Luxury boat ride in Bhitarkanika

KENDRAPADA: The forest department has introduced four luxury boats at Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapada district to woo tourists, particularly overseas travellers.
"The forest department and some locals already have mechanized boats for tourists since long. We have procured four luxury boats from Goa at a cost of Rs 4 crore under Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project for tourists.Each boat can carry 20 tourists," said divisional forest officer of the park Kedar Kumar Swain.
Besides comfort, the eco-friendly soundless fibre vessels are equipped with foolproof safety mechanism. The boats are built to ensure safe travel in crocodile-infested water bodies, he added. The creeks and nullahs in the park are home to around 1,600 salt-water crocodiles.
"The unique boats are one of the most important tourist attractions of Bhitarkanika. "Each boat has two bedrooms, a balcony with comfortable seating arrangement, a bathroom, a dinning hall and a kitchen. The boats are like floating hotels to make sightseeing memorable," he said. The boats have solar lamps and fans. "We will soon appoint trained crew for the luxury boats," added the Swain.
The forest department recently renovated the 40-year-old crocodile hatchery and rearing centre at Dangmal within Bhitarkanika under ICZM programme at a cost of Rs 30 Lakh. The renovated crocodile hatchery has plenty on offer with exciting baby crocodiles and eggs. Due to conservation efforts, the crocodile population increased from 96 in 1974 to 1,644 this year.
Bhitarkanika in one of the eco-tourism hotspots, having beautiful water bodies with lush green mangrove forests along with crocodiles, birds, snakes and other animals. "One will be mesmerized at the picturesque beauty and serenity of the park while traveling in the luxury boats," said a forest officer.
The park boasts of 215 species of avifauna, including eight amazing varieties of Kingfishers. Gahirmatha beach near the park is one of the largest rookery for Olive Ridley sea turtles. A trip to Bhitarkanika will be incomplete without a luxury boat ride, he added.