Place: Balasore district, Orissa
Best time to visit: November to February
Nearest town: Chandbali (35km)
Main attraction: Olive Ridley turtle, Crocodile

Bhitar Kanika National Park in Balesore district in an area of 167sq.km is better known as a marine park. The park with its mangrove forests in the rivers Brahmani- Bhaitarani Delta and  creeks, estuaries, back water, accreted land and mud flats was mainly established to protect the saltwater crocodile and other marine inhabitants of the region. It was notified as a Crocodile sanctuary in 1975 and a crocodile breeding centre has been established by the Orissa Government.

The park contains tidal swamp forests consisting of an abundance of mangrove, saltwater and brackish water mixed species such as Causarinas, Thespia, grasses like indigo bush etc. It is the second largest viable stretch of mangrove forest in the Indian mainland. The Fauna of the park include Olive ridley turtles (sea turtle), saltwater crocodiles, wild pigs, rhesus monkeys, leopard, wild boar, hyena, jungle cat, sambar, giant squirrel, water monitor, chitals, king cobra, python, fishes besides insects and other micro fauna. Birds found are strokes, ibis, white necked sea eagle and fish eagle etc. The best season for visiting the park is winter (November to February). The park situated along the Gahiramatha Coast is a haven for thousands of marine species especially the Olive ridley turtles which come here to lay eggs during the nights in winter. The giant Pacific Ridley sea turtles believed to come as far away as South America nest on the Gahirmatha Coast. 

Where to stay
Forest rest houses, Dorms and cottages with limited facilities are available at Dangmal, Ekabula and Gupti. One needs to make advance bookings for accommodation in these rest houses due to their limited availability from The Divisional Officer, Rajnagar. Log cabins on sea are available at Habalakhati.

How to get there

Air: The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, about 200km. There are regular flights which connect Bhubaneshwar to other places.
Rail: Nearest railhead is at Cuttak (161km) and at Bhadrak ( about 100km from the park) with regular trains to Bhubaneshwar, Calcutta and many other places.
Road: Chandabali, at a distance of around 35 km, is the nearest town and connected to most of the places in the state by a good road network. There are many buses between Calcutta and Chandabali, which cover the whole distance in 14 hours. Cuttak is at a distance of 161km from the park.

Ferry Services :  

• From Chandabali, the nearest town, a ferry takes one and a half hours to reach Nalitapatia. One can take boats from Nalitapatia to Dangmal situated at a distance of 6 km.

• Chandbali to Kalibhadrain - 2 hrs. 

• Rajnagar to Dangmal -3 hrs.

• Gupti to Dangmal - 1 ½ hrs.

• Gupti to Ekakula - 3 hrs.

• Dangmal to Ekakula - 4 hrs.

Contacts

• Divisional Forest Officer, 
  Mangrove forest Division, 
  At/Po. Rajnagar, District - Kendrapara, 
  Pin - 754225

• Assistant Conservator of Forest (W.L.)
  Chandibali- 756133
  Phone:  06729-72460
  Fax: 06729-72464
  E-mail : Contact Us

• Conservator of Forest (W.L.)
  Ex-office Director, Nandankanan
  Mayur Bhawan, Sahid Nagar
  Bhubaneswar - 751 004