Mandarmani Travel Guide
Reach Mandarmani beach and you’ll see thousands of small red crabs scuttle around the 13 km. stretched virgin beach, making it look like a simmering field of the red flower Mandar. Years ago the similarity kindled the imagination of the natives. They named it Mandarboni. In course of time it has become Mandarmani.
Mandarmani beach is a large and fast developing seaside village in the Purba Medinipur district of South Bengal, India. It is almost 180km from Kolkata Airport on the Kolkata-Digha route and just 14 km from the nearest bus stop, Chaulkhola.Mandarmani is one of West Bengal’s recently developed tourist destination that lies close to ever-popular Digha and Mandarmani. With sun and surf, unspoiled sea beach and unimpeded silt colored sand, this beach is gradually becoming popular among the tourists.
Mandarmani beach is particularly well-known for its 13 km long motorable beach, possibly the longest motorable beach road in India. Although weekends find Mandarmani overflowing with Bengali tourists, during weekdays you are free to find the desired tranquillity and peace on the beach. The vast expanse of the sea will easily connect you to the divinity and the transport your soul to another world. You will feel that it’s just you and the beach, not a second person to disturb you. Birds speck the sky and little surfs wash the calm & clean beach, as a few fishermen do their daily chores noiselessly.If even that is not adequate to please your senses, try to recline on the sand and listen to the waves hurtling upon the shore, which will surely sweep away your urban stress and pressure.
How to Reach Mandarmani Beach
- By Car – The best possible way to reach Mandarmani beach is by car. If travelling from Kolkata, after crossing the VidyaSagar Setu, take the Kona Express Way. Then turn left to get the Mumbai Road. After reaching Kolaghat, take left to Digha. 2km before Contai Town you get Contai By-Pass road. This road is around 3km long and would give you relief from the crowded city drive. It is a short-cut and again falls onto the Kolkata-Digha road. You drive another 10 km to reach Chaulkhola.
- By Bus – One can always take the bus route to Digha to reach Mandarmani beach. Buses go to Mandarmani beach from Esplanade bus depot, Kolkata. You needs to get off at a place called Chaulkhola between Contai (Kanthi) and Digha. The sea beach is a 20 minutes ride by car from there. The hotels normally offer a pick-up and drop facility for minimal charges. But they need to be reserved beforehand. Also, there are a few rickshaw van parked in Chaulkhola which takes tourists to the beach. But they generally charge high.
- By Rail – One can also reach Digha by train from Howrah. From there taxi can be hired or one can use the local bus service to go to Ramnagar. From there a trekker or rickshaw van to go to the Mandarmani beach (approximately a 40-50 min journey).
Distance of Mandarmani Beach from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Kolkata |
173 |
|
Kharagpur |
130 |
|
Digha |
30 |
Weather
Mandarmani Temperature:
- Summer (Mar to Jun) — Temperature is high and range between (24°C) to (35°C)
- Monsoon (Jul to Sep) — Regular rainfall happens. For people who want to enjoy the sea during monsoon
- Winter (Oct to Feb) — Temperatures are low and range between (12°C) to (24°C)
- Best Season to Visit — Oct to Feb is the best season for tourism
What to See in Mandarmani Beach
The Sea
The Sea is the primary attraction of Mandarmani. You will certainly be able to spend some good time with your treasured ones. Whether you enjoy the waves or simply sense the beauty of nature while soaking in the shore, you will surely spend some memorable time. The white sand, blue water and infinite number of red crabs playing hide and seek with you will leave you refreshed at the end of each day.
Nearby Beaches & Other Places
You can always hire a cab or a rickshaw van to pay a visit to the nearby beaches of Digha, Junput, Udaipur and Talsari. If you have more time you can pay a visit to Chandaneswar, located 6 km west from Digha. This place is famous for a Shiva Temple. In the month of Chaitra i.e., in the last month of Bengali calender, an annual fair is organised around this temple. Pilgrims from all over the country, especially from Orissa, Bengal, and Bihar come to this fair.
Other Details
What to Do
- Mandarmani is a quiet and isolated destination. Hence there is not much to do apart from day long sea bathing. You can also enjoy driving along the beach as it is one of the longest motorable beaches in the country. Or you may engage yourself into a game of beach volleyball or cricket with the local kids.
- Evenings are peaceful and the view of sunset from the beach is exquisite. You can sit with a chilled Beer can and wipe away your urban dreariness.
Where to Eat
- Most of the resorts have an adjacent restaurant which serve typical Bengali food and Kolkata-style Chinese cuisine. However, food is a bit overpriced since most of the items have to be brought from far away market.
- One cannot expect very high quality food as the hotels usually employ local people without much skill and knowledge as chefs. However, the food is hygienic and restaurants are generally clean. Salt-water fish, crab and prawn preparations are worth relishing.
- The beach also has a number of small eateries which sell tea, green coconut water and snacks. If you want to experience a local thali with fresh vegetables and fruits, you have to place an order a day before to the owner since they prepare food only when there is a customer requirement. However, with these stalls, you may have to compromise a bit on the hygiene and prices are again on the higher side.
- Bottled beverages are available in the beach shacks. The hotels generally have bars and they provide foreign liquors as and when required. But it is best to carry your favourite brand from the city.
What to Buy
- Fresh fishes are sometimes accessible from the local fishermen.
- The small shacks in the beach sometimes sell knick-knacks made of shells and oysters. If you are lucky, you can spot a beautiful shell-necklace or a straw hat.
Get Around
- Rickshaw Van – The most prevalent public conveyance available in Mandarmani. Its eco-friendly and easy to ride on. But you need to carry an umbrella since they do not have shelters to protect the passengers from rain or sunshine.
- Walking – It is the best possible way of going around Mandarmani. The beach sand is hard and it is very comfortable to walk bare feet or with your shoes on.
- Bus – If you have plans to visit the adjoining beaches, local buses can be availed. Although these buses are most of the time crowded and infrequent, they definitely give you the chance to peep in the daily life of the localites.
Top Destinations - West Bengal
– Bakkhali
– Bindu
– Bishnupur
– Buxa Tiger Reserve
– Chapramari
– Chilapata
– Darjeeling
– Digha
– Jhalong
– Lataguri
– Jairambati
– Jaldapara
– Jayanti
– Kalimpong
– Kamarpukur
– Lava
– Lolegaon
– Mandarmani
– Murti
– Murshidabad
– Rishop
– Samsing-Suntalekhola
– Santiniketan
– Sundarbans
– Tajpur
– Tarapith
Popular Tour Plans - West Bengal
1-3 Days
1. Murshidabad (2N/3D)
2. Digha (2N/3D)
3. Tajpur (2N/3D)
4. Bakkhali (2N/3D)
5. Sundarbans (2N/3D)
6. Kamarpukur-Jairambati-Bishnupur (3N/4D)
4-6 Days
1. Bakreshwar-Tarapith-Santiniketan (4N/5D)
2. Mandarmani-Digha (4N/5D)
3. Jaldapara-Chilapata-Buxa Tiger Reserve-Jayanti (5N/6D)
4. Lava-Lolegaon-Rishop (6N/7D)
5. Darjeeling-Gangtok (6N/7D)
7-10 Days
1. Jaldapara-Lataguri-Murti-Chapramari-Jhalong-Bindu-Suntanekhola (8N/9D)
2. Darjeeling-Kalimpong-Pelling-Gangtok (9N/10D)
3. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung (9N/10D)
4. Darjeeling-Pelling-Gangtok (8N/9D)
>10 Days
1. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung-Pelling (11N/12D)