A Weekend Getaway To Digha & Mondermoni

[Need_for_Speed]

Hi All,
In a hot & humid wednesday evening in the month of june, after office, at City Center,Salt lake ,Kolkata , we 4 friends had a discussion over tea, to find a place for a weekend gateway.
We met again on thursday evening to decide about the place.Finally decided the place,It is Mondermoni, a beach ,180km from kolkata. We all were desperately looking for a break from our bone breaking work (in IT software) . The date & time for trip was finalized as saturday & morning 5am. The car selected was my swift vxi.
Next day, Friday ,after office I filled up nitrogen in all 5 tires & filled up the tank at HP pump,tank-9 ,salt lake.Ready to leave for the trip next day at 5am.

Next day Saturday, due to some totally avoidable circumstances(like holiday morning sleep) ,we were late by 2 hours.We finally start from Kolkata at 7am in the morning.

Our 1st destination was Kolaghat for tea & snacks.Road till kolaghat was a bliss to drive except the bridge.somehow we crossed the bridge and went to the dhaba in front of shere-e-punjab.After a 1 hour break at the dhaba,we started again.We reached the place at 12.30pm.

Some more photos of Digha in coming posts.

 

[mukeshus]

Re: A weekend gateway to Digha & Mondermoni

Superb beach there.

The beach is so clean as well.

 

[AR Ram]

Re: A weekend gateway to Digha & Mondermoni

Good pictures

Doesn't look like a loose sand beach; and you can drive near the sea.

 

[amit1km]

Is this a tidal beach?

But really looking good. Bring the rest story.

 

[Fyzy09]

Lovely pictures.. My favorite?? The sun set over the house

 

[Need_for_Speed]

Re: A weekend gateway to Digha & Mondermoni

Superb beach there.

The beach is so clean as well.

Yes.It is superb. For those 2 days, it was only beach & bear for all of us except me.I only take colddrinks. It is very clean as it is a tidal beach.

 

[Need_for_Speed]

Is this a tidal beach?

But really looking good. Bring the rest story.

Yes It is a tidal beach.One can drive car in the beach.
One funny thing is ,to reach some of the hotels in the beach, one has to rive through the beach as there is no other way available to reach there. .
So if someone has booked this kind of hotel & come there on high tides, he can't go to his hotel till water recedes.

 

[Need_for_Speed]

Lovely pictures.. My favorite?? The sun set over the house

Thanks.That picture is also one of my favorite.

 

[Need_for_Speed]

We left Mondermoni at 1pm sunday after lunch for another beach just 30km from it,the famous Digha beach. We went there on june 2012.Some of my friends went there this june.They told me that some kind of water sports has been started there by West Bengal Tourism department.I need to verify with others.
Below are some pictures from Digha beach.

 

[Fyzy09]

Need for Speed,
Please use the multi quote option when replying to multiple responses.

 

[rahul4640]

Dear Need for speed.
I am not sure of this as I have not been to Mandarmani in over a year, although I went to Digha once about four months earlier. But I was told by one person that the authorities have banned the entry to the beach from the bus stand (parking lot) side and nowadays you can not drive anymore over the beach to reach your hotel. At present you have to take a much broken and narrow road from the back of the seafront hotels/resorts to reach your destination. I was also told that it was done to protect the fragile Eco-system. Is it true?
Anyway, the beauty of Mandarmani is that at high tide the water almost reaches the border of your hotel. Here is a picture from my side showing my car at Mandarmani.

Thanks in anticipation of your reply,
Rahul Biswas,
Cossipore, North Calcutta.

 

[Need_for_Speed]

Dear Need for speed.
I am not sure of this as I have not been to Mandarmani in over a year, although I went to Digha once about four months earlier. But I was told by one person that the authorities have banned the entry to the beach from the bus stand (parking lot) side and nowadays you can not drive anymore over the beach to reach your hotel. At present you have to take a much broken and narrow road from the back of the seafront hotels/resorts to reach your destination. I was also told that it was done to protect the fragile Eco-system. Is it true?
Anyway, the beauty of Mandarmani is that at high tide the water almost reaches the border of your hotel. Here is a picture from my side showing my car at Mandarmani.
View attachment 109800
Thanks in anticipation of your reply,
Rahul Biswas,
Cossipore, North Calcutta.

Hello Rahul da,
I went there in june 2012.I am not aware of recent developments. I will ask some of my friends who went there recently and I will update the forum accordingly.
I have read your Gangtok travelogue.I liked both the narration & photos.
I am also planning a gangtok/darjiling/kalimpong trip in either october or november.
Is it right time to go there? What is the current road condition? I am thinking of going solo.
Please let me know your view.

 

[rahul4640]

I am also planning a gangtok/darjiling/kalimpong trip in either october or november. Is it right time to go there? What is the current road condition? I am thinking of going solo.

Of course it is a nice time. The crowd will be less and chances of rain will be minimum. Will you take your car with you? Asking because you are planning to go alone.
And in case the answer is affirmative, I shall request you to visit Gangtok first and then proceed towards Kalimpong/Darjeeling. That way you will be climbing via Peshok Road, which in my opinion is undoubtedly an enjoyable task for any driver. You will fully test your driving skill. The authorities do not allow traffic on the upward direction via Pankhabari Road anymore. But while Pankhabari has more twists, Peshok has sharper gradients. You will certainly enjoy your drive.

 

[Need_for_Speed]

Rahul da,
I haven't yet decided about taking the car.I visited gangtok long time back in january 2008.I have no exp. of hill driving till yet & also I am not familiar with those roads, though i have good driving exp. on highways. I usually take my car when I go to my home in Odisha,with my wife.I have gone bbsr twice with .
Also GC of my car is 170mm. Will it be a problem on those roads,if at all i decide to take my car?

 

[rahul4640]

I have no exp. of hill driving till yet & also I am not familiar with those roads, though i have good driving exp. on highways. I usually take my car when I go to my home in Odisha,with my wife.I have gone bbsr twice.

I guess to visit Gangtok you do not need much of an experience. You do not have very steep climbing anywhere. Drive safely and negotiate the turns properly. Do not drive rash. I think that is all. I also think that here in Calcutta you need to pay more attention to your driving, tackling all these unruly autos, pedestrians, bikers, etc, etc.

Also GC of my car is 170mm. Will it be a problem on those roads,if at all i decide to take my car?

No issue at all. My car has got a GC of 165 MM. And it is almost nine years old, currently clocking over a lakh KM. Yet this summer it had climbed the steep gradient of Peshok Road almost effortlessly. The only point is to keep your car in sound condition.