Tourist places in and around Digha
Digha sea beach
A small town, Digha is crowded with hotels generally around one main road. Its proximity to Calcutta (187 km) attracts tourists throughout the year. Digha is a hard beach where one can drive during low tide. The beach is however facing the problem of sea erosion.Bathing is advisable only during the low tide. One can view both sunrise and sunset at Digha sea beach.
Digha is one of the most popular tourist sports in West Bengal.The beauty of this place was discovered as early as the days of Warren Hastings. Today's Digha was known as Beercool at that time. The sea at Digha is calm and shallow for about a mile from the beach making it quite safe for swimming.
New Digha
New Digha is an extension of Digha. It too has several hotels. There is a small park with a lake here.Shankarpur
Not far from Digha (app. 14 km) is the Shankarpur Fishing Harbour Project. It is also being developed as a beach resort.Shankarpur has to its credit all the advantages of Digha, minus the crowd. Shankarpur is only 14 km. east of Digha, along the Digha - Contai Road. It can boast of a wide and unspoiled beach, caesarian groves by the side of a gentle sea and a good climate round the year. It is also a regular fishing Harbour.Shankarpur will soon be developed as a sea resort with hotels, tourist lodges and other facilities.
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.
Chandaneshwar
Only 8 km from Digha, Chandaneshwar is the site of an old Shiva temple. An old Siva Temple, Also Lankeswari (14 km.) and Kapal Kundala Temple (45 km.) near Contai may be visited.Junput
Digha Junput is 40 km. from Digha by bus, with a change at Contai. The place offers beautiful sea-view and lines of caesarian trees. The beach is unspoiled. 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.Digha (174 km)
This most popular beach of West Bengal is lined by Casuarina trees and is ideal for swimmers. The science centre, Marine Aquarium and Amravati Lake are woth visiting.Hugli (47 km)
Historical Hugli was a flourishing trade centre of Bengal, even before kolkata. In 1537, the Portuguese settled here,l but were driven away on 1632 by Mughal emperor shah Jahan. In 1651, the British East India Company established a factory here. The relics of the colonial era can be seen in numerous old buildings, churches and graveyards. The famous Imambara was built here in 1836, by Hai Mohammad Mohsin.Sabujdwip (75 km)
Sabujdwip or the ‘Green Island' set on the confluence of the Behula and Hugli rivers is an ideal picnic spot.Srirampur (serampur) (24 km)
This Danish Settlement from 1616 to 1845 later became a centre of English missionaries. It also played an important role in the Bengal Renaissance. The old Danish buildings, including the Danish Governor's Palace, the Roman Catholic church and St. Olaf Church stand testimony to the bygone era. A museum at Serampur college, houses exhibits of missionaries.Mahesh (3 km) is famous for an ancient Jagannath Tenmple.
Nabadwip (114 km)
Nabadwip, the ‘Varanasi of Bengal' is set on the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Jalanfi rivers. It was the capital of ancient Bengal and is named after the nine islands of Jalangi River. Nabadwip is the birthplace of Sri Chaitabya (1486-1533), the founder of Vaishnava sect and is the seat of Vaishnava culture in Bengal. The Raash festival held in the month of kartik-Agrahyan is a major attraction for the pilgrims.Mayapur, the headquarters of ISKCON, the contemporary face of Vaishnavism lies across the river from Nabadwip. The stupa-like white temple belongs to ISKCON.
Other Beaches
Frazerganj
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 Kolkata, 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
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. 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.Access 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.