Digha awaits your arrival, letting you escape the hustle and bustle of city life and spend a few precious moments in its sandy cradle.
One of the most popular beach destinations in West Bengal, Digha beckons travellers for a perfect weekend getaway. The translucent rays of the sun sparkle on the undulating surface of the sea, the waves crash over each other in a mad race to reach the powdery sands of the shoreline. You can lie on the sandy beach while sipping young coconut water under the shade of an umbrella. The smell of the salty sea permeates the air, interrupted only by the whiff of delicious seafood served on the shores and restaurants.
TriviaTo Bengal's first governor, Warren Hastings, Digha with its sandy shores, cashew and casuarina groves, an ancient church and surreal sunsets was the "Brighton of the East,"
IndulgenceThe rising and falling waves at Digha’s beaches welcome a diverse range of adventure sports. You can soar in the sky on a parasail or bob on the water on a banana boat. These adrenaline-inducing activities is Digha’s bright calling card.
Best time to visitDigha sees eager visitors around the year. However, October to February is widely known as the best time to visit this hamlet. The wintertime marks an amazing experience of visiting beaches, parks and festivals, with comfortable and cosy temperatures to keep you company. Summers are less preferred due to the sweltering heat, while monsoons are also avoided given the humidity and dangerously rising tides.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Often reached after traversing over the eroded rocks stacked on the edge of the sands, the beach is a stunning spot for bathing under the sun or in the sea.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
With its eroded shoreline and fickle reaches of the sea, this beach is a quaint spot for feeling the cool breeze or smelling the salt in the air.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Popular for sea bathing and relaxation, the beach is an endless relic of ochre sands, plain waves and corroded rocks. Comparatively less populated than other beaches, the ceaseless horizon of the sea, brightened by the orange of sunrise and sunsets make for a truly mesmerising sight on this beach.
You can find small stalls selling omelettes or fresh young coconut water and sit on the stone seats or the sand for a truly relaxing morning.
Shankarpur, Ramnagar, Bodhra, Midnapore, West Bengal 721423
If you are in the mood for a long trip of surfing through beaches, find your way to Shankarpur beach on your way to Digha. Located 15 km away, Shankarpur is a lovely hamlet with a stunning, pristine beach. Lay back and soak the rays of the sun as waves wet the sand, safe from the noise of gaggles of tourists.
Some wonderful temples will beckon you with their bells in Shankarpur.
Talasari Sea Beach Road, Barbaria, Odisha 756085
Embark on a beautiful adventure to the hidden glories of the Talasari beach. Yellow sands are peppered with bright dots of red crabs as the fisherman catch pools of fish through wide nets. Vast dunes of sand meet foamy waves while tall trees look on. The dancing water earns the beach its name- ‘Tala’ meaning rhythm.
This sea beach is also on the bank of the Subornorekha river on its journey to meet the Bay of Bengal.
Udaypur, West Bengal 721428
Located 3 km away from Digha, Udaipur Beach is often regarded as an untouched slice of heaven. Find fishermen selling their wares, tall palm trees swaying in the breeze, or cosy tents by the sand. This gem has been hidden from hordes of tourists, so if you ever wanted to visit a private beach, Udaipur beach is an affordable way to do so!
You can relish some delicious crab and seafood or cruise on the waves with adventure sports like banana or speed boats.
Nodakhali, 24 Parganas(S), 700137, West Bengal
Passionate about adventuring into the mountains? Here’s your chance of witnessing the mountains and nature for what it truly is, beautiful and pure! Passionate about adventuring into the mountains? Here’s your chance of witnessing the mountains and nature for what it truly is, beautiful and pure!?
ABC
Malapur, Odisha 754212
8 km from Digha, in the town of Chandaneswar, you can find a lovely Shiv Temple. The walls of the temple tell spellbinding stories from myths and folklore, as prayers reverberate through the place of worship. It is a fantastic place to be one with the locals.
Spend some peaceful moments of reflection and prayer at this temple or attend its annual fair for the Oriya New Year.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
The quiet environs of Digha’s beaches are only interrupted during the Digha Beach Festival. The town comes alive in December during the winter carnival. Several entertainment areas are set up, ready for you to enjoy time with family and friends at game stalls and food counters. Huge stages host singers and dancers from all over the country and beyond.
