My Journey to Satpada

Travelling is one of the few things which I really love and enjoy it to the fullest. But you cannot travel all the time, but you could only wish for it. So luckily I get a whole week to spend in leisure without any work load and I plan a weekend trip to Puri in Bhuvaneshwar, Orissa. Well first I thought of going by rail since it was the cheapest and a secure mode of transportation as people say, but then I heard one of my friends saying that he had been to Bangalore in Volvo bus and he had enjoyed the trip and it is pretty much light on your pocket too. So I too decide to go by bus and booked my tickets online.

Unique experience

There is nothing that can beat a sunset cruise. I leave Puri in the late afternoon and then head towards Satpada which is a small town by the Chilika Lake and is one of the biggest brackish water lagoons in the Asia as well as in the world. Satpada means a cluster of seven fishing hamlets and the whole 50 kms stretch journey takes a mere couple of hours as we reach there somewhere around post lunch. If you have a boat to yourselves then you could go cruising along the huge expanse of Chilika Lake, and look out for dolphins. If you are a fan of sea jewellery then stop by to see cultured pearls from oyster shells shown by some locals, but they try to con you into believing they got them through deep sea diving. You might almost fall for the con. You may also see some buckets of red crabs caught by the locals. 

Ask your boatman to take you to Rajhans Island, where you could see the blue lagoon on one side and the entire Bay of Bengal on the other side. Plan a small drift in the lagoon and look out for some Irawaddy dolphins. You would be greeted by a couple diving into the water who are professionals in diving, showing you some of the dolphins and other fishes swim close by, and their fins above the surface of water. However the stretch of Chilika is not the best for migratory birds, but you do see some flocks of ducks. As you keep cruising, you’ll realize that the sunlight is fading away really fast and it’s hardly five in the evening. Well it is a good bye by the sun in satpada and you will be returning to your jetty. If you are planning a trip to Satpada then arrange a day trip from Puri by Volvo bus and for those who are keen on a sunrise cruise, you may stay in the town.