Bakkhali beach, about 130 km south of Kolkata and roughly three to four hours by road, is one of the more accessible beach escapes from the city for a weekend trip, with a quieter, less-developed shoreline than Digha further along the coast.
The beach itself stretches for several kilometres along the Bay of Bengal, backed by casuarina groves that give it a noticeably different character from Digha’s more built-up promenade, and the shallow, gently sloping shore makes it a comfortable spot for wading even for visitors not looking to swim.
Henry’s Island, a short distance from the main beach, is home to a crocodile and turtle breeding centre run by the state fisheries department, along with a smaller, quieter stretch of beach that sees far fewer visitors than Bakkhali’s main shore.
October to March is the recommended season, both for comfortable beach weather and because monsoon months bring rougher surf and occasional flooding risk along this stretch of coast; summer heat between April and June also makes the beach considerably less pleasant during midday hours.
A weekend trip typically means departing Kolkata Saturday morning, a full day and overnight at Bakkhali, and a Sunday-afternoon return — the three-to-four-hour drive each way is comfortable enough to do both legs in a single weekend without the travel dominating the trip.
Chandrawanshi Tour & Travels’ weekend getaway packages include Bakkhali as one of our most-booked beach options — see our dedicated SUV rental for the most comfortable ride on this route with family or a group.