Bakkhali: Place for Tourist
Now a day’s coastal tourism has been an important branch of entire tourism industry. In west
Bengal there are many coastal tourist spots, among them Bakkhali and other surrounding spots like Frazerganj, Henry Island, Jambu dwip are important one and ecologically viable. The present work tries to seek the present status of those above mentioned places as a tourist spot and potentialities in the context of sustainable coastal tourism. As far as tourism is concerned, study on the above regions is sensitive not only in the coastal tourism sector but also in the tourism arena of entire west Bengal. Coastal tourism can offer a rich zone to evaluate the symbiotic activity of human being and ecosystem through an assessment of the nature of consumption involved. With broader concerns of sustainability in mind, this paper concentrates on the path of tourism development that lasts. In that it does not stress the health of coastal ecosystems, in terms of their ability to provide humans with the best services that are required for their continued well in the coming future.
Located one of the many deltaic Islands, Bakkhali is a prominent beach destination near Kolkata. It is a village within the jurisdiction of Namkhana police station in the Namkhana block in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Sir Andrew Fraser, lieutenant governor of Bengal (1903-1908) in the early 20th century, is credited with the discovery of the place. In the recognition of his, a part of the town is named Frazerganj. Most of the islands are part of the Sundarbans, barring a few at the fringes. Some of these are joined together with bridges over narrow creeks. This small island juts out into the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal.
Kakdwip subdivision has full rural population. The entire district is situated in the Ganges Delta. The southern part of the Delta has numerous channels and Islands such as Henry Island, Sagar Island, Frederick Island and Frazerganj Island. The subdivision is a part of the Sundarbans settlements. A comparatively recent countrywide development is the guarding of the coastal areas by special coastal forces. The area attracts large number of tourists throughout the year – Gangasagar and Frazerganj – Bakkhali are worth mentioning. Apart from strolling on the Muddy beach one can explore a few attractions that are papered across the region.
How to get here? Bakkhali is 125kms away from Kolkata, One need to go through Diamond Harbour, Kakdwip and Namkhana. On March, 2019 a bridge over Hatania-Doania river at Namkhana has been made and open to all vehicles (cars), making it possible to travel directly to Bakkhali. There is regular bus service operated by WBSTC from Dharmatala to Bakkhali. The nearest rail station is at Namkhana, There are regular trains from Sealdah to Namkhana. Check the time table in erail.in.
It is a must visit destination in Bakkhali. This place is maintained by Fisheries department of West Bengal Government and has been developed to a great extend to attract visitors all throughout the year. White sand beach and the sea on one end and mangroves representing the Sundarban, on the far left end of the beach, you can spot red crabs by the thousands. The beach is shallow and waves generally not so strong. Around noon time a sand strip rises out of the sea parallel to the coast creating a 100 meter wide bay of sorts. The beach is clean and glassy with nice reflections. The walk over the beach from Bakkhali to Frazerganj is a rewarding experience indeed. See the dilapidated house of Andrew Fraser, a lieutenant-governor of Bengal, the beach and the windmills on the way to the beach. This place is a fishing harbor for the locals. Fishermen take their country boat and goes into the sea for fishing which is their livelihood. When you visit this place you can see fishermen busy with their nets and fishes they have got. A small island named Jambu dwip is another attraction that can be reached only by boat services—either country boats or motor boats. Reaching this uninhabited and forested island across the sea is an absolutely thrilling experience altogether. However, a note of warning—if you are fainthearted, you may choose to skip this activity as you need to cover at least 10 kilometres across the sea. Henry’s Island is another popular attraction at Bakkhali which is barely 10 minutes away. A rickshaw is probably the best way to reach the spot. On the other end make Henry’s Island a perfect spot to spend a few hours. The narrow wooden bridge from the Island to the sea beach with mangroves on both side looks like perfect spot to look around and have some quality snaps. A Watch tower is located in the Henry’s Island which gives you a bird’s eye view of the Mangrove plants all around along with the sea beach on one end. The Tower in Henry’s Island gives you a splendid view of the nature’s products. Bishhalakshmi Temple in Bakkhali is worth visiting for the tourists but no one is allowed to enter inside the temple. You can visit Crocodile Park just near to the Bakkhali bus stoppage, the entry fee in the park is Rs. 10 per head.
If you are looking for Bakkhali hotels there are many hotels in Bakkhali around the bus stop of different categories. There are many hotels on the both sides of the road to the bus stop. Most of hotels have their own restaurants with awesome foods.
The planning and management of coastal tourism can be improved through more careful understanding of social and ecological systems and their linkages with a view to ensure a development that lasts not only for tourism but also for the host destination.
MOUSUNI – THE VIRGIN ISLAND
-By Indrajit Guriya
The tranquil island offers a picturesque view of the distributaries of Ganga swiftly flowing to unite with the Bay of Bengal and a long and narrow beach covered with the area’s typical mangrove vegetation. It is a sub-set of Bengal’s deltaic group of islands, with Muri Ganga River flowing along the West separating Mousuni and Sagar Islands and Chinai River flowing between Mousuni and Bakkhali coast in the East. Mousuni Island is the example of one such Virgin Islands where most human feet have not left behind their marks yet. The livelihood of people residing in the Island depends mainly on farming- and fishing-related activities. The beach in Mousuni Island is generally flat with a gentle slope toward the South and South-East. The highest elevation of bund to protect the Island is +8.90 m from the mean sea level (MSL). Due to its nature of the elevation, due to an increase in extreme events, the inhabitants of this Island have been losing their agricultural productivity due to frequent salt water intrusion due to which the land becomes useless for few years. About 90% of farming families are affected by this effect. It is unfortunate to state that the Mousuni Island has lost more than 14% of its land mass since 1969. The island has a long geological history but has very little by way of a touristic heritage as it is a newly discovered spot by the lovers of off-beat tourism. Sadly, global warming is seriously endangering this beautiful destination of Bengal, with the rising sea waters and the increasing frequency and intensity of cyclones and coastal flooding.