If you want to experience the stirring atmosphere of a festival on the beach, visit Digha in December.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha’s delectable dishes of Pomfret, Rohu, Bhetki and Tiger prawn are all that you need to fall in love with the food, the view, the serenity and Digha itself! Grilled pomfret is all about the freshness of the fish with the skin charred and the flesh moist while batter-fried bhetki is the Bengali version of fish and chips but with a generous amount of spices.
Foreshore Road, Digha, West Bengal
If you are looking for cheap yet delicious food in Digha, Elgin Restaurant is a great eatery to relax and enjoy your meal. Revel in the taste of fast food and the mouth-melting seafood of authentic Bengali bhetki. The mustard oil-soaked fish dishes like fish fries and tiger prawns are the flavoursome presents delivered from the active kitchen.
Patashpur, East Medinipur, Digha, West Bengal 721463
Your search for seafood and Indian food is over at Bay Cuffe. Spicy, sweet and tangy dishes of North Indian and Bengali cuisine are its specialties. Take your taste buds on a wonderful journey through a land of flavours here, from seafood to snacks and hearty, filling meals.
Mala Road, New Digha, Digha, West Bengal 721428
Standing in contrast to the pastel colours of the beach, the Amarabati Park is a sanctuary of vibrant greenery. Beautifully manicured lawns with winding paths, dotted with colourful flowers and comfortable benches are spread throughout. A calm, petite lake lies in middle, with swans and ducks waddling on its surface while you paddle on the boats floating around.
You can capture a panoramic view of Digha on the ropeway running across the park.
SH 57, Digha, West Bengal 721428
Digha’s Marine Station or the Aquarium of the Zoological Survey of India is a famous attraction. A stunning aquarium of blue water and a vast range of marine life. Every variety of sea animal, from lobsters to sea snakes, crabs and little sharks are found swimming in the waters, a beautiful seascape visible from the glass. A world of wonder awaits you here.
The freshwater and marine species here display the vibrancy of life in the biggest inbuilt aquarium in India.
Old & New Digha Beach
Hold on tight to your comrades as you are towed forward at a thrilling speed on the inflated banana boats that is sure to bring you endless joy and laughter. The push and pull of your fellow mates along with the ebb and flow of the waves will have you high on a euphoric rush that is sure to not cease for some time to come!
Wearing proper swim attire or light clothes will prove beneficial to your experience in the water.
Old & New Digha Beach
Feeling the fresh breeze and ocean waves hit your face as you glide through the turquoise waters will most likely be one of the most amazing experiences of your life! Having your balance and coordination abilities tested while also being charged with adrenaline is the kind of combo that will make your head spin with excitement!
Wearing proper swim attire or light clothes will prove beneficial to your experience in the water.
Old & New Digha Beach
If you crave speed, speed boating will satisfy your craving while also giving you with the much-needed safety of a life jacket and a buddy. The boats can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour and will have you breathing in the rushing winds as you sail across the azure waters!
Wearing proper swim attire or light clothes will prove beneficial to your experience in the water.
Old & New Digha Beach
Take-offs and landings are usually best left to aircrafts and birds but here you will be feeling the exhilaration that you crave. The refreshing breeze will make your hair fly wild as a lightness will engulf you once you elate into the sky. Find yourself on auto-pilot viewing all things small and wishing for this experience to never end!
Wearing proper swim attire or light clothes will prove beneficial to your experience in the water.
Spring is a blend of the cool and the warm and therefore presents a pleasant weather to enjoy the beaches and all its shenanigans. There’s greenery all around to complement the blue waters and the flowers are in bloom.
This season is good for touring the hinterland and the nearby beaches.
Beginning in March, summers arrive in Digha in full force, with the sun glaring from the sky and the humidity permeating the air. It persists till June, marking one of the less popular visiting periods for tourists. Summers in Digha are generally found to be uncomfortable. However, if you wish to sunbathe or feel the cooling sea breeze in the warmth, Digha’s summer creates the perfect beach vista.
If well-timed, avoiding the heat is possible by venturing to explore the beachside and the surrounding areas in the morning and evening.
