Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary in Nagapattinam
· Summer: March-May (23°C - 37°C)
· Winter: December-February (17°C - 30°C)
· Monsoon: June-September
Best time to visit:
October-May
Opening Time: 06:00 a.m.
Closing Time: 05:00 p.m.
Weekly Holiday: Nil
Entry Fees for Indians
Adults: INR 10
Children:
INR 10
Cameras: Nil
Video Camera: Nil
Entry Fees for Foreign Nationals
Adults:
INR 10
Children:
INR 10
Cameras:
Nil
Video Camera:
Nil
Located at the point where Palk Strait meets the Bay of Bengal, Point Calimere Sanctuary is spread over 22 sq. km. of area comprising of sandy beaches, backwaters, saline swamps, mangroves, dry evergreen forests and thorny scrubs. Established mainly for the conservation of blackbuck in 1967, it allows the opportunity to explore this magnificent creature grazing at the open grasslands. Other animals at the sanctuary include wild boar, jungle cat, spotted deer, jackal, civet, bonnet macaque, Indian grey mongoose, monitor lizard and the rare feral horses or ponies.
One can also come across the bottlenose dolphins and Oliver Ridley turtles that come here for the purpose of nesting. The sanctuary is also a heaven for the birdwatchers that get to explore the majestic species of pelicans, storks, sandpipers, greenshanks, dowitcher, flamingo, darters, kites, terns, ibis, egrets, parakeets, partridges, pheasants and doves.
The sanctuary is also famous for hosing cultural heritage sites like Ramar Padam (a shrine where Lord Rama’s footprints can be found), Navakodi Sitthar Temple, Sanyasin Muniaswar Temple, Mattumunian Temple, Chola Lighthouse and many others. Jeeps, boats and guides are available for exploring the sanctuary and private vehicles are also allowed.
Connectivites
Road:
From Nagapattinam, you can take a state transport bus or hire a taxi to reach Vedaranyam from where the sanctuary’s entrance is only about 5 km. The sanctuary is well-connected to the popular cities as far as Chennai by road.
Railway:
The closest railway stations are at Thiruthuraippoondi (about 53 km. away) and Nagapattinam (about 64 km. away). The sanctuary can be accessed from each of these stations by taxis.
Airway:
The nearest airports to the sanctuary are at Thanjavur (about 125 km. away) and Tiruchirapalli or Trichy (about 177 km. away). Taxis are easily available near each of these airports.