Sundarban
is a breath-taking place of West Bengal that can bewilder you through its
amazing beauty. It is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites that have a
splendid tangle of mangrove jungle. It is a unique mangrove jungle all over the
world, spread among 54 islands and also extends to the neighboring country
Bangladesh. With its three wildlife sanctuaries, 2,585 sq.kilometres long tiger
reserve and large national park, Sundarban can be an alluring spot for the
jungle lovers. The biggest national park is located at Sajnekhali and also on
Lothian Island and Holiday Island. To witness such a magnificent forest along
with the incredible Royal Bengal Tiger and many other astonishing animals comes
to visit this place.
The
mangrove jungle of Sundarban is the home of several dangerous and perilous
species. Due to protect the Bengal tiger and the fishing cats, the government
takes extra care. The creeks and horse shoe of the river give shelter to a
number of Estuarine Crocodile and Salvatore Lizard. It is a place of imperil
marine turtles such as Olive Ridley, Hawk's Bill Turtles and Green Turtle. Genetic
dolphins and the migratory birds of Trans Himalayan take place in this area. Such
endangered as well as unique animals lives in this place which you cannot find
in any other places of the world.So, you definitely can imagine how mysterious
and adventurous your nights will be in Sundarban. Among other animals the most
important one that draws people’s attention from decades is the Royal Bengal Tiger.
It looks gorgeous and very unlike the ordinary tigers. In fact the behavioural
trends and other characteristics are very different than the other species.
A vehicle that can help you to wander the forest:
To
explore the mysterious view of Sundarban it is good to take the help of a boat.
Boats are the only vehicle that can take you to the deep jungle and the river
banks. It is not possible to access the whole forest by jeep safaris. Moreover,
it will be a thrilling experience to travel over the forest with boats. Well,
it will be a safe ride for you as you cannot see tigers there. The tigers of
this forest are very shy so they remain hidden in the reserve area.
Here is a list of certain tips that you need to
follow in the forest:
- Foreign tourists need
to collect a special entry permit to enter the park and view tigers. They also have
to seek permission from the Secretary of West Bengal Forest Department.
- If you are willing to
visit the other areas of Sundarban, then you have to contact the Field Director
of Sundarban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal. He can give the permission to visit the
whole area. However, to get a glance of outside sanctuary of Sundarban, you
don’t have to get any permission.
- It is advisable to
carry your drinking water in this journey.
Accommodations:
You will get a number
of wildlife resorts, hotels, jungle camps and forest lodges near the wildlife
sanctuary of Sundarban. They offer services for all kinds of travellers,
ranging from low budget to high.
However, you need to book a room in advance to avoid any hindrance.
The Japanese Temple,
Observatory Hills, Happy Valley Tea-Estate, Darjeeling Museum, Batasia Loop,
Botanical Garden, Ganga Maiya Park and Dali Monasteries are other popular
tourist attractions of Darjeeling.