Visitor Information
The sanctuary is open all year from 6 am to 5 pm. The best weather at the sanctuary is during November and December when the area is cooled by the Northeast monsoon and the grasslands are the most luxuriant. The best time for bird watching is from October to January and the best time for animal viewing is from March to August.
The sanctuary entrance and police checkpoint is located 5 kilometres (3 mi) south of Vedaranyam, 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Nagapattinam and 380 kilometres (240 mi) south of Chennai. A 6-kilometre (4 mi) paved road leads from the checkpoint to the villages of Kodaikadu and Kodaikarai. Vehicles are prohibited in the core of the sanctuary. Forest Department guides are available, with prior request to the Wildlife Warden, to escort visitors for bird and wildlife watching in the core of the sanctuary.
There are several watchtowers accessible to the public that provide panoramic views of the sanctuary. They are located at:
- Ramar Padam, a popular pilgrimage destination. The watchtower here is near the road at the northwest corner of the sanctuary just inside the entrance at Ramam Padam.
- in the center of the sanctuary that may be reached with the aid of a guide.
- at the eastern end of the sanctuary that may be reached with the aid of a guide.
- in the birding area is a rickety steel tower about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) west of the road near Muniappan Lake.
- at the constables post on Kodaikarai beach at the end of the road near the southwest corner of the sanctuary is a tall damaged watchtower that requires a police escort to climb. It is not in the sanctuary, but provides a good view of it.
The nearest railway station is Nagapattnam (60 km or 37 mi) and nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli (150 km or 93 mi). Lodging and restaurants are available at Vedaranyam. Lodging near the sanctuary is available at the Forest Department Rest House named Flamingo House (Poonarai illam), in Kodaikarai, with prior approval of the Wildlife Warden, District Collectorate Campus 329, 3rd Floor, Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu: 611002, Tel: 04365-253092, Email: wlife-kmb@sancharnet.in
Read more about this topic: Point Calimere Wildlife And Bird Sanctuary
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