The Alluring Sunderbans- A great travel destination in the biggest delta of the world

The Sunderbans is in the state of West Bengal in India and is in the South-East Asian peninsular region.

It is a mangrove forest, located in the confluence of the Ganges delta , the Meghna and the Brahmaputra rivers in the Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh. This reserve forest is a World Heritage Site and has an area of about 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi), of which, forests in Bangladesh's

Khulna Division extends over 6,017 km2 (2,323 sq mi) and in West Bengal, they extend over 4,260 km2 (1,640 sq mi) across the South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts.[4] The most abundant tree species are Sundari (Heritiera fomes) and gewa (Excoecaria agallocha). The forests provide habitat to 453 faunal wildlife, including 290 bird, 120 fish, 42 mammals, 35 reptile and eight amphibian species.

[Source: Wikipedia]

September to March are the best months to visit Sundarbans, the winters being the most pleasant period in the area. Summers could be quite hot and send the temperature shooting up, but are an ideal time to visit the wildlife sanctuary.

The collection of date palm juice for jaggery in Winter and,

the Mangrove Forest.

A typical Winter river cruise.

The monsoons too are pleasant and offer the best opportunities of tiger sightings since July to September is their mating season and they are often seen with their mates near the river bed.

An overcast Sky gearing up for the rains

Fresh pug marks of a tiger on the river banks.

The Sunderbans have their own typical occupation for the inhabitants of the thousands of islands dotting the area.One of them is farming, Fishing, crab collection and Honey collection from the forest.

Jumbo prawns collected by fishermen of Sunderbans.

Honey Collectors in the mangrove forest.

Honey Collection is a dangerous occupation of the people of Sunderbans where a big chunk of the honey collectors are food for the Royal Bengal Tiger.

The mangrove forests and the river is also inhabited by animals like the deer, crocodile,dolphins and various types of migratory birds.

The Sunderbans people worship their own deity- the Bonbibi(the lady of the forest) protecting the people from Dakshin Rai(the Tiger). The local people are poor and literacy curve isn’t sharp enough however the tourism industry is one of the flourishing industries in Sunderbans thanks to the initiatives are taken by the Indian and state government agencies and not-for-profit organizations.

The Bonbibi deity in Sunderbans

Places to stay in Sunderbans:

An Eco Resort in the Sunderbans.

A normal resort in the Sunderbans.

People visiting Sunderbans can experience the following popular travel or leisure activities :

1. Spot the Roaring Bengal Tigers- The obvious choice

2. Spot the freshwater crocodiles, river dolphins.

3. Bird watching at Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary.

4. Watch Local Tribal Dance

5. Go for the river cruise

To Spot the roaring tiger we would suggest you visit the deltas in Monsoon- July to September, when the tiger sightings are frequent due to the mating season.

· A trip can be taken to the Bhagabatpur crocodile breeding farm to watch the freshwater crocs!!

· Netidhopani is a picture-perfect tourist place in Sundarbans because of its serene lake and ancient houses. Yet, the attraction which makes this place a not-to-miss travel destination in Sundarbans is a 400-year old temple, which has religious and historical significance. So, in case you thought that Sundarbans is just about wildlife then think again!

· Watch the local folklore drama(Jatra) in an evening with a cuppa of tea and snacks.

A typical trip to the Sunderbans organized by a tour operator would be something like:

Bali, Gosaba (Sunderbans), South 24 Parganas

2 Nights, 3 Days (- A.C/Non AC) Contact: 91-9830115273

Day 1:

Day 2:

• Tea/coffee and breakfast will be served on the boat.

• Ride to Sajnekhali Forest Office for Jungle Cruise permission and guide of the Forest Department, per head pass and boat charges. Take a tour of the Wildlife Museum and Watch Tower.

• River cruising through narrow creeks, stopgaps at Sudhanyakhali Watch Tower and Dobanki where one can take a canopy walk through the forest (well-protected).

• Lunch will be served in between.

• Return to the place of stay by the evening.
• Tea/coffee and snacks and dinner will be served at the place of stay.

(Entry fee for foreigners will be as per government rates)

Day 3:

• A boat-ride to Jharkhali and return to Godhkhali.

• Food arrangements as earlier with lunch served on boat by late afternoon.

• Return to Kolkata by booked vehicle.

The schedule for the programme can be altered to suit the tourist group.

Guide and boatmen along with our own team of local experts will accompany to provide safety and guidance.

** T&C apply.

How to reach Sunderbans:

Sundarbans National Park resides in the southeastern fringe of Indian state West Bengal and some parts of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest. The adjacent inhabited areas of the Indian part of Sundarbans are well connected with Kolkata by both roadways and railways. More conveniently, the capital and metro city Kolkata is well connected with big cities of India by Road, Rail and Air. Kolkata is also connected with Bangkok, Singapore, Hongkong, Kathmandu and Dhaka, etc. by air.

Places connected with Kolkata are also much commuting, from where a motorboat can take the tourists to the Sundarbans National Park. These approachable places are:

· Godkhali Port

· Koikhali

· Namkhana

· Canning

Hotels in Sunderban area:

For comfy residing, different forest lodges and forest rest-houses are available at Sajnekhali, Bakkhali and Piyali to make the wildlife pleasure more rewarding. Lodging facilities are also available at Sunderban Tiger Camp on Dayapur Island, a resort overlooking the national park, and at Sundarbans Jungle Camp on Bali Island run by Help Tourism Group with collaboration from local communities and members of Bali Nature and Wildlife Conservation Society. Economical lodging facilities are also available at Prakrity village resort on Jemspur.

Other than that some more readily options of lodges and resorts at Sundarbans are available to complete the wildlife journey erotically.

The popular websites offering a trip to Sunderbans are-

1.West Bengal Tourism,-

2.Help Tourism Sunderbans Jungle Camp.

3.Tour De Sundarbans

4.Sundarban Chalo

5.Sundarban Eco Tourism

6.Sundarban Houseboat

7.Vivada Sunderban Cruises.

They are all local tour operators.

. Piyali Island is an ideal weekend getaway and is a haven for birdwatchers near the Sunderbans. Nestled at the confluence of the rivers Matla and Piyali, the mangroves covered Piyali Island can be reached by crossing a small bridge atop river Piyali. The island provides peace and tranquillity like no place else and is also considered the gateway to the renowned Sundarbans National Park. In addition to this, you can spot exotic birds as the place is home to a wide variety of bird species and/or go boating in the Piyali river. The place provides several accommodation options and is also a popular picnic spot in the region. So people visiting the SRF can visit Piyali Island too.