The rain begins pouring in July and endures till September for Digha’s monsoon. Providing relief from the heat, rain showers create a cooling flow of pattering drops on the rapidly moving waves. The endless rains make the tides even more unpredictable and experiencing the beachfront from a distance at this time would carve a niche in your mind to forever hold the mesmerising sight.
An indoor experience of the season would offer you a unique experience of the rain in the beach town.
Autumn feels the impact of the heavy monsoons and the oncoming chilly winds of winter positing the perfect weather to revel in the beachfront and relish the water sports while also going around discovering all the nearby attractions.
This season is perfect to just about do anything!
October marks the beginning of winter in Digha, lasting till February. The weather becomes extremely comfortable and cool, never becoming too cold. This makes it the most popular season for tourists, improved further by the beach festivals organized in December. Lounging on the beach becomes an act of true relaxation in Digha’s winter.
The Digha beach festival held in December is all the more reason to visit it during this time.
The small town of Digha does not have its own airport but is located roughly 150 km from Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport. You can catch a flight to Kolkata on any major airline from any major city, then get a cab or hire a car to drive to Digha.
Digha does have a small railway station, 450 m away from the town’s centre. Regular trains ply from Kolkata and other cities to the station, allowing for a fast journey to this coastal town. You can also catch a train to Kolkata’s major railway stations like Howrah or Sealdah from any significant city in the country then drive to Digha.
A road trip to Digha is the most popular activity for tourists in Bengal. Driving a car through smooth and well-made roads makes for a wonderful experience on tree-lined paths. Regular buses ply from nearby cities and towns, stopping at the SBSTC Bus Depot or the Old Digha Bus Stop. The road is your best option for a thrilling journey to Digha.
Tourists do not face any problems while visiting Digha, owing to its well-connected local transportation network. Autos, taxis and cars move around freely and in abundance, though people prefer walking to the beaches as the hotels are located quite close to the sea.
The choice really does lie with the visitor because preferences matter. While Old Digha’s spaced-out hotels and calm shores are perfect for those on a honeymoon, New Digha’s sandy shores, proximity to the park and aquarium and star-rated hotels make it frequently visited as well. Since they’re only 3kms apart, it’s possible to experience both the calm and the bustle.
The Old and New Digha beaches along with Udaipur and Shankarpur Beaches are some of the cleanest in West Bengal and offer a charm of their own. Whether you seek seclusion in the waters in a romantic getaway or the classic sandy shores, both can be found on these beaches. The food stalls and water sports available only make the whole experience more exciting.
They are available in abundance on all the beaches, especially the most frequented New Digha Beach. The stalls provide you with equipment and assistance for any activity of your choice. You can be sure to have your enjoyment multiplied with the dash of adrenaline this will bring you. Wearing suitable clothes that won’t wear you down with their weight once wet or fly about if you’re in the air is highly advisable as that makes the experience all the more pleasant.
With the place rapidly developing, the eateries and restaurants in Digha are increasing in number and standard. Local food stalls and those by the beach are sure to give you the perfect savouries to snack on while you laze on the beach or indulge in water sports. Other restaurants that will cater to your seafood cravings and match your expectations are The Bite Restaurant, Mahabhoj Restaurant, Restaurant Bhorpet, Aqua Blues and Koshe Kosha. If you’re looking for cheaper options but good quality food, the Bay Cuffe Restaurant and Elgin Restaurant will fit the bill. All in all the food experience in Digha is one to look forward to and delight in.
The fastest way to travel to Digha is by cab. It takes approximately 2 hours 33 minutes to get there but the travel can be a bit pricey, ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000. Cheaper options will take you longer to reach Digha but the journey will be equally exciting if you’re surrounded by your loved ones. You can take a train from Howrah Station and reach in 3 hours 25 minutes, tickets will be priced anywhere between Rs 150 and Rs 850. Buses from Esplanade will take you there in 4 hours 15 minutes and can charge you Rs 150 to Rs 350.
If you enjoy music and dance performances, visiting Digha in December is what will make your holiday even more pleasant. The town celebrates the Digha Beach Festival during this time when a multitude of stalls is set up for the carnival. You can relish the delicious appetizers, play games, or watch the music recital and dance showcase that features performers from all over the country.
