These are the two most famous beaches in the Eastern side of the Country. Which one, according to you, trumps the other, and why?
Hello there! Puri Beach Puri Beach is located in the city of Puri in the state of Odisha. This beach is a very well-known Hindu sacred place as the Jagannath Temple is located nearby. Aside from that, the annual Puri Beach Festival is held here, wherein sand art displays are showcased. The annual beach festival attracts many tourists during the month of November. Sand sculptures done by the famous Sudarshan Patnaik are a major attraction during the festival. There are various subjects in the sculptures, ranging from Hindu mythology and even contemporary literature. The Puri Beach also boasts of a long stretch of shoreline. The main areas might be crowded, especially on weekends and public holidays. But venture further into the beach and you might just find a more secluded area. There are also no shortage of food stalls, shacks, eateries, resorts and hotels around the beach. Staying nearby the beach won't be a problem. But you need to book in advance during peak season as Puri is one of the top destinations especially for its beaches. The water of the sea is quite brought though especially during November onwards. However, the shores and the water are generally clean. If you'd just like to enjoy the sunset view, I'd recommend the Puri Beach. However, for non-swimmers, be careful when venturing out in the deeper water as the waves can be quite strong. Water sports aren't available in the beach though. But there are horse and camel rides that you can try for a fee. You can also visit the beach during dawn and enjoy the view of the fishermen gathering their catches. You can also hire a boat to reach the other side of the beach, the Chakratirtha side. This has golden sands and is more serene than the more commercialised Puri Beach. However, the waves are stronger here so swimming isn't advised. Digha Beach Digha Beach is in the East Midnapore District of West Bengal. There's actually an Old Digha Beach. Unfortunately, this beach was destroyed by heavy soil erosion and strong tidal waves. The government constructed a new beach, about 2 kms away from the Older Digha Beach. The New Digha Beach is bigger and better than the Old Digha Beach. Supposedly, the New Digha Beach is able to hold more crowds than the smaller Old Digha Beach. The waves are gentle here and the water is shallow enough. However, some parts of the shores are covered with stones to control the tides. Aside from that, it isn't as clean as the Puri Beach. It's also overcrowded especially during the weekends. Just nearby the beach, there are attractions like the Marine Aquarium and Research Centre and the Chandaneswar Temple. Because of this, like Puri Beach, many pilgrims also go to the beach as the temple is nearby. You also won't have problems with accommodations around the beach as there are plenty. The highlight of the beach is the beach shacks serving great seafood dishes. And fortunately, the rates of hotels here and even the food are very affordable, so it's a great budget getaway. If you'd like a more serene and non-commercialised option, consider Shankarpur, about 14 kms East of Digha. It's nice to watch the fishermen while they're gathering their catches. It's essentially a virgin beach, away from crowds and noises. Another one is Mandarmoni Beach, a bit more further at 29.9 kms. But it's powdery sands and turquoise waters are worth the journey. Verdict As you can tell, I prefer Puri Beach between these two beaches. But I think Digha Beach is suitable for those wanting to have a weekend getaway but on a budget. For those wanting a cleaner and more serene beach, then Puri is for you. Or you can try out my other suggestions above. I hope this helps.
Digha was a disappointment for me, to be honest. It's dirty compared to most other beaches I have been to and there's not much to see around. It's okay for a quick budget getaway both in terms of money and time, but not a destination I would recommend if you have time on hand and want to have a great beach experience. So for me, Puri any day over Digha.
I guess that the Mandarmoni beach (very close to Digha) is better than Digha in all respect. Even the hotels there offer a better and cleaner view of the sea.
