Satapada

Odisha is also home to around 100-odd endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins that can be seen at Satapada. At the Satapada Jetty, visitors can hire a boat and the boatman will take them into the endless blue expanse of Chilika Lake. The site also houses the Sea Mouth Island where Chilika Lake meets the Bay of Bengal. Watch the Irrawaddy Dolphins in the lake at the Dolphin Point and then head towards the island where the Chilika meets the Bay of Bengal. From the Dolphin Point, the Sea Mouth Island is one-hour of boat side. Get off the boat and take a stroll on the mouth of the sea or bite into freshly fried fish and crabs at small food kiosks on the spot. However, do not give in to the temptation of buying pearls from vendors there who claim to be taking them out fresh from oysters.
By road, Satapada is 110 km from Bhubaneswar and 50 km Puri. The best time of the day to take a boat ride in Satapada to watch dolphins is the morning. The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) organises Bhubaneswar-Puri-Satapada tours every month. A day trip to Satapada is enough but for those who want to stay back and witness the sunrise and sunset in Chilika Lake, there is just one accommodation option in the area. There is the OTDC-managed Yatri Nivas close to the Satpada Jetty where rooms can be booked online through www.otdc.in. Rooms can also be booked through tourist offices in Puri and Bhubaneswar.