Daringbadi:
Daringibadi is a hill station in Kandhmal district of Odisha. Widely known as “Kashmir of Odisha”, (for its climatic similarity), it is situated at a height of 3000 ft and is a popular tourist destination. The pine jungles, coffee gardens, alluring rain forests with wild animals and beautiful valleys and smashing beauty of Darinbadi bring tourist attention towards this place.
Back in the days of the British rule, there was a British officer named Daring Saheb who was in charge of this place. Over the years, this place was named after him, which spelled DaringBadi with Badi meaning village. More than 50% of the population here constitutes ST community of aboriginal tribal races.
Major attractions :’
Doluri River, Putudi Water falls, Daringbadi waterfalls, Badangia waterfalls, Dadubada Paradise, Kirikuti Picnic ground, Ludu waterfalls, coffee plantation, black pepper and turmeric gardens, Duluri Picnic ground, Hill view Park
How to reach :
The nearest railway station is at Brahmapur (120 km). Daringbadi can be reached from Brahmapur either via Sorada (NH-59) which is near about 120 kilometres (75 mi), or via Bhanjanagar-Udayagiri (NH-117) which is around 180 kilometres (110 mi) or via Mohana-Bramhanigan route which is around 145 kilometres (90 mi).Daringbadi can be reached from Bhubaneswar(252 km), the state capital by regular bus services.
Gopalpur :
Swaying palm fronds and the gentle roar of sea waves crashing into the shore welcome you to the charming beachside haven of Gopalpur-on-Sea in Odisha. Away from the concrete chaos of the cities, this quaint beach town will woo you with its pristine beauty and languid pace. Being a remnant of the colonial past, the entire place is steeped in a rich history. The beautiful beach here stretches as far as the eye can see and the sea and the skies meet in a magical amalgam. There are numerous things to do and places to visit in and around Gopalpur.
Tourist attractions include scenic picnics spots, religious shrines, beautiful natural hot springs and a black buck wildlife sanctuary. Olive Ridley sea turtles come in large numbers and use the beaches in and around Gopalpur as nesting sites. The nearby trading town of Berhampur is famous for its pickles and hand woven Tassar silk textiles.
How to Reach:
By Rail – The nearest railway station is Berhampur on the Howrah-Chennai line of Southeastern Railway. One can take trains to Calcutta and Chennai from this place.
By Road – Gopalpur is connected by motorable road to Barkul (75 km), Berhampur (16 km), Bhubaneshwar (180 km), and Puri (242 km).
Mandasaru :
Also called the silent valley of Odisha, the Mandsaru is an offbeat small place with a very beautiful valley near the hill station of Darnigbadi in Kandhamal district of Odisha. The area has a very rich Flora and fauna. It is a home to a wide variety of medicinal plants as well as many species of birds and animals. Places to visit include Pisogrundu Falls and Machhakandana river gorge. There are few nice camp stays available for accommodation here.
How to reach :
To reach Mandasaru, a visitor has to travel to Phulbani from Bhubaneswar or reach there from Berhampur in Ganjam via Raikia. While from the state capital the distance to the spot is nearly 300km, from Berhampur it is around 200km.