Sharavathi Kandla Mangrove Boardwalk is definitely a recent popular tourist attraction in Honnavar. This Mangrove Boardwalk in Honavar is also known as ‘Kandla Vana’.
A walk through this beautiful wooden walkway amidst the lush green Mangrove trees is one of the beautiful ways to enjoy nature and also helps in calming your mind. Its the best place to spend 1 to 2 hours easily. Moreover Mangroves are always green irrespective of the season , they are salt tolerant, helps in filtering out the heavy metals from water, and prevents erosion in coastal areas.
Sharavathi Kandla Mangrove boardwalk is approx. 3 km from Honnavar city, right opposite to the eco beach. While driving from Honnavar to Bhatkal, Eco Beach is on the right side and for the Mangroves you have to take left turn.
Once you park your vehicle, 2 minutes of walk would lead you to the wooden walkway amidst the Mangroves. A few display boards are in place to educate visitors about the fauna and flora of mangrove forests.
After going through the wooden walkway, you get to see the back water of Sharavathi, beautiful scenery all around with water and greenery together. After this there is a wooden bridge connecting to the small mangrove island. There is a wooden path is built in between the mangroves. It’s just extraordinary, and you get some wonderful clicks there.
Note: If you have kids along please be careful while walking. There is gap throughout the wooden walkway.
What are Mangroves?
Mangroves are shrubs or trees grows along the coastline or salt tolerant. Mangroves are flowering trees, the word ‘mangrove’ may refer to the habitat as a whole.
The story of the mangrove revival in Uttara Kannada district involved reforestation of the native mangrove species and the active participation of the local fishing community.
Benefits of Mangroves:
Mangroves are present along inter-tidal and swampy coastal waters, their exposed roots make them look like floating forests. Helps to slow down impact of major disasters like floods, storms and even a tsunami. They can sequester four times more carbon than tropical forests mitigating climate change.
They are salt tolerant, helps in filtering out the heavy metals from water, and prevents erosion in coastal areas.
Here’s a chance to walk into the mangroves and know more about the ecosystem and know how they play an important role in sustaining planet earth.
The Forest Department of Karwar and Honnavar division have been engaged in mangrove plantation in estuaries of Kali, Gangavali, Aghanashini and Sharavathi rivers and also in many small streams that joins the Arabian sea in the district.
Let’s look into a little about why Forest Department started growing Mangroves(under the ‘green wall’ project) along the Coastal lines.
Till about 1960’s, mangroves were largely viewed as “economically unproductive areas” and were cut down for meeting a variety of human needs and the swamps reclaimed for human habitations. But now Mangrove areas today rated among the most productive ecosystems on this planet. They generate nutritionally important detritus for fishes, prawns, crabs, oysters etc. and shelter estuarine and marine organisms and provide safe breeding grounds for many, as well as provide home for numerous kinds of birds.
Mangroves contribute to the stabilisation of the shorelines and prevents the erosion.
Among the various direct uses of mangrove products are edible fruits, honey, medicine, timber, fuel wood, fodder, bio chemicals, paper-pulp, bio fuel for blending with petroleum, dyes etc.
How to reach?
Sharavathi Kandla Mangrove boardwalk is approx. 3 km from Honnavar city, right opposite to the eco beach. While driving from Honnavar to Bhatkal, Eco Beach is on the right side and for the Mangroves you have to take left turn.
Nearby attractions: Eco beach, Areca Farm Walk, etc.
Best time to visit:
The best time to visit Honnavar is between September and March. April and May are unpleasantly hot and June-August is rainy season. (best for waterfalls and lush greenery).
Entry Fee: 10 Rs.
Open hours : 9am to 6.30pm
Very limited space for the parking is available.
Where to stay?
You can book your next stay at Areca County Homestay. Areca County offers private cottages nested inside areca estate, built with traditional architecture using laterite stones, lot of wood carved by local artisans and two layered mangalore roof tiles. This premium homestay has vegetarian kitchen, separate dining area(a 1929 heritage building), clean and airy rooms.
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