East Kolkata Wetland Trip

Location:Near Airport.

Time to Visit:Open all day long.

Preferred Timings: Morning 8 A.M.-11 A.M. when there is intense activity - vendors coming to buy agricultural produce and fish from the local farmers.

Admission Fee: Nil

How to Reach: Local buses, mini buses and metered taxis are readily available from various parts of the city. Shared auto rickshaws are also available.

Photography / Video charges: Nil.

Nearest Railway Station: Dum Dum (suburban) & Sealdah (Junction).

Nearest Metro Station: Dum Dum.

Nearest Functional Metro Station: Dum Dum.

Nearest International Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

Time required for sightseeing:About 2 hours.

Wetland areas are normally a rural phenomenon. In cities, particularly metropolitan cities, one will hardly ever come across Wetland areas, given the penchant of modern day city administrators towards building sky scrappers in the guise of development.
But there is an exception viz-a-viz the astonishing 12,000 hectares of watery world in the midst of lush greenery -The East Kolkata Wetland Area. This huge watery expanse is the world's biggest wetland area set in an urban metropolis. Popularly referred to as Dhapa, the area has an exclusive 3,000 hectares earmarked for fish farms which produce 8000 tons of fish every year. Not only fish, Dhapa also has exclusive paddy fields and produce 16,000 tons of winter paddy.

A visit to Dhapa Wetlands which is located close to the Salt Lake - Eastern Metropolitan Bypass stretch is an education in itself. It is a must visit site for people with a passion for Eco-Tourism & Sustainable Tourism.

Significantly, in 1990, the United Nations Environment Program declared Dhapa Wetlands as a high priority conservation site and the traditional Indian method of conservation as practiced by the farmers and fishermen of Dhapa has been acknowledged to be an outstanding environmental achievements anywhere in the world. Today, thanks to the efforts of UN, Dhapa Wetland is now a Ramsar Site, which is the ultimate status in the world of biodiversity conservation.

For an Eco-friendly tourist, a visit to Dhapa Wetland is the just what the doctor ordered. More than 2000 farmers and around 18,000 people are directly or indirectly related to Dhapa Wetlands for their livelihood.

As far as pisiculture is concerned, the Dhapa Wetland harbors 250 odd ponds which produce quality fishes for consumption in Kolkata. The beauty of Dhapa Wetland is the way the fisherman along with representatives from NGO's, local Municipal authorities and international scientific experts have worked in complete unison. And the result is there for everyone to see.

As dusk descends on Dhapa Wetlands, you will experience the rustic charm of a traditional Bengali village. And as you relish your fish curry rice, you know for sure that the fish and Bengali are inseparable.

Ideally, a visit to Dhapa Wetland is a full day affair and time permitting an overnight halt can be a great option. As far as accommodation is concerned, please do not have any pre-conceived notions about luxury. Accommodation is sketchy and you have to put up in fisherman's hut made of thatch and bamboo. Some huts don't even have electricity. Therein lies the charm of Dhapa.

If you have a scientific bent of mind, for your kind information, the research team at Dhapa Wetlands comprises of scientific experts from the Institute of Wetland Management, University of Sterling (Scotland), the Henry Doubleday Research Association (UK) and the Asian Institute of Technology. For the curious tourists who want to know more about the environmental realities of the Dhapa Wetland, an informal chat with any of the research scholars can be very rewarding.

Special Event / Annual Event:

World Environment Day.

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

Vedic Village, Nicco Park, Aquatica, Nalban Boating Complex, Swabhumi.

Nearby places to eat

The Chowringhee-Park Street-Esplanade stretch is by far the most happening place in Kolkata and a wide variety of restaurants are located here where you can truly indulge in mouthwatering Bengali, Mughlai, Chinese, Italian and continental spread. A visit to Tangra, Kolkata's version of Chinatown is especially recommended which is an exclusive Chinese bastion in Kolkata and lots of authentic Chinese restaurants are available here. The Chinese delicacies available at Tangra are lip smacking good.
As far as traditional Bengali dishes are concerned, Peerless Inn and Oh! Calcutta are great options. Aminia, Rahmania and Shiraz are fabled for their Mughlai spread. Mainland China, Marco Polo, Chung Wah and Golden Dragon offer delicious Chinese cuisine. Drop in at Domino's at Russel Street and Pizza Hut at Camac Street for Italian delicacies.
Celebrity restaurants like Indian Cricket icon Saurav Ganguly's signature restaurant-Saurav's- The Food Pavilion is a top draw.
Barista, Café Coffee Day and Flury's are irresistible as far as beverages are concerned. A visit to Flury's is highly recommended which is one of Kolkata's most enduring Raj era restaurant. The ambience is very British and the service is of a very high standard.

Nearby shopping venues

Kolkata is a shopper's delight. The Park Street-Esplanade stretch has all kinds of shops selling everything from Tibetan Thangkas to Ray Ban goggles. The stretch from The Oberoi Grand located in Esplanade to Park Street is one of the most fashionable places to shop. The flea market is especially very popular with tourists. Baluchuri sarees and Vishnupur clay idols vie for attention alongside up market brands like Nike, Addidas, Westside and Pantaloons.
For handloom and handicraft items, The Cottage Industries Emporium at Chowringhee is well worth a visit. You could also explore New Market, Vardaan Market at Camac Street, Central Cottage Industries Emporium at 7, J. L. Nehru Road, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan at 24, Chittaranjan Avenue, Priyadarshini at 14/C, Lindsay Street and Manjusha at 8/2 Jagamohan Mullick Lane, Barabazar. All of them offer a fabulous shopping experience.