From Wikitravel

Bakkhali is seaside resort located in South Twenty-four Parganas district of West Bengal.

[edit] Understand

Bakkali is located on one of the many deltaic islands spread 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 narrow creeks. This small island juts out into the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal.

There is a 7 km long beach stretching from Bakkhali to Frasergunj with gently rolling waves. These are twin towns now forming one continuous locality. Except on an occasional holiday the beach is not crowded. 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.

Bakkhali is also the name of a river in the Chittagong division of Bangladesh.

[edit] Get in

It is 125 km by road from Joka tram terminus at the south-western edge of Kolkata. The road runs 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 to 11pm except from 12 noon till 1:45pm(lunch hour). The fare for crossing a Car/Jeep is approx Rs 190 (including loading/unloading). The creek is not very wide, just about a hundred metres or so, but is considerably deep allowing the movement of ships from Kolkata to ports in Bangladesh. The creek reduces the journey-time for the ships. Because of this, it is difficult to construct a bridge across the creek. An ordinary bridge will hamper movement of ships and a high bridge is a costly proposition. There is an excellent road from Namkhana to Bakkhali. The 130 km stretch from Kona expressway (with links to the Mumbai and Delhi sections of the golden quadrangle project linking the four metros of India) and Bakkhali has been marked as National Highway (NH) 117.

The road journey from the fringe of Kolkata to Bakkhali takes about three & half hours. However, crowded market places and occasional stretches of bad road can delay movement. West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation runs a direct bus service from Esplanade to Bakkhali. There are plenty of local buses up to Namkhana and then again from Namkhana to Bakkhali.

The railway track from Sealdah to Lakshmikantapur was earlier extended to Kakdwip, a fishing centre. It has since been extended to Namkhana. Local trains ply along the route.

The nearest airport is at Dum Dum in northern Kolkata.

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                                      '    A BIKE RIDE' 

I had a wildest adventure while travelling through bike,all the way from salt lake kolkata to bakkhali beach.The road from Salt Lake to Diamond Harbour is very busy so it takes more than 3 hours to travel this 65Km, but once you cross diamond harbour the cool breeze of the sea pulls you towards the beach.The distance of 82 Km from Harbor to the Beach is like sea waves.It takes approx 2 hours.The road has his own highs and lows but at regular intervals.My advice to you is dont drive above 50 km/hr,otherwise you will have to search for a hospital rather than going to the sea. You can stop in b/w to see the beauty of sunflower forest,village side places and lots of beautiful sunset locations. If you want to stop in b/w your journey then kakdweep is the perfect place.Its a good market to buy something for the journey.One bishalaxmi hotel gives a lot variety of good food here.Do give it a try.

If you are lucky/unlucky like me then you can find snakes on the road itself.I accidently crushed one 7 feet long snake with my bike and now i am running for my life,as his/her partner would be after me.

Once you are about to reach the main area,you will see big,mountain big white windmills.it seams that there is some hidden laboratory of US Govt here..but as you close in, the beauty will grip you in its arms and you will forget all science.

The entry to the beach is quite an unexpected one.You will see lot many hotels on the road and that road will ultimatly lead to the main bakkhali beach. Take west bengal tourist lodge or any hotel,but it should be near to the beach,beause you have to walk down to the beach.Bike is not allowed to the beach.

Once you are filled with the joy of this beach then turn around and drive to henry island. Henry Island is some 5Km from the road,ask any local guy and he will guide you.The road to the island is not very wide,so drive slow. Once you are about to reach the main island,a check post will stop you and ask for some money.He will charge Rs 5/- per head(Head includes your bike too) Two places are really worth seeing on the island.One is the watch tower and another the beautiful barren beach. Once you reach the watch tower,you will see a small iron bridge ahead of it.The way look like it wont lead you anywhere.But trust your instincts and move on.Drive yourself till you see a wooden temporary bridge. Stop your engine because its time to pull in your bike.As you travel through this bridge,be careful because this bridge is quite damaged and it can collapse anytime.Anyways enjoy the walk over. Once you are through this,you will encounter a thick layer of white sand...and I am really sorry to inform you,that you cannot pull your bike further.You have to rest your bike here and move ahead OR pull it on first gear with you walking along,because the sand is too thick to drive..Anyways i pulled my bike all the way along. As you will feel down after pulling so much,you will see a beautiful beach area.This beach is full of crabs and white stones.You can ride your bike on the beach and nobody will disturb you because nobody comes here..Its totally your reward to so much labour you have done.

Finally you can go to Jambo deep,its a too good place.. Its all upto you,how much you explore this area.You can booze on the beach in the night with nobody to disturb you.. A temple called Bishhalakshmi is at the end of the bakkhali main beach is worth seeing.The pandit ji is quite different there as he wont allow you in the temple.He has his own rules.God only knows what rules has his men set. A final word for you adventure riders.Please service your bike before you move this 150Km because you wont find a single shop on the way but all this unavailablity of resources makes this place more attractive and adventures.

