About 55km southwest of Mamallapuram, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a spectacular 30-hectare breeding ground for many kinds of water birds, which migrate here from November to February. Some years as many as 100,000 birds mass at Vedanthangal Lake and its marshy surrounds. The top viewing times are dawn and late afternoon.
Some visitors make a day trip to Vedanthangal by taxi from Mamallapuram, for around ₹2200. On public transport, first go to Chengalpattu, an hour’s bus ride from Mamallapuram en route to Kanchipuram, then take a bus to Vedanthangal via Padalam (possibly changing buses again). Most Vedanthangal buses go to the sanctuary entrance, but some stop at the village bus station, 1km away.
