Chilika lake is very large which is spread over the Khurda, Ganjam, and Puri districts of Odisha. It is the largest saltwater lagoon in Asia and is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandy ridge. It has a unique ecosystem with a range of aquatic flora and fauna found in and around its brackish waters.
Chilka Lake is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in the Indian subcontinent. The place is one of the biodiversity hotpots in the country.
It is famous for the presence of aquatic wildlife. Migratory birds come here every year.
Chilka Lake is also home to shrimp, dolphins, crabs, crustaceans and limbless lizards in the sanctuary. Chilika Lake is famous for Irrawaddy dolphin.
This lake is surrounded by an area of 1,165 square kilometres and about 4.2 meters deep.
You will find many islands in this lake, each of which has its own importance.
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There will be many ways to reach here, but it will be easy for you from Balugaon Town.
Fatest route: Bhubaneswar to Balugaon via NH16
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Every island offers you new destinations. So when you are planning to visit this lake, then definitely visit all these places.
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Places to visit in Chilika Lake
Nalbana Bird Sanctuary
You will find this sanctuary in Nalbana Island, which is inside Chilka Lake. Nalbana Island is the core area of the Ramsar named wetland of Chilka Lake.
This island is a major island of Chilka Lake, which covers about 15 km2.
The island is completely submerged during the monsoon season and the water level of the lake starts decreasing by the time of winter.
It is a bird watching area, in which millions of migratory birds get to see.
Thousands types of birds can be seen descending during the migratory season in the heart of the park.
You can spot many species like White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Pariah Kites, Brahmani Kites, Kestrels, Marsh Harriers, and the world\’s most widespread bird of prey, Peregrine Falcon, Raptor.
The best time to visit Nalbana Bird Sanctuary is between October and March. Because this is the time when the maximum number of migratory birds come to the sanctuary.
Both private and government boats can be hired from Balugaon to travel to Nalbana.
Kalijai Temple
Kalijai Temple is located on Kalijai Island in Chilka Lake. It is a religious place. The island offers an excellent destination for pilgrims as well as tourists.
Here Kali Maa is worshipped.
To reach these islands, you can only go by ferry and boat.
When you go to the top of that island, then you will see water all around. The view here will mesmerize you.
There is a history to being Kalijai.
Story of Kalijai
It is said that a newlywed girl named Jai was going to meet her husband along with her father. Her in-laws\’ house was on an island in Chilika Lake. That is why she was going in a boat to her in-laws\’ house. When a bad cyclone struck, their boat was capsized in Chilika Lake. As a result, only the boatman and her father survived except Jaai. Both tried to find Jaai but could not find her. After this accident of the newlyweds, she became the goddess of the people living around and till now. She is worshiped as a part of Kali.
OTDC Water Sports Complex
It is one of the best places for water sports in Odisha. Here you will find well managed water sports facilities like speed boat, water scooter and small launch will be available.
You will find it in Chilka Lake, which is well formed at low depths.
The whole environment is very clean and beautiful.
Odi Art Centre
A great place to appreciate all the best and creative works of Indian art especially from Odisha.
If you love folk art then definitely a place worth visiting. Also it is a very beautiful n green surrounding area.
Not only an amazing place full of knowledge about Odisha but also represents the culture and tradition of our country.
You can also buy some traditional artifacts as a memento.
Baliharachandi Temple
Since this place is a little away from the \”Baliharchandi\” towns and crowd, so here you can enjoy the peace that helps you to refresh your mind from the crowded city.
Every year thousands of tourists and students come to this place for picnic and enjoy the beauty of nature of this place.
This is the best place for nature lovers.
Here you can see a nice beach view. Like many other beaches of Odisha, this one also offers a spectacular view of sunset and sunrise.
Baliharachandi beach is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic with family or take a walk with a loved one.
Rajhans Island
It is a very peaceful place. On this island you will get to see the casuarina tree swinging all the time.
The climate here is amazing as you can see the Chilika Lake and the merging of the Bay of Bengal for hours without any disturbance.
Here you get to eat the best seafood and also spot Dolphins which taking happy dip in the sea.
Breakfast Island
You\’ll find Breakfast Island or Sankuda island near Rambha Bay. When viewed from above, it will look like pear shaped.
The king of Khalikote had built a bungalow on this island, which is still in a dilapidated condition. But somehow reflects the rich beauty of its past.
You will get to see a lot of greenery on this island. Many interesting rare plants are still found on this island.
A large number of migratory birds are coming to this land in winters.
Alarnath Temple
Alarnath Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu.
People believe that Lord Jagannath cannot be seen in Puri after the Snana Yatra. This happens only for 15 days which is till the date of Rath Yatra. During the Ansara period, Lord Jagannath appears as Alarnath Dev in the Alarnath temple at Brahmagiri.
Chilka Sea Mouth Beach
Chilika Sea Mouth is the Island where Chilika Lake meets the Bay of Bengal. You will find it near Satpada.
Sea Mouth is mostly famous for its crystal clear water and starfish. The main attraction for visitors is the variety of birds and dolphins in the lake that jump out of the water.
To go here, visitors go by hiring a boat. But, it takes a long time to reach the mouth of the sea.
Only in this place, you will find one of the most attractive places in Chilka. It is strictly advisable to wearing life jacket while boating.
Amazing Chilika Lake View
Local Tourism Says About Chilika Lake
Here the atmosphere is very clear. This is a very good tourist destination where you can enjoy the view of Chilika by roaming all these places. For nature lovers, you can not get a better view than this. Welcome to wildlife and nature photography enthusiasts.
