When the mind starts racing with thoughts of all sorts, all a person needs to calm down is a getaway. A getaway from day to day life is quite necessary for the peace of mind. What would be a better option than that of a secluded offbeat sea beach where it is just you and the waves constantly hitting the shore. Well if that is what you are looking for, Bakkhali Sea Beach serves as one of the best offbeat destinations in West Bengal for Weekend Getaways.
Bakkhali is located to the extreme South of the state of West Bengal. Bakkhali is where Bengal merges with the Bay of Bengal and is one of the many beach locations on the Eastern Coast of India, formed by the delta regions of the Sundarbans. Here, in this blog, I take you virtually to Bakkhali and tell you more about the Bakkhali Sea Beach.
Where Is Bakkhali Sea Beach?
Bakkhali in West Bengal is one of those small getaway locations where you do not find a host of crowded people. Bakkhali on the map is at the extreme south of the state of West Bengal and is a part of the many deltaic islands that open up to the vast Bay of Bengal. Bakkhali is around 130 km from Kolkata, the city of joy.
Bakkhali forms the outer fringes of the Sundarbans. Bakkhali is connected with the capital city of Kolkata by NH 117 at a distance of around 130 km from Kolkata. Bakkhali is a part of Southern Bengal and it extends from Fraserganj for a distance of 8 kilometers.
The Bakkhali Sea Beach is one of the many deltaic islands across the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Well known for its impeccable sunrise and sunset views, Bakkhali offers a perfect getaway for you. Unlike the other crowded beaches, Bakkhali is somewhere where you can easily sit for hours and talk to yourself and forget the outer troubles. Ain’t that what getaways are for?
According to Wikipedia, “Bakkhali is a town within the jurisdiction of the Namkhana police station in the Namkhana CD block in the Kakdwip subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.”
Best Time To Visit Bakkhali Sea Beach
Bakkhali is one such location where you can visit anytime in the entire year and be greeted by great experiences. However, the best experience of the Bakkhali Sea Beach comes when the winter kicks in. In the months of October to January, Bakkhali gives an entirely different vibe. The cold, calm winds blowing by the coast sure transport you to a blissful experience. The best time to visit Bakkhali sea beach is during winters.
How To Reach Bakkhali Sea Beach?
Reaching Bakkhali Sea beach is quite a stress free journey. Kolkata is connected to Bakkhali both by road and rail. Many buses operate between the two locations from time to time. You can reach Bakkhali from many other offbeat locations in West Bengal as well like Kakdwip, Diamond Harbour and Gangasagar. The road to Bakkhali is also great. Although the route is busy at the initial stage, it becomes wide as you reach near Fraserganj.
AC Tourist buses also operate from Esplanade in Kolkata to Bakkhali sea beach from time to time. The Esplanade to Bakkhali bus is a comfortable one to a serene location. There are trains that are available from Sealdah to Bakkhali. You can also opt for a ride via the National Highway to reach the beach.
Read more on How To Reach Bakkhali Sea Beach here.
Why Is Bakkhali Famous?
Beaches always draw a great amount of tourists in every corner of the world. Bakkhali Sea Beach is the best beach in West Bengal and also comes among one of the best beaches in India. The coastline is about 7 km and the 7 km is a perfect place for the land of Bengal merging with the Bay of Bengal. It is also quite sparsely populated which adds up to the beauty of the destination.
Places To Visit In Bakkhali
Bakkhali offers a great picturesque view of the beaches by the majestic Bay of Bengal and serves as a great heritage of the state too. There are many nearby locations that you can visit in Bakkhali too. However, beaches at Bakkhali are places where you should just go and spend quality time there instead of trying to see each location nearby.
You can rent plastic chairs at INR 10 per hour to sit by the beach at night and enjoy the sea food delicacies that are sold by the beach, and sit with some coconut water and try local snacks. You can also visit Henry Island Beach and Kargil Beach too.
