India GO
Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Chorao, Goa: timings, fees and boats
Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary covers 1.78 sq km of mangroves on Chorao island in the Mandovi estuary, reached by ferry from the Ribandar wharf, about 15 minutes' drive from Panaji. Goa Tourism lists it as open daily from 6 am to 6 pm. The Goa Forest Department's fee schedule sets its general sanctuary entry at ₹20 for adults and ₹10 for children, and ₹75 per person per hour in a department boat. October to March is the season for migrants.
Mangrove channels on the western tip of Chorao island: 1.78 sq km of Mandovi estuary named for India's great ornithologist. Herons, egrets and kingfishers work the shallows, winter brings migrants, and sources count well over 250 species recorded here; a crocodile turns up now and then. The free Ribandar ferry makes the crossing, and from the jetty you either take the raised walkway or hire a canoe, which gets you closer and much quieter. Early morning in winter, before the heat and the boat traffic.
Mangrove birding ten minutes from Panjim, by canoe, at first light
Opening hours
Official hours: goa-tourism.com · checked 28 September 2026
Timings and fees
Hours: daily, 6 am to 6 pm (Goa Tourism Development Corporation). Goa Tourism says most birds are seen in the early morning and at sunset.
Fees, from the Goa Forest Department's schedule:
- Entry (general rate for sanctuaries): ₹20 per adult, ₹10 per child.
- Department boat: ₹75 per person per hour.
- Private boat belonging to visitors or operators: ₹200 per boat per day.
- Still camera: ₹30.
The schedule is a department file published in 2022 and may have been revised since; check at the counter. The department also states it is not responsible for accidents on private boats.
How to reach Chorao
The sanctuary is in North Goa, on the western tip of Chorao island. From Panaji drive or ride to the Ribandar ferry wharf and cross the Mandovi on the ferry; the India GO guide notes the crossing is free. On the Chorao side the sanctuary is near the jetty: you walk the raised walkway or take a boatman's dugout canoe or the Forest Department boat (about 9 people, run at high tide) into the channels.
The river is tidal. At low tide boats cannot reach much of the mangrove; shallow canoes get into more channels than larger boats. Ask at the counter what the tide is doing before you pay for an hour on the water.
What you can see
The sanctuary is named after Salim Ali, India's best-known ornithologist. Commonly seen: white egrets, purple herons, kingfishers, cormorants, kites and eagles. Rarer winter visitors include the little bittern, jack snipe and pied avocet.
The mud has its own life: mudskippers and fiddler crabs. Crocodiles, otters, flying foxes and jackals also live here, though a crocodile is an occasional sight rather than a promise. Fourteen species of mangrove are recorded in the sanctuary.
A three-storey watchtower lets you look across the canopy at several heights.
Best time to visit
October to March, when migratory birds are in. Go early, before the heat and the boat traffic, and time the boat around the tide.
❓ FAQ
How much does it cost to enter Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary?
The Goa Forest Department schedule sets entry at ₹20 per adult and ₹10 per child; a department boat is ₹75 per person per hour, a still camera ₹30.
Is Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary open today?
Goa Tourism lists it as open every day from 6 am to 6 pm. Boat trips depend on the tide.
Is Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in North or South Goa?
North Goa, on Chorao island in the Mandovi, across the river from Ribandar near Panaji.
How to reach Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary?
Take the ferry from Ribandar wharf across the Mandovi to Chorao; the sanctuary is by the jetty on the other side.
Is Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary worth visiting?
For birders in winter, yes, especially early in the morning or at sunset. At low tide boats cannot reach much of the mangrove, though dugout canoes get further.