'''Mandarmani''' (or ''Mandarmoni'', ''Mandarbani'') is a beach resort in the Purba Medinipur district in Southern West Bengal.

Get in

The nearest train station is at Contai and the nearest airport is at Kolkata. Note that at the moment there is no proper road for the last 6km into Mandarmani, which forces you to drive along the beach, something that the locals encourage, but has a seriously adverse affect on the local ecology, not to mention the atmosphere of the beaches.

By road

From Kolkata, after crossing the VidyaSagar Setu, take the Kona Expressway. After driving a while turn left to Mumbai Road. Drive till you reach Kolaghat, and turn left toward Digha. 2km before reaching Contai Town you will reach Contai Bypass Road, a shortcut that will again drop you on the Kolkata-Digha road. Drive another 10 km to reach Chawalkhola. Take a left turn from Chawalkhola and follow the village road till it ends at a sea-side village called Dadanpatrabar, around 8km. From Dadanpatrabar take a right turn along a narrow road that runs for another 2-3 Km. At the end of this road, you can either drive straight along the sand or take a right turn again through a narrow village road to reach Mandarmani. The village road is just a soil road with dense vegetation and some population on both sides. There are no lights or any other amenities. This runs for another 3-4 Km. It's best to cover the whole stretch from Chawalkhola to Mandarmani before dark. The total trip from Kolkata is around 3.5 hours.

Distances are as follows: Esplanade - 63km - Kolaghat - 3km - Mecheda - 80km - Contai - 12.3km - Chawalkhola - 4km - Kalindi - 4km - Dadanpatrabar - 6km -Mandarmani - total 165km.

By bus

From Kolkata, catch a bus at Esplanade or at Howrah headed for Chawalkhola, or any bus headed towards Digha. From Chawlkhola there are cycle-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws which you can take to Dadanpatrabar. From Dadanpatrabar, you can again get some cycle-rickshaws, but it is best to take the transport from Chawalkhola till Mandarmani since transport availability from Dadanpatrabar is very uncertain. State Transport Buses are available cost Rs 76. A number of deluxe coaches run daily, Rs 100-110. Whiteliners is the nicest option, departing Esplanade at 7:30AM, Rs 160.

Get around

You'll most likely be '''walking''' between your resort and the beach, however if you need to travel longer distances, avoid the temptation to drive on the beach more than necessary.

Be careful while driving on the beach and try to stick to the central part of the beach while driving. Towards the end of the beach, the sands are soft in places and your car may get stuck in it. Avoid driving on the beach after dark as if you get stuck in the sand dunes, you may not be able to get any local help to pull your vehicle out.

On the beach, there is no electricity and after dark the only sources of light are the lights of the small beach-side shops which get their electricity from generators or batteries. As the evening progresses, the high tide causes the sea to rise. By 7-8 PM the sea takes up almost a quarter of the total width of the beach. So, if you had visited the beach during daytime, be careful as the sea will definitely be nearer in the evening. Better to have a torch with you at all times after dark.

See

  • '''The beach''' – Most people are here to hang out at the beach. The waves tend to be calm, dotted with a few fisherman going about their daily routine.
  • '''The Delta''' – At the end of the beach, there is a ''''''mohana'''''' (place where a river meets the sea) [Delta]. There are some fishing settlements also nearby. This place is about 5-6 Km from the main part of the beach where most of the hotels/resorts are located. The place is really beautiful with a scenic backdrop. On one side of the river there are dense ''jhau'' trees, while on the other side is the fishing village. A bit far from the village on the other bank of the river is some dense vegetation. However, you will not be able to cross over to the other side and go for the forest as it is quite far, though it looks near.
  • You can see the fishermen standing or wading through knee deep water laying their nets or catching fish and crabs.

    However, try to avoid this place after dark as it becomes very isolated and you will not find any people, local or outsiders.

    Do

    Relax, swim and enjoy the beach. You are not likely to have many visitors around and that's the beauty of this beach. Activities include fishing, table tennis, carrom, beach cricket, beach volleyball, and boat cruises. Sunbathing is best from October to February. However, this beach is not frequented by foreign tourists and so if you plan to sunbath here, be sure to keep in mind the local culture.

    Buy

  • '''Fresh fish & crabs''' – sometimes available from the local fishermen.
  • '''Shells''' : the small shops dotting the beach also sell small knick-knacks made out of shells and oysters. You can buy shell-necklace and other such stuff. Beach balls, hats, toys, brought from the Kalindi market or Chawalkhola, are also sold.
  • Eat

    Most of the resorts serve typical Bengali food and Kolkata-style Chinese cuisine. However, food is a bit costly since most of the items have to be brought from far away Kalindi market. The local raw materials available in the nearby village will not usually serve the requirements of the hotels or resorts.

    Also, do not expect very high quality food as the hotels usually employ local people without much expertise as cooks. However, the food is hygienic and generally clean.

    The beach also has a number of small eateries which sell tea, snacks etc. If you want to have meals from here, you have to place an order with the owners, beforehand. These eateries make the food only 'on-demand' as per bookings from customers beforehand and not in advance. However, with these stalls, you may have to compromise on the hygiene. Costs are again on the higher side.

