India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [582]
Tigers in the Sundarbans: India’s Best-Kept Secret
One of the most enigmatic national parks in India, the Sundarbans is the largest delta in the world, with saline mud flats and thick mangrove forests teeming with wildlife, of which the Royal Bengal tiger is the most exotic inhabitant. Spanning around 4,264 sq. km (1,663 sq. miles) in India and an even larger area in neighboring Bangladesh, and surrounded by the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 but remains one of the least developed parks in Asia, as access is only via water. Although there are affordable government ferries (West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation; 033/2248-7302) offering overnight trips, it is a bit of a slog just to get to the ferry itself, as it involves several switches between cabs and smaller boats, and accommodation is below par. However, for the enthusiastic, Vivada Inland Waterways ( 033/2463-1990;www.vivada.com; waterways@vivada.com), offers comfortable accommodation in boats, as well as relatively easy access; packages vary, but be prepared to shell out in the region of $735 to $885 for a 4-day luxury cruise, and of course with no guarantee to sighting anything bigger than a Kingfisher. The Sunderban Tiger Camp ( 033/3293-5749;www.sunderbantigercamp.com) offers a cheaper alternative with its range of river-side accommodation (huts, tents, cottages, A/C cottages; non-A/C doubles from Rs 2,750) set in the midst of gardens teeming with waddling ducks and geese. While the watchtowers and museum are in a sorry state, the cruise along the silent mangroves is quite lovely.
Cruising Down the Ganges
Great mountains spawn great rivers. No surprise then that from mighty Himalayas flow two of the world’s longest, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. Meeting in Bengal, a province now split between India and Bangladesh, their combined flow enters the sea through the world’s largest delta. The Ganges in particular has always been the highway of empires—Hindu, Buddhist, Moghul, and British—and a cruise along it and the Hugli (its westernmost branch through the delta) is a journey through history. Regular steamer services ended before World War II, but now Assam Bengal Navigation is running cruises of 1 to 2 weeks both along the Hugli from Kolkata through rural Bengal and, from 2010 onwards, along the Ganges proper as far as Patna, with its associations ranging from the Buddha’s life on earth to the East India Company’s opium trade. Cruises also take in the scene of Robert Clive’s victory at Plassey, the medieval ruins of Gaur, and Murshidabad, the capital of the Nawabs of Bengal. The ships are intimate (no more than 24 guests), air-conditioned and comfortable, with knowledgeable guides on board to elucidate the complexities of the region’s long history ($350 per person per night).
ORIENTATION
Kolkata is a huge, sprawling city, divided into north and south, both spread along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, which divides it from the vast suburb of Howrah, located on the western bank. Howrah is where you’ll be deposited if you arrive by train; the main station is close to the Howrah Bridge, which connects with the city proper. Just east and south of Howrah Bridge are Kolkata’s commercial and tourist hubs, centered around B.B.D. Bagh, still known by its colonial name, Dalhousie Square, and the long stretch of road once known as Chowringhee (now Jawaharlal Nehru Rd.) that runs southward, alongside the Maidan, Kolkata’s vast urban park. Many visitors base themselves around Chowringhee; nearby Sudder Street teems with budget accommodations, while Park Street has plenty of boutiques and fine restaurants.
To the northeast is the rapidly expanding business district of Salt Lake City, which has few