Sunderbans Reviews

Sunderbans Experience: My visit to the Sunderbans was an impulsive decision, as I suddenly wished to be away from Kolkata on my birthday! The place was not too far and there was a readymade 2-night/3 day package tour available with the resort company. Booking was just a phone call away and there I was outside Priya cinema waiting for the bus, which would take me to my dream destination. The Sunderbans did not disappoint me though I did not spot the famed Royal Bengal Tiger!! The first trip on the launch was a mind-blowing experience! Surely, this was how nature was meant to be; calm, unspoiled, pristine and majestic. As the launch cut through the waters, the Sunderban Tiger Reserve Forest could be seen on one side and we spotted all kinds of birds, deer and even a crocodile but no tigers! Our visits to the Sajnekhali Tiger Project Area, Sajnekhali Museum, the Mangrove Interpretation Centre and Watch Tower gave us an insight into this amazing wonderland of nature's bounty and the need to preserve it from the marauding onslaught of commercial interests and overwhelming tourist traffic. The second day happened to be my birthday. The management was gracious enough to wangle a birthday cake, complete with candles and I celebrated with a bottle of white wine. Sitting with fellow guests in the haunting stillness of the resort, with a glimpse of the river flowing past and in the midst of the rich natural environs, I felt that this was surely a birthday like no other! A visit to the Sunderbans is a must for everyone; to understand and appreciate the beauty and majesty of nature's habitat and to take steps even in the smallest ways to preserve and protect our environment.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Not too much of shopping here, no shopping plazas around and certainly no malls. The resort has a small gift shop with souvenirs, locally made dhokra jewellery (quite beautiful, actually) and other artefacts. Bingeing on food is restricted to the dining hall at the resort, open on all sides, with a serving area in the centre and tables/chairs all around. You can eat whatever is served at the buffet table, while feasting on the fabulous natural scenery around you. There are no other restaurants or eateries anywhere, surrounded as we are by flowing water, luxuriant foliage and other sights of natural splendor! These more than compensate for the lack of conventional entertainment options at the Sunderbans.

Activities & things to do: Activities are again not of the usual tourist variety. The launch rides through the river with the overwhelming greenery on all sides, the walk through the canopied Dobanke inside the forest and the village sojourn, where you can interact with the local community and experience the rural ambience are the things to do here. There are tribal dances, a film on wildlife and a bonfire (only in winter!) in the evenings.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: This destination is close to Kolkata, so no travel tips needed as such. All the resorts here offer package tours, which include transport, stay and all meals. The only warning I can think of is the presence of mosquitos!! Please remember to carry your mosquito repellent cream with you. And a pair of tough walking shoes!

Sunderbans Experience: It is serene,having a pleasant climate n best to visit between October to April.The monsoon months become too wet.The resort is extremely well located n made of bamboo n wood.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: The food was excellent.No three/ five star restaurants.Yet the homely food tasted awesome.Sight-seeing on steamer n Boats of the resort was very exciting.Shopping of rural products added to the flavor of Sundarbans.

Activities & things to do: You can have bonfire,Rural Bengal theatre plays n Dramas.Various indoor games etc.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Visit Sundarbans,make no noise.Reach from Kolkata by road to Gadkhali.From Gadkhali by steamer to Banani Resorts in Pakhirala.Enjoy Banani Resorts high quality HOSPITALITY.Kindly avoid visiting during Monsoon Months.

Sunderbans Experience: Had the rare opportunity of seeing a royal Bengal tiger. The surrounding villages are beautiful

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Not much options are available

Activities & things to do: Explore the villages. Go for sight seeing in boats

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Could be boring if you dont see a tiger

Sunderbans Experience: Grt place for weekend nature unbounded in abundance lot of tales and folk story mangroves and water everywhere if lucky get to see wild animals lot of flora and fauna crocodiles, deer, kingfisher, wild boar are easily seen but TIGER u need to go again and again...

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Food was excellent with local flavor and mostly bengali whole day sightseeing over boat thrilling experience no shops totally natural.

Activities & things to do: Whole day sailing in boat through rarest of rare mangroves.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: No electricity mainly solar power or generator easily reached from kolkata around 3 hrs journey..

