BEAUTY OF GOD: Digha is West Bengal's

Digha is West Bengal's most popular sea resort and tourist spot from Kolkata. It is a popular sea beach resort situated close to the border of Orissa on the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal, India. Exotic species of birds are found at Digha. Nature and bird lovers are flock to Digha. Digha beach is girdled with casuarina plantations along the coast.

Digha is a small town and crowded with hotels generally around one main road. Its proximity to Kolkata (187 km) attracts the tourists throughout the year. Digha is a hard beach where one can drive during low tide.

Digha beach is seven km long and very wide but if a beach holiday is what you want, carry on south to Puri or Gapalpur-on-Sea.

Bathing is advisable only during the low tide. One can view both sunrise and sunset at Digha sea beach. The sea at Digha is calm and shallow for about a mile from the beach making it quite safe for swimming.

The main attraction of Digha is that the River Hoogly merges into the Bay of Bengal over here. Digha offers every possible attraction for a sea-loving travelers: good surf and golden sands.

New Digha is an extension of Digha. It too has several hotels. There is a small park with an artificial lake here.

HISTORY

Digha is originally known as Beerkul and popularly known as the "Brighton of the East" in one of Warren Hasting's letters (1780 AD) to his wife. In 1923, an English tourist John Frank Smith was charmed by the beauty of Digha and started living here. His writings about Digha slowly gave exposure to this place. After independence, he convinced West Bengal's chief minister Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy to develop Digha as a beach resort.

State :	West Bengal
Language :	Bengali
Altitude :	Sea Level
Best Season :	November to Marc

DIGHA BEACH TOUR

The Southern West Bengal is endowed with the most famous beach on the eastern coast of India Digha. The beach town of Digha is famous all over for flat, hard beaches. The beauty of this place was discovered as early as the days of Warren Hastings. Digha was known as Beercool at that time. Digha beach is girdled with casuarina plantations along the coast. The sea is calm and shallow for about a mile from the beach making it quite safe for swimming.

Excursion
Chandaneswar
An old Siva Temple, 8 km. from Digha. Also Lankeswari (14 km.) and Kapal Kundala Temple (45 km.) near Contai may be visited.

SHANKARPUR BEACH TOUR

Shankarpur, a virgin beach as yet, is a recent discovery. It is a twin beach of Digha, around 10 km. from it. It offers nearly all the pleasures of a private beach. This beach too is cupped with casuarina plantations.

Shankarpur is only 14 km. east of Digha, along the Digha-Contai Road. It is also a regular fishing harbour.

Shankarpur is now developed as a sea resort with hotels, tourist lodges and other facilities.

JUNPUT BEACH TOUR

Junput is 40 km. from Digha by bus, with a change at Contai. The place offers beautiful sea-view and lines of casuarina trees. The beach is unspoilt. Brackish water fish cultivation and research are done here by the State Government Fisheries Department.

For accommodation, there is an Inspection Bungalow under the Superintendent of Fisheries, Junput.

FRAZERGANJ BEACH TOUR

The white sand beach, is entirely different from the other beaches. It is pristine pure and holds the charms of a beach unspoilt. It can be accessed from Calcutta, and is a three hours drive on very good roads. The destination is also all too famous for the migratory birds that can be sighted over there

SAGARDWIP BEACH TOUR

A lovely destination combining pilgrimage and fun, situated on an island in the Sunderban, holds the charms of a completely unspoilt beach on the estuary of the mighty Ganga. Sagardwip presents a quiet, silvery expanse of beach and the calm sea provides the perfect setting for a quiet weekend.

From Diamond Harbour one has to travel to Kakdwip (30 km. past Diamond Harbour), then to Herwood Point (Lot No. 8), cross the ferry to the other side of the river Muriganga. The other side is Kachuberia. From Kachuberia, a journey by bus, minibus or trekker to Sagar Island. West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation runs direct buses between Esplanade and Lot No. 8 and ferry vessels across the river.

On Makar Sankranti day in winter (mid-January), pilgrims from all over India congregate at Sagardwip to take a holy dip at the confluence of the river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal. After the holy dip, they offer ‘Puja’ at the nearby ashram associated with the legendary sage Kapil Muni. This has been a famous pilgrim centre from the ancient times. Gangasagar Mela, held on the occasion of Makar Sankranti is the largest fair in West Bengal.

The lighthouse at Sagardwip provides a panoramic view of the surroundings.

There are tourist lodges at Sagardwip and a Youth Hostel. Also dormitory accommodation in a dharamshala run by Bharat Sevasram Sangha.

BAKKHALI BEACH TOUR

It is so near Calcutta and yet so very different from the bustling metropolis that is Calcutta. Bakkhali is only 132 km from Calcutta. From Calcutta to Namkhana by bus (105 km.), then a short diversion by the ferry across the Hatania Doania river, and then another hour and a half bus journey to Bakkhali. En rout, there is Diamond Harbour (48 km from Calcutta) where there is a comfortable Tourist Lodge for accommodation.

At Bakkhali, the beach is long and sandy, the waves twinkling in the sunlight. Dense casuarina groves drape the beach. Red fiddler crabs march in line on the beach.

For accommodation, there is a Tourist Lodge offering both double-bedded rooms and dormitories.

Destination Description

Digha is ideal beach destination for a fun-filled holiday. The sun, sea and sand a potent combination at all times - is made all the more pleasant in Digha because it is neither too crowded nor too commercial a beach resort. Called the Brighton of the East by Warren Hastings, Digha makes for a great weekend or honeymoon destination. Dighas serene beauty and her beautiful beach will have you coming back for more vacations here. Honeymoon couples beware! You may never want to go back from this secluded paradise.

Best Time To Visit

The winter months are a good time as summers can be hot and humid.

Accommodation Option

There are both private hotels and West Bengal Tourism guesthouse here.

Activities

Catch a beautiful sunrise at Digha a lovely way to begin the day. The beach at Digha is supposed to be the widest sea beach in the world. Another amazing feature of this sun-kissed beach is that it is also hard enough for vehicles to drive on it easily.

Places Nearby

Chandaneshwar which is 8 kms away is home to Asia's biggest Marine Aquarium. For a taste of local history, visit the centuries old Shiva temple also in Chandaneshwar.

Things To Pack

Comfortable cotton clothing, beachwear and a good sunscreen are a must.

Here are some of the images / Pictures /Photos of Digha