Bakkhali Travel Guide
Bakkhali in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, is a wonderful seaside destination and is an extremely popular weekend getaway for the urban population of Kolkata as the distance is a mere 135 kms from the heart of the city of Kolkata. Be it a long weekend or a rainy weekday, Bakkhali hotels can be seen bustling with trippers and the beach thronged with sunbathing visitors. The mornings are usually calm and fishermen can be seen carrying their huge fishing-nets out of the sea. Sometimes in the evenings one can catch them lugging those nets with the help of a bamboo stick placed on their shoulders into the sea. The gentle sun shimmering on the sea breakers both at sunrise and sunset, kissing the golden sand and the local fishing boats drying on the shore offer excellent photographic opportunities.
It is positioned on one of the many deltaic isles range across southern Bengal. Most of the islands are part of the Sunderbans, barring a few at the fringes. Some of these are joined together with bridges over slender creeks. This tiny island protrudes out into the huge stretch of the Bay of Bengal. It has a 7 km long beach stretching from Bakkhali to Frasergunj, a twin beach, with gently rolling waves. These are twin towns now forming one continuous quarter. Casurina trees stripe the beach. Except on an intermittent holiday the beach is not packed. Even if one part is crowded, there will be ample desolate pockets. A small stretch near Bakkhali has been lighted up. It is a hard beach suitable for cycling or even driving. One can take long walks as well.
How to Reach Bakkhali
- By Road – Bakkhali is almost 135 kms by road from Kolkata. The road passes through Diamond Harbour and Kakdwip to Namkhana, where the car or bus has to be transported across the Hatania-Doania creek in a special ferry. The ferry service is available from 7AM-11PM except from 12 noon till 1:45PM. The fare for crossing a Car/Jeep is approximately Rs 160 + Rs 30 toll (including loading/unloading). The road is excellent from Joka to Bakkhali. The 130 km stretch from Kona expressway to Bakkhali has been reconstructed as NH 117.
- By WBSTC Bus – WBSTC has regular bus service from Esplanade to Bakkhali. One starts at 7AM in the morning from Esplanade and reaches Bakkhali at around 11:30AM and leaves from Bakkhali after half an hour for Kolkata. There is a Night bus service on weekends at 9:45. Try to reach the terminus at least 15 minutes ahead of time.This schedule is subject to change and one must confirm it from Esplanade Bus Stand before venturing out from Kolkata. The route of the bus is Esplanade- Alipore-Taratala-Diamond Harbour-Kakdwip-Namkhana-Bakkhali.
- By Rail – The nearest rail station is at Namkhana. There are regular trains from Sealdah via Lakshmikantapur and Kakdwip to Namkhana. Check the time table in https://www.irctc.co.in. The first train starts at around 4AM from Sealdah and after that there are quite a few trains at intervals. It takes almost 3 hours to reach Namkhana. From Namkhana station you will get a van rickshaw to reach the point from where you need to cross the river. After crossing a bus can take you to Bakkhali in around 45minutes to 1hr. The Bakkhali bus stand is very close to all the hotels and just a 5 min walk from the beach.
Distance of Bakkhali from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Kolkata |
126 |
|
Diamond Harbour |
80 |
|
Namkhana |
28 |
Weather
Bakkhali Temperature:
- Summer (Apr to Jun) — Temperatures are mild and range between (24°C) to (36°C)
- Monsoon (Jul to Sep) — Regular rainfall happens. For people looking to enjoy a rainy day beside the sea.
- Winter (Oct to Mar) — Temperatures are low and range between (9°C) to (28°C)
- Best Season to Visit — Oct to Feb is the best season for tourism
What to See In Bakkhali
There is not much for sight-seeing apart from the enormous span of the Sea. However, Bakkhali itself is something of a wonder to the visitors, a quiet address away from the grayness of the city. It is an isolated beach fringed by eucalyptus trees which does not draw the madding crowds.
Fraserganj
An afternoon stroll through the beach from Bakkhali to Frasergunj is a memorable experience. You can take a trip to the Watch Tower. A rickshaw trip will travel through the local villages and their surroundings. From the watch tower you can view the expanses of the Mangroves on three sides of the island. On the other there is the bird’s eye view of the beach which is absolutely breath-taking.
