Bhubaneswar, India: travel guide
Temple city of Odisha — 'City of Temples' with over 700 medieval Kalinga temples, the Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves, and emerging modern art galleries.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Nearest airport
- BBI
Top places to visit in Bhubaneswar
Lingaraja Temple
Temple · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h
The towering 11th-century Lingaraja Temple, the grandest of Bhubaneswar's shrines and a masterpiece of Kalinga architecture, dedicated to Harihara (Shiva-Vishnu).
Rajarani Temple
Temple · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h · entry INR 300
An 11th-century temple of warm dulmal sandstone, famed for its sculpted maidens and dikpalas; now a ticketed monument with a lawn setting.
Nandankanan Zoological Park
Wildlife · 4.4 rating · about 3 h · entry INR 100
A famous forested zoo and botanical garden ~20 km out, renowned for white tigers, a lion safari and a large nocturnal-animal house.
Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · entry INR 300
Twin hills honeycombed with 2nd-century-BCE Jain rock-cut caves carved for monks, with reliefs, inscriptions and city views.
Dhauli Shanti Stupa
Temple · 4.5 rating · about 1 h
A gleaming white Peace Pagoda on Dhauli hill marking the Kalinga War site where Ashoka embraced Buddhism, with rock edicts and river views.
Mukteshwar Temple
Temple · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h
A jewel-box 10th-century temple famed for its exquisitely carved torana (arched gateway) — the "gem of Odisha architecture".
ISKCON Bhubaneswar
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1 h
A serene marble Krishna-Balaram temple with daily aartis, gardens and a vegetarian restaurant, a calm spiritual stop in the city.
Ekamra Haat
Market · 4.3 rating · about 1.3 h
An open-air crafts bazaar showcasing Odisha's handlooms, applique, Pattachitra and silver filigree, with food stalls and frequent cultural shows.
Odisha State Museum
Museum · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · entry INR 100
A rich state museum of Odishan sculpture, palm-leaf manuscripts, tribal artefacts and natural history across multiple galleries.
Bindusagar Lake
Nature · 4.1 rating · about 0.5 h
A sacred tank beside the Lingaraja temple, said to gather waters from all of India's holy rivers, central to old-town ritual life.
Things to do
- Nandankanan Zoo & Lion Safari Wildlife · 3 h · from INR 500 per person
- Bhubaneswar Temple Heritage Walk Cultural · 3 h · from INR 900 per person
- Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves Tour Cultural · 2 h · from INR 700 per person
- Dhauli & Pipili Applique Trip Cultural · 4 h · from INR 1,200 per person
Day trips and tours
- Golden Triangle: Bhubaneswar–Konark–Puri 12 h · from INR 2,800
- Bhubaneswar Temple City Tour 8 h · from INR 1,500
- Nandankanan & Dhauli Trip 6 h · from INR 1,500
Where to stay in Bhubaneswar
- Nayapalli about INR 2,500 per night
Central residential area with mid-range hotels
Hotels
- Mayfair Lagoon 5-star · INR 8,000 to INR 15,000 per night
- Trident Bhubaneswar 5-star · INR 7,000 to INR 13,000 per night
- Swosti Premium 4-star · INR 4,500 to INR 8,000 per night
- Ginger Bhubaneswar 3-star · INR 3,500 to INR 6,000 per night
- Hotel Swosti Grand 4-star · INR 3,500 to INR 6,500 per night
- Hotel Empires 3-star · INR 2,500 to INR 4,500 per night
Where to eat
- Dalma Odia · about INR 400 per person
- Truptee Restaurant North Indian, Chinese, Odia · about INR 400 per person
- Odisha Hotel Odia · about INR 250 per person
- Hare Krishna Restaurant North Indian, Chinese · about INR 500 per person
- Kanika (Mayfair Lagoon) Odia, North Indian, Mughlai · about INR 1,200 per person
- Mausam Restaurant Mughlai, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 400 per person
- Tangerine 9 Continental, Italian, Cafe · about INR 500 per person
- Cafe Ekamra Cafe, Continental, Fast Food · about INR 350 per person
Getting around
- Auto Rickshaw main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.