Sunderban National Park West Bengal
Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site
Year of Inscription: 1987
Category: Natural Landscape, River/Lake
Timings: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed On: Open all days
Inscription Criteria:
Sundarbans was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its exceptional biodiversity and ecological importance. It is the largest mangrove forest in the world, home to over 78 species of mangroves and the highest concentration of Royal Bengal Tigers. Acting as a natural wetland nursery, Sundarbans plays a crucial role in supporting various marine life forms.
Exploring the Hidden Gems of Sundarban
Located in West Bengal, India, the Sundarbans spans about 10,000 km² across the Ganges delta, stretching into Bangladesh and bordering the Bay of Bengal. It is a unique biosphere reserve known for its rich biodiversity, hosting a range of rare and endangered species including tigers, aquatic mammals, birds, and reptiles.
The Royal Bengal Tigers here are uniquely adapted to the mangrove environment—they swim well, move swiftly, and feed on fish, crabs, and water monitor lizards. The park is also home to aquatic mammals such as the Ganges dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin, finless porpoise, and Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin.
The Sajnekhali area is renowned for its avifauna, with sightings of black-necked stork, Asian open-bill stork, white ibis, greater adjutant, white-collared kingfisher, swamp francolin, and brown-winged kingfisher. Waders, rare winter migratory birds, are also found here.
How to Reach Sundarbans
Though Sundarbans is accessible only by boat, it’s well-connected via air, rail, and road due to its proximity to Kolkata.
By Air
The nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. It serves both domestic and international travelers.
By Rail
Canning is the closest railway station. Local trains run frequently from Sealdah Station (Kolkata). From Canning, buses head to Raidighi, Namkhana, Najat, and Sonakhali, where motorboats to Sundarbans are available.
By Road
Travelers can take buses from Esplanade or Howrah in Kolkata to reach motorboat points like Sonakhali or Namkhana. From there, a boat ride will take you into the heart of Sundarbans.