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| Shankarpur |
BEACH BUMS
Mandarmani
What: A seaside resort village. Situated in East Midnapore, Mandarmani boasts of a drive-in beach.
How far: Four hours by road from Calcutta.
Where to stay: A string of hotels dot the beach. It’s advisable to book in advance, especially if you are travelling in a large group.
Things to do: Bathe in the sea, sit in seaside shacks sipping coconut water, cold drinks or something stronger. Take a leisurely walk to the estuary. The lazy ones can opt for a motor-van ride.
Digha
What: Once described as the “Brighton of the East”, the main attraction of Digha is the flat, hard beach that stretches for miles and is surrounded by casuarina (jhau) plantations.
How far: A little over three hours by train, or around five hours by bus from Calcutta.
Where to stay: New Digha is a better bet than Old Digha. The beach in New Digha is nicer too.
Things to do: Bum on the beach and feast on fresh fish delicacies at the stalls nearby. Make short trips to Udaipur Beach, Nulia Beach and the Marine Aquarium and Research Centre. Or drive down to Shankarpur, another beach some 14km from Digha.
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| Parasailing at Tajpur |
Tajpur
What: With its pretty beach fringed by a dense forest of jhau, Tajpur near Contai town in East Midnapore is fast becoming a seaside hotspot. And it’s one of the very few places in this part of the world that offers adventure sports.
How far: 180km from Calcutta.
Where to stay: The Tajpur Nature camp is the most viable option. The cottage tents are comfortable and spacious and have attached baths. Cost: Rs 700-Rs 1,500. Four-bed tents cost Rs 1,200.
Things to do: Adventure sports like kayaking, parasailing, water zorbing, rubber boat propelling, snorkelling, sports climbing (artificial rock wall), coastal biking and coastal trekking.
Bakkhali
What: Located on a deltaic island, Bakkhali in South 24-Parganas is all about adda on the waterfront.
How far: Around four hours by bus from Calcutta.
Where to stay: The Bakkhali Tourist Lodge is a good option. It is close to the beach and has dormitories with clean bathrooms for Rs 150 per head.
Things to do: Travel to Jambu Dwip, a forest island with a variety of rare birds and fish. Or take a van rickshaw to Frasergunj and visit the Benfish harbour, the lighthouse and windmills. Henry Island, a protected area, is also a must-see spot.
Tip: Carry cash, there are no ATMs nearby.
QUICK GETAWAY
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| Santiniketan |
Santiniketan
What: Tagore’s Santiniketan is a pop pick for a quick getaway, and not just during the local festivals.
How far: Less than three hours by train or around four hours by road from Calcutta.
Where to stay: Santiniketan Tourist Lodge is one of the better options.
Things to do: Mix art, culture and history with some relaxed fun. Visit Tagore’s ashram, his residence Dehali and other buildings like Nutanbari. There’s a guided tour available. Then there’s Rabindra Bhavan museum, Bichitra, Uttarayan complex, Chhatimtala and Upasana Griha. For shopping and baul music, visit the Khoai mela on Saturdays. A rickshaw ride to the Kopai river is a must.
CALL OF THE WILD
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| Jaldapara |
dooars
What: The feel of forests and the thrill of wildlife. Best time to visit is October to April.
How far: Overnight train to New Jalpaiguri from Calcutta, then two hours by road to Lataguri.
Where to stay: It’s advisable to stay in nearby Lataguri as staying within the forests requires special permission.
Things to do: Safaris at Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary. Watch out for the one-horned rhinoceros, bison, leopard, spotted deer, sambar, hog deer, wild elephant, wild boar and a variety of birds. You can also visit Jhalang and Bindu (entry by forest car only) as well Samsing and Suntalekhola.
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| Sunderbans |
sunderbans
What: The Sunderbans is the largest block of tidal mangrove forests in the world, and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger.
How far: 131km from Calcutta. Take a train to Canning or bus to Raidighi and then take a motorboat.
Where to stay: WBTDC’s Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge is the best pick. It has dormitories for Rs 300 per head.
Things to do: Visit Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali and Netidhopani. Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve are the chief attractions. Make sure to make your way up the Sudhanyakhali watch tower. Motorboat safari costs Rs 3,000 for 10 people.
Psst: Boatmen charge more if they learn you are from Calcutta. One group got a good deal by pretending to be from Canning!
HILLSIDE HURRAH
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| Darjeeling |
DARJEELING
What: The queen of the hills is slightly more dearer on the pocket and requires at least four days to do it justice. But for students, it is still one of the most “fought-after” holidays (longer trips require more negotiations with parents).
How far: Overnight train to New Jalpaiguri. Then three to four hours by road.
Where to stay: Revolver, the Beatles-themed hotel, has become popular with GenX recently.
Things to do: Walk, walk and walk! And eat, eat and eat. There’s the meat platter and milkshake at Keventer’s, pastries and chocolates at Glenary’s and Tibetan dishes at Kunga. You can taste the tipple at Joey’s Pub near INOX or Buzz below Glenary’s.
Visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Peace Pagoda, Tiger Hills (for a view of Kanchenjungha, weather willing), toy train to Batasia Loop and Ghoom Monastery. Then go shopping for woollies, brollies, cool tees and accessories.
Another pop pick is Gangtok in Sikkim. Sadly, because of the earthquake on September 18, most would prefer to give this picturesque destination a miss this Puja holidays.
