Mandarmani beckons its visitors to experience the sandy shores, the water sports and the serenity of the azure waters.
A long stretch of the sandy beach with coconut groves all around, the seamless sea and thrilling water sports are what Mandarmani has to offer. The seemingly unending stretch of one of the longest motorable beaches in Mainland Asia abounding in venturous activities will have a rush of adrenaline pumping into your veins. A serene seaside resort village in West Bengal, Mandarmani gives you a chance to enjoy unrestrained tranquillity and the perfect respite from the chaos and din of city life.
TriviaThe sight of red crabs crawling alongside the beach made it appear as a shimmering field of red flowers making the residents initially name it ‘Mandar’, and later on change it to Mandarmani.
IndulgenceWhat must be done while you’re in Mandarmani is to experience the beach and the eternal waters in all their glory while you indulge in gratuitous water sports and fill your stomach with desired delights till the exhaustion of the city life wears out of you and all that remains is an ecstatic joy that never wears off!
Best time to visitMonsoon conjures the ideal atmosphere and the beach looks ethereal. It's the peak season here as it offers a mesmerizing view of the beach and the rain. The sight is spectacular and accommodations are sparse. However, the aesthetically appealing view attracts people from all over. Winter the next best season to visit with the ‘Surf n Sand’ festival gathering many here.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
The drive-in beach of Mandarmani offers you the very respite and liberation that the city life restricts. Lose yourself in the breath-taking view of the beach, the endless sea and the azure sky. The soft morning glow and the orangish-pink hue of dusk will be framed as the most exquisite paintings your eyes have ever seen as you walk by the beachside to take in the surreal experience.
If the beach isn’t enough to draw you in, its thriving water sports will. If it’s an adventure you seek, adventure you will get!
Mohana Beach End Point, Digha, West Bengal
Picture this. A delta surrounded by bustling fishing settlements and dense jhau trees with red crabs crawling all around, against the backdrop of the eternal sky and the infinite waters of the sea. This is what you’ll see when you venture into the farther end of the beach called the ‘Mohana’, where the river meets with the sea to enchant the onlookers with its splendour.
The modest sight of humble boats and fishermen going about their daily chores is quite frequent.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
The drive-in beach of Mandarmani offers you the very respite and liberation that city life restricts. Lose yourself in the breathtaking view of the beach, the endless sea and the azure sky. The soft morning glow and the orangish-pink hue of dusk will form the most exquisite frame as you walk by the beachside to take in the surreal experience.
ABC
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
This festival is all about indulging in the varied water sports and finding your way around the sandy beach that is dotted with food stalls and innumerable people flocking to band performances, cultural programmes and movie screenings for the whole duration of the festival in January.
If all the happy exertion has you craving some delicious Bengali delicacies, the food stalls here will satiate your desire, some even allowing you to have your pick of fish and its flavour on their live counters!
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
The beachside is lined with quirky food stalls, all offering a variety of dishes with a single main ingredient, every Bengali’s most adored, the Hilsa. The Baul Gaan and Jhumur Dance will connect you back to your roots while a resident DJ with their upbeat music is sure to raise the energy level.
The delicious assortment of the freshwater delicacy ranging from Hilsa Biryani, Ilish Korma, Hilsa Paturi, Hilsa Bhapa, to Hilsa Tok, is sure to leave you addicted to its inherent flavour and keep you coming back for more!
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Delicacies such as the crispy fried pomfret, masala crab and prawns will have you gobbling up these heavenly treats within seconds of them being served! The fresh pomfret marinated in spices and fried till the skin is crispy, served with crunchy onion rings, chillies and lemon, will perfectly complete your leisure trip to Mandarmani.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Dab Chingri is an exquisite Bengali delicacy with shrimp cooked in tender coconut cream (malai), mustard paste and other authentic Bengali spices. The velvety smooth gravy, tingling heat of the mustard and sweet shrimps are bound to fulfil your craving for an authentic Bengali dish. Other crowd favourites are Bagda Chingri'r Malaikari and Kakra’r Jhal!
