There was only one thing in my mind while looking at the vast expanse of water right in front of me – the sea is relaxing! All those travel quotes about needing “Vitamin Sea” are actually quite true for me at that time. And I enjoyed watching the calm waves lapping down at my feet. Baguran Jalpai, a lesser-known, yet beautiful beach near the more popular Digha or Mandarmani definitely had my heart.

It was one of the lazy weekends when we decided to get away from the city. While most of our weekend getaways from Kolkata have been towards the hills, this time we decided to get a whiff of the balmy coastal air. Baguran Jalpai seemed to be the perfect place for our weekend trip. The place is located in Contai subdivision of East Medinipur, nearer to Bankiput, about 160 km from Kolkata.

The Road Trip to Baguran Jalpai

It is always a great pleasure to drive through the early morning roads away from Kolkata. The diffused light of the morning along with some great travel music made for a perfect start to a perfect road trip. We stopped for breakfast at Kolaghat and then started our journey again towards sunshine and sand.

Baguran is merely about 4 hours from Kolkata. Even after our breakfast stop and a few other stops in middle, we reached at the small and secluded village of Baguran by 11 AM. After reaching Contai, we took the Junput Road. After driving through some rough patches, we reached the village.

Baguran Jalpai is nondescript. On any day, it looks just like any rural area of Bengal. However, the main attraction of the place is its virgin sea beach. Before visiting the beach, we went to Sagar Niralay, the only resort in Baguran Jalpai. The resort, spread across a large area had a laidback ambience to it, something that we really wanted for the two days. There were cottages, tents and rooms for accommodation. We had opted for a cottage for out stay.

As soon as we checked in and put things into place, I, in particular was raring to go to the beach. It is the feeling you get when you get to see the sea after a long time. I could smell the salty air and perhaps able to hear the roaring waves (though this seemed a bit improbable. Perhaps, the sound of waves were all my imagination!).

The Beach

I have often heard that a day at the beach restores the soul. And that was what Baguran Jalpai did to us. We walked down lazily through the muddy roads, we arrived at the Baguran Jalpai Beach. There were a handful of shops that made us realize that we were nearer the beach. Soon we saw is a large expanse of sandy beach and waves crashing at a distance. The entire place was calm and serene. Very few people were seen at the beach. It looked as if we could have the entire place to ourselves.

The beach was surrounded by casuarina forest just like the other beaches in the area.

At this moment we did what we could do best. We walked along the pristine beach. With the winter sun on our back, we kept on walking lazily along the beach. There are several small fishing villages near the beach. We saw the fishermen with their nets spread on the beach. They had kept cleaned the nets and kept them on the beach for their next day’s fishing trip.

The Land of Red Crabs

And then we saw red crabs. Hundreds of them. It seemed that a part of the beach was totally red in colour. Intrigued we went near only to find the red crabs quickly running away and getting inside their homes. It was a lovely sight to see so many crabs at the beach. This is another beach where we saw so many crabs in one place.

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We walked a long way and by the time we returned back to the resort, it was already past noon. Lunch awaited us and it was a complete meal of delectable sea food. We had crabs, pomfret and lobsters. What more can a food loving Bangali ask for?

The resort itself was a beautiful place. They had a few hammock tied to coconut trees and we spent the rest of the after lazing around in the hammocks.

The next morning, we went to the beach once more and enjoyed some quiet moments there. The morning sun, the gentle breeze and the soft sand beneath our feet had a calming effect on us.

Well, we spent a great time at Baguran Jalpai. This was one of the rare occasions where we only relaxed. Usually, during a trip, I am always this restless individual, looking for places to visit and planning activities to do. But this weekend getaway was completely different. We simply lazed around without a thought in the world. Perhaps, a lazy vacation is needed once in a while!

Baguran Jalpai is charming. The entire trip left a pleasing memory with us. We had visited Baguran in January this year, just a few days before the world faced the pandemic. In the new normal, when we can explore our backyard more and more, Baguran Japlai is a good getaway from Kolkata. A day trip to this place can also be done.

Now let us give you some information about the place.

How to reach Baguran Jalpai?

Baguran Jalpai is about 160km from Kolkata and is 4 hours drive. If you are going there by a car, you have to reach Kathi or Contai first. from Contai, Baguran is about 14km. From Contai, take the Junput Road to arrive at Baguran Jalpai.

If you are taking a train from Howrah, get down at Contai Station and then take a shared jeep to Baguran Jalpai. The same goes if you take a bus to Contai. You can also ask the resort to arrange for a booking from Contai.

Where to stay in Baguran Jalpai?

The only resort at Baguran Jalpai is Sagar Niralay. The resort is spread across a large area and is a pleasant place to stay for one or couple of nights.

Contact : 9434012200/8670547411

The food at the resort is also quite tasty.

There are not much restaurants at Baguran. There are a few shacks at the beach that serves fishes, snacks and refreshment.

What is the best time to visit Baguran?

You can visit at any time of the year. The best time, however, will be between October to February when the temperature remains cool.

Other places that you can visit

There are other beach destinations near Baguran Jalpai like Junput, Bankiput and Kapalkundala Temple.

• Junput – 5 km
• Mandarmoni – 32km
• Digha – 45 km
• Tajpur – 35 km
• Bankiput – 12 km

If you plan to visit Baguran Jalpai in the near future, just make sure to carry your masks, sanitizers and take all the precautions to remain safe.

A Few more pictures of Baguran Jalpai

Did you visit this offbeat weekend getaway from Kolkata yet? Let us know your thoughts about this place. If you find this useful, please share this blog with your family friends and neighbours!

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