Henry’s Island
A visit to the nearby Henry’s Island might enchant you. The walk to the beach goes through a stretch of mangrove forestopened by crossing a tiny bamboo bridge.Dense mangrove plantation is parted by numerous canals covering the area. Wildlife such as deer, wild pig, crocodile and snakes are common. Earlier this island was an extension of the Sunderbans. Later Fisheries Department developed the area and made it into a wonderful tourist spot.
Jambu Dwip
The ride in the simple motorized country boat, from Fraserganj fishing harbor to Jambu Dwip, a small, uninhabited forested island out in the sea, can be a thrilling experience. Currently people are not allowed to go to the actual island so the trip includes only a sightseeing from the boat.
Other Details
What to Do
- The beach offers day long activities in Bakkhali. Apart from sea-bathing, on the left end of the beach, you can spot red crabs by the thousands. The beach is shallow and waves generally not so strong. The beach is clean and glassy with nice reflections. It is a delightful experience to just lazy around the beach soaking yourself in the tiny surfs lapping into your feet with coconut water in hand.
- You can get a full body massage on the beach in a very cheap rate. But do not expect a salon or spa like professional expertise.
- You can also visit the Benfish harbour, Crocodile Park and Mangrove forest just beside the Bakkhali Bus stop.
Where to Eat
- The place is best known for the diverse range of fish, prawns and crabs. The local restaurants generally serve authentic Bengali cuisine. Restaurant are neat and well equipped. Food is mostly tasty. The sea-food variety are a must-taste. Fishes like Pomfret, Bhetki, Parse (a sweet water fish – cooked whole with the bones – so you need to use your hands to eat), and of course the Queen of fishes Hilsa cooked in mustard paste are found in abundance in every restaurant.
- If you are a vegetarian, it is a little difficult for you to find a decent meal. But one can always request the restaurants adjacent to the hotels to prepare some veg curries.
- There are beach shacks selling green coconut water and tea. Bottled beverages are also available.Although many hotels have an adjacent bar, hard drinks are a little highly priced there. It’s best to carry one’s own stock.
What to Buy
- Apart from conch shell trinkets there is nothing much to buy from Bakkhali itself. The beach shacks or some local vendors can be seen selling straw hats, sunglasses and stuff.
- If you are a fish addicted, do visit the beach during early mornings to catch the fishermen bringing fresh salt-water fishes from the sea. You can buy as much as you want and give away them to the hotel cooks to cook for you.
Get Around
- Rickshaw Van – The most popular public transport available in Bakkhali. Its eco-friendly and easy to get on. Although one needs to carry an umbrella since they do not have covers to protect the passengers from rain or sunshine.
- Walking – It is the best possible way of going around Bakkhali. The roads are shady and one can enjoy a perfect afternoon stroll.
Top Destinations - West Bengal
– Bakkhali
– Bindu
– Bishnupur
– Buxa Tiger Reserve
– Chapramari
– Chilapata
– Darjeeling
– Digha
– Jhalong
– Lataguri
– Jairambati
– Jaldapara
– Jayanti
– Kalimpong
– Kamarpukur
– Lava
– Lolegaon
– Mandarmani
– Murti
– Murshidabad
– Rishop
– Samsing-Suntalekhola
– Santiniketan
– Sundarbans
– Tajpur
– Tarapith
Popular Tour Plans - West Bengal
1-3 Days
1. Murshidabad (2N/3D)
2. Digha (2N/3D)
3. Tajpur (2N/3D)
4. Bakkhali (2N/3D)
5. Sundarbans (2N/3D)
6. Kamarpukur-Jairambati-Bishnupur (3N/4D)
4-6 Days
1. Bakreshwar-Tarapith-Santiniketan (4N/5D)
2. Mandarmani-Digha (4N/5D)
3. Jaldapara-Chilapata-Buxa Tiger Reserve-Jayanti (5N/6D)
4. Lava-Lolegaon-Rishop (6N/7D)
5. Darjeeling-Gangtok (6N/7D)
7-10 Days
1. Jaldapara-Lataguri-Murti-Chapramari-Jhalong-Bindu-Suntanekhola (8N/9D)
2. Darjeeling-Kalimpong-Pelling-Gangtok (9N/10D)
3. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung (9N/10D)
4. Darjeeling-Pelling-Gangtok (8N/9D)
>10 Days
1. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung-Pelling (11N/12D)