    Drink

    '''Green coconut water''' is sold by the local farmers. You can get a limited variety of '''alcohol''' from the shops near the beach, but be sure to dispose of the containers properly rather than littering the beach.

    Sleep

    <!-- PLEASE DO NOT ALTER TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL DETAILS UNLESS THEY CHANGE ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE RESORT. ONLY ONE TELEPHONE NUMBER (the LOCAL number, not distant sales offices) AND ONE E-MAIL ADDRESS PER LISTING - THANK YOU! -->

    Several resorts are spread along a 6 km stretch of beach:

  • Debraj Beach Resort. 91 33 2231-0909. ttp://www.debrajresort.com. 2 Noon. 1:30 AM. s 1200-2800. 91 33 2231-0910. ontact@debrajresort.com. Three star facility adjacent to the beach, contemporary design, and all rooms come with a/c and en suite toilets. Other amenities include a swimming pool, health club, games parlour,suvenier shop, book library and A.C.conference hall for up to 100 people. Utsav is their traditional Bengali restaurant, or Santi serves a wider variety of cuisines.

  • Digante. 91 98 3104-3365. ttp://www.digante.com/. s 1000-1300 (NAC). igante@digante.com. A mid-priced beach retreat with a private sunbathing beach backed by sand dunes and Jhau plantations. AC rooms available (Charges Extra), 24 hr generator. Durga Puja ceremonies are held at the resort, and Bidisha is the onsite multi-cuisine restaurant.

  • Hotel Sonar Bangla. 91 98363-81994. 2 Noon. 1.30 AM. 200-3000. All sea facing rooms.

  • Garden Retreat. t the endpoint of the main road in Mandarmoni, just on the beach. 91-9831167537, +91-9831769790. ttp://www.mandarmoni.co.in. 2:00 noon. 2:00 noon. s.500-1200 + tax. Eco-friendly beach resort with standard sea-facing and non sea-facing rooms. Restaurant serving delicious Bengali, Chinese and Tandoor dishes. Private beach with imported Korean party-tents and beach-tents. Barbecue and camp-fire on the beach. Doctor on call. Travel assistance is also available.

  • Hotel Dream Land. 91 9804090739. 2 noon. 1.30 AM. s 1200-2000. travelsingh@gmail.com. AC/Non AC Rooms Sea View Multicusine Resturant Garden Spl Packages avilable

  • Neel Nirjaney. 91 93318 82883. ttp://www.neelnirjaney.co.cc/. 2 noon. 1:30 AM. s 1000 - 2000+tax. On date laundry service (seasonal). On Call Doctor. Massage Parlour. Swimming Pool. Children's Park. Multi-Cuisine Restaurant (Palki). Car Parking. Car Rental. Sight seeing Facility. Driver accomodation. Special Corporate Packages. Pick & drop from Chawlkhola.

  • Resort Hirak Jayanti. ear Garden Retreat Resort. 33-2286-6969. ttp://roofersinfra.com/hirakjayanti/index.php. 2 noon. 1:30 AM. s 1000-1800. Some sea-facing rooms and some with a/c. Can provide meals to hotel guests only.

  • Rose Valley. 33-25006470. 2 Noon. 2:30 AM. s 2000-3500. All rooms have a/c and face the sea. Credit cards are accepted at their Kolkata office, and group rates are available. Boating, garden & a/c conference hall. Breakfast complimentary , drivers stay free or free pick up & drop from Chawalkhola.

  • Samudra Sakshi Resort. 91 97 3286 1020. s 400-1800. A resort with a small park, good for kids.

  • The Sana Beach. 91 3220 217252. ttp://www.thesanabeach.com/. s 1500-6600 + tax. nl@mandarmonihotels.com. "Eco-friendly" beach resort with accommodation options from camping through to suites & '''Maharaja Tents'''. All types off food available at resturant. They've also got the "Village of Bengal" on site, a local artisans' market/workshop, and a private sunbathing area on the beach. Shrimp Cocktail is a multi-cuisine restaurant serving Indian, Chinese and Continental food, or Tulshi is their Jain restaurant. They've also got Sourav, a 24 hour cafe, or check out Majlish, the hookah bar.

  • Tarangamala Guest House. 91 99 3297-7184. ttp://www.mandarmoniresort.com/. 2 Noon. s 800-1000. A basic mid-range hotel with cottages around a lake.
  • Samudra Bilas. andarmoni sea beach. 5 km.from choulkhola. 33-40078155. 2 noon. 1.30am. s.400-1400. A village resort consisting of 14 rooms (cottage type)4 of them are 4 beded, 1,(10 beded), rest are twin sharing, the resort have 32 bighas of land including ponds, children park, boating, resturant.
  • Hotel Sea Bird. 91-33-9433 58 5945. 2 Noon. 2noon. s 800-2500 +Tax. Super Deluxe Cottage Sea Facing car parking Drivers Stay Free, Childrens Park Multi Cusine Restaurant, laundary service .On call Doctor. MostCourteaous & personalised Rooms with extra sitting space

    Stay healthy

    Reportedly some resorts dump solid waste into the ocean, which you may want to consider before heading out for a swim.

    Get out

  • Digha
  • Junput
  • Shankarpur