Gopalpur
Gopalpur-on-sea is a beach resort in Ganjam district of Odisha (formerly Orissa). Once a busy sea port, it is now a quiet place. The din and bustle of the temple towns is totally absent and one can really enjoy the roar of the waves and the breeze bustling through the palm trees. With an increase in the inflow of tourists from the late 1970s, Gopalpur-on-Sea enjoyed a slow revival and is today one of the foremost beach resorts in India.
Get in
- By air - The nearest airport is at Bhubaneswar, 180 km from Gopalpur-on-sea. Bhubaneshwar is a one-hour flight from Kolkata.
- By rail - The nearest railhead is Berhampur (16 km) on the Kolkata-Chennai line. Berhampur is 608 km from Howrah and 1069 km from Chennai.
Some of the trains which stop at Berhampur are: 6003/6004 Howrah Chennai Mail, 2703/2704 Faluknama Express, 8645/8646 East Coast Express, 2660/2659 Gurudev Express, 2863/2864 Howrah Yeshvantpur Express, 5228/5227 Muzaffarpur Yeshvantpur Express (weekly), 6355/6356 Kanyakumari Express (weekly), Howrah Tiruchirapalli Express (biweekly), 2508/2507 Guwahati Ernakulam Express (weekly), 2530/2509 Guwahati Bangalore Express (triweekly), 5628/5627 Guwahati Trivandrum Express (weekly), 5630/5629 Guwahati Chennai Egmore Express (weekly).
For timings etc. check with Indian Railways.
- By road – One can drive in to Gopalpur-on-sea from Berhampur (now renamed Brahmapur) on National Highway 5
- Gopalpur-on-Sea does not have a tourist office but Government of Odisha has a tourist office at Berhampur. It is near the New Bus Stand (1st Floor), Berhampur, Distt Ganjam, Telephone: +91 680 2280226.
Get around
Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are available in the area to move around. Buses, minibuses and tourist taxis can be hired from Berhampur.
See
Since the beach faces eastward, sunrises are spectacular.
Nearby there stands a lone imposing lighthouse complementing the scenery at the beach. There are also the crumbling walls and pillars of the jetty.
Do
Just relax!
There is also a Light House on the beach (1965), which offers a spectacular 360-degree view of Gopalpur, the sea and a portion of the Chilika Lake. The Visiting time is 15:30 - 17:30 local time daily. Be on time, they close sharp at 17:30! Nominal fees apply which are displayed there. Avoid carrying bags and umbrellas as they are not allowed atop the Light House.
Buy
There is always something to buy, if you are so keen. Odisha is famous for hand-woven saris and handicrafts.
Eat
Various kinds of fish, roadside fast food including Gupchup, Guguni chat, Soup, Role, Pokoda are available.
Sleep
- Holiday Inn,, ☏ +91 680 2242694. ₹200-400.
- Hotel Green Park, ☏ +91 680 2242016. ₹500-900.
- Hotel Heaven Spot, ☏ +91 680 224 3274. ₹400-800.
- Hotel Holiday Home,, ☏ +91 33 680 2242049. ₹500-1,000.
- Hotel Kalinga, ☏ +91 33 680 2242067. ₹350-850.
- Hotel Plaza Millennium,, ☏ +91 680 2242647. ₹500-1,200.
- Hotel Rosalin, ☏ +91 680 2242071. ₹100-150.
- Hotel Sea Pearl, ☏ +91 33 680 2242556. ₹600 - 1200.
- Hotel Song of the Sea,, ☏ +91 680 2242347. ₹750-1,200.
- Krishna's Internet Zone, Beach Road, ☏ +91 9438252831.
- Natraj Tourist Lodge,, ☏ +91 680 2242340. ₹80-150.
- Pantha Nibas (Odisha Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.), ☏ +91 680 2243931, +91 680 2242088, otdc@ortel.net, otdc@panthanivas.com. ₹650-2650.
- Rohini, ☏ +91 680 2242309. ₹400-750.
- Sai Tourist Lodge,, ☏ +91 680 2242041. ₹70-120.
- Seaside Breeze, Telephone +91 680 2242075, Rooms ₹400-700.
- Tourist Home, ☏ +91 680 2242068. ₹200-300.
Go next
- Chandragiri, Tibetan refugee village, 36 km south of Taptapani.
- Taptapani hot springs – 67 km from Gopalpur-on-sea, about an hour's drive.