As a matter of fact Henry Island beaches are much cleaner and even less crowded than that of the Bakkhali Sea Beach. The sunrise views from Kargil Beach is just another pristine feeling in itself. All in all Bakkhali is in itself quite apt to culminate your weekend getaway needs and I would definitely recommend you to just savor and gather the essence sitting by the beaches instead of wanting to wander everywhere nearby.
Road Condition From Kolkata To Bakkhali
Bakkhali is connected to Kolkata by National Highway NH 12, formerly known as NH 117. The roads are smooth and lack any such potholes that could possibly cause any issue. However there’s a strip of uneven, narrow roads that you need to cross before you could set foot upon the National Highway. The distance between Kolkata and Bakkhali ranges from 130 to 150 km depending upon the type of route you use.
It takes around 4 hours to reach Bakkhali if you prefer a road trip there. The roads, soon after you set foot on NH 12, become smooth and easy going. However, the only problem with the road is that small villages have been set up on both the sides of the Highway, so one needs to be very careful while driving.
I would also suggest you to avoid night rides or rides after the sun goes down, because the entire strip has no traffic lights to guide you to Bakkhali. It becomes very risky to drive in such conditions and this is also a reason that many accidents occur here during night time.
Bakkhali Sea Beach – My Experience
Tired of the hustle-bustle of daily life, I decided to visit Bakkhali during the mid October of 2023. There was no specific reason why I chose this location instead of other offbeat places near Kolkata. I had two days to myself which I wanted to dedicate completely to myself. I, thus, took my bike, started the engines and set out on a journey to find inner peace yet again.
I am a mountain person and I do not recall going to any beach ever, other than the stories I have heard from my mother about the time all of us went to Digha. This time, I decided to give beaches a try and trust me when I say it, I was not a wee bit disappointed. I personally feel that mountains are something one should never spend just a weekend of theirs on. Mountains need to be felt and savored in the best possible manner.
Having just two days to myself, I could not think of a better location than the southern stretch of the coast of Bengal and Bakkhali was the first location that showed up on my Google Map. I decided to go there and was greeted by one of my very best experiences. As I say, ‘Experiences are Eternal’ so was this experience of mine visiting the Bakkhali Sea Beach.
Bakkhali is indeed one of the best weekend getaways near Kolkata and I highly recommend you all to give this place a visit.
Best Weekend Getaways Near Kolkata
Kolkata is a city of cultures and many different attractions that attracts many tourists from all over the world. However there are many offbeat locations for weekend getaways near Kolkata which includes Bakkhali too.
- Sunderbans, Bakkhali, and Henry Island are three places on the deltaic region of the state. These also lie in close proximity with each other.
- Mayapur serves as another great getaway if you want to spend some spiritual time and you are looking for a Krishna Conscious getaway.
- Kurseong, Darjeeling, Kalimpong are some of the most famous places among the tourists and they are also visited by a large number of people during the seasons. If you are looking to travel to these hill stations,you need to make sure to not go there during the peak seasons.
- Lava is, however, secluded from all these crowds and is rather untouched compared to the above locations. I, personally, feel that crowds take away the essence of a perfect weekend getaway.
Conclusion
I hope my blog was able to engage you till here. Bakkhali Sea Beach was visited by me recently in October 2023. I traveled alone to this serene place and I can say that Bakkhali is a great getaway location from the main city of Kolkata. Go, visit Bakkhali with your friends and family and enjoy your weekends to the fullest.
Happy travels.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Is Bakkhali A Good Place For Solo Travelers?
Although Bakkhali offers quite a serene getaway to every one, there is one catch for the solo travelers. Apparently, solo travelers do not get a hotel room there easily, due to the constantly increasing cases of self harm there.
Which month is best to visit Bakkhali?
The best time to visit Bakkhali is during the winters from the month of October to January. Bakkhali Sea Beach offers a great vibe during the cold months and it is recommended to visit Bakkhali during these months.
Is Bakkhali A Good Getaway From West Bengal?
Yes, Bakkhali is one of the few serene getaway places from West Bengal that are quite untouched by the crowd. It is a great destination for some mental relief and serves as a great getaway from West Bengal.
