The small beach town of Chandipur is situated around 15 km away from the Baleswar district of the eastern state Orissa. The beaches of Chandipur are some of the most exquisite shores along Bay of Bengal, with beautiful and vast stretches of sand surrounded by Casuarina trees that create a peaceful laid-back environment. There are also numerous other attractions around Chandipur that make this place a favorite among locals and seasonal tourists for excursions and short weekend trips. Here is a list of some of the best places to visit in and around Chandipur.

Also known as Chandipur-on-sea, the beach is the main attraction that drives majority of the tourists to this town. It has been nicknamed the ‘Vanishing Beach’ for its unique feature – the receding of the sea to as much as 5 km during ebb tide, which allows visitors to take walks or even rides bikes on the actual sea bed. Families enjoying picnics and couples enjoying some quality time with each other is a common sight observable on the beach.

Located 25 km away from Chandipur, Remuna is a town famous for the shrine known as Khirachora Gopinath, which is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple has been named after the Lord’s love for milk; Khirachora can be translated as ‘Milk Thief’ and Gopinath as ‘Divine Consort of Gopis’. The temple is also a well known site for Vaishanavite pilgrimage, with an ethereal ambience that surrounds the temple grounds.

Sajanagarh is a small village in the Baleswar district around 45 km away from Chandipur, and is a religiously significant region for being one of the 52 Shakti piths of Goddess Durga along with being the location of the famous Bhudara Chandi shrine that is visited by crowds of devotees all through the year. If one finds the opportunity, local dances such as the Patua Jatra, Baunsa Rani, Danda Nata and Pala dance are a brilliant spectacle to watch.

The Panchalingeshwar is a shrine dedicated to the phallic form of Lord Shiva and consists of five statues of the deity. It is situated around 45 km away from Chandipur , with the lingam statues placed near a perennial stream such that it is constantly being washed by a flow of water. Being located on a hilltop near Nilagiri, the temple can be reached after climbing a couple hundred stairs.

Under the Defense Research & Development Organization, the Indian Army has demarcated a part of the beach to be a certified missile launching site. It is in the form of an island and the ballistic missiles Surya, Agni, Akash and Prithvi were successfully launched from the Integrated Test Range. While it may not be possible to visit the actual site of the test range, the region is crossed on the way to the beach and a giant statue of ex-President APJ Abdul Kalam can also be observed along the way; the island has been named after him as well.

Simlipal National Park is part of an Elephant Reserve that also serves as a sanctuary for a variety of bird, reptile and mammal species. The park is a spectacular culmination of grassy lands and meadows, with beautiful waterfalls and meandering rivers that are home to the extensive wildlife population. The main attraction of the reserve are the tigers, which although a rare sight, form the heart of the sanctuary.