Whenever we think of a beach escape from Kolkata, the ubiquitous place that comes to our mind is Digha. But the flipside is that, Digha has now become overcrowded with tourists, hotels and everything. But the search for wanderlust always brings us to unexpected and beautiful places. One such place is Bankiput.
Bankiput is a pristine sea beach bordered by dense forest of Casuarina trees. This virgin and unexplored sea beach is all yours. There are no sounds of cars and vehicles, not the maddening crowd. In fact, you might not even find any soul on the beach as far as your eyes can sea. Of course, there will be hundreds of red crabs popping out to give company!
At Bankiput, it is only you and the vast sea kissing the yellow sands. The silence is disturbed only by the sound of the waves. If you have always dreamt of spending a day at a deserted beach, then head towards Bankiput. It is a perfect place to spend a secluded and relaxing weekend.
Things to do at Bankiput:
1. Visit the Dariapur Lighthouse:
The Dariapur Lighthouse is one of the major attractions at Bankiput. It is a 96 feet high lighthouse and is fully functional. You can also go on top of the lighthouse and get a panoramic view of the sea and the surroundings. The lighthouse opens everyday at 3 PM for visitors.
2. Visit the Kapalkundala Temple:
There is an age old temple near the Lighthouse named the Kapalkundala Temple. This temple is a beautiful one and finds mention in the novel written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
3. Visit the Pethuaghat Harbour
The Pethuaghat Harbour or the Deshapran Fishing Harbour is situated at the confluence of the Rasulpur River and the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the most picturesque harbours in the Bay of Bengal. You can watch the fishermen with their boats and fishing nets here. You can even see them with their catch.
4. Watch the spectacular sunrise & sunset
While at a beach, it is a sin to miss the sunrise and sunsets. So get up early to watch the sun rising against the horizon. You are going to view a very beautiful sunrise from Bankiput.
5. Simply walk along the beach
The beach is so secluded and serene, that you can simply walk along the beach without any disturbance. It will definitely be an amazing experience to walk down the sandy beach with the soft waves lapping at your feet. You can also simply sit and relax at the beach while counting the waves. You will not even realize how time will simply fly away.
In the moonlight nights, the beach and the sea looks ethereal and walking along the beach on a moonlit night can be quite a memorable experience.
6. Visit the nearby places:
Bankiput is quite near to Digha itself. So while on a trip to Bankiput, you can also visit Digha, Mandarmani and Tajpur as well.
How to Reach Bankiput:
The Nearest Railwayhead is Kanthi. There are two trains from Howrah to reach Kanthi Station. From Kanthi, you can hire a cab or board a trekker to reach Bankiput.
There are numerous buses leaving from Esplanade, Kolkata towards Digha. You can take any of those buses and get down at Kanthi. From Kanthi, hire a cab or take a shared trekker. But the frequency of shared trekkers are quite less towards Bankiput.
Bankiput is 160 km from Kolkata. If you are travelling by car then drive to Kanthi and then take the road to Junput. After reaching Junput stand, take the road towards Baghaput and on the halfway, you will find a bifurcation that will lead to Bankiput.
Places to Stay:
There is only one accommodation option at Bankiput – the Bankiput Beach Resort. The resort is located in splash green atmosphere behind the casuarina forest. The walking distance of the beach is just 1 minute from the resort.
While at Bankiput, do not forget to try the variety of sea fishes like Bhetki, Hilsa, prawns, pomfrets and crabs.
Best Time to Visit:
Bankiput is an all season destination. You can visit here any time of the year. But each season has its own beauty. The monsoons will bring with itself the rumbling clouds and a bit rough seas. The winters are perhaps the best time to visit when you can take long walks across the beaches.