One of the best places on earth are close to the waters. Located within the Kendrapada district, inside every Odia’s favourite park, Bhitarkanika, lies islands rich in culture of their own. There is only one way to visit the islands – sailing boats. They are the best picnic spots in Odisha but underrated as compared to many. We take pictures of the sunrises and sunsets every day from every corner of the world, but it isn’t as unique as the ones in Bhitarkanika. As hidden gems of Kendrapada and the best getaway for adventure lovers, they give an experience similar to island countries but within our own state.

Ekakula Island

The boat ride, which is 4 hours away from Bhitarkanika, navigates through the narrow and slow-flowing deltas, consuming some time of the tourists to spend cherishing the biodiversity, where plants and animals of different species are seen together. The deltas are home to mangrove forests, spotted deers, migratory birds and Estuarine crocodiles. Rarity is what makes the deltas and mangroves worth taking pictures of. The beach serves as a nesting ground to Olive Ridley turtles, the smallest turtles in the world best recognised for their mass nesting. Their name comes from the colouration of their shell, which is unusually heart shaped. This sighting is possible between November and January. Every destination has a suggested time period to visit, and in the case of Ekakula, it’s from November to June for pleasant weather experiences.

Habalikhati Sea Beach

The Habalikhati sea beach, another of the islands, is home to an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Research Centre. The Hental forest, covering about 2.8 km of Habalikhati, consists of rare flora and fauna. Monkeys swinging from tree to tree is a common sight here. The beach also has a nature camp for people who want to stay there, away from crowded and populated areas. Tourists who book for stay, including solo travellers, are to wake up to magnificent sunrises and noisy waves. There are people for service and helping you make the most out of your trip. the boat trip that sails through Bhitarkanika from this beach is named ‘Guptighat’. 

Bagagahan Bird Sanctuary

Bhitarkanika National Park is home to many sanctuaries. One of them is the ‘Bagagahan Bird Sanctuary’. 170 species of birds migrate here, such as the kites, darters, kingfishers, open-billed storks, ducks, seagulls and sea eagles. They lay their eggs here, specially in the Orua, Guan, Kerua and Bani tress near the Brahmani River. The sanctuary was a wildlife habitat first. It got officially designated as a bird sanctuary in 1975, even though home to mammals, reptiles and amphibians too.

Hukitola Island

Hukitola is a food and water reservoir made by the Imperial Government during the infamous famine in Odisha. Constructed under the supervision of Hokkey Walker, Chief Irrigation Engineer, from 1865-66, the building stands on a strip of land on the Island of Jamba in the Bay of Bengal. The building is entirely made up of stones brought from the Barabati Fort in Cuttack and the Churang Fort in Barang. These stones were joined by lime and rubble for strengthening. It was used for rainwater harvesting too. Another purpose of this multipurpose building was to be a port for the unloading of merchandise, and the roads and railways followed. The architectural style is that of the European Renaissance. The repair, restoration and conservation of the building was taken up under the ICZMP scheme.

Bhitarkanika has a list of islands, each having a unique trait of their own, which isn’t found in any other place in our state. The list is too long to finish exploring in one trip. Islands are the best representatives of culture and conservation. The main attraction for tourists is the combination of serenity and adventure. What is astounding about the islands of Bhitarkanika is that they seem stranded but are inhibited by locals, with whose help is the trip safe.