many hotels provide private transport for tourists and also drop-off at Railway station or Airport.

Temperature And Weather

The weather around Gopalpur on Sea all round the year is balmy and sunny with not much difference in temperature. The summers are moderate and so are the winters and the monsoons are not very heavy either.

The maximum and minimum temperatures in summer are 35°C and 23°C respectively. The cooler winters have maximum and minimum temperatures of 27°C and 16°C. The annual rainfall is about 118 mm. and the rain falls between June to September.

Gopalpur can be visited at almost any time of the year. But October to April are considered the best months for tourists.

Attractions

Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake in Odisha State of India is the largest fresh salty inland lake in all of Asia. The lake is only 45 kms from Gopalpur and a must-visit for the visitors of Gopalpur on Sea. This huge expanse of water spreading over 1000 square kms. Is a one of the biggest homing ground in winter for migratory birds coming from far away cold countries such as Siberia. The core area covering about 20 kms of the lake, where a phenomenal number of species of water fowl are found, is declared a sanctuary and is protected territory.

Taptapani

Taptapani literally means hot water is a natural spa with hot water having medicinal properties because of the presence of sulphur in it. Another special quality of this hot water spring is that the temperature of the hot water is an unvarying 55°C.  This natural spa is about 67 kms from Gopalpur and is visited by almost all visitors to Gopalpur beach.

Mahuri Kalua

The temple of Mahuri Kalua falls on the way to Tapatapani. It is a beautiful picturesque spot where this ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Kalua is situated.  As it is on the way to Tapatapani and only 30 kms from Gopalpur, it is a must visit for tourists as they can see both the places on one trip.

Jaugarh

The area around Gopalpur was of great importance in historical times which is evident from the rock edicts of Emperor Ashoka that have been discovered at Jaugarh. From these edicts historians have deduced that Jaugarh was a hub of many activities during the Ashoka period of Indian history. A Shiva temple and some images of Buddha found here show that Jaugarh was an important religious place. It is about 50 kms from Gopal0pur.

Taratarni

Taratarni is a religious shrine dedicated to the twin- goddesses; Tara and Tarini and is of the Tantric cult. This temple is situated on top of a hill near a village called Purshottampur. The whole are is beautiful and scenic with the river Rushikulya winding its way around the hill. More than a thousand-steps lead to the temple on the hilltop and people from the surrounding areas make regular visits to the temple especially on Tuesdays of the Hindu month of “Chaitra”.

Activities

Gopalpur beach is as yet pristine and unpolluted as visitors and tourists do not swarm the place. It is a quiet and beautiful place that is ideal for complete relaxation and rest. It is however not completely devoid of activity. The usual sea-side activities such as surfing, yatching are available for the tourists who demand these. Boat cruises are also available to go around and admire the natural beauty of the place and also visit the old light house from where you can see the languorous beach. There are trainers and coaches who can help you with water sporting activities. Life guards are also around to make your sojourns in the sea safe.

Nearby Hotels

Gopalpur has now been noticed by hospitality providers and all varieties of hotels have come up around the place, ranging from Star categorized hotels, resorts and cheap beach-shacks. The Oberoi Palm Beach hotel is for the top-rung tourists. The middle class visitors can avail the facilities of Swosti Palm Resorts and Hotel Green Park. There are also budget-hotels such as Song-of-the-Sea, Sea-Side Breeze, Kalinga Hotel, Pantha Nivas and Holiday-Home hotel. The local population has also chipped in by refurbishing old colonial bungalows and houses that are hired out to holiday makers. The youth hostel caters to young and old  back-packers.

Restaurants

The food available here is exceptionally good. For lovers of seafood, Gopalpur is nothing short of heaven. It is heartening to know that food is good not only in Restaurants but also in beach-shacks. Given enough time, food will be specially prepared for you. You can buy your favorite fish and veggies from the market and the hotel chef or the shack cook will prepare a gourmet dish only for you.

Shopping

The town of Behrampur which is only 16 kms away from Gopalpur is well known as the Silk- City of Odisha. Odisha is famous for its hand-woven Ikat silk. Behrampuri Pata are heavy silk sarees that are traditional and unique. There are many shops in Annapurna Market and Barra Bazaar from where one can buy silk sarees, fabric and dhotis. Many shops also sell other Odisha handicrafts such as filigree work of Cuttack and also the local papads, pickles, spices etc.

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