A day well spent at Malancha Tourist Lodge – Barrackpore

We were planning for a short trip from Kolkata for a weekend gateway which would be within 50-60 KMs radius. There were many options we went through such as Deulti near Kolaghat, Sundargram along Malancha Higway, etc. but finally we settled for Malancha Tourist Lodge at Barrackpore which is an offbeat destination because hardly people know about this beautiful, calm place by the river Hooghly. The place is so close to home, only 12-13 KMs from our place at Nimta. Actually hardly one can imagine such a nice place by the river so close to Kolkata.

My spouse was pregnant by 5-6 months when planned this vacation. We wanted to be away from the chaos of town and spend a night in peace with beautiful surrounding. The restriction was on the part of travelling. We could not travel long journeys as my wife was pregnant and doctor suggested us to avoid a bus/flight/train journey. We decided to travel on bike. Asked our doc if that would be okay or not, got a “Go ahead” call from the doc and finally we decided to set off on a weekend. Both of us were so much excited about the trip because we were going somewhere after 5-6 long months. We had to cancel all our trips to Delhi-Agra, Agartala, etc. because she conceived and doctor suggested avoiding journeys that were planned.

On a Friday morning, we left for the Malancha Tourist Lodge. It took only few minutes (30 minutes approximately) by bike to reach the spot from our place at Nimta. The property is located next to the Gandhi Ghat. We had to wait till 12 noon to check-in. There is nothing one can do much but to spend time in leisure. We spent the day in leisure, walked around the property and visited the nearby Jawahar Kunj – a park visited by few locals. One can easily spend long time sitting by the river. The property has got sitting arrangements and the dining space just by the river. We spent a beautiful evening sitting there and experienced such a beautiful Sunset view across the river.  If you have a lovely companion, you never know how time is passed by. We even walked around the property after we had our dinner. There is complete security as the premise is well locked from the main entrance and guarded throughout the night. We spent the day absolutely in peace away from chaos. Though the place is located close to a chaotic place like Titagarh, it is completely a different place.

Next day morning, we woke up early in morning, went to the dining area downstairs to have our breakfast. We desperately avoided the luxury of breakfast in room so that we could catch the glimpse of the beautiful morning by the riverside. We spent hours having our breakfast and enjoying the beautiful morning view. As we had our backpacks ready for check-out, we had enough time to stroll around, take some photos and interact with staffs and other tourists. We found a boat by the nearby jetty who was offering a ride and we were so joyous and eager to have a ride. We didn’t hesitate and spend no extra time to go for the ride. The boat ride in the lovely weather was a bonus. We enjoyed the half an hour boat ride and proceed for check-out.

I found the place to be good enough to spend a night away from the city chaos and noise. If you love spending quality time with nature without such activities or sightseeing, this place would be a good choice. This place is ideal for senior citizens, family and couples. A young couple may not find it suitable to stay for longer period but senior citizens would surely find it a good place to spend few nights here and stay longer time.

Let me share some facts about the Malancha Tourist Lodge:

I would go for the pros first. Pros are:

1. The location is superb. The property is just by the river surrounded with greenery.
2. Food is good. Fish curry, chicken curry, chilli chicken, chicken pakoda, etc. were so delicious.
3. Located at close proximity from city. Barrackpore is just one hour drive from north Kolkata and 30 minutes from the suburban areas beyond north Kolkata.
4. AC rooms will provide a superb view of the river. All AC rooms have river front.

Now cons are:

1. Poor maintenance of the property and rooms.
2. Non AC rooms do not have any view. These rooms are located at the back of the property.
3. Service is poor. Nobody would pay any heed unless you tip them. Staffs would ask for tips for every service they provide. Staffs keep on changing as per shift and staffs from each shift would ask for tips even before your check-out.
4. Food is good and delicious as discussed above but the price is a bit high.

How to book Malancha Tourist Lodge?

It is a West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) property. Malancha Tourist Lodge can be booked online on www.wbtdcl.com

Short Cut link is: https://www.wbtdcl.com/home/lodge_search?Lodge_id=MjQ&Lodge_destinationName=MjI

If you are planning a trip to Malancha Tourist Lodge and need any information, do mail me at uvreachedavi@gmail.com or call up on my mobile. I would be there to share all details needed. You can also leave a comment below on this blog post. I would reply within 2-3 days.

Stay tuned to TravelDias Blog and Facebook page for information on more such offbeat places and reviews on WBTDC properties.

Image Courtesy: Some images used in this article are taken from WBTDC website.