Dont forget to bring in your digi lense.Beause you cant stop clicking the beauty

[edit] Get around

Most of the time would be spent in enjoying on the beach but some people look out for opportunities to do other things also.

The ride in the crude bhut-bhuti, a motorised country boat, from Frasergunj fishing harbour to Jambu Dwip, a small, uninhabited and forested island out in the sea, can be a thrilling experience. The two-hour ride (both ways) costs only Rs. 35 per head. The country boats can also be hired for other rides. The weak-hearted are advised not to take the rides.

Make it a point to visit Henry's island. If you got a car, its around 10mins ride from Bakkhali. Else you can avail the rickshaw vans as well.There are two rest houses in Henry Island. If you wish you can stay there too.One is named Mangrove and another one Sundari which is very close to the sea beach. These lodges belong to the Fisheries Department of West bengal.For reservation, contact: State Fisheries Development Corporation, Bikash Bhavan. Ph: 23376470

The credit for turning Henry Island into a holiday hotspot goes to the fisheries department of the state government, which has set up a pisciculture project here. A government official said that the department has dug more than 50 ponds occupying over 25 bigha on 100-hectare land carved off the 500-hectare island. The department has planted trees like gora, kankru and palm apart from naturally growing sundari and hetal.Henry Island is named after a European who surveyed land in the area in the late 19th Century. Dense mangrove forest parted by numerous canals covered the area then. Wildlife such as tiger, deer, wild pig, crocodile and snake were common. The island was only an extension of the Sunderbans and the surveyor could not have dreamt that it would become a human habitat in little more than a hundred years.

[edit][add listing] See

Thw walk over the beach from Bakkhali to Frasergunj is a out-of-the-world experience. The rickshaw van is the only transport available locally. On these rickshaw van you can take a trip for Henry's Island, Watch Tower, etc. In this rickshaw van trip, you will be moving through the beautiful village sides. Once you reach the watch tower you will run short of words to talk since from there you can view the entire Sunderban area. It is a splendid view. On one side you can see the Bakkhali beach at a far distance and on all the other sides the green of Sundarban. It is cheap and since one has plenty of time, the ride can be enjoyable but do not expect much.

[edit][add listing] Do

The stationery shops have reasonably good stocks.

Some mobile phone linkage is there. Ideally, one should check with the hotel one intends to check in as to which of the mobile phone service providers have facilities in the town and whether STD calls can be made from the hotel. ISD calls cannot be made from the hotels but there are public call offices at Bakkhali and en route providing that facility.

Taxis or hired transport are not generally available at Bakkhali or Namkhana. Those who desire to travel in hired transport should preferably arrange for it from Kolkata or try their luck at Diamond Harbour. Most Bakkhali hotels have chargeable dormitories for drivers to stay.

Credit cards are not accepted anywhere around and so carry cash.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are plenty of small roadside eateries. Here you will get delicious sea fishes and cuisines served at a reasonable rate. Hotel PARIJAT in between the local bus-stand and WBTDC Lodge provides the best food here at moderate prices. You will find all sort of fishes like Pomfret, Hilsa, Prawn and the standard Rui & Katla too. A normal Rui thali with other recepies only costs Rs. 25/-

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There are large number of hotels at both Bakkhali and Frasergunj. Generally, tourists get a place to stay on arrival even without advance reservation.

• Benfish Guest House at Frasergunj. Booking with Benfish office 3/2, B.B.D. Bag (East) (first floor), Kolkata – 700 001.

• Hotel Amarabatiat Bakkhali. Standered Cottages Rs 350-450 booking +91 33 9836381994

• Hotel Deepak, ☎ (033) 2464 0081 / 2463 3203 / 3292 9840 (pgcl@rediffmail.com), [1]. at Frasergunj; air-con & non-air-con rooms, lift, swimming pool, bar, Bengali/Chinese/Continental cuisine dorm bed Rs.100/day, rooms Rs.450-850.  edit

• Hotel Portland

• Bakkhali Tourist Lodge. The only lodge near the beach that is run by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) at Bakkhali. Tel:+91 3210 225-260. Rates Rs. 80 per bed (dormitory) to Rs. 400 NAC double-bedded room.AC room Rs.850/- plus 15% taxes. Credit cards accepted. Reservation, 120 days in advance is available from Tourism Centre at 3/2, B.B.D. Bag (East) (ground floor), Kolkata.

[edit] Get out

• Bhagabatpur – crocodile project

• Sagar Island - Gangasagar

• Sundarbans National Park – gateway for the West Bengal part of Sundarbans is through Canning and Basanti, but Sunderbans accessible from Bakkhali.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!