Chilika Tourism, Orissa
Chilika
Chilika is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam districts of Orissa. Chilika lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 Km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand-flats. Chilika lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lagoon in the World.
Chilika lake's lagoon is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds in the Indian sub-continent that hosts over 160 birds in peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come to Chilika lake lagoon.
Chilika lake's lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors along with rare and endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins (135 in numbers). The fabulous beauty of Chilika which has inspired poets to sing its glory and which can be best enjoyed from Balugaon, Barkul, Rambha and Satpada must be seen to be believed.