[Joy]

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

@Joy
I am based in Rajgarh, which area you grew up in and schooling from.
On the other hand i spent some time in Ganja Park, Rasbehari mor and Behala in 90's Calcutta. Those long flyovers and malls were not yet there back then.
...............

Nice to hear from a fellow Guwahatian.

I grew up in Rehabari & Satribari area but used to hang out near Lachit Sangha, Lachitnagar (very near to your place). I have done my schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central School), Khanapara and Arya Vidyapeeth College (plus 2). After that shifted to kolkata.

Nice to know that you have also spent some time in Kolkata. Incidentally, we used to hang out near Jadu bazar/Chakraberia.

Waiting for more pics and details. Please continue and let the world know the beauty of north-east.

Oops! already updated with pics and details.

[San Phrangmung]

The second visit was a leisurely one, driving slow lot of stops and many photographs. This time around i just packed two parathas for lunch from a city restaurent and had some Brittania cake and Uncle chips for quick bites.

ps: First three snaps from first visit.

[San Phrangmung]

II nd visit was significant in the sense that i knew the route and could drive slowly enjoying the view like bikers.

[kaushik_s]

Nice to see a weekend gateway near Guwahati. Can you please post info/pictures about any other scenic places near Guwahati? Places which are around 2-3 hours drive from Guwahati. How is the Chandrapur Road via Narengi? Heard that there are some scenic places that side but never had any chance to visit. Any nice places near North Guwahati?

[San Phrangmung]

@ Kaushik yes its nice to drive along the Chandrapur road and people mostly go to the Pabitara Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) restaurent there.
The food is very basic there, (rice dal roti papad chicken curry omlette) just like home cooked. They have good rooms for about Rs 1000 a night.

I do have a plans to visit north Guwahati, Madan Kamdev near Baihata and Hajo pua Mecca some day. So shall post the same as and when time permits.

[San Phrangmung]

These are the last of my snaps from my second trip to the place. Will definately go back again and cross on to the other side of the lake.

[Joy]

Great photography, San. Must be very serene and quite. Do you need to book the forest bungalow before or we can just go book there?

If possible, do post some pics of Guwahati. It's been more than five years that I have visited it.

Happy Driving.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

Chandubi is a lake near Assam's capital city of Guwahati. Since it is off the highway and located at an underdeveloped area without any tourist amenities not many people go there.

That's make it a perfect place to spend some peaceful time away from the busy city life.

This will be my first writeup and hence let me put up the photograph's first and slowly i will add the details.

Image starts with on the road from Guwahati and ends with lakefront.

A couple of years back, the forest dept put up boards with sketch maps of possible tourist spots. Now most of those boards have vanished! However, at Mirza, a new one has sprung up:- Assam Tourism - Tourist lodge 35Km.

Now, I'm a bit sceptical of these suddenly promoted tourist spots. So it is great that you are doing the recce for us. Pls. do it for the other spots too.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Lovely to see a thread from Guwahati!
Where exactly is Chandubi, and how does one drive there?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Searching for Mirza & Chandubi in the maps, don't find it (not surprising). Which road out of Guwahati?

Mirza is on NH37, approx 7 Km from the airport Rd. Jnc. towards Goalpara. Traffic policeman. Lots of parked cars (taxis). General chaos when a settlement grows straddling a main highway.

The more famous spots nearby are Kukurmara Bil (birds), and Kulsi river (Gangetic Dolphins).

Regards
Sutripta

[Sutripta]

Here is the picture I wanted to attach in the last post.


Regards
Sutripta

[San Phrangmung]

@Joy
Thanks. And nobody really goes there to stay, even local people don't know the whereabouts. So you can just come straight from the airport if you wish. I believe ther's a Assam Tourism information booth at the Guwahati airport which can also help.
Thers no official as such on site there, the chowkider is all in all including cook.
Will post some picture of Guwahati riverside soon.
Ther's one good news, the government is finally going to vacate the old British era riverside bunglows and open it to the public.

[San Phrangmung]

@Sutripta Thanks for the snaps and the information. I am quiet new a driver and yet to visit most of the places even near Guwahati. So assistance from your side would be much appreciated.
My next target on this road is Hahim and Kukim. But where is Kukurmara, is it beyond Abhayapuri, Goalpara.

[Joy]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

.......
Now, I'm a bit sceptical of these suddenly promoted tourist spots. So it is great that you are doing the recce for us. Pls. do it for the other spots too.
........

Sutripta, I can assure you one thing that Chandubi Lake is not suddenly promoted tourism. Back in 1988, when I was in plus two, our college organised a picnic there which I missed due to some fever. These pictures shows these areas are getting polluted with what I have seen from my college picnic pics.

Don't be skeptical. There are plenty of spots which one has not listened. In fact, if you adventurer enough you can find a spot a day. This is the beauty of North-East.

The golden rule out there in North-East is that be as much friendly as possible and I think they will never disappoint you.

[San Phrangmung]

Well the forest department signs are still intact and clear in many places around Assam. They are promoting some of these destinations as eco tourism area.

The signs are from Boko, Krishnai range office, Baihata Chariali and Mirza.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

But where is Kukurmara, is it beyond Abhayapuri, Goalpara.

Kukurmara is on the floodplain where the Kulsi (I think the local name is Kolohi) meets the Brahmaputra.
Abhaypuri is N. Bank, Goalpara S. Bank.

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

Well the forest department signs are still intact and clear in many places around Assam. They are promoting some of these destinations as eco tourism area.

Yes, I know. Unfortunately, signs aren't really infrastructure!
Am wondering whether to post pictures of some of the other signboards.

If you have a GPS, you would be doing everyone a huge favour by recording your trackplots. Assam is very poorly, and erroneously mapped.

Regards
Sutripta

[San Phrangmung]

@ Sutripta.
Right said, just signs are not enough, but i am happy that atleast its there.
On way to Nameri i had to forget staying at the eco camp and went all the way to Bhalukpong instead. All because there were no marking or sign showing the way.
So sign does matter a lot, but ofcourse they must provide amenities at the location they point towards.
As for gps it does not work in most places in Assam just as mobile networks. But where ever possible i have uploaded the snaps in Panoramio.