Pulicat_lake

The Pulicat Lake is the second biggest ‘brackish water lagoon’ located in the border of Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh states. Popularly known as ‘Pazhaverkaadu’ in Tamil, this lake is situated on the Coromandel Coast of south eastern parts of Indian continent. It is an ideal ground for several bird species, especially endangered birds. Sixteen islands nicely enhance the topographical beauty. Almost thirty lakes are there adjacent to it. The history of Pulicat traces back to the First century, where an anonymous mariner wrote notes about this lake. During 13th century, Arabs migrated to the shores followed by the Portuguese during 15th century. They also built a fort named Geldria at this place. During 20th century the island is famous for its association with Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

What to see : The lagoon has rich flora and fauna diversity which supports active commercial fisheries and a large and varied bird population, which makes this place as one of the important destinations for eco tourism .The shallow lake is known for its variety of marine birds and migratory birds. There are also a host of animals which includes fish, mammals and reptiles, find shelter here. It is the hub of migratory birds like Flamingos, which are the most frequent visitors, with about 15,000 of them visiting every year. November to February is the ideal time to visit Pulicat.

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Accommodation : Government promoted forest guest houses are available, which is the ideal place to stay with very reasonable cost. However it is advised to stay in Chennai as it is located only about 90 Kilometers from the city, which offers multiple options for accommodation.
Mode of Transport: Chennai is the nearest Airport and railhead which is connected with all major destinations in the country. There are ample numbers of buses connecting Pulicat with Chennai. Ponneri is the nearby town located about 19 Kilometers from Pulicat.

Related links :
• Tamilnadu forest department : http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/
• Research information : http://www.pulicatlake.net/

See also (nearby places): Chennai, Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram are the major nearby tourist destinations.