Digha

Kolkata's favourite Bay of Bengal seaside getaway, where New and Old Digha join a string of beaches from Mandarmani to Talsari, ideal for watching the sunrise and eating seafood.

Digha lies in Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal, India, at the northern tip of the Bay of Bengal on the border with Odisha, about 185 km from Kolkata. It is Kolkata's go-to seaside resort and is often called Bengal's seaside backyard. The town is split into New Digha and Old Digha: Old Digha's seawall is lively and packed with hotels and snack stalls, while New Digha has a wide, quiet beach, and the Jagannath Temple completed in 2025 has become its new landmark. East of Digha, the coast is dotted with the beaches of Shankarpur, Tajpur and Mandarmani; to the west, just across the state line in Odisha, are Udaipur and Talsari beaches and the Chandaneswar temple, all easy to cover in a day with a hired car. The beaches here are gently sloping with modest waves; the main draws are watching the sunrise and sunset, horse rides along the surf, freshly fried seafood and the Mohana fish market. It is not a clear-water island for diving. The best season is Oct–Mar, when the weather is cool and dry; Apr–May is hot and humid, and Jun–Sep monsoon brings big waves and frequent bans on entering the sea. Getting there: daily intercity trains run direct from Howrah station in Kolkata to Digha (about 3.5–4 hours), and there are plenty of buses and driving routes; locally, get around by electric rickshaw or hired car. Allow 2–3 days: one day in Digha town, one day on the eastern stretch towards Mandarmani, and half a day on the western stretch to Talsari. Hotels fill up and prices rise on weekends and Bengali holidays, so book ahead, and watch the lifeguard flags before going into the water.

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