Nomad Saikat
The people who love beaches are an admirer of the beauty of nature, the extended sea beach, the clear blue sky, the soft breeze and so much more. A lot of times when we visit a beach location they are either too crowded or too commercialized. However to enjoy the beauty of a beach location to its fullest you need to visit a quaint location for sure. And if you are in search of any such location near Kolkata then that will be a win-win situation as I have a really good option for you already. You can definitely visit the Mandarmani Sea Beach as it can be your next ideal destination to visit. It is a popular getaway from Kolkata as well, and for people who want to avoid the crowded Digha beach can opt for this location.
Mandarmani is a beach town located close to Digha and Shankarpur and is an upcoming travel destination as well. So if you are interested in visiting this beach then this article would be really helpful for you. In this article I will mention Mandarmani nearest railway station, how to reach Mandarmani from Kolkata and a lot more. After all, the beach in Mandarmani is also one of the longest motorable beaches as well. So you certainly cannot miss out on visiting this quaint beach town. Keep on reading this article and plan a trip to this beautiful location as soon as you get a holiday next.
Mandarmani Sea Beach
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach Mandarmani is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata. Mandarmani distance from Kolkata airport is 178.4 km and it takes around 4 hours and 6 minutes. You can cover the Mandarmani distance by road from Kolkata by a car. Or you can take Kolkata to Mandarmani bus as well.
By train
If you are travelling by train then you will have to take a train from Howrah to Mandarmani. There is no railway station in Mandarmani and no direct Kolkata to Mandarmani train though. You will have to take trains from Howrah to Digha. Digha to Mandarmani distance is about 30 km. You can easily hire a car or take auto rickshaws as well to cover the distance from Digha to Mandarmani in about an hour. However the nearest railway station to Mandarmani is the Contai Railway station. While you take the train from Howrah you can take off at the Contai Station. Contai to Mandarmani distance is about 22 km and you can easily reach there in about 37 minutes. Hired cars are available from the railway station that you can opt for to reach Mandarmani Beach.
By road
You can travel from Kolkata to Mandarmani by road very conveniently via National Highway 16 and National Highway 116B. Kolkata to Mandarmani distance is 171 km and it would take a little more than 4 hours to reach the location from Kolkata. You can hire a car or drive your own vehicle to reach Mandarmani. While driving, you will have to take the route towards Digha till Chawalkhola. From there you will have to travel for 11 km till Mandarmani Sea Beach.
You can however opt for Mandarmani to Kolkata bus as well. There are almost 90 buses which operate on the Mandarmani to Kolkata route after every 30 minutes interval. The first Esplanade to Mandarmani bus is at 6 am in the morning and the last bus leaves from Esplanade at 11:50 pm at night. According to the type of bus and the road condition it takes about 3.5 hours to 4.5 hours by bus to reach there. Non AC bus tickets start from Rs. 130. There is Kolkata to Mandarmani AC Volvo bus as well and the fare ranges from Rs. 300 to Rs. 500.
There are buses from other locations as well. You can travel from destinations like Howrah, Kanthi as well. Howrah to Mandarmani distance is 155 km by road and it takes about 3.5 hours to reach there. Kanthi to Mandarmani distance is 22 km and you can reach there in 37 minutes. The nearest bus stop to reach there is Chawalkhola. From there you will either have to take a car or hire an auto rickshaw to reach Mandarmani. It would be most convenient if you can pre book a car or an auto rickshaw to avoid hassle. Or if your hotel or resort offers a pickup facility then that would also be great.
Location on Google Map :
Overview of Mandarmani Beach
Located in the district of East Midnapore, this location is a beautiful beach town at a distance of 180 km from Kolkata. This quaint beach is a favourite getaway for many people from Kolkata. A lot of visitors who prefer tranquility over crowded beaches choose this as a site of visit. Located on the Digha Kolkata route the location is also close to the Digha beach. You can even make a trip to Digha or take a trip to Mandarmani from Digha as well.
One of the highlights of visiting Mandarmani is of course the Mandarmani Sea Beach. This beach is the longest motorable beach in the country that stretches for about 13 km. This is one of the unique experiences that you can enjoy here by driving along the beach for a long stretch and enjoying the view of the sea. However the timings of tides play an important factor in this.
