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Bhubaneshwar traffic is like any other Indian city. You can goto all city sites via auto-rickshaw. They rarely go by the meter. Inter-city roads are all one-lane and can easily get choked with traffic.
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Odisha is pretty bad for vegetarians. There is hardly anything to eat in Konark and Satpada. Puri and Bhubaneshwar have enough vegetarian options.
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Hotel Grand Central, Bhubaneshwar: Excellent service. Located close to the railway station. Easy to find transportation to/from the hotel. The hotel is a bit noisy as a result. The rooms are a bit small. The food is excellent and the tariff quite reasonable.
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OTDC Yatri Niwas, Konark: Really bad food and the service is very slow. The rooms are acceptable. The outside landscaping is quite stunning. The hotel is located furthest from the monument, but closest to the museum.
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OTDC Yatri Niwas, Satpada: Food, service, room are all bad. This is the only open to stay overnight in Satpada. The hotel is undergoing renovations now and the construction noise is quite bad.
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Bhubaneshwar to Puri: ~60 km, 1.5 to 2 hrs. The entire route is one-lane although the two-laning is happening right now.
Puri to Konark: ~35 km, 40 min. Road is one-lane, but it is very good and the traffic is thin. The route is quite scenic.
Puri to Satpada: ~48 km, 1.5 to 2 hrs. Road is very narrow and goes through numerous villages. There are speed breakers every few kilometres. Note that if you are going from Konark to Satpada, you will have to cross Puri city, which will not be a pleasing experience.
Time Required at the Sights
- Udayagiri/Khandagiri caves: 1.5 to 2 hrs. Guide recommended.
- State Museum: 1 hrs.
- Tribal Museum: 30 mins; If you are looking for the museum, ask for CRPF circle and then ask around for "adivasi museum".
- Konark: 1 to 2 hrs. Guide recommended.
- Chilka Lake Cruise: Just stick to Dolphin cruises. The ones that take you for bird watching is a waste of time. The drivers don't know anything about birds and the boat motors will scare them away long before you can sight them.