[AJ-got-BHP]

8.) Darjeeling & Surroundings : (Serial Continuation of Samba's Post)

Posting some Pictures of Darjeeling :

The Rohini Road to Darjeeling :



The View on a Clear Sunny Day :


Some other Snaps of Darjeeling :





Must go to the Darjeeling Zoo :


The Darjeeling Ropeway (was closed for a while; now opened) :



The St. Paul's School, Darjeeling :





Mirik :

One can do a Day Trip to Mirik from Darjeeling by passing beside the Pashupati Market (Nepal Border) and the scenic Tea Gardens.

Distance :
45Kms One Way. Take a Right turn from Ghoom towards Pashupatinagar

Shopping :
You can stop over at Pashupati Market, Nepal. Park your Car and enter/ cross the border by showing your Indian ID Card (any). There are Maruti Omnis which ferry you to Pashupati Market (a few kilometers from here). There is no Mobile Connectivity here though, so ask your Omni DFriver to pick you up at a fixed time. He will definitely be there. Branded Winter Wear and Shoes are available in plenty at decently subsidized prices.

Posting some pics of the beautifully scenic road :








Mirik :



Eating : Hotel Jagjeet for Punjabi Food

Hotel : There are a few decent hotel accommodation available in Mirik

Note :
This road has maximum fog early mornings and post 3:00pm in the afternoon. So if you love to hit the fog, this is your road. I personally recommend doing Mirik (via Pashupatinagar) on your way down/ back from Darjeeling to Siliguri

[Quarter Mile]

Very well written and documented with some great photos. What a beautiful please. Truly gives you a perspective.

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

[i][b]8.)
You can stop over at Pashupati Market, Nepal. Park your Car and enter/ cross the border by showing your Indian ID Card (any). There are Maruti Omnis which ferry you to Pashupati Market (a few kilometers from here). There is no Mobile Connectivity here though, so ask your Omni DFriver to pick you up at a fixed time. He will definitely be there. Branded Winter Wear and Shoes are available in plenty at decently subsidized prices.

You can even take your car into Nepal. We did that and took it all the way to Pashupati market and beyond. You need to pay 'huge' fee of Rs 30.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

You can even take your car into Nepal. We did that and took it all the way to Pashupati market and beyond. You need to pay 'huge' fee of Rs 30.

Thanks for bringing that to our knowledge mate !!

Did not know that by paying the 'huge fee' of Rs.30/= could let the car into Nepal and beyond

We'll try that out whenever next we hit that stretch again

By the way, since you mentioned that, I am inquisitive to know when did you travel last in this sector

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

Thanks for bringing that to our knowledge mate !!

Did not know that by paying the 'huge fee' of Rs.30/= could let the car into Nepal and beyond

We'll try that out whenever next we hit that stretch again

By the way, since you mentioned that, I am inquisitive to know when did you travel last in this sector

This was February 2014 I guess. The man at the post said we can take the car till Kathmandu if we want. Dont know how much true that was. However we did take it to Pashupati market and drove around a bit.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Altocumulus

You can even take your car into Nepal. We did that and took it all the way to Pashupati market and beyond. You need to pay 'huge' fee of Rs 30.

How much time is required to pay up this fee? I mean, do I have to fill up any lengthy paperwork to deposit this fee, which is in turn time consuming?

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

You can stop over at Pashupati Market, Nepal. Park your Car and enter/ cross the border by showing your Indian ID Card (any).

Do I need ID cards for my wife and child as well? Or is my driving license sufficient for all three of us?

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

How much time is required to pay up this fee? I mean, do I have to fill up any lengthy paperwork to deposit this fee, which is in turn time consuming?

Do I need ID cards for my wife and child as well? Or is my driving license sufficient for all three of us?

Not much lengthy paperwork. It was a small form IIRC for the car.
And yes, everyone needs IDs, maybe not for the child. However, its safer to carry for all with you.

[Samfromindia]

BAKKHALI

Distance: 125 Km from Kolkata.

Road Condition: Average for most part.

Whats Good ?

• One of the closest sea side tourist spots from Kolkata.
• Things are available pretty cheap comparatively.
• Beaches are more secluded than famous Digha-Mandarmani strip.
• Makes for a good one day picnic spot.

Whats Not?

• Road is 2 laner. Upto Namkhana you may encounter some traffic every now and then.
• Need to wait around 30 mins in Q for ferry which may get frustrating.
• It actually took me more time to reach there than Digha which is 60 Km more.

Hatania-Doania Creek


Car Crossing River On Ferry


Bakkhali Beach


Frasergunj


Frasergunj


Frasergunj


Frasergunj


Watch Tower: Road Side View


Watch Tower: Sunderban Side View


Watch Tower : Henry Island Side View


Way To Henry Island


Way To Henry Island


Way To Henry Island


Way To Henry Island


Way To Henry Island


Henry Island Beach


Henry Island Parking


Sunset@Bakkhali Beach

[Samfromindia]

In continuation of Samba's Post

MAITHON

Distance: 240 Km from Kolkata.

