Diamond Harbour on West Bengal Tours

Situated in the beautiful state of West Bengal in the eastern part of India, the Diamond Harbour is the place where the River Ganga turns southwards before joining the sea. Diamond Harbour is located near Kolkata and stands on the delta region of this metropolis. It is a major resort for all those who are in Kolkata and for those who visit the city. When we went to Diamond Harbour, it took us around 48 kms of drive to reach this place. A great getaway spot, I was quite happy that I had chosen this as a destination in my itinerary of West Bengal tours. The British who ruled here gave this name to the place and it was in fact a major port of their times.

As I entered the place, I was quite struck by the simplicity of the surroundings. The entire township has a lot of river cruises and these are the most preferred in a tour here. I liked the way the place was very unassuming about its locale and surroundings and how it was far from being an area of noise or confusion. The serene ambience immediately calmed us and we quite had begun to enjoy the whole tour.

We went to the Sharisha Ramakrishna Ashram here which was a total paradise and a great place for all those who seek tranquility in their travels. Situated on the banks of the river, this place exuded a calm and comforting ambience.

Then we went to a fort nearby. This is the Chingrikhali fort. This fort belonging to the Portuguese was earlier the place where the Portuguese pirates used to live.

Then there is a beautiful lighthouse that we went to which totally was a journey down historical lane.

Joynagar is a city near Diamond Harbour where many go to see the stone images of Lord Buddha and also many manuscripts. We decided to go there too. Images of Lord Mahavira and Lord Vishnu are also found here.

Diamond Harbour is also the venue for the famous Ganga Sagar Fair that is held in Sagar Island here. I simply loved the ambience here. The vast stretch of sand and the rocky landscape along with the sound of the gushing waves in the background rendered a total tourist experience. Even though the sun shone brilliantly on us, I was too overwhelmed to even feel the heat. The blue skies above, and the calm waters below, coupled with a holiday feeling, ensured that I sure would put this on the top of the travel chart on a West Bengal tour.

A great excursion zone, this is the perfect dock base for all the big ships. It was earlier known as Hajipur then got renamed as Diamond Harbour. Normally visitors coming to Diamond Harbour spend a whole day here on the banks of the River Hooghly. Simply walking along the banks itself is a refreshing experience. It really does not matter if it is not filled with tourists, and water activities, vendors selling something or beach umbrellas. But what does matter is the fact that amidst all the hubbub in everyday life, here is one place to calm your senses.

We made our way to the Sagar Island. Here there is a temple called the Kapil Muni temple. The soft October sun bathed us with its warmth, and we were quite relaxed and laid back in this land of lethargic pleasure. We had decided to stay overnight. There were good lodging facilities’ and also many PWD bungalows where you had good boarding facilities. This lovely paradise in the southern suburbs of the city of Kolkata is in fact a perfect weekend getaway spot.

Earlier in the times of the British, this was a safe zone for all the ships and was the ideal viewing spot for seeing the River Hooghly bend south to join the sea. The River Rupnarayan joins the River Hughly and then turns southwards to form a great water body. The River Haldi also joins after a distance. This lovely formation of the three rivers occurs here in Diamond Harbour.

For the locals, diamond Harbour is just a weekend getaway ,but for those who come from other cities, this place is certainly a welcome change for them. They love to bask in the sun and enjoy this unique beach experience. Very few beaches in India are less crowded and less noisy. All the Indian beaches are mostly filled with a lot of activity, tourists and noise. Diamond Harbour is one remote beach near Kolkata which not only gives you a beach experience but also great travel pleasures. The best memories often are those that we feel figure least on our list of destinations. Diamond Harbour is one such example. Before reaching the place, I never thought I would enjoy so much here. But gradually as the day passed and I went back into the Indian history and snapped out of it, I felt that the visit to Diamond Harbour was certainly worth it.