I had been planning this trip to Flamingo Park in Airoli for nearly 6 months when I decided to look up booking tickets and making reservations one morning. Let me emphasise: DO NOT GO DIRECTLY! During peak season, the park has full reservations for both morning rides, which are available even on weekdays. I called the mobile number provided on the government website on April 6th to book a ride on April 9th, which was a Saturday, but they informed me that the next morning slot was directly available on April 27th, 8:30 am ride, which I booked without hesitation.
Some details and tips:
1. They have two morning rides, at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. The normal boat ride cost per person is Rs. 396/-, which includes park admission, the boat ride, the museum, and the bridge walk. The cost of a private jet is Rs.5000/-, which is preferable for larger groups
2. The ride will last one hour, so dress comfortably
3. Bring binoculars because there will be many other bird species to see
4. Your total trip duration will be 3-4 hours maximum
I was going to Airoli from Malad, so the quickest way was to take the train from Malad to Andheri, then to Ghatkopar Metro and finally to Nahar Station. It cost 50 Rs to cover the entire three-line train journey, and from Nahar station, there are share autoriaws that go to the Airoli Rickshaw stand for 20 Rs per seat. It was then only a 20-minute walk to the park from the rickshaw stop.
We had our own photo session once we arrived at the park. My mother thoroughly enjoyed being there. We both have an innate desire to be out in nature, observing nature's miracles and the beautiful creation with which we coexist. They opened the ticket counters at 8:00 a.m. and distributed tickets to everyone who had made prior reservations and were on the list. The main jetty area is just a 5-minute walk from the ticket counter. If you, too, are hypnotised and in awe of nature, a 5-minute walk will bring you joy and transport you to another world. Our jetty ride was delayed by 20 minutes, so many of us took pictures and looked for birds and wildlife that we could observe from a distance. I even saw a couple of professional wildlife and nature photographers visit the area that day.
Now, our boat ride began at 8:50 a.m., when we noticed two birds sitting on the jetty's edge, and they were absolutely stunning. I was simply overjoyed and excited. Picnics like these reminded me of my childhood, when my parents would take me to the zoo or a bird sanctuary and teach me to live in harmony with those with whom we coexist. We saw groups and colonies of flamingos as soon as the boat left its little lane to meet the sea. On our boat, we had one guide who explained the Flamingo's life cycle, migration periods, food cycle, and way of life.
1. The original colour of the flamingo is white, but it changes to a pinkish organe when it eats the algae. The body reacts by changing colour to pink.
2. Even when they eat algae, their beak removes the dirt, dust, and unwanted material before eating it.
3. Flamingos travel in groups and change positions every 3-5 hours while flying. When flying, the first couple of them in the row will use their energy to easily pass air to those behind them, and when they get tired, the backbenchers will take the front rows.
4. They have a no-bone neck and sleep on one leg.5.
5. Because they prefer summers and hot seasons, they travel to Mumbai between December and May and then to Kutch, Gujarat.
This is all I remember vividly because the rest of the time I was too preoccupied with admiring the scenery and the flamingos. In addition, we witnessed a small group of flamingo males perform a dance to impress the females, which was the cutest and most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life.
The boat ride ended with all of us mesmerised not only by seeing the flamingos or their adorable dance, but also by spotting other beautiful species of birds.
When the ride ended and we returned to our jetty, we walked back to the museum area, where they had preserved real turtles and a flamingo for us to see how they really look and observe each of their body parts. Visuals of mangrove preservations, marine life, marine corals, marine wildlife and bird sounds are captured in the other rooms. The bird sounds were especially appealing to children.
At the end of the museum tour, there was also a short documentary about the importance of mangroves for humans and wildlife of all kinds. It discussed the establishment of Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary, as well as the impact of human civilization on nature and wildlife. It's worth keeping an eye out for signs of self-awareness. The documentary will leave you with many thought-provoking and self-aware questions about your own behaviour and attitude toward the lives with which you coexist and mother nature.
Following that was a quick 5 minute walk and seeing a giant Whale's body parts preservation centre section outside the museum on the way to the boardwalk and mangrove trail. The smell of this room was unpleasant, so I couldn't stay there for long, but since it was my first time seeing whale body parts, it was amusing. Everything and every part of it is enormous.
The trip concluded with a walk along the broad walk and mangrove trails. It was the second most exciting experience I was looking forward to on this trip. This path will also take you to the crab pond and mangrove preserves. I was super excited when we started the walk because of the vibe and view all around, but by the time we got to the middle, we were already wondering when the walk would end, not because it was tiring, but because it was a natural bamboo made shakey bridge surrounded by deep mangrove jungles and water beneath. To be honest, I was scared. What if I came across a huge snake? Could it be a python? or What if I get bitten by a poisonous animal? A lot of these scary questions clouded my mind, and that's when I realised this is what we call an Adventurous experience, so I kept going, and we soon arrived on the other side of the end destination, and it was well worth it. It was a breath-taking 180-degree view of the sea and creek. I'm so proud of myself for not giving up in the middle and completing my walk.
If you plan a visit, the broad walk should be on your to-do list!
We resumed our journey after pausing for a few minutes to photograph the creek view. It wasn't as terrifying this time because my heart was full of joy and I returned doing my little baby bump dance.
To remember this trip, I bought a small fridge magnet of the flamingo park before leaving. The price is Rs. 70/-. You can buy other souvenirs from the museum's merchandise shop, which is located inside the museum.
We took the same route back home after we finished our shopping. I'm glad I made the effort to plan and attend this small mini-trip with my mother. Our hearts were overjoyed and grateful. This trip was, of course, memorable, but it also gave me a boost of energy to get back to work and the mundane tasks of everyday life.
If you live in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, or Central, this should be your number one choice for a weekend morning getaway or a weekday morning picnic. However, it is unquestionably a must-see for locals.
Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience, and I wish you safe travels!