Road Condition: Excellent !

Whats Good ?

• A great place to stay for 1 night, although some does one day picnics also.
• Makes a very satisfying drive thanks to excellent highways.
• Very picturesque place, complete with small hills, lake and Maithon Dam.
• Trip to Sabuj Deep in evening feels wonderful. Provisions for paddle and speed boats are also there.
• Amarnath Shiv mandir on the top of Bhandar hill gives a lovely view of the whole area.

Whats Not?

• Advance hotel booking is a must during peak season.
• Dam has tight security. Photography is not allowed on Dam, nor loitering at night.

[Samba]

The season of Palash has arrived in Bengal (Generally its the first two weeks of March). Districts like Bankura and Purulia are more or less red with Palash and Simul. So planned a short week end trip to catch up the red Bengal!

The trip was a one night two days trip.

Route- Kolkata- Arambagh- Joypur- Bishnupur- Taldangra- Simlipal- Khatra- Mukutmanipur(Night stay) - Ranibad- Sutan- Jhilimili - Bandawan- Mukutmanipur- Bankura - Durgapur- Kolkata.

Total Distance covered- 614 kms.

Special mentions-

A drive through Taldangra forest is a must. This place has an awesome scenic beauty.





The drive to Sutan from Ranibad is another picturesque drive through dense forest and small ghats. This 7kms stretch makes the total 600kms drive more than worth!









The picturesque Mukutmanipur dam.





Now let the pictures do the talking for the red Bengal. The reason we took up this week end trip. The above forests were the icing on the cake.



















Signing off till the next trip.

[Cloudmobile_deb]

Incredible photography and documentation. Great work Samba, this is why Tbhp is special . this is like a mini guidebook.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Samba

4) Burdwan (108 Shiva temple)- The tomb at Satdeul near Palshit.

Drive duration and distance- Dankuni to Burdwan is around 100kms. On the way back one can see the tomb at Sat deul. Its hardly a 200kms drive............

Attachment 1337109

Hello Samba, That was one great write up and some lovely photos (the horse-shoe crabs, red-fiddler crabs, the art deco facades of the 108 Shiva temple at Burdwan......)!

Boyhood memories die hard - as a 16 year old, I accompanied a favourite aunt (Chhoto Pishi) and her family, together with two other families(friends of my aunt's) on a road trip from Kolkata (Calcutta then) to McCluskieganj, in present day Jharkhand, in their Fiat 1100D. The other cars were a small block Ford V8 and a Landmaster (the Ambassador's precursor). This was in 1966 when Premier was just coming up on the horizon and the cars were still called Fiats. McCluskieganj is a misty memory today & I remember it mainly because of the wooded surroundings of the bagan badi (country cottage) belonging to one of the other families, where we stayed as guests. I also remember it because of the undeniably cute teen-aged daughter of our hosts, who had fortunately accompanied her parents for the trip!

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

Did not know that by paying the 'huge fee' of Rs.30/= could let the car into Nepal and beyond

Touchwood, just today I went to Pashupati market by crossing the border and had come back, without paying a single rupee. Immediately upon crossing the border there was a counter where two girls were seating. They asked for my driving license and the blue book, made me sign and let go. I asked them that as I should go only upto the market, did I need to pay anything for the car. She replied that I need not pay anything and also cautioned me saying some special custom checking was going on and I should better not purchase anything. While returning one young fellow stopped my car and demanded to know why I had not stopped at the customs office. When I told him that I did not know that, he demanded twenty rupees donation and let me go. I proceeded very slowly from there till the Indian security guards, who simply did not pay any attention to me and let me go.

Originally Posted by rahul4640

Touchwood, just today I went to Pashupati market by crossing the border and had come back, without paying a single rupee.

Here is a report from Nepali Times:

A new Indo-Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement to be signed during the SAARC Summit will remove the hassles of permits and fees and allow Nepali cars to travel within India for a period of one month at a time. Nepal’s Transport Secretary Tulsi Sitaula and Indian Road Transport Secretary Vijay Chibber finalised the draft of the agreement on Saturday in Kathmandu.

Under the agreement, cars from one country will be allowed to drive to another country for one week without fees, and for one month after paying a fee. The permission will be granted at the border itself. Nepali cars entering India currently have to get a permit from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and deposit a large sum of money. Indian vehicles coming to Nepal have to pay Rs400 per day, but after this agreement they will not have to pay a fee for a week and can stay for up to a month at a time.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

Touchwood, just today I went to Pashupati market by crossing the border and had come back, without paying a single rupee.

Hi,
You could have driven from Pashupati to Dhulabari, and entered India there!

Regards
Sutripta