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Journey to India is not complete if you do not travel to the northeastern part of India .And as you travel to the Eastern part of this unique land, you should take out some time to visit the 1330.10 sq.kms swampy delta of the two mighty Indian rivers, Brahmaputra and the Ganges known as Sundarbans, famous across the world for being the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger. The name Sundarban is derived from Sundari Trees, once found in abundance in this swampy delta island.  The islands Goasaba, Sandeshkali and Basanti form the northern boundary of the Sundarbans; on the south is the sea; to the west side of the Sunderbans National Park is the Matla and Bidya Rivers and to the east is the international boundary of Bangladesh.

It took us nearly 3 hrs. to reach the Bali Island where our stay was arranged in  a newly developed Resort. The environment inside this tiny resort is life freshening with ponds on one side with a relax facility extended over it.

I was surprised when I was told from the organization that started this resort about the fact that those who are looking after the day to day work of the resort along with managing the Privet Jetty were once all Poachers. The kind of hospitality I received from them during my short stay is just unforgettable.

They have the vast knowledge of the whole forests island and few of them are learning English so that they can be more travelers friendly.

We were soon treated with the Exclusive Lunch comprising Prawns and Rice which again made me refreshed from within. I just can’t miss Prawns!!!

After lunch we again got on board the Jetty and we started sailing on the sides of this world famous Forested area of Sundarban in search of Royal Bengal Tiger. Though it was sunny at 1630hrs. little drizzle in between made our evening journey more exciting and mystical.

Sundarbans National Park is the home of many fascinating flora and as you penetrate into the deep forests, this fairyland unfolds its true beauty.
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Boats carrying the harvested Golpata from the Sundarbans.

It is the home of Royal Bengal Tiger who has adapted themselves with the saline and aqua environment of the park and are very good swimmers. The adventure world inside the park is one of the most thrilling experiences one can have in his/her lifetime. As our search for the Royal Bengal Tiger and Crocodile were coming to an end on the first evening with the sun very fast disappearing on the other side, one of the guides (who was poacher once) asked the Pilot to slow down the boat and asked to move it closer to the forests. As it was getting closer to the forests, we could see something. More closer to the forests and we saw one huge Water monitor on top of a tree and to ensure that we get the best position to see it, the Boat Pilot took the  Boat under the tree extension and it was a rare sight.

The next morning we started our Sundarban Exploration at 7 am and the first place we visited was the Sajnakhali Sanctuary which is regarded as part of the Sundarbans National Park. As you reach closer, you can see various species of birds, mainly the seven colorful species of Kingfisher (off course if you are the luckiest one on that particular day) namely White bellied Sea Eagle, Plovers, Lap-Wings, Curfews, Whimbrels, Sandpipers and occasional Pelican. I was not that lucky as I could spot only two varieties; White belted Sea Eagle and the occasional Pelican,

As we had limited time in our hand, we could not visit some other attractions in Sundarbans National Park and one of them which we missed is Netidhopani, where the ruins of a 400 year old temple and legends lend mystery to the atmosphere.

We left the Bali Island at 1430 hrs. for Kolkata and reached the city at 1900hrs. The journey was one of the finest I have made in my life and I made it a point to 
return here during the coming winter.
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Best Time To Visit: The ideal time to visit the Sundarbans National Park is between   September and May. Winter is the best time to see the mighty Royal Bengal Tiger sun-bathing on the river banks.  How To Get There The nearest airport is the N.J.C.B. International airport in Kolkata. If you are coming by Train from New Delhi or any other Stations of India the best is to get down at Howrah from where East Wind Holiday Tours Pvt. Ltd will take care of the rest.

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Every foreigners wish to travel to Sundarbans National Park has to acquire permits from the: Secretary, West Bengal Forest Department, Writer's Building, Kolkata – 700001, India but with East Wind Holiday Tours Pvt. Ltd. you can be worry free as they will arrange permits for you and can be collected on arrival.

A 2Night 3 Day package of Sundarbans comes at a price of $300 per person and East Wind Holiday Tours run exclusive packages for Sundarbans. You can either stay at the Resort or in the Boat but both forms will give you an experience of a lifetime.

Best Time To Visit:

The ideal time to visit the Sundarbans National Park is between   September and May. Winter is the best time to see the mighty Royal Bengal Tiger sun-bathing on the river banks. 

How to Get There:

The nearest airport is the N.J.C.B. International airport in Kolkata. If you are coming by Train from New Delhi or any other Stations of India the best is to get down at Howrah from where East Wind Holiday Tours Pvt. Ltd will take care of the rest. 

Every foreigners wish to travel to Sundarbans National Park has to acquire permits from the: Secretary, West Bengal Forest Department, Writer's Building, Kolkata – 700001, India but with East Wind Holiday Tours Pvt. Ltd. you can be worry free as they will arrange permits for you and can be collected on arrival.

A 2Night 3 Day package of Sundarbans comes at a price of $300 per person and East Wind Holiday Tours run exclusive packages for Sundarbans. You can either stay at the Resort or in the Boat but both forms will give you an experience of a lifetime.

The following are Rajeep's previous articles for the magazine:

Northeastern India -Destination: Shillong
Northeastern India - Destination: Guwahati

Rajdeep Bhattacharjee is a Travel Writer and can be contacted at rajdeep@ecotourism.cc
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