2 Best Lakes & Backwaters in Orissa (Odisha)

At a distance of 46 km from Cuttack, Ansupa Lake is a fresh water lake opposite Banki in the Cuttack district of Odisha. Situated amidst the Saranda Hills, it is one of the best places to visit as part of Cuttack tour, especially nature lovers.

Spread over an area of 570 acres, Ansupa is the largest freshwater lake in Odisha. Located on the left bank of the Mahanadi river, the lake gets its name from its horseshoe-like shape. It stretches approximately 3 km in length and varies in width from 250m to 500m. The total water spread area of the lake is 152 hectares with a catchment area of 5231 hectares, encompassing seven micro watersheds. Ansupa is connected to the Mahanadi on its southern side through a channel called Kabula Nala, allowing floodwater from the river to flow into the lake. Designated as a protected Ramsar site in 2021, Ansupa is renowned for its picturesque scenery and diverse wildlife.

Home to over 194 bird species, 61 fish species, 244 macrophytes, 88 butterflies, and 26 mammals, the lake provides a safe haven for three endangered species - the Indian skimmer, the black-bellied tern, and the wagur, as well as the vulnerable river tern and helicopter catfish. It also caters to the water needs of the surrounding areas and sustains the livelihoods of local communities engaged in fishing and farming. Boating facilities offered at the lake further enhance its appeal.

The ancient fort ruins atop ...

...read more

At a distance of 44 km from Puri, Chilika Lake is Asia's biggest inland salt water lagoon situated near Satapada in Odisha. Located at the mouth of the Daya River, Chilika Lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and also the second largest salt water lagoon in the world after the New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia.

The lake is studded with small islands including the most charming Honeymoon Island and the Breakfast Island. Spreads across 1,100 sq. km, the pear shaped lake extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjam district in the South, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand-flats. The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher-folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands. In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The lake also acts as one of the most supportive ecosystems in the name of Chilika Lake Sanctuary. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. Birds from Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. White bellied sea eagles, graylag geese, purple moorhen, jacana, herons and flamingos are among the many species which make the lake a bird watcher's delight. Chilika, in fact, is ...

...read more