Chawlkhola Mandarmani Road, Tajpur, West Bengal 721455
Serving some of the best seafood dishes in Mandarmani at very pocket-friendly rates and having a wide selection ranging from the authentic Bengali thalis to masala crab and prawn, Park Hotel & Restaurant offers you mouth-watering thalis adorned with beguni (eggplant fritter), dal, ghyat (poppy seeds cooked with vegetables) chutney, curd, roshogolla and much more!
Dadanpatrabar, Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455l
Overlooking the serene beach, this eatery serves fish fresh out of the sea. The most popular of all their offerings would be the Tawa Fried Pomfret where the fish is marinated in a simple concoction and shallow fried in a ‘tawa’ till the skin is charred & crisp and the meat soft & juicy.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Speeding over the beachfront of Mandarmani while letting the gentle breeze wave through your hair is possibly one of those experiences that just cannot be done without! Allow yourself to feel liberated and unrestrained as you glide your way through the golden sand on the ATV bikes that will re-energise your being!
Tying your hair to avoid agitating your own eyes or that of your companion in case you are riding with another is an advice best taken.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Find yourself enjoying this calm yet thrilling ride on inflated banana-shaped boats in the summers as it floats you through the smooth waters at a great speed! Grab your chance at exploring these waters while also satisfying the adventure lover in you!
Wearing proper swimwear or light cotton clothes helps having an enjoyable experience in the water.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Feeling the cool breeze and the saltwater hitting your face as you manoeuvre your way through the azure waters will probably be one of the most thrilling experiences of your life! Having your skills of balance and coordination tested while also charging you up with adrenaline is the kind of combination that will make your head spin with excitement!
Wearing goggles helps protect your eyes from the sea salt that is sure to make it burn.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Ever wanted to fly high like the birds and enjoy the breeze while you look down upon the miniature life all around? Well, parasailing in Mandarmani allows you this experience of soaring in the sky while you’re being pulled on by a boat for you to savour this moment of freedom and frenzy!
Wear clothes that fit you well to avoid having them cause disturbance as you sail through the clouds.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
Sitting on circular tubes and being pulled by a speedboat while you enjoy the waves crashing into you will probably excite you and calm you down in equal parts. The best thing, however, is when the joyous ride ends with the ring tumbling over and submerging you into the water to enjoy a cool dip in it. The endless laughter that it will draw out of you is sure to make you feel elated!
Come prepared to be dipped into the water if you decide to go for this ride.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
If you have a need for speed, speed boating will help you satiate your passion while also providing you with the much-needed safety of a life jacket and a companion. The boats can accelerate up to 20 miles an hour and will have you breathing in the gushing winds while you cruise through the cerulean waters!
Listening to your partner is a good tactic if you want to end the ride on a joyous note.
Mandarmani, West Bengal 721455
The local market of Mandarmani exhibits a wide assortment of goods that range from simple seashell jewellery to specially handcrafted shoes and bags that you are sure to spill your money on!
The plentiful stalls that dot the beach proffer not only fashionable jewellery and other souvenirs but also toys, mats, wooden cutlery and so much more that they will have you inspecting all its merchandise to take something back home!
Spring presents a pleasant weather than can be used to its advantage to explore the beach and the surrounding areas. The sunlight is not too harsh nor are the winds too cold so they allow for an enjoyable experience on the beach
The season is good for descrying the beach and its hinterland.
The month of March marks the arrival of summer and it stays till May. Although the heat is oppressive, the cool waters and windy beach will revive your body to savour your much–needed break! The thrilling water sports, chilled drinks and a refreshing dip in the waters will equip you to beat the heat in style!
Carry umbrella and light cotton clothes to avoid the harsh sunlight.
The months from July to August witness the Monsoon bliss in Mandarmani. With the darkening grey clouds eclipsing the horizon and the stormy winds making the waves dance and crash violently against the shore, the beachfront is a sight to behold! When the rain pours down and ripples in the endless waters, the atmosphere is so surreal that experiencing it first-hand will have you awestruck at the beauty before you!
The scrumptious ‘Hilsa Festival’ hosted during this time draws in all the fish lovers.