Sunderbans Experience: Situated on odisha and west begal border. 500 sq.km area Watch tower with circuit house are available.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Sight seeing of royal bengal tiger and wild boar.

Activities & things to do: Trekking, hiking in natural wild area is a best one.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Wild permit is compulsory, rule are not to be violated. Guides are must with good vehicle...

Sunderbans Experience: Sunderbans is perhaps one of India's hidden treasures. Interestingly, it was nominated among the top 10 in the new seven wonders of the world list in which over 400 countries had participated and sent their nominations, of which, only 28 countries were selected in the first list. The Sundarbans has the world’s largest tidal halophytic mangrove forests, which is slowly being swallowed up by the rising sea level due to global warming. Known for its mangrove forests, the Royal Bengal Tigers, and wide variety of flora and fauna, this place is a often missed out by tourists visiting Kolkata. My recommendation to all is to atleast spend 2 Nights at Sunderbans to get a feel of the uniqueness of the world's largest mangrove forest.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: SHOPPING:- This place is a paradise for nature lovers, thus the question of shopping doesn't arise. This is not the place for shopaholics. All you get are small saplings of Sundari and other variety of mangrove trees, which one carries home as souvenirs only to find that they do not survive elsewhere. Food: Usually food is served on the boat or the resort where you are put up. Especially for Non-vegetarians, its a boon as they serve excellent fish, crabs and prawns. However, for vegetarians, there is simple food on offer. Since I am veg, I ended up eating simple stuff like rice dal etc. However, I have heard that the non-veg preparations are very good and have seen people enjoying non-veg dishes with much gusto.

Activities & things to do: Sight Seeing Sightseeing is usually done on a boat cruise as the entire journey to Sunderbans is throguh cruise. You can really enjoy the vast Mangrove forests, birds, animals etc. Moreover, there are many watch towers which are visited during the visit to get a closer look at the flora, fauna and the wild life.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Activities & things to do Sightseeing, cruising, enjoying your Country boat ride, village walks etc Travel Tips ;- -- Best season is from Sep to April, however, during Monsoons, it has a different beauty all together. -- Carry hats, sunscreen lotions I-- If travelling in winter, carry creams, scarf etc -- Avoid using plastic and polythene bags -- Don’t pollute the pristine habitat -- Don’t play any sound system including loud speakers or shouting as it disturbs wild life and co-visitors thumb rule is that no one should go out of water craft We recently visited sunderbans on 2N/3D Package tour from India Beacons Sojourn. The arrangements were great and the trip was awesome. Actually I had selected the package after doing a thorough research on what each operator had to offer in each of their packages and found that this company offered exhaustive coverage. Their best feature was the mud flats, village walk and the boat ride.

Sunderbans Experience: Sunderbans are a beautiful place. if you go in winters you will see a lot wonderful and colorful birds and animals in their natural habitat.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Nothing to shop there.

Activities & things to do: bird watching and try to see the royal bengal tiger

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: always keep a torch with you. Do carry a camera that can click photos of birds flying and animals running

Sunderbans Experience: The place is truly mysterious and the fear of a tiger prowl is always in your mind which makes the place so thrilling and attractive. truly is one of the worlds rated heritage sight and the largest mangrove.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: all in house .

Activities & things to do: Jungle safari on boat along the edges of the tiger land.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Relay only on well organised and dependable travel package organizers.

Sunderbans Experience: The destination is absolutely calm, quite and beautiful. The only way of seeing sunderbans is on boats. The mangrove forest is the home for various species including the royal bengal tiger. One can also be able to meet with the local tribals there. It's a combination of delta, estuary and wildlife.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: There are not many options for sight-seeing. There are a couple of watch towers from where one can spot animals drinking water. There is a museum which has the various specimens of flora & fauna. Above all one can enjoy the natural beauty of sea, river, trees and animals. There is no room for shopping except a souvenir shop at the Tiger Camp Resort.

Activities & things to do: One can have a peaceful vacation amid the vast expanse of the sea and enjoy the wildlife

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: From Kolkata you get various travel agents who organise planned trips to Sunderbans. We stayed in Tiger Camp Resorts. Sunderbans is approximately 5 hours away from Kolkata which includes 3 hours of road journey and 2 hours of boat ride. Do carry sunscreen to avoid tanning. A camera & binoculars is must.