Chilika, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, comes alive during winter every year as hordes of feathered visitors make this their home for a few months. A birder’s paradise, the beautiful lake also houses the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. The boat ride into the lake among the birds is an experience to cherish.
The vast expanse of the lake has a number of tourist spots – Satapada, Barkul, Rambha, Mangalajodi – each unique and stunning. Before winter ends, head to Odisha’s coastal getaway and experience its natural heritage.
Drive down to Barkul from Bhubaneswar, the nearest airport and major railhead, a little over 100 kms away. Or, you can get down at Balugaon railway station on the Howrah-Chennai rail route and travel by road to Barkul, 6 kms away. The tourist lodge run by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is next to the lake and the best place to stay. The jetty is on the lake-end of the tourist lodge from where you can hire boats for a trip into the lake.
Since the lake is connected to the Bay of Bengal, the water can be choppy at times, because of the tides and the weather. You can see the resident birds in plenty and spot a lot of migratory birds in winter. The bird sanctuary on Nalabana attracts a lot of the winter migrants. If you are lucky, you may catch a sight of the Irrawady dolphins, bobbing in the water.
You can join the local people for a boat ride to the Kalijai island, a pilgrim spot. A huge fair is held at the Kalijai island on Makar Sankranti.
One of the lesser known corners of Chilika Lake, Mangalajodi is a must-visit for birding enthusiasts. The country boat ride through the reed-lined channels will bring you almost within handshaking distance of the birds. During winter, a large number of migratory birds flock here. It is said that the wetland hosts more than 3,00,000 birds in the peak season, which has earned it the tag of an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Mangalajodi Ecotourism, a sustainable community conservation and tourism initiative run by the local people, has set up a tourist complex with basic rooms and meals. They will also organise your boat trips. The boatmen double up as excellent guides. Godwit Eco Cottage is another option to stay.
Mangalajodi is only 68 kms from Bhubaneswar. Although you can see Mangalajodi on a day visit from Bhubaneswar and Barkul, a night stay here is recommended.
Rambha is on the northern end of Chilika Lake, nearly 130 kms from Bhubaneswar. You can also get down at Balugaon railway station and drive down to Rambha, nearly 35 kms away. The OTDC tourist lodge is situated on the banks of the lake and you can see it right from your cottage.
The tourist lodge gives way to a nice lake-fronted garden. You can hire a boat from the tourist lodge or from the private operators for a ride in the lake. Birds are plentiful here during winter. The migratory birds mostly arrive from Northern Eurasia, the Caspian region, Siberia, Lake Baikal and remote areas of Russia. You can also see flamingos.
If you had enough of the birds and dolphins, you can spend a quiet time this serene place, that has some interesting islands. Breakfast Island is a patch of submerged boulders topped by an obelisk and a one-roomed cottage. According to local boatmen, the obelisk was built by Snodgrass, a Collector of Ganjam district during the British period, to warn the boats plying in the area about the submerged rocks.
But smitten by the beauty of the island and its surroundings, he built a cottage for himself too. He would have his breakfast here but eventually he began to hold his office too. Unfortunately, many documents got lost in transit and Snodgrass was forced to resign. Even though he abandoned his cottage, the name Breakfast Island stuck.
With Rambha as your base, you can also visit the nearby attractions of Nirmaljhar (Vishnu Temple), Narayani Temple, and Salai Dam.
Satapada, on the southern end of the Chilika Lake, is only 50 kms from Puri, the beach town famous as the abode of Lord Jagannath. You can spend a night here in Satapada, or see it on a round trip from Puri. This end of the Chilika Lake is known for dolphins, which are mostly seen early morning or late in the afternoon. Boats can be hired from the jetty near the OTDC tourist lodge. A sand bar in the lake, near the Sea Mouth, has stalls selling freshly fried seafood.
The best time to visit the Chilika Lake in Odisha is during winter, when the weather is pleasant. Carry light woollens during boat rides as it can be cold during early morning or late evening. The OTDC offers accommodation in its Panthanivas or tourist lodges at Barkul, Rambha and Satapada. Advance booking of rooms is recommended, especially during the festive season and school winter holidays.
Chilika is 71 kms from Bhubaneswar by road and is 37 kms from Puri. Odisha has a good road network. You will not only get public and private buses to reach any point of Chilika, but you can also opt for taxis. The nearest railway stations from the lake are Balugaon and Rambha. Intercity express trains from Bhubaneswar to Chilika take only 1 hour and 45 minutes.