Digha Tourism And Travel Guide

Located on the southern end of West Bengal in the Purba Medinipur district is the extremely popular seaside town of Digha. This tourist destination experiences heavy footfall all throughout the year as it is close to the capital city of Kolkata and easily accessible. Though travelling in summer is not preferable, nevertheless tourists continue to throng the place seeking respite from their grilling daily schedule. There are a number of beautiful tourism spots in and around Digha and of course the beach for relaxing and spending quality time with family and friends. Here is a snippet of travel guide to see in Digha and the adjoining areas.

By Air: 

Digha is a small beach town in West Bengal and the closest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport located about 190 km away in Kolkata. From the airport tourists can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach their designated venue.

By Rail:

Digha Railway Station is well connected by rail with Kolkata and adjoining areas. Those coming from outside Kolkata can take the connecting train to Digha. Duranto Express, Tamralipta Express, Kandari Express are some of the popular trains running between Kolkata and Digha apart from the local trains for which no reservation is required. From the station tourists can take a taxi, cycle van or rickshaws to reach their hotel.

By Road:

Digha has well connected network of roads that make it accessible from different parts of the state. There are public and private bus operators that operate regular bus services from and to Digha. It takes about 4 hours by bus and tourists can take a bus from Esplanade area of Kolkata.

Getting Around:

Digha is a small town but travellers need to use local transport for moving around. Apart from private cars, they can use cycle vans and motor vans for commuting and it is fun. Cycle vans are used more for moving around within Digha while motor vans are availed of for travelling places outside Digha like Mandamoni and Shankarpur.

Summer (March to June):

Digha in summer is unpleasant and extremely uncomfortable. As it lies on the coast, it is hot and humid. People suffer from the extreme heat and sweat. It is recommended not to visit Digha during these months though hotels tend to be cheaper. If you happen to visit the town during these month, remember to carry lots of sunscreen lotions, hats and keep yourselves hydrated.

Monsoon (July to September):

Monsoon sets in the month of July and brings the much needed respite after the sweltering heat of the hot summer months. The weather improves somewhat though the rains continue to keep humidity high. It is recommended to avoid Digha during this time because for fear of high tides and also because you have to spend most times indoors.

Winter (October to February):

Winter is the best season for visiting Digha. Weather improves considerably, the climate is pleasant, skies remain clear and temperatures well under control. The winter season coincides with the Bengal festival of Durga Puja which is celebrated with much fervor here. During these months tourists can also engage in watersports activities like scuba diving, parasailing and skiing and is comfortable to spend hours on the beach. 

Strolling and Lazing on the Beach:

When in Digha the best thing to do possibly is to spend hours out on the beach. Taking leisurely strolls down the beach, relaxing, watching the waves breaking on the shores and bathing is what holidaying in Digha looks like. The beach generally remains quite crowded but there are vacant places which you may be lucky to find for yourself and enjoying the solitude far from the routine grind is extremely lucrative.

Exploring Other Beaches:

While New Digha beach remains the chief attraction, the area has a number of lovely beach around Digha. A few kilometers drive can take tourists to some breathtaking spots like Shankarpur, Talsari, Udaipur beach and Tajpur. These areas are comparatively less crowded than Digha, serene and picturesque. Lined with beautiful palm and casuarina trees, walking along the beach, watching the fishermen at work or simply watching the rising or setting sun spreading its hues on the sea water is a rejuvenating experience. You can also treat yourself to the lip-smacking sea food that is served on some of the beaches.

Touring the Marine Aquarium and Regional Center:

This is an interesting place in Digha which now has a marine museum open for public viewing. It also has the biggest inbuilt marine aquarium in the country where tourists can find many species of sea creatures like lobsters, prawns, fish, shark etc. It is a great place for hanging out with kids who will enjoy watching these fish and other sea creatures in action inside the aquarium.

Catching Crabs in Action:

Tajpur is a beautiful beach close to Digha. It has unadulterated and untouched beauty that fills the senses of travellers. Here they will come across small red crabs that are all over the place and play hide and seek on the beach. Tourists can find them coming out of their holes and quickly disappearing during the early hours of the morning.

Like all other places in West Bengal, food occupies a very important place in the lives of the people of the state. The dishes prepared are bursting with flavors using an array of spices that taste delicious. Bengali cuisine boasts of variety and flavors that few cuisine can compete with and tourists get treated to some authentic Bengali food in Digha. Restaurants like Purbasaha and Pabitra serve great Bengal dishes. In Digha one must try the fabulous seafood curries of lobsters and crabs. There are stalls on the beaches that prepare dishes with fresh fish caught from the sea and they are out of the world.

When in Digha you must shop and there is no dearth of shops in the town. The beaches are lined with shops and there are bazaars inside the town as well that sell a variety of good to take back as souvenirs of the trip. Colorful and handy bamboo mats and sticks are very popular as are items made of sea shells. They make great decorative pieces for homes and also for gifting purposes.