Mostly this is a secluded beach town that offers a lot of tranquility here. However the serenity of the beach is undoubtedly the most peaceful thing to enjoy here. But not just that, the beach is also popular for the adventurous water sports that you can try here as well. Along with that there are few spots for sightseeing nearby which are popular among tourists visiting here. The location looks beautiful with the fishing village on one side and the other side is lined with Jhau trees. The green cover looks too pretty in contrast with the clear water, blue sky and the white sandy beach. So if you are looking for a natural retreat definitely visit the Mandarmani Sea Beach.
Best time to visit Mandarmani
You can basically visit this location any time of the year and as a beach location the Mandarmani weather is mostly enjoyable. Ideally the best time to visit here would be from October to March. This is the time when the Mandarmani temperature is pleasant and you would be able to enjoy the location better. Avoid visiting here during peak summers though as outdoor activities would be a hassle that way. And longer hours of exposure in the sun during peak summer can cause sun stroke, so that is not a great time for a visit here.
Also if you are interested in enjoying Mandarmani Sea Beach with fewer crowds try to avoid visiting during weekends or public holidays. These are the times when the beach gets more crowded. Therefore if you are visiting here during the off period then you will have the beach all by yourself to enjoy more.
Places to visit in Mandarmani
Mohana Delta
The Mandarmani Delta or the estuary is a major tourist attraction here. So if you are visiting Mandarmani Sea Beach make sure to take a trip to the Mohana. This is the location where the beach ends and the river meets the sea. It is a tranquil location and you can also enjoy picturesque sunsets there. Watch the small red crabs playing hide and seek on the beach and that can be too fun to witness.
Fishing villages
The location near Mandarmani Sea Beach is a good location for fishing activities. Also there are many fishing villages nearby as well that you can visit here. Moreover you can enjoy the fishing activities here as well. Do try to interact with the villagers also and you will get to know so much about their culture.
Shankarpur and Digha
These are locations that you can visit from Mandarmani. The Shankarpur beach is located 21.9 km away and the Digha Beach is 30 km away. You can easily take trips to visit both the locations and enjoy some time there.
Things to do in Mandarmani
1. Water sports are quite common in this area. So if you are visiting here you must try that without fail. From Jet Skiing to Surfing to Banana Boat Rides, Parasailing, ATV Rides and Bungee Trampoline a lot of activities are available here.
2. Mandarmani as a location is quite popular for its cashews. So if you are visiting there do shop for some cashews and have them too. Also a number of cashew plantations are present along the whole stretch of Digha and Mandarmani. And that is the reason why you can get cashews at a very affordable rate from there too.
3. Shopping is also one thing you can enjoy here. Mandarmani is quite popular for its jute products and seashell products as well. From colourful home décor items to colourful bags to doormats you can find a huge collection of jute items at affordable rates here. They also sell beautiful items made of seashell as well that you can buy from here. Moreover things that you will find here will be ideal as souvenirs and gifts for your loved ones back home.
4. A trip to Mandarmani Sea Beach is incomplete without savouring some delicious seafood. From local fishes to fresh crabs, prawns and lobsters you can find it all here. Furthermore there are some beach shacks here that can serve you delicious items. Or you can try some authentic Bengali fish curries or crab masala at the restaurants there as well.
5. Enjoy a long drive along the beach. When you get the longest motorable beach you simply cannot miss out on the chance of exploring that right? So hire a car and enjoy a long drive along the stretch and it can be one of the most interesting experiences there.
6. You can spot a lot of small sea animals and creatures here like red crabs, starfish, jellyfish, shellfish, squids, tortoises etc. So take time to observe and spot them on the beach.
Wrapping up!
So that was all about the Mandarmani Sea Beach and you definitely cannot miss out on this beach location. This is one of the tranquil beaches that you can visit so easily from Kolkata. Moreover after a visit to a location like this you would automatically feel refreshed and stress free. So next time you get a small holiday or a free weekend, you can plan a visit to the Mandarmani Sea Beach. Let me know if this article on Mandarmani Sea Beach is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
