Come anytime of the year, a seaside destination is always welcomed especially when you want to give a slip to your official day to day routine, at least for two days. The same motif was responsible, for this truly amazing discovery of serenity, so close to the City of Kolkata. Atleast its closer than the Himalayas or Puri or some other places. If you want serenity as well as a degree of silence, Shankarpur is a well deserved destination.
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
This trip buzzed in the mind from last year's November, but with time the urge to run behind the urge for fulfilment grew stronger... In December, the plan was almost nullified but once it rejuvenated, seldom losing a moment, I tried to figure out the exact place for enjoyment with mom... who deserved the break more than me, the last one for her was KanyaKumari ; Kerala in Jan-Feb 2007...
A number of places were shortlisted:
1) Hijuli Forest.
2) Mandarmoni
3) Gopalpur
4) ShankarPur
5) Maithon
6) Talsari
7) Deulti.
Extensive search over the internet and calls to the concerned persons returned with the following results, all rooms are book for 23-24 Jan 2010. At last, I caught hold of Mainak Da, from IICB contacts, who has a friend . This resulted in coming in touch with Ashyamedh, a Tours and Travel Agents. The office located at Hazra, Kolkata. (Click on the name and you get the link). They arranged us two rooms, our requisite in 2 hours notice in Shankarpur. Hotel Blue Sea was destined to host us, in our stay from 23rd to 24th January, 2010. The hotel is good, only the service deserved a better set-up given the price tag.
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
The ROUTE:
There are many alternatives.
* Take a Digha destined Bus from Esplanade / Jadavpur [Kolkata]. There are many CSTC buses, but in rush hours make advance bookings. We faced the problem and payed almost double in a Private Bus. It takes 4-5 hrs, given the road and driver conditions. The landmark is where you have to board down from the bus is ChoddoMile which is a Km from RamNagar and is placed exactly 14 miles from Digha. From there, you take the motor-tricycles, for a fifteen minutes ride to Shankarpur Hotel Clusters.
* The shortest and easiest, economical way is Train. From Howrah take the Dawn train @ 6:45AM / Tamralipta @ 10:25AM / Kandari @ 2:45PM. It costs Rs. 51/head to Digha. From Digha, have a 30 mins ride to Shankarpur Hotel Clusters either in a Sumo / Mahindra Trekker. It costs Rs. 350/- for a 8 seater.
The availability of trains and seasonal special trains are available at the Indian Railways Website [www.indianrailways.gov]
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
The STAY:
Since the place is at par with developing as a sea side destination, the hotels are not at all with a sea view. Out of the handful few, that I came across, only Hotel Sandy Bay was beach facing as almost 80% of the beach is within the Plot owned by the West Bengal Government Fisheries department as under the tag head of MatsyaGandha. They have some very good guest house though, but for private hotels, you have Hotel NEST [to me its the Taj of Shankarpur] and the Hotel Blue Sea, where we stayed. For details please have look into Wikitravels. Click here for the Link. But if you take my opinion, plan the trip well in advance, say 5 weeks ahead and book in NEST / MatsyaGandha.
The BEACH:
Perfect from the Word GO!
Unlike Digha or Puri, the nearby Sea destination, this place has a HUGE beach, where you can enjoy the serenity and calmness. The Sunset is perfect with a galore of colours. Have a look in the pics that I have had snapped for all.
Take family, Take friends... have a bath. Yes its difficult since the hotels are far off, but hotels like NEST has personalized changing rooms on the beach while Snady Bay is on the beach. [But that side is pretty lonely. Recommended for a large group] MatsyaGandha has tourist lodges, 200 meters from the beach. Thats OK.
On a personal note. Shankarpur is a place where you can enjoy the dip in the sea as well as serenity. If you are going for a trip after a couple of years, and have short time, then GO for this place. A sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowd!
We stayed in the peak time. For a two days stay, with everything from Kolkata - Shankarpur - Kolkata, Rs. 2500/head will suffice. Its a tight stuff, as the fooding and lodging is EXPENSIVE.
Since the place is at par with developing as a sea side destination, the hotels are not at all with a sea view. Out of the handful few, that I came across, only Hotel Sandy Bay was beach facing as almost 80% of the beach is within the Plot owned by the West Bengal Government Fisheries department as under the tag head of MatsyaGandha. They have some very good guest house though, but for private hotels, you have Hotel NEST [to me its the Taj of Shankarpur] and the Hotel Blue Sea, where we stayed. For details please have look into Wikitravels. Click here for the Link. But if you take my opinion, plan the trip well in advance, say 5 weeks ahead and book in NEST / MatsyaGandha.
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
The BEACH:
Perfect from the Word GO!
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
Unlike Digha or Puri, the nearby Sea destination, this place has a HUGE beach, where you can enjoy the serenity and calmness. The Sunset is perfect with a galore of colours. Have a look in the pics that I have had snapped for all.
Take family, Take friends... have a bath. Yes its difficult since the hotels are far off, but hotels like NEST has personalized changing rooms on the beach while Snady Bay is on the beach. [But that side is pretty lonely. Recommended for a large group] MatsyaGandha has tourist lodges, 200 meters from the beach. Thats OK.
On a personal note. Shankarpur is a place where you can enjoy the dip in the sea as well as serenity. If you are going for a trip after a couple of years, and have short time, then GO for this place. A sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowd!
We stayed in the peak time. For a two days stay, with everything from Kolkata - Shankarpur - Kolkata, Rs. 2500/head will suffice. Its a tight stuff, as the fooding and lodging is EXPENSIVE.
Copyright: Somnath Paul. Jan 2010. Shankarpur.
Most hotels, particularly the chain hotels, have some formal training sessions for new employees that may include video or online training.
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