Sudipta and Sohini happens to be colleagues and travel buddies. Early this year Sudipta was planning a backpacking trip to North Bengal with a friend, and asked Sohini if she can join in. Not one to say no to a trip, Sohini agreed readily, setting off a series of trips, that followed over the next few months. Places they choose were mostly weekend destinations close to Kolkata.
Both the girls believe in spontaneity and set off with very minimal planning. They say “Locals are the most reliable guide you can ever have. Interacting with locals and soaking in the local culture are the most important ingredients of making your travel experience memorable.”
Journey Begins
Having explored most of the weekend destinations nearby, this time they wanted to make the most of the sand and sea experience. They chose Bakkhali as their next stop for adventure. One fine Saturday morning they boarded a bus from Esplanade and it took them close to five hours to reach Bakkhali.
[dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="auto" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]TRAVEL BYTES FROM THE GIRLS
Relationship: Colleagues & Travel Buddies
Destination: Bakkhali , West Bengal
Trip Expenses: ₹₹2000 per person
Hotel: West Bengal Tourism Hotel
Transportation: Van
Recommended experiences:
● Henry’s Island
● Fraserganj
● Watch Tower
● Crocodile Park
● Paradise for fish lovers[/dropshadowbox]
Fish Fiesta
After heavy lunch and a refreshing afternoon nap, they headed towards the beach, that was stone’s throw away from their hotel. By the time they reached the beach, people had already gathered for the sunset view. The first sight of the sea for a traveler is always magical. They admired the calm sea with gentle waves rolling down to the shore. They chose to spend the rest of the evening strolling the beach among the colorful stalls. Sudipta was dying to have some amazing seafood and looked around to find a food stall.
Soon, they spotted a van, selling a wide variety of fishes like pomfret, hilsha and jumbo prawns. The fish were being fried to the customer’s taste and sold steaming hot! Fried pomfret with mustard sauce, by the beach, along with a gentle sea breeze, made their evening perfect.
“Dada ebar ekta kore ilish bhaja deben”, said one of the girls, lusting as all Bengalis do, after the Hilsa. The way both kept ordering fish after fish, the theme of the evening was clearly gluttony. This happened to be one of the most delicious and fulfilling dinners that they had ever had. Sudipta jokingly remarked, “I don’t remember eating so much fish at a time in my entire life”. Coming from a Bengali, that is saying something.
The owner seemed really happy and promised to prepare a delicious “Crab Kasha” lunch on the next day for the girls. Bakkhali is undoubtedly a paradise for fish lovers.
Local Sightseeing
Girl gangs attract a lot of unwanted attention and no one knows this fact better than these two. Luckily, they have always received good advice and guidance from people around. They negotiated with a local van driver, who agreed to show them around. On their way to Henry’s Island, they learnt that this place had been developed to attract visitors all-round the year and is maintained by Fisheries department of the West Bengal Government. White sand beach on one hand and mangrove trees on the other make Henry’s Island a picturesque spot to spend a few hours. To reach the beach, they crossed the narrow wooden bridge surrounded by mangrove trees on both sides. They also stopped by the watch tower to get an aerial view of the place.
The trip also provided the girls an opportunity to hone their crazies. The two were encouraged and captured on stills driving a van around, by their benevolent chauffer. On their way back, the girls visited Fraserganj – a fishing harbor for the locals. While Sudipta interacted with the fishermen, Sohini observed them as they prepared to sail deep into the sea. The also stopped by at the local Crocodile Park.
Yet another feast
After completing the local sightseeing, it was time to go back to the fish stall, where yummy “Crab Kasha “was waiting for them. The delicious dish was followed by some more fish. They heard someone saying “Meyegulo ki khai re baba”, a not-so- undeserved remark on their crazy eating display. The last meal at Bakkhali lived up to its glory.
The Quirky Route
The girls discovered a local train from Namkhana Station that could take them back home to Kolkata. They thought this would be a good way to hone their navigation skills. Namkhana station wasn’t far from Bakkhali, but there were no direct transportation available. They boarded a bus first, and then took a ferry across the Hatania-Dowania River. After crossing the river, they booked a van that managed to reach the station just in time. While the girls were most satisfied with this mischievous adventure, this is not the most advisable itinerary for families.
They grabbed two seats of a nearly full ladies compartment, which quickly became claustrophobic. Hawkers continued with their daily chores and successfully spotted some customers as well. The pungent smell of sweat and dust was not a particularly fun way to end the trip. The girls realized their BIG MISTAKE. After the never ending train journey, the exhausted duo got down at their respective stations.
But, despite the hassled ending, the gastronomic extravaganza that was Bakkhali, would always be etched vividly in the memory of the two girls.