A Day at Chindikulam

Year and Month	2014 January 16^th
Number of Days	First day of three days trip to Jaffna
Crew	02-Nirosh and My self
Accommodation	Nature Park Holiday Resort-Chundikulam T.P 0213216254
Transport	Train, Bus and three-wheeler
Activities	Bird watching and relaxation
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo -> Palai (පලෙයි) -> Iyakachchi (අයියකච්චි) -> Chundikulam (චුන්ඩිකුලම්)
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Chundikulam can be approached in three ways from Colombo:By bus: Colombo -> Iyakachchi -> Then to Chundikulam by three wheelBy train: Colombo -> Palai -> Back to Iyakachchi by bus -> Chundikulam by three wheels (Because Intercity A/C train doesn’t stop at Elephant pass station which is nearer than Palai station).By your own vehicle: Colombo -> Iyakachchi -> Chundikulam Nature Park Holiday Resort is ruled out by Sri Lankan Army. It can be reserved over the phone. It has a main cottage, restaurant and one tree house (Only for two people).Then they have few rooms with single beds of each.Tree house costs Rs 7500 per nightCottage costs Rs 6000 per nightFood can be ordered separately according to the menu. This place is good for relaxation and bird watching. No need to bring any food matter from outside including drinking water bottles. They have everything.There is a newly built wild life bungalow situated closer to Chundikulam Nature Park Holiday Resort. It can be reserved from Battaramulla wild life office (No on line booking for this at the moment). 10 people can stay there. (Battaramulla wild life office) The road condition from Iyakachchi to Nature Park Holiday resort is not that much good as there are some gravel areas. No bus service is operated here from Iyakachchi.Three wheel charges around Rs 800 from Iyakachchi to Holiday Resort. This distance around 15km. We hired Kumar’s three wheel-0772575670.There are direction boards along this road towards the Resort. There are one or two food stalls at Iyakachchi junction where you can buy necessary things. There are no big shops on your way towards Chundikulam except few boutiques. A bus service is operated from Chundikulam junction to Point of Pedro in morning hours of the day Intercity express A/C train to Jaffna must be reserved beforehand as it is easily get crowded. If you plan bird watching carry a camera with a good lens. My photos of birds were poor in quality. Please bear it. We moved from one lagoon to another by foot without a guide for bird watching. I was told some travelers go by vehicles for bird watching. I would like to thank Amila and Major Wanniarachchi (Iyakachchi camp) for their kind help
Author	Niroshan
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I was waiting to go by newly established Northern Railway Line (Yaldewi-යාල්දේවී) for a long time and this trip was coupled with visiting of Chundikulam Bird sanctuary as well.
We started our journey from Colombo-fort station at 5.50am (new time of departure from Colombo fort is 5.45am). This was my first experience in luxurious train in Sri Lanka. It stopped only at limited stations and our routine practice of foot board journey couldn’t be done as doors were closed. We reached Palai station around 12 noon and got a bus towards Iyakachchi junction where we had our lunch. With the help of Army friends we arranged a three wheel to Nature Park Holiday Resort-Chundikulam.
The road towards the resort was gravel in most instance and we enjoyed the view of beach as well.

We are fortunate to have a luxury train at Sri Lanka

Passing Anuradhapura station-sorry for the poor quality of the photo

At Vavuniya

Here we are at Kilinochchi

At the end at Palai

Road from Iyakachchi to Chundikulam

Road goes parallel to the beach

Nature Park Holiday Resort

The lagoon in front of the Resort is a good place for bird watching. There is a grass land adjacent to the lagoon where you can view number of birds. We spent about one hour there and moved to the nearby beach.
Chundikulam area consists of number of lagoons. We walked from one lagoon to another to view birds and for photography. There are human settlements close to these lagoons.

Lagoon in front of Holiday resort

Time to relax

Captured at lagoon hut

Spotted Dove

Intermediate Egert

Red Wattled Lapwing

Indian Roller

Lesser Whistling Duck

Red Wattled Lapwing

Flying

Wild life Bungalow at Chundikulam-alternative accommodation option

Alone at Beach

Beach in front of Nature resort

Fishing at Chundikulam

Drying of fish

Buying then and there

Great Thick-knee (Great snove)

Showing his colours

Red vented bull bull

Then we walked along the jeep track parallel to the beach and entered a foot pathway in left hand side. This foot pathway goes to another beautiful lagoon where we had a rest on the grass