Travelling around to cross-off destinations from your bucket list is one of the most satisfying feelings ever. Exploring around places to find the unbeaten tracks can send a chill up your spine and tickle your travel bones, well yes, because tickling the funny bone isn’t what we wish for here. Odisha has turned out to be one of the best travel destination in the country apart from the likes of the snowy Himalayan Ranges and the north-eastern. No matter if you are travelling alone or with family, Chilika lake can be one of the best options to go for. Here are some solid reasons as to why you should visit Chilika Lake on your next trip to Odisha.
1. Asia’s Largest Lagoon
Chilika Lake is huge and is evident of the fact that it is the Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon. The lake is spread over a 1000 square km and is bordered by three different districts with the Puri in the north and Ganjan in the south. There is a thin strip of marshy wetlands and islands that stretches up to a length of 60 km. This massive lake is one of the most breathtaking sight in not just Odisha but in all of India besides the very famous Dal lake. The best time to visit the place is during the winter, that is in November to January. This 16 km long lake is worth all your time and money.
2. Phenomenal Temple
It is not just Chilika which is famous for its temples but it’s the whole of Odisha and India as a matter of fact. However, when the focus is on Chilika lake we might get to experience some magnificent temples on the various islands and suburbs of Chilika. The temple witnesses’ highest visitors during Makar Sankranti. Another remarkable piece of architecture near the Chilika Lake is the Jagan Nath Puri temple. This temple is over a thousand years old and took around three centuries to build. There are so many astonishing facts about this place that will motivate you to visit and notice the nature defying instances for yourself.
3. Nalabana Bird Sanctuary
This is one of the major reasons why one should visit Chilika lake. The different birds that visit the lake during migratory seasons is one of the most beautiful sights. The place is located on the island on Chilika lake and is home to more than thousand species of birds that migrate to during the winter season. From Flamingos to egrets, there is hardly any species of birds that you would miss. Do not forget your binoculars though to get the best experience ever. With people choosing to live in cities there is hardly anything you get to see while at home and experience wilderness in its raw form.
4. Boating
Boating is common for any lake and you might think what is so special about this one? The speciality here is that unlike most other boating experiences this will not bring you back to the same place you began, rather will take you to a nearby island or location where you can spend some great time. You can use the boat to get to the temple or the bird sanctuary. Also, given that this is one of the largest lakes in the country, there is no doubt that you will not experience anything new since the biodiversity is vast and you are sure to see something new. This might just bring out the adventurer in you and show you a new face of life.
5. Irrawady Dolphins
Who doesn’t love dolphins. Everybody would want to get a glimpse of one of the smartest creatures on the planet, probably even smarter than human beings are but they don’t wish to show off about it. Yet again, this is something that makes the boating experience unlike others and a lot more worthy and special. Irrawady dolphins are fairly slow swimmers and can been seen singly or in a group of four to six and are sure to leave you mesmerised for your life and is going to be an experience you can never forget.
These were probably some great enough reasons to convince anyone why to have Chilika lake on their bucket list and why should they be crossing it off on their next visit. While there are a lot of delicious Odisha dishes that can be enjoyed by a traveller; however, there is also a lot to explore in this vast and bio-diverse tropical subcontinent. And this is a heartening place to be fulfilling those ideologies and wishes. So, get your bags packing, since even if Odisha wasn’t your holiday destination, Chilika lake is enough reason for it to be one.