The Mysterious Hide-and-Seek Beach of Chandipur, Odisha

A beach is somewhere you can gaze upon the vast horizon with no end as far as your eyes go. It is one of the favourite vacation destinations for most people. It’s not only seen as a place of relaxation but also as a place of natural beauty at its finest. The sunrises and sunsets are delightful and romantic.  Chandipur comes under one of the amazing beaches of India. However, it is a bit different from any other beach. This beach located in Odisha is jam-packed with mysteries. Have you ever seen the sea disappear right in front of your eyes? Read on to discover the mystery of this place.

Chandipur Beach – A Place of Mysteries

The uniqueness of the beach can be stated by the fact that the sea water disappears periodically right in front of your eyes, and then reappears after some time. Believe it or not, this is true. The saline water recedes up to 5 km, during low tide twice a day, leaving behind only the shells. There is no fixed time of this process, as it depends on the moon cycle, but it happens every day. This is one of the most distinctive from any other beaches of India.

Speciality of the Chandipur Beach

• At a certain time of the day, you can walk up to 5 km or ride a bike or drive a car inside the sea which is incredible. The freedom of wandering fearlessly into the seabed attracts a lot of tourists. When the seawater returns it brings along with it horseshoe crab and other crabs, which otherwise live further in the sea.
• Chandipur also provides mouth watering seafood- especially Prawns, Crab and Pomfret. You can enjoy the scenic beauty with seafood which is available in the shacks near the beach.
• Chandipur is also home to a wide variety of biodiversity. It is not unusual to see a crab crawling beside with you. Horseshoe crab and tiny red crabs are found in great numbers. The sprawling stretch of shining golden sand is surrounded by Casuarina trees, sand dunes and rocky coasts.
• Chandipur beach is also well known for its alliance with the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Integrated Test Range. Missiles like Akash, Shaurya, Agni and Prithvi have been launched from here.

Places to Visit in Chandipur

Apart from the unique “Hide-and-Seek” beach of Chandipur there a lot of places you can visit here. So, here is a list of tourist places we have made for you:

Panchalingeswar Shrine: The temple is named after five Shivalinga that are placed inside which is covered with the green belt shielded with Nilagiri hills. You need to climb approximately 250 stairs and walk some time to reach the shrine. It is about 45 km from Chandipur.

Remuna: Being famous for the shrine of Khirachora Gopinath, Remuna is 25 km away from Chandipur. A special milk preparation, Khira, is the most delicious offering of the temple. Trees like Champak and Kadamba fill the air with a sweet fragrance. If you are looking for inner peace then this is the place you need to visit.

Simlipal National Park: Located in a beautiful and scenic town it is one of the largest Wildlife Sanctuary of India. This area is abundant with dense forest, startling waterfalls, beautiful rivers and striking meadows. A large variety of creatures can be found here. It is 100 km away from Chandipur.

Best Time to Visit Chandipur

The best time to visit this place is in winters, between the months of November and March. An elaborate beach festival takes places in the month of February every year showcasing dance forms, art and culture of the state.

How to Reach

Chandipur is a sleepy, secluded seaside village located in the district of Balasore of the state Odisha. It is approximately 16 km away from the Balasore Railway Station. It is about 200 km from the state capital Bhubaneshwar.

There are buses, taxis and auto rickshaws available near Chandipur. You can also hire a car at an affordable rate for sightseeing in Balasore.

Nearest Airport: The obscure place has no airport. Biju Pattnaik International Airport of Bhubaneshwar and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport of Kolkata are the nearest to this place. You can hire a taxi at an affordable price to reach your destination.

Nearest Railway Station: This place also does not have any railway station. Balasore’s railway station is the nearest which is connected to various major cities, hence making travelling to Chandipur easy. The station is situated at a distance of somewhat 16km from Chandipur.

Location Map

If you are planning to visit a sea-shore in the coming holiday, I would suggest you visit the Disappearing Sea- Chandipur. One can be assured of a good journey as the green scenery follows you throughout. It is a perfect place to relax and to spend quality time with family.