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Point Calimere, called Kodiakkarai (Kodikkarai) in Tamil, is the low headland where the Coromandel Coast turns west into the Palk Strait, about 10 km south of Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district. The Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary covers the tip of this headland and is one of the best places in South India to see large flocks of migratory water birds.
The sanctuary was created in 1967, mainly to protect the blackbuck antelope, and covers about 21.5 sq km. In 2002 it was listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Together with the neighbouring salt swamps, the Thalainayar reserved forest and the Muthupet mangroves, it forms part of the larger Great Vedaranyam Swamp wetland complex.
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Landscape and habitats
This is a flat, open coast rather than a jungle. Within a short drive you pass tropical dry evergreen scrub forest, grasslands, salt swamps, tidal mudflats, shallow lagoons and a long sandy beach. The mix is what makes it so rich: shorebirds feed on the mudflats, flamingos and other waders use the shallow lagoons, and forest birds stay in the scrub.
The highest point inside the sanctuary, only a few metres above sea level, is Ramar Padam, a small shrine holding stone footprints associated in local tradition with Lord Rama. A modern lighthouse stands near Kodiakkarai beach.
Birds and the flamingo season
Migratory birds start arriving around October from Siberia, central Asia and Europe, and most leave from about January onwards. The peak is roughly November to January, when the wetlands can hold more than a lakh water birds of around a hundred species. Greater flamingos are the headline, often in large pink flocks on the lagoons, along with herons, egrets, terns and great numbers of shorebirds. Keen birders look for less common migrants recorded here, such as the great knot, bar-tailed godwit and Oriental pratincole.
Point Calimere has long been a centre for bird-migration research. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has monitored and ringed birds here for decades and set up a bird migration study centre at Point Calimere in 2008.
Numbers and locations of flocks change from year to year depending on the monsoon rain and water levels, so ask the forest staff where the birds are when you arrive. See our bird watching page for more wetlands near Pondicherry.
Mammals and other wildlife
Blackbuck, the original reason for the sanctuary, are easy to see on the grasslands, along with spotted deer, wild boar, bonnet macaques and jackals. A population of feral horses roams the scrub – a curious sight on the Tamil Nadu coast. Monitor lizards are common, and Indian star tortoises are also found here.
Visiting tips
- Timing: the sanctuary is open only in daylight. At the time of writing, visiting hours are roughly 6 AM to 5 PM; check with the forest office at Kodiakkarai, as hours and access rules can change.
- Go early: birds are most active, and the light is softest, in the first hours after sunrise and late in the afternoon.
- Bring binoculars: flamingo flocks often stand far out on the lagoons. A spotting scope or a zoom lens helps a lot.
- Sun and water: there is very little shade on the mudflats and grasslands. Carry a hat, sunscreen and drinking water.
- Monsoon: the north-east monsoon (roughly October to December) can flood tracks; heavy rain may close parts of the sanctuary.
- Stay: facilities at Kodiakkarai are basic. Most visitors stay in Vedaranyam or Velankanni, or book the forest department rest house at the sanctuary in advance.
Visiting from Pondicherry
Kodiakkarai is roughly 200–220 km from Pondicherry, about 5 hours by car via Karaikal and Nagapattinam. To reach the sanctuary early in the morning, stay the night before at Kodiakkarai or in Vedaranyam. Our Point Calimere and Velankanni birding tour does exactly this, continuing to Velankanni, and pairs well with the coast route through Karaikal and Tranquebar. For a shorter birding trip from Pondicherry, try Vedanthangal or Pichavaram.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see flamingos at Point Calimere?
Roughly November to January is the peak of the migratory season, with birds arriving from about October. Flock sizes and their exact timing vary each year with the rains.
What is Point Calimere famous for?
It is known for very large winter gatherings of water birds, especially greater flamingos and shorebirds, and for its blackbuck. It is a Ramsar wetland of international importance.
How far is Point Calimere from Pondicherry?
Kodiakkarai is roughly 200–220 km from Pondicherry, about 5 hours by road. Staying overnight at Kodiakkarai or in Vedaranyam lets you reach the sanctuary at dawn.
What are the Point Calimere sanctuary timings?
It is open in daylight only. At the time of writing the hours are roughly 6 AM to 5 PM; check with the forest office at Kodiakkarai before you go.