Bhitarkanika
From Wikitravel
Contents
Bhitarkanika is a national park in India's Orissa state.
If you are looking for a place off the beaten track for your next holiday, Bhitarkanika could well be your destination. For sea, sand and adventure. Yes, adventure. Because the Bhitarkanika group of islands in northeastern Orissa offers not just great beaches but exciting trekking trails through forests teeming with wildlife and some thrilling boat rides.
And the islands being in Orissa, you could package your holiday with visits to the state’s famous ancient temples at the great heritage centres of Puri, Bhubaneswar and Konarak. (They are always worth a second visit if you have done them before.)
The Bhitarkanika islands can be reached from Bhadrak on the Calcutta-Madras railway line that also passes through Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. A night train from Calcutta’s Howrah station will reach Bhadrak (297 km) at dawn. (Alternatively, you could take a train in the opposite direction from Bhubaneswar).
[edit] History
[edit] Landscape
[edit] Flora and fauna
[edit] Climate
Best season: October-March
[edit] Get in
By train from Howrah (Calcutta) to Bhadrak (297 km), from Bhubaneswar to Bhadrak (154 km) are from Bhadrak take a jeep for Chandbali (42 km) Closest airport: Bhubaneswar
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Inexpensive forest rest houses at Dangamal, Ekkakula, and Hawalighati.
[edit] Fees/Permits
[edit] Get around
[edit][add listing] See
Bhitarkanika is home of India's largest remaining population of the endagered Indian salt water crocodile.
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit][add listing] Buy
[edit][add listing] Eat
Carry your own provisions from Chandbali. Cooks are available at forest rest houses.
[edit][add listing] Drink
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Inexpensive forest rest houses at Dangamal, Ekkakula, and Hawalighati.
The beach, also known as Garhimata, is famous as the nesting ground of Olive Ridley turtles. They are an endangered species, and wildlife conservationists have of late mounted special efforts to save from poachers the hundreds of thousands of turtles that land here every winter to lay eggs. The turtles, ancient creatures of the deep seas, have been homing in on remote Garhimata every nesting season (January-March) for perhaps thousands of years; it was only a few decades ago that the nesting ground was discovered by conservationists.
[edit] Lodging
[edit] Camping
[edit] Backcountry
[edit] Stay safe
[edit] Get out
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