Hooghly also known as the Hugli is one oldest districts of West Bengal. It got its name from the Hooghly river bordering it from the east. Chinsurah/Chuchura, Chandannagar, Arambagh and Serampore separate the district into four subdivisions. Pages of History say the arrival of Vasco-da-gama, the first Portuguese sailor, in this place. It is an economically developed district known for its rich cultural heritage. Besides, it also well-known for the jute trading industries that flourish at the banks of river Hooghly. It is close to the Bardhaman or Burdwan district and has the tropical savanna climate, with pleasant winters. Learn more about Bardhaman/Burdwan district and its top picnic attractions from this website. Locating only about 47 kilometers away from Kolkata it has several tourist attractions. Jagadhatri puja, Makar Sankranti, and Rath-Yatra are the main festivals of this region.
How to get there
The local trains run from the Howrah Station. Besides, the buses run from the Howrah Station, and the Dharmatala bus stand.
Accommodation
The West Bengal state hotel in the Tarakeswar is for the tourists. Hooghly is an important district in the West Bengal. Besides, one may choose to live in a hotel at the Kolkata or at the Howrah.
Top picnic attractions
Hooghly district has many important places with religious, social and historic backdrop. Given below are the top picnic spots of the Hooghly district:
The Bandel church
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| Grand entrance of the Bandel Church |
It is the oldest and most popular picnic spot of the Hooghly district. A historic structure built by the Portuguese in the 70th Century. Abundance picnic space available outside the church, on the banks of river Hooghly. Since, it is two kilometers away from the Bandel station, one have to board on a mini bus, auto-rickshaw or rickshaw from the railway station. Besides, the Hooghly Imambara, locates close to the church. In 1841, Muhammad Mohsin, started its construction and by 1861, the structure got complete. The Church has two-store building and with a solar clock. The grand entrance of the main gate is remarkable.
From the Bandel railway station, mini buses are available for Hanseswari temple. One needs to board the mini buses of the Bansberia/Tribeni route. Besides, one may also go by train and get down at the Tribeni station. Railway journeys are cozy and comfortable compared to bus journeys.
The Sabuj Deep
It is a famous picnic spot that locates at the meeting of the Ganga and the Behula rivers. The cold winters invite flocks of migratory birds. It brings a unique experience to picnic in the middle of pine trees. This place of beauty is at the Bolagarh and the Sobrabazar station. To reach there, one needs to get down at the Somra Bazar station. This station comes under the Bandel-Katwa railway division. Vans are available from the station to the Haritaki Ghat. Boats are available from here at a cost of RS 25 per head, to cross the river. One has to pay RS 50, as an entry fee, to book a picnic spot. Trees like the Arjuna, the Mahogany, and the Eucalyptus surround the region. Besides, it has a playground for the children. One may choose between an advance or a direct booking for the picnic spot. The service peoples and the police officials available if one gets into trouble.
The Wonder world, Diyara
The picnic spot is at the Diyara, in Chandannagar. The Diyara station is under the Howrah-Tarakeswar rail route. It locates at the five minutes walking distance from the station. The wide open green field, colorful flowers, disco and boating are its major attractions. One needs to hire a picnic spot in this place. More than the 300 picnic spots available for booking and the entry fee is RS 50 per person. The entry fee for the disco is RS 20 per person as it has the separate arrangement for the men and the women. Moreover, the toy trains and the other fun-filled activities make it an ideal picnic spot for the children.
The Chandur Forest, Arambagh
It locates at the banks of the Dwarakeswar river, in Arambagh. Thick forest surrounds the place from all its sides. Visitors may find wild animals as it has the wild life preservation center. It covers an area of 153 acres and has the thick growth of the Sal, the Teak, the Silk Cotton and the Sandalwood trees. One does not need to pay the entry fee for a picnic at this place. Besides, it has the car parking space. Buses are available for Arambagh from the Kolkata. After reaching the Arambagh, one has to board a bus to reach the Chandur Bhatar More (Crossing). It takes few minutes to reach the spot from the crossing.
The New Digha, Chandannagar
One may not confuse it with the New Digha of East Midnapore as it locates in the Chandannagar, beside the DVC canal. Thanks for the initiatives of the Zilla Parishad to develop this picnic spot. Auto-rickshaws and trekkers available from the Chandannagar station to reach the picnic spot. It takes 10 minutes to reach the spot. Planetarium, restaurants, toy train and boats are available for entertainment purpose. To enter the park one has to pay a nominal entry fee of RS 20. The visitors may book more than 200 picnic spots. The picnic spots accommodates 15 to 20 people. One may book guest house only for the day as permission is not available to stay at night. The timing of the park is 8 am to 7 pm. Space available for car parking outside the park. It is also reachable from the Nasibpur station of the Howrah-Tarakeswar rail network.