Konark Travel Guide:FAQs for Tourists Visiting Konark, Odisha (2024)
Konark is a beautiful town in Odisha. It is situated within the Puri district of Odisha. The main attraction of Konark is the Konark Sun temple that is dedicated to the Sun God ‘Surya”. The name “Konark” comes from the Sanskrit words, “Kona” meaning ‘angle”, and “Arka” meaning “the Sun”. There are even many more tourist attractions in Konark that makes the place worthy of visiting when you are in the state of Odisha. Here is brief travel info that would help you guide if are planning your next trip to Konark in Odisha. Image Source
Konark- Travel Info:
A tour to Konark would give you some great opportunities to visit attractive places, enjoy a serene stay, shop endlessly, and experience a trip that you would ever keep in your memories.
Who Should Visit Konark?
If you are someone who loves watching architectural splendors, love to explore the beauty of a serene beach, want to shop some amazing items made of stone, horn, and wood carvings, then you should definitely visit Konark.
What Is The Best Time To Visit Konark?
The best time to visit Konark is from September to March.
Konark is renowned for the Sun Temple that was built in the 13th century. Many tourists visit this place to look at the alluring architecture and design of the Konark Sun temple. Apart from this, you can also enjoy the pristine beaches.
What Is The Best Way To Reach Konark?
Below are some ways to reach Konark.
By Air: Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar, located at a distance of 64 km from Konark, is the closest airport to the town. Being the only international airport in the state of Odisha, it is well connected with most of the major cities in India like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Upon reaching Bhubaneswar airport, you can travel to Konark by either bus, taxi, or cabs, which are easily available outside the airport.
By Rail: The nearest railway stations from Konark is located in Puri and Bhubaneswar, which are at a distance of 35 km and 61 km away from Konark respectively. Both the stations are well connected to all major cities within the state of Odisha and the rest of the country with several trains running daily.
By Road: If you want to travel by road, you can take OTDC or the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation buses that are public buses running between Bhubaneswar or Puri and Konark. However, taking a private taxi or cab would be a better travel option for you.
Safety Suggestions:
Cyclones are quite common in Odisha and there are also chances of flight cancellations or delays. However, most airlines are cautious, so flights to the Bhubaneswar airport must be safe.
How Is The Weather In Konark?
Summer In Konark (March to June):
Summers in Konark is extremely hot and humid, and the maximum temperature goes above 40 degrees to 43 degrees C. You can visit the place during this time, however, it is advisable to limit all outdoor activities during the daytime and try out in the evening hours.
Monsoon In Konark (July to September):
Monsoons in Konark lasts from July to September and they are accompanied by medium showers along with high cyclones at times. The temperature during monsoon seasons falls to an average of 25 degrees to 32 degrees C. The most amount of rainfall is received in August, with an annual average of 152 cm.
Winter In Konark (October to February):
The winter months in Konark are from October to February. Winters are pleasant in Konark, with the temperature falling to as low as 15 degrees Celsius. This is the best time to visit Konark and enjoy your trip to the fullest. The winter season is an ideal time for sightseeing and exploring the town and the coastline. Apart from this, winter is also the time when a lot of important festivals, such as the Konark Dance Festival and the Indian Surf Festival take place. So, if you visit Konark during the winter season, you can enjoy your trip a lot and explore the festive season.
What Is Famous About Konark?
The Konark Sun Temple is one of the heritage sites that is the most renowned place in Konark. However, apart from the place and its tourist attractions, a lot of other things are famous here. Konark shopping would be great for you since you can purchase some most beautiful Pattachitra paintings on palm leaf, exquisite appliqué work from Pipili. The beautiful fabrics and handicraft items are also famous in Konark.
What Is The Local Food In Konark?
Rice is the staple food in the state of Odisha, and it is generally a part of every big meal of the day. Some of the local dishes that you can try in Konark are MandiaJau, Pakhala, and many types of Pithas. Prominently fish features a lot of dishes in Konark and you should not miss them out, especially the fish that is made Bengali-style.
There are many good places to eat in Konark, and most of these serve local delicacies along with various continental cuisine. Some of the best restaurants you can visit in Konark are Sun Temple Hotel, Waterfront Grill Café, and Hotel Chandrabhaga.
What Languages Do The People Speak In Konark?
Odia is the local language in the state of Odisha. People in Konarl mostly speak Odia. However, they also speak Hindi and English languages.
How To Travel Within Konark?
There are state-run buses in Konark town. But, these buses are not in good condition and might make your journey discomforting. So, you should avoid traveling by these buses. There are regular jeeps and buses from Puri to Konark. You can travel by autorickshaws in Konark town.
What Are Some Tourist Attractions Of Konark?
Konark is well known for its Sun Temple that is a heritage site in Odisha. The Konark town is an idyllic religious and holiday destination. It has a tranquil ambiance, beautiful seashores, and enthralling heritage sites. There is no end to the tourist attractions in Konark.
Image Source
As mentioned earlier, the Konark Sun Temple is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the town. This temple is specifically devoted to the Sun God and is now recognized as a World Heritage Site. This architectural splendor was built in the 13th century by Kind Narasimhadeva from the Ganga dynasty. Now, what’s the most stunning feature of this Sun Temple? It is the huge Chariot with 24 giant wheels that are being pulled by seven horses. Konark Sun Temple resembles the mythological image of the Suryadev or the Sun God on his 7-horse-drawn carriage journeying through heaven.
Image Source
Apart from the Sun Temple, the archaeological museum is also an excellent tourist attraction of Konark. It is worth visiting since it is a repository of brilliant Odia architecture. Some of the marvelous architecture present in the museum includes exclusive pieces like the Medieval Stone Block or the opulently decorated Navagraha slab that was originally placed over the temple’s front door.
Fantastic beaches in Konark are also some of the tourist attractions of Konark. You can indulge in several water sports and sightseeing expeditions on the beaches of Konark.
What Are Some Day Tours Of Konark?
There are a lot of places near Konark where you can visit and enjoy your day tours. Below are some of them.
Ramachandi And Chandrabhaga Beaches:Ramachandi is the place near Konark, where the River Kusabhadra enters the Bay of Bengal. This is one of the most serene and magnificent places near Konark. There are several water sports available here that you can enjoy. Apart from this, you can also visit the Ramachandi temple of the local deity.
Image Source:
Closer to Konark, there is an auspicious Hindu Pilgrimage site known as Chandrabhaga. Here it is said that the Hindu God, Lord Krishna’s son Shambo has prayed to the Sun God Suryadev and been cured of leprosy.
Puri: If you are in Konark, plan a day tour to Puri, where you can visit the world-famous Lord Jagannath Temple, the Puri beach, and Raghurajpur handicraft village.
Image Source
Astaranga Beach: Astaranga beach is a splendid beach near Konark where you can spend some quality time during evening hours. This is at a distance of 34 km from Konark. The ideal place to visit Astaranga beach is during the sunset when you can experience the multi-hued horizon. Local people here are involved in salt collection and fishing. The shrine of revere Muslim saint PirJahania is one more attraction in the area.
Kuruma: You can visit Kuruma, which is a less explored Buddhist site, located at a distance of 7 km. You can know so many things about the history of India from this place. You would definitely enjoy the place.