The island has a long geological history but has very little by way of a touristic heritage as it is a newly discovered spot by the lovers of off-beat tourism. Sadly, global warming is seriously endangering this beautiful destination of Bengal, with the rising sea waters and the increasing frequency and intensity of cyclones and coastal flooding.
How to get to Mousuni Island? From where ever you live, you need to first make your way to Kolkata in India. Mousuni Island is distanced at about 125 Km away from Kolkata. The place is well accessible and enjoys good connectivity. You can choose your preferred mode of transportation depending on your budget and comfort. By the bus journey from Esplanade bus terminal to Namkhana bus stand is of 3.5 – 4 hours. Hop onto a Magic Van, cross the Hatania-Doania River via a bridge to reach Bagdanga Ferry Ghat. Next, take a ferry ride to cross the Chinai river and then go to your traveller’s camp taking a Toto or, you can also take a bus going to Bakkhali and get down at 7mile stop from there take a Toto to go to Hujjoter Ferry Ghat, cross the Chinai river go to your camp also get down at 10mile stop from there take a Toto to go to Patibunia Ferry Ghat. By train, take a local train from Sealdah station to Namkhana preferably in the early morning and get off at the Namkhana station. From there enjoy a bus ride up to Namkhana bus stand. From there enjoy a magic van ride followed by a ferry ride to reach your travel camp. Also you can also book a car rental or set out with your personal car or bike to the island.
The place can be visited all through the year but because of the proximity to the sea, the summers are highly humid. The rainy season is a bit risky near the sea so most of the camps stay closed. Therefore November to April is the ideal time to visit. When planning to visit Mousuni Island you have to give away the comfort and luxury of leading an urban life. No hotels or resorts are available as of now. The place offers a very rustic yet homely feel immediately building up a connection of the tourists with the roots of nature. Staying at the Mousuni Island is quite adventurous as the only form of accommodation available in the tented camps and mud houses. You can either stay in the tents having a common outdoor washroom available for all or in the mud houses having separate washrooms if you are looking for some more privacy and comfort.
The newly discovered travel destination to Mousuni Island has become quite a rage mostly among the people of the neighbouring districts like Kolkata, Medinipur, and North 24 Parganas. The island is a beautiful off-beat location to relax and cool off from the monotony of everyday life. Also, don’t worry about the safety of staying in Mousuni’s outdoor camps. The kind and humble helpers at the camp are always there to guide you and serve all your requirements, ensuring your total safety and security. But with the increasing popularity of this island, the local people are unionising and are trying to dupe the tourists by charging them exorbitantly high fares of magic vans, Totos, and rickshaws. So be prepared to bargain with the Toto/magic van drivers before you take a ride. Apart from this, the island is completely safe and tourist-friendly.
The property in Mousuni Island has a tent facility, which is a sheer mixture of nature and solace. Keeping in sync with the purely natural environment, the property ensures to put the elements of the mechanized world at bay, only provided with the basic necessities like toilets, fresh sheets, warm blankets, pillows. Electricity is not well available here so solar power is the source of energy here. There a range of tents to choose from: Adventure tent for 2 people, Family tent for 4 people and Group tent for 6-8 people at a budget of 1000 to 1600 rupees. All the camps offer somewhat similar facilities like offering a welcome drink (Lemon water, coconut water or fresh seasonal fruit juice) followed by an authentic Bengali lunch. Puffed rice and onion fritters are mostly offered as evening snacks followed by a non-vegetarian dinner. The cost of all the day’s meals and next morning’s breakfast along with the stay at the tent/mud house are all-inclusive in their 1 night 2 days package cost. You can additionally order a chicken-barbeque or prawn or crab fries (separate charges) to enjoy in the evening, sitting by the seaside.
There’s only a few things to do on Mousuni Island like after unloading your luggage at the camp/cottage and freshening up, dive into the waters of Muri Ganga and enjoy bathing with your friends and family. After a fun-filled bathing session, head back to the camp for a delightful Bengali lunch at the beach, following which have a relaxing time with your group. In the late afternoon, head out for an adventurous 30-35 minutes tour to the Jammu Island on a boat (within INR 200-250) sailing across the glistening waters for an enchanting view of the wild mangroves all around. Enjoy the golden hours of sunset at the beach near your camp enjoying with your friends and family. Have a gala time in the evening with a bonfire and some fun music by the beach. You can also relish smoked or barbeque chicken/prawn/crab by the sea. Have a comforting and home-like dinner and sleep peacefully to the sound of the gushing waves crashing on the beach. Rise early and set out to view the sunrise at the beach. Take a soothing stroll all along the beach and return to your camp for a nice breakfast.
Mousuni is as beautiful as other serene islands of India, but climate has hit hard on it several times. Climatic changes have shaken the lives of the people living here. But the region has fought back and has developed with a rapid growth in population.
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