It was a vacation I was looking forward to since a very long time.I had read a lot and watched on television the beauty of the Sundarban islands many times but I was able to visit the magical place myself recently only about a week ago.I think I am lucky because I got the chance to visit this beautiful place with my family about which I have read since childhood that it is the largest delta and has the largest mangrove forest in the world and it is very rich in a variety of flora and fauna.
Our journey began from kolkata to kaikhali island(gateway to the sundarbans) which is 45 kms from Kolkata .We took a train from New Garia railway station to Joynagar which took one hour from where we took an auto to reach Nimpith which took half an hour, then again we took an auto to cover a distance of 30 kms which took another hour to finally reach Kaikhali island our destination.The island which is a gateway to the Sundarbans, is very beautiful with a huge river flowing there which is called the ‘Matla river’ and mangrove forests on every side.
At kaikhali we stayed in a guest house managed by the Ramakrishna Mission which is located on the banks of the majestic Matla river.The guest house is very pocket friendly. The cost of food and accommodation is very reasonable there. The river is very close to the guest house about three to four minutes walk away.One can go there to enjoy the morning view and in the evening to enjoy the sunset.
All the tiredness of the journey goes away once you go near the river. You can sit by the river to enjoy its beauty and charm from close distance.You can sit on the river bank and spend your time listening to the sound of the river and can also have some snacks that are sold there by local people.The river water is crystal clear and there is cool wind blowing throughout the day and night hence don’t forget to carry your woolen clothes to keep yourself warm if you visit this place in winters .
This place is so beautiful that you will forget all your stress and worries if you go there.
After taking rest on the first day, we left for Jharkhali island the next morning.We boarded a launch or a ship from the matla river bank to go there.The view of the river and the surroundings was even more beautiful from the ship.There was a vast body of water on every side.After riding the boat for one hour we reached Jharkhali island which was equally beautiful and blessed with natural beauty and charm. There were shops selling souvenirs at the entrance of the island from where I purchased few things for myself that will remind me of this trip.After that we went to the animal park where we saw the Royal Bengal tiger and the saltwater crocodiles and then we again left for our guest house at kaikhali island by the ship.The animal park is huge and has many animals special to the Sunderbans which we couldn’t explore due to time constraints. However, this trip was a dream come true for me and I will cherish these memories forever.I will definitely suggest people to visit these places to enjoy and experience what nature has to offer.