Taki and Golpata Forest
I always wanted to visit the border between India and Bangladesh. The quickest option for this would be a quick drive to Taki and Golpata Forest. Unfortunately, I never found time to do this trip even after so many years. A month back on a Saturday morning I woke up late around 10 AM and decided to go someplace on my motorcycle. Within 30 minutes I was on my motorcycle with no plan in mind I kept driving east until I reached the junction of E. M. Bypass and Basanti Highway. I looked up and saw the signboard, if I go straight and take left then I will reach Basanti and then Sundarban and if I keep driving straight past Malancha I will reach Taki.
Now Taki is something which I always wanted to visit so I started riding straight towards Malancha. It was a straight road and one would not need a mobile app for navigation. After more than an hour, I reached Malancha and took the left over the bridge crossing the Bidyadhari River. This river had always fascinated me coz historically this river played a major role in trade and commerce for the whole Bengal plain in the historic past.
What To See at Taki?
It took me a little more than two hours to reach Taki. Now Taki has many picnic spots as well as a viewpoint. These two are located a little far from each other. The picnic spots are right on the banks of the river usually managed by local clubs or property owners who rent these out for a picnic. They will charge you a fixed amount to use the property and other services.
If you are going there as an individual or as a family then it’s better to go towards the Taki View Point. There you will find many paid parking spots where you can park your vehicle and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Ichamati River which divides India and Bangladesh in the middle.
Where To Eat at Taki?
At View Point, you can also find several restaurants where you can grab a quick bite or have a full meal. The cost varies so check out the menu first before placing your order. Overall, I found the cost of food very economical.
Where To Stay at Taki?
Most of the hotels and resorts are located around Taki View Point. You can either book it online using popular hotel booking websites or come and book here directly at the reception. Keep in mind that this place is a very popular weekend destination thus I will always recommend you to book in advance especially on extended holiday weekends.
Most of the hotels out here have limited car parking facilities so make sure you confirm with the property on its availability if you are traveling by your car.
Boat Rides at Taki
You can rent out a boat for a sunset ride along the Indian side of the river. These are motorized boats and take you for a round trip to Golpata Forest and Mohana (river confluence). Boat rates are fixed per vehicle and they have a limit on the maximum number of passengers per boat. So, either you book the boat as a whole or share it with someone to reduce cost.
All the boats on the Indian side will have the Indian flag on them, the same applied to Bangladeshi boats which fly their flag. This is done so that the Border Security Forces guarding the border can keep track of movements.
Durga Puja Season at Taki
This is the time when the most number of tourists visit this place. One of the main reasons is the immersion ceremony on Dasami. There is a tradition that boats from India and boats from Bangladesh bring in their idol to be immersed in the middle of the river. People on the Indian boats and Bangladesh boats come next to each other to exchange greetings.
How to Reach Golpata Forest?
This was the most exciting trip for from during my day trip to Taki. Around 5 kilometers from Taki View Point, you have another tourist spot. Golpata Forest is often referred to as Mini Sundarban and one can experience the mangrove forest on a smaller scale.
The roads leading from Taki View Point towards Golpata Forest are very narrow and I would recommend that instead of coming in your car you park your vehicle at one of the numerous paid parking spots there at Taki View Point and take a Toto (e-rickshaw) and visit this place. Book the Toto for a return journey including the waiting time. If you prefer taking your vehicle then there are paid parking spots available outside Golpata Forest.
You have to pass through a BSF check post to reach Golpata Forest. It’s mandatory to have some form of national ID like an Aadhar Card, Voter ID card, Passport, Driving License which you need to submit at the BSF check post.
The BSF personnel will assign a number to your ID card and you are to remember that while returning you have to mention that number for them to search and return it.
Keep in mind that every individual is required to submit their ID card, even if you are traveling as a group or family every person should submit their ID card. The reason you need to do this is that Golpata Forest and the adjoining villages have very close proximity to Bangladesh land. At one point during low tide, the distance is less than 150 meters. This is the last checkpoint on the Indian side and BSF personnel does not operate inside the village or Golpata Forest area. Thus, at the end of the day, they would want to make sure that any tourists coming in is leaving back.
No outside vehicles are allowed beyond the BSF check post. Once you cross it you can either walk around 1 Kilometer to Golpata Forest or take a shared motorized van. The walk is a real short one taking you past village houses and if it’s not the peak of summer or you have some issues in walking it can be easily done.
What to See at Golpata Forest?
As I said earlier this place is known as Mini Sundarban and this place is a mangrove forest. It is difficult to walk inside any mangrove forest as they would be either half-submerged underwater or if the water recedes during low tide then the place will be muddy and walking on them is just not possible.
At Golpata Forest, however, the authorities have constructed a concrete bridge in a labyrinth manner taking you around the forest so that you can enjoy nature and do not have to walk on slushy mud or knee-deep water. You get to enjoy the surroundings from a safe height.
There is also a watchtower that is still under construction and from the top, you get a very good panoramic view of the forest.
The reason why this place is called Golpata Forest is due to the several Golpata trees (Nypa fruticans) that surround this small area.
The entry fee for this place is Rs. 10 which needs to be paid at the entrance. You can ideally spend around an hour exploring this place.
How to Reach Taki?
By car or motorcycle, the quickest way to reach Taki from Kolkata is to use the Basanti Expressway which goes via Malancha. You can also reach Taki using Kolkata – Basirhat Road but that road condition is not good for a smooth and quick journey.
If you are taking a local train from Sealdah North then take any train to Hasanabad. From outside the station, you can take a Toto to reach Taki.
There are also many buses departing from Esplanade going towards Basirhat and Hasnabad which you can avail.
