The Best Beaches near Kolkata

The beaches on the Eastern side of the country have been hidden away from the Indian traveller’s map due to being so offbeat. Yet, the beaches that you find on the Eastern side have a very specific charm to them. Drive-in beaches, quiet and secluded beaches, estuaries, you name it, and it’s there! We take you through the top ten beaches to run off to near Kolkata every time the mainland gets the better of you.

1. Gopalpur on Sea

A nearly deserted beach with palms and casuarinas gently swaying with the wind and ample opportunities for water sports like windsurfing, kayaking, swimming, water scooter and paddle boating, Gopalpur is an untouched beach destination just perfect for your next holiday. The drive is 10 hours long, and along refreshing stretches, where the speed-lover in you will totally bite the bait!

Distance from Kolkata: 596 Kilometres

How to Reach: Driving is the way! The drive is long, so make sure you split it with a partner. The stretch is insanely satisfying to drive on, owing to the high quality of roads in Odisha.

Where to stay: Mayfair Palm Beach Resort is a great place to park yourself at Gopalpur, with a private beach, et al

2. Tajpur

Halfway between Kolkata and Digha, Tajpur is where you’d spend a family holiday if you like early morning drives. Often, family road trips to Princep Ghat materialize into a slightly longer drive of less than a hundred kilometres to Tajpur, and you end up spending the day at this very offbeat beach village. Yes, it’s that simple!

Distance from Kolkata to Tajpur: 98 kilometres

How to Reach Tajpur: Tajpur is close to Digha. One can take the same buses that go to Digha from Esplanade and get off at Balisai (which lies between Contai and Digha)

3. Digha

Digha is every Bengali’s favourite weekend getaway – birthdays, anniversaries, job treats or idle Saturdays, there’s no occasion that we haven’t treated ourselves at by running off to Digha! And why the hell not? The hotels are cheap, the seafood is aplenty, and alternating between Old Digha and New Digha, some great beaches are to be found. Go ahead and get away!

Distance from Kolkata: 183 Kilometres

How to Reach Digha: Regular buses ply between Kolkata and Digha every day. It takes about 3 hours to reach Digha from Kolkata. One can also take trains from Howrah or Sealdah station to go to Digha. It could be a little challenging to find an AC chair car in the short distance daily trains to Digha.

4. Bakkhali – Frazerganj

Bakkhali - Frazerganj are twin beaches united by a single long beach and separated by 7 Kilometers. You know what’s cuter? The electricity generated by the windmills at Frazerganj supply electricity to the little village of Bakkhali, basically supporting tourism there. The twin villages are situated on the fringes of the Sunderbans, about 115 Kilomtres away, so if you can manage a few extra days, spend some days amidst the wildlife. If not, Bakkhali and Frazerganj are perfect for a quiet weekend getaway to relax on the beaches, take long walks, cycle and chill out.

Distance from Kolkata: 125 Kilometres

How to reach: The route to Bakkhali is through the massive Diamond Harbour road. There are buses from Garia and Esplanade which shuttle to and from Bakkhali.

5. Shankarpur

A fishing village close to Chandipur, Shankarpur is a quiet day drive away from both Chandipur and Puri, if you find yourself in either of these places. In case you like quiet getaways and great seafood, prepared in authentic Bengali spices. You’ll love Shankarpur!

Distance from Kolkata: 175 Kilometers.

How to reach: There are daily trains from Kolkata to take you to Shankarpur. It lies en route to Digha.

6. Talasari Beach

Insanely close to Digha (less than 10 kilometres, no kidding), this is where you head to when screeching crowds at the aforementioned miff you to no end. The funny thing about Digha and[MTT2]  Talasari? Though just ten kilometres apart, one happens to be in Bengal, the other Odisha.

Distance from Kolkata: 190 Kilometres.

How to reach: To get here from Kolkata, all you’ve to do is catch one of the numerous trains or buses to Digha and then get a cab to Talasari.

7. Mandarmani

Mandarmani is a virgin beach paradise which showed itself on the traveller maps of people who had exhausted beach destinations on the Eastern side. Attractions, you ask? Lots of water sports, a drive-in beach where waters recede during low tide and a very chilled out, relaxed vibe. Book one of the umpteen resorts this place has to offer, which are ALL beach facing, and sit down with a pint of beer on your patio and watch the larks sing. Sounds great, right?

Distance from Kolkata: 171 Kilometres

How to reach: The most preferred option to go to Mandarmani from Kolkata is by driving. The roads are very tropical and pleasing to all of your senses. You can also find Volvos and regular buses from Dharamtala (Esplanade) to Mandarmani.

8. Puri

There’s more to Puri than its beaches and Lord Juggernaut. At short drives from the palmy, beachy paradise, are several places of interest of every kind. You can visit the Chilika Lake, which is home to Gangetic dolphins, the Konark Sun Temple, which happens to be one of the 32 World Heritage Sites in India, or simply strut through the pretty Puri and Konark beaches, in what will turn out to be a very relaxing weekend break.

Distance from Kolkata: 518 Kilometres

How to Reach: There are regular trains from Howrah to Puri. If you’re planning to drive down, it takes about 10 hours with breaks. The roads are absolutely fabulous! What’s more, Puri is at half an hour’s drive from Bhubaneshwar.

Where to Stay: A night’s stay at Toshali Sands will cost you about Rs. 3000, but is totally worth it, with its private beach, spa and swimming pool.

9. Gangasagar

A religious hotspot for Shaivites in the Sunderban delta, Gangasagar has very different features from most of the places on the Sundarban delta. No mangrove forests or river distributaries or tiger habitation - instead, the hero of this place is the confluence of the River Ganga and the Bay of Bengal. On Makar Sankranti every year, Hindu devotees gather in Gangasagar Island, take a dip and offer prayers for health and prosperity.

Distance from Kolkata: 110 Kilometres

How to Reach: Get a bus from Esplanade to Namkhana, and further down, ferries can be availed to get to Sagar Island, or Gangasagar. The Muriganga River separates it from the mainland.

Beaches on the Eastern side are in plenty if you’re stuck in Calcutta for a considerable period of time. The short distances and good road conditions make them all ideal for road trips with friends and family. Go on, book your hotels now!