The months of September to November experience autumn here. It is humid but zephyrous. It sees fewer tourists and therefore is a good time to visit Mandarmani to experience the beach in all its serenity without the noise of the crowds that usually flock here.
Since this is an offseason, fewer tourists allow for accommodations to be available at more reasonable rates.
Experienced from December to February, winter is the second most important season in vogue for tourists here. The weather is soothing. Besides, the light winds only add to the experience of ease and relaxation. The chilly breeze, cool waters and clear sky will allow you to relish the beach and indulge in the manifold activities and festivals that take place here!
Winter poses the best time to visit Mandarmani as the ‘Surf n Sand’ festival hosted in January draws in the tourists.
NNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata is the nearest one from Mandarmani, situated at a distance of 183 km from here. It has good connectivity and is linked to other Indian metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. You can avail yourself of the taxi services to Mandarmani directly from the airport.
The town of Digha has the nearest railhead. There are three trains available from Howrah to Digha. Contai, at a distance of 17 km, has the next nearest railway station of Kanthi. If you’re travelling from Kolkata you can take a train from Howrah and switch to a cab from Kanthi Railway Station to reach Mandarmani. Travelling will take about 3 hours and cost you anything between Rs 700 and Rs 1,500.
Mandarmani is situated at a distance of 172 kilometres from Kolkata. You can avail of regular state-run or private bus services from Esplanade and Howrah to Chaulkhola. Besides, private vehicles are also available to reach the beach. Journey by cab or driving there yourself is the fastest way to reach Mandarmani but also the most expensive. It takes about 2 hours 26 minutes and an amount ranging from Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,400 to reach there unless you’re driving there yourself. Taking a bus from Esplanade to Chaulkhola Bust Stand and a cab from there to the resort village is an alternative way of travelling that takes 3 hours 26 minutes and charges Rs 800.
If you’ve visited one, it is worthwhile to give the other a chance. There is a distinct difference in the beaches and hotels that are there in both places. While Digha is more upscale with several eateries and star-rated hotels around, it’s usually very crowded. Mandarmani however, gives you a quiet experience of the quaint resort village. The beach is less crowded and the hotels are spaced out allowing you to seclude yourself in nature.
Yes, there are many hotels by the sea and it is possible to acquire rooms that will give you a blissful view of the beach side with the endless sky and water as its backdrop, making you not want to go back to the city again. Aqua Marina Drive In, Hotel Sonar Bangla, Victoria Beach Resort, Viceroy Beach Resort, and Candlewood Park Beach Resort are some of the resorts that will allow you the best view of the sea from their enclosures.
Mandarmani is more of a destination to soak up the sun while lazing on the beach. However, if you’re the adventurous kind, feel free to indulge in the manifold water sports available at the beach. You can munch on treats served in the beach stalls to revive your body and go for the next round of activity. Be sure to visit the Mohana and experience the splendid view in person.
If you’re visiting Mandarmani you’re probably excited to try out all the seafood there to satiate your cravings. Several open food shacks will delight you with the local delicacies and many variations of pakoras. Destination specialties like Daab Chingri, Chingri’r Malaikari, Kakrar Jhaal, and Tawa Fried Pomfret should be tried in Park Hotel & Restaurant and Saathi Restaurant.
Yes, it is allowed provided public decorum is maintained. Littering on the beach can become a problem so be sure to properly dispose of empty bottles and glasses. The beach restaurants and properties may not stock up on a wide variety of alcohol so it is advisable to carry your preferred drinks with you while travelling.
The fastest way to Mandarmani is by cab. It takes approximately 2 hours 26 minutes to get there but the transport can be expensive, ranging from Rs 3,700 to Rs 4,400 unless you’re driving there yourself. Both options are equally safe. You can also choose to travel by train from Howrah to Kanthi Station (Contai) and then take a cab to Mandarmani from there. It will take about 3 hours and cost you anything between Rs 700 and Rs 1,500. A cheaper option would be taking a bus from Esplanade to Mandarmani’s Chaulkhola Bus Stand and a cab from there to the Mandarmani resort village. The journey will roughly take you 3 hours 26 minutes and cost you about Rs 800.
