About the Place & what to see:

Bhitarkanika the second largest compact mangrove ecosystem in India is a wonder in the wild. It is acclaimed for its biodiversity in flora and fauna, it is . It is also a Sanctuary and National Park,extending over more than six hundred square kilometres.Bounded by rivers on the three sides and the sea on the fourth, Bhitarkanika is criss- crossed by numerous creeks and canals which finally meet the sea and make the estuarine delta, the playground of the Bay of Bengal.

Bhitarkanika is famous for its evergreen mangrove forests . This forest houses some of the endangered species of flora and fauna . Among them are the famous "Pneumatophores" , or the "Trees with breathing roots " .

As the tide enters the forst floats and when it recedes it exposes layers of mud which flats itself on the banks of the creek exposing small reptiles , fiddler crabs ,mud skipper fish and the likes .

This deltaic region has a couple of small islands . Some of them are Dangamal , Ekakula , Habalikati etc .

Bhitarkanika is a natural habitat of a lot of wild creatures like Crocodiles, King Cobra, Pythons, Wild Pigs, Monkey, Sambars, Spotted Deer etc. There is a Crocodile Breeding Farm at Dangmal. The pride possession of this Farm is the White Crocodile Sankhua, a rare species in the World. Over 170 species of resident and migratory birds of different hue enhance the beauty of the wild.

Another amazing phenomenon of nature here is the visit of Oliye Ridley Sea Turtles to Gahirmatha in lakhs twice every year between January and March to lay eggs en masse. An unexpected additional attraction is the , remains of two 9th century monument a temple dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and the other, a Shakti Shrine at Dangmal.

Bhitarakanika can be approached only through water ways. Most convenient entry points being - .Chandbali (60 km from Bhadrak and 190 km from Bhubaneswar) .Rajnagar (30 km from Kendrapara and 130 km from Bhubaneswar) .Gupti (25 km from Rajnagar) Motor boats are available on hire from Rajnagar to Dangmal -3 hrs Chandbali to Dangmal -3 hrs Gupti to Dangmal -1.5 hrs Regular bus service are available to Chandbali and Rajnagah

Nearest Rail head - .Bhadrak (60 km from Chandbali) .Balasore (110 km from Chandbali) .Cuttack (110 km from Rajnagar) Bhubaneswar (190 km from Chandbali and 130 km from Rajnagar) Nearest Airport -Bhubaneswar and Kolkata