Sunderbans Travel Guide: How to Get There, Best Time to Visit, Hotels, Top Places to Visit in Sunderbans (2024)
Spread over more than 10,000 square kilometers, the Sundarbans is one of the most important national parks globally. As it has the largest area of mangrove cover in the world, it is listed under the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sundarbans is a delta which is located at the confluence of the Brahmaputra and the Ganges. Even though Sundarbans is mostly located in Bangladesh, but India preserves the bio reserve with a lot of care. In India, there are 102 islands of the Sundarbans. Even though only half of them are inhabited, people explore the rest of the islands. There are no other mangrove forests in the world which has tigers other than the Sundarbans. People who live in the area are always in danger as tigers have quite frequently attacked them. That is why the wildlife preservation department of West Bengal has put up nylon fences across the forests’ boundaries to prevent the tigers from entering the localities.
The Sundarban Tiger Reserve was created in 1973. Even though tourists visit Sundarbans frequently, but they cannot enter the core area of the park. Usually, people visit Sajnekhali while exploring Sundarbans. As the park is located 100 kilometers from Kolkata, tourists can reach within three to four hours quite easily. In case you are planning a trip to Sundarban, you will have to enter the park from Sajnekhali island. Other essential parts of Sundarban are Haliday island and Lothian island.
Ways You Could Travel To Sundarban
The Sundarbans is located in a secluded region of West Bengal. That is why it is pretty essential to plan everything before starting your journey over there. Even though you can reach there independently and explore the entire area on a cruise, but it is always better to go to the national park with an organized group. Although staying at a boat might seem romantic, hotels are ultimately the best option for a safe trip. Reaching Sundarban is not that difficult. There are different ways to go there.
Reaching Sunderbans By Private Transport:
If you have your vehicle, you will be able to reach Sundarban without any problem. To reach there, first, you will have to drive to Godkhali from Kolkata. From there, you will have to take a ferry and reach Gosaba. From there, you will be able to reach Pakhiralay village easily by riding a local cycle rickshaw. You can also hire a boat to take you directly to Gosaba from Godkhali.
Reaching Sunderbans By Public Bus:
From 6.30 am, you will get public buses from Babu Ghat Bus Terminus to reach Sonakhali in Sundarban. It would take you not more than three hours to reach Sonakhali from Kolkata. You will be able to reach Pakhiralay village quite easily from Sonakhali by taking an auto rikshaw to Godkhali and then by following the same process mentioned above.
By Train:
Most people prefer visiting Sundarban by trains as it is quicker and more comfortable. You will get many passengers from Sealdah that will take you to Canning. From Canning, you will have to travel to Godkhali by an auto Rikshaw and follow the same process mentioned above. Another way is to hire a boat from Canning to take you to Sajnekhali directly.
Hiring a boat from Canning, Godkhali, or Sonakhli is not that difficult. You will be able to find boats which offer you accommodations as well.
Best Time To Visit Sundarban
Sundarbans is a beautiful place with varying climatic conditions throughout the year. If you want to travel comfortably over there, it is better to visit there from November to February. The weather will be dry and crisp, but you will be able to enjoy the sun during the said time. Many people prefer the monsoons to go there. But we would suggest you not to do that. It is dangerous and not comfortable in the rain.
Best Hotels To Stay In Sundarban
Even though there are many different hotels and resorts in Sundarbans, we have included the best among them in this travel guide. They are given in the following section of the blog.
Sundarbans Jungle Camp
Sundarbans Jungle Camp is one of the most beautiful places to stay in the Sundarbans. As they are located in the Bali island of the national park, you will enjoy the genuine beauty of Sundarbans without any hindrance. This hotel is located way out of the locality of the area, and to explore the islands, and you will be provided with their river cruises. The hotel also offers mud hatch cottages, which are pretty luxurious and comfortable.
Address: 24 Parganas South, Sundarbans National Park India.
Website: Not available.
Phone Number: Not available.
Approximate Price of a room per night: Not available.
Tora Eco Resort and Life Experience Center
Tora Eco resort is also located on the Bali island of Sundarbans, and it is newer compared to the previous hotel mentioned above. As there are six different huts or cottages situated there, you will have to make reservations about staying at this hotel from beforehand. The hotel offers packages to its guests, which allow them to visit watchtowers, ride boats, and take part in entertaining activities.
Address: Bally, West Bengal 743370.
Website: http://www.toraresort.in/.
Phone Number: 099030 55524.
Approximate Price of a room per night: INR 7200.
Sundarban Tiger Camp
Located on the Dayapur island of Sundarban, Sundarban Tiger camp is the most popular place to stay there. As the camp is situated quite close to the Sajnekhali watchtower, it is visited by a lot of tourists from all over the world. As the resort has more than 21 canvas huts and cottages, it can support a wide variety of travelers. The property has a souvenir shop and a library, bar, and games room as well. You will be able to enjoy the national park in the lap of luxury by staying in the Tiger camp.
Address: Island, PO, Dayapur, West Bengal 743370.
Website: http://www.waxpolhotels.com/
Phone Number: 098308 67600.
Approximate Price of a room per night: INR 7000.
Top Places To Visit In Sundarban
While exploring the Sundarbans, you will feel all the stress in your hectic life melt away. The entire surrounding is so calming and relaxing that you will feel time pass away quickly. Most people explore the whole area by cycling or walking, but visiting the different tourist spots of the national park will require a boat. Usually, people expect to see tigers or other endangered animals while exploring Sundarbans, but that must not be the reason to visit the gorgeous delta. Sundarbans should be enjoyed for its serenity, its greenery, the watchtowers, the Ganges, and other mesmerizing things. There are some prominent places located in the Sundarbans which every traveler must visit. They are provided below.
Sudhanyakhali- It is a watchtower, where you will have higher chances of viewing a tiger. Even if you cannot spot a tiger, you will be able to spot deer at least.
Burir Dabri- This is also a watchtower which is situated on the Raimangal River near Bangladesh. If you are staying at Sajnekhali, you will have to travel about five hours to reach Burir Dabri. The entire scenic beauty of the location will mesmerize you. You will be able to get the view of the mangroves quite vividly.
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Jhingekhali- Jhingekhali is located on the eastern part of Sundarbans, and it is a watchtower not visited by many tourists. As the lighthouse is quite secluded, you might see a Royal Bengal Tiger over there. But the bird lovers visit the watchtower to see a variety of rare birds.
Bonnie Camp- With a height of 50 feet, Bonnie Camp is the highest watchtower in Sundarbans. The view from the lighthouse will blow your mind. You will be able to see the panoramic view of the delta quite easily.
Sajnekhali- Sajnekhali is the most popular watchtower located in Sundarbans. Bird-watchers mostly visit it as you will be able to see a large variety of birds from there.
Precautions To Take While Visiting Sundarban
Even though the chances of seeing a tiger in Sundarbans is not that high, you should always be safe while exploring there. There have been previous instances over there, where people have been hunted down and killed by tigers. That is why there are areas in Sundarbans which are banned for the tourists. Apart from tigers, there are a large number of saltwater crocodiles living there. That is why tourists are always asked not to put any part of their bodies in the Ganges.
As Sundarbans is located in South-Asia, it is quite prevalent to malaria or dengue. It is preferable to always use mosquito repellents while exploring the biodiversity reserve. Also, you should only consume bottled water while visiting Sundarbans as it is a rural area, and the quality of drinking water over there is not that great.
Lastly
Sundarbans is a beautiful place to spend some time. In this Sundarban travel guide, we have mentioned every vital detail which could be crucial to you. So, bookmark this page if you are thinking about visiting Sundarbans.
