Balasore can be best described as a beautiful beach city that is situated in the northernmost region of Orissa that was converted into a district in the 19^th century. The region enjoys a rich culture and heritage, along with being the birthplace of famous freedom fighters like Jatindranath Mukherjee and Fakir Mohan Senapati, who is also credited with being the saviour of the Odia language.

With architecturally splendid temples and historical structures spread all over the district and around it, visitors to the region are bound to find some spectacular gems on their trip to Balasore. Read on to know some of the best things to explore in Balasore.

Chandipur Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Orissa. The unique feature that sets it apart from other beaches is the receding shoreline that goes back anywhere between 1 km to as far back as 5 km during the times of low tide. This gives visitors the opportunity to take a walk on the actual bed of the ocean; a lot of locals even visit with their bikes and cars to enjoy a drive on the seabed.

Chandbali is a popular tourist spot in the Bhadrak district located 115 km outside Balasore. While it was earlier just a small fishing village, today it is well known among visitors as a river port where one can catch a ferry to reach the Bhitarkanika National Park around 35 km away. Boats can also be availed to religious spots nearby like Aradi and Dhamra.

Talsari is a popular beach town located around 90 km from Balasore. It is in the form of an island created by the meeting point of the river Subarnarekha into the Bay of Bengal. The sandy beach surrounded by casuarina groves is a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise or sunset, or even enjoy a simple jeep ride on the beach to the popular spots nearby.

Nilagiri is a small town in the Balasore district that enjoys a rich local heritage; currently, it is best known for its scenic locales and popular tourist spots like the famous Panchalingeswar Temple and the Jagannath Temple. The hill region of the town is situated in the Kuldiha forests and thrill-seeking travellers love to hike across the hillsides to reach the local tourist destinations located within the town and nearby. Trekking through these regions amidst the sparkling streams and beautiful countryside will prove to be a fun experience for all nature lovers. Camping outlets are also located in a number of areas for the convenience of trekkers and visitors.

A number of temples near Balasore make it a town that is frequented by religious devotees. The Panchalingeswar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the most popular spot among these places of worship, which pilgrims especially flock to during the festival of Navaratri. Jagannath Temple, the temple of Chandaneswar, and Aradi situated near the bank of Vaitarani also attract large crowds during holy festivals.