🐟 Top 10 Reasons to Attend the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 This Monsoon 📍 By Sonakshi Travels | WhatsApp: +91 7980469744
🌧️ When the Monsoon Brings More Than Just Rain
As the clouds gather over Bengal and the rivers rise to greet them, something magical begins to stir in the lush wetlands of the Sundarbans. It’s not just the sound of thunder or the call of the kingfisher. It’s something far more delicious — the arrival of the Hilsa .
If you’ve never heard of the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 Ilish , also known as Hilsa — with feasts, folklore, boat rides, and cultural melodies that echo through the mangrove forests.
I had the privilege of experiencing this hidden monsoon gem last year. And trust me, this isn’t just another festival. It’s a soulful journey — one that connects rivers to plates, people to culture, and fish to folklore.
So, if you’re wondering whether it’s worth a trip, here are the Top 10 Reasons to Attend the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 this monsoon.
🥇 1. The Star of the Show — Hilsa in All Its Glory The Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 is a culinary celebration of the Queen of Fish — Hilsa . If you’re a food lover, this is where you’ll experience the finest and freshest Ilish dishes prepared by local chefs using time-honored recipes passed down through generations.
🍽️ Popular Dishes Include:
Sorshe Ilish (Hilsa in mustard gravy)
Bhapa Ilish (Steamed Hilsa in banana leaf)
Doi Ilish (Hilsa in curd-based curry)
Ilish Pulao (Hilsa flavored rice pilaf)
Ilish Tok (Hilsa in tangy tamarind curry)
Each dish tells a story of rivers, rain, and roots. The flavor? Beyond words.
🎭 2. A Cultural Tapestry of Bengal’s Heart The festival isn’t just about food — it’s a vibrant cultural carnival that comes alive with:
🎶 Baul Sangeet (folk music)
💃 Tribal dances performed around bonfires
🎨 Handicrafts by local artisans
🧑🍳 Traditional cooking demos and contests
📚 Stories from Sundarban fishermen and locals
It’s a deep dive into the cultural ecosystem that sustains Bengal’s most iconic dish.
🚤 3. Boat Safari Through the Enchanted Mangroves One of the biggest attractions of the Hilsa Festival tour Sundarban is the chance to experience a private boat safari through the Sundarban mangrove delta Site.
🌳 What You Might See:
🐊 Saltwater crocodiles sunbathing
🐯 Tiger pugmarks along the banks
🦢 Migratory birds gliding through the mist
🐒 Curious monkeys along the treetops
With the river swollen from the monsoon and the forest humming with life, the safari feels like stepping into a natural cathedral.
🌦️ 4. Monsoon Romance in the Wild The festival is perfectly timed to coincide with the monsoon season , when the Sundarbans are at their most beautiful . The rains bring life to the land — creeks overflow, skies turn dramatic, and the lush green of the forest becomes dreamlike.
It’s the kind of romance only rains and rivers can create.
“You haven’t truly experienced the Sundarbans until you’ve seen them in the rain.”
🛏️ 5. Unique Eco-Island Stays with River Views Sonakshi Travels offers exclusive accommodation options — from rustic island resorts to luxury houseboats, all nestled within nature.
🏡 Facilities Typically Include:
Private rooms with en-suite bathrooms
Open-air dining with river views
Evening campfires and cultural shows
Fresh, organic meals — often featuring Hilsa!
It’s comfort without losing touch with the wild.
📸 6. Photography Paradise — Nature, Culture, and Cuisine If you’re a travel blogger, photographer, or content creator, this is your playground. The Sundarban Hilsa Festival
📷 Don’t Miss:
The golden gleam of freshly cooked Hilsa
The rain-splashed mangrove forests
Baul singers in traditional attire
Fishermen casting nets at dawn
Hilsa being steamed in banana leaves over open fires
Your Instagram feed will never be the same again.
👨👩👧 7. Family-Friendly, Couple-Ready, and Solo-Safe Whether you’re traveling solo, with your partner, or bringing the whole family, the Ilish Utsav 2025 caters to every kind of traveler.
✅ Private tours for couplesSonakshi Travels
There’s something comforting about being in nature but not having to worry about logistics . Everything is taken care of.
🧳 8. All-Inclusive Tour Packages by Sonakshi Travels Booking with Sonakshi Travels made my journey effortless. Their packages are affordable, customizable, and complete with everything you need.
🧭 What’s Included:
🚗 AC Pickup and Drop from Kolkata
⛵ Private Boat Safari
🏨 Accommodation
🍛 All Meals (including Hilsa specials!)
👨✈️ Local Guide and Safari Permits
🎭 Cultural Events Access
📲 Contact Sonakshi Travels +91 7980469744 https://sundarbantravel.com/sundarban-hilsa-festival-2025
📅 9. Limited Time Event — Catch It Before the Season Ends Unlike evergreen destinations, the Hilsa Festival is limited to the monsoon months (July – September) when the fish return from the sea to spawn in the rivers.
It’s a short-lived phenomenon — and every year, it’s slightly different.
Waiting another year could mean missing:
This season’s Hilsa catch
This year’s artisan lineup
This monsoon’s mangrove magic
So, if you’re thinking of going — book early !
💖 10. It’s Not Just a Trip — It’s an Emotion More than food, more than forests, the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 is a deeply emotional, cultural, and sensory experience .
It’s about reconnecting with:
🧓 Ancestral food memories
🌊 Nature in its purest form
🎵 Bengal’s soulful heritage
👨👩👧 Shared stories and laughter around firelit dinners
“I came for the Hilsa, but I found a piece of myself,” said a fellow traveler from Mumbai.
🧭 How to Plan Your Trip ✅ Ideal Duration:
3 Days, 2 Nights (custom options available)
📍 Pickup Point:
Anywhere in Kolkata (Airport, Howrah, Home)
💼 What to Pack:
Light cotton wear
Raincoat and umbrella
Insect repellent
Camera and power bank
Waterproof footwear
Cash for local shopping
🔖 Quick Recap: Top 10 Reasons to Attend Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025
🌟 Reason
Highlights
🐟 Hilsa Dishes
10+ Authentic Bengali Ilish recipes
🎭 Cultural Events
Baul music, dance, and workshops
🚤 Boat Safari
Tiger territory and birdwatching
🌧️ Monsoon Magic
Misty mangroves and cool climate
🏡 Eco Stays
Riverfront rooms, organic meals
📸 Photography
Nature, food, and culture all in one
👨👩👧 Family Friendly
Safe, organized, customizable tours
💼 All-Inclusive Packages
No stress, just travel
📅 Seasonal Uniqueness
Monsoon-limited magic
💖 Emotional Journey
Food, culture, and connection
📞 Book Now with Sonakshi Travels Don’t just read about it — live it.
📲 WhatsApp: +91 7980469744Visit: https://sundarbantravel.com/sundarban-hilsa-festival-2025 Agency: Sonakshi Travels Experience: 100% private, personalized, and unforgettable
🎬 The Hilsa That Sings to the Soul
There are journeys you take for fun. There are others you take for memories. But once in a while, you stumble upon a journey that changes how you feel about food, community, and the very essence of monsoon travel .
That’s what the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025 gave me.
So, whether you’re a Bengali looking to reconnect with your roots, a traveler chasing authentic experiences, or a foodie searching for the next great flavor trail — come to the Sundarbans this monsoon .
And let the Hilsa take you home.
... read more team members for making our trip memorable one.
Alaya NayakMarch 17, 2022
Gourav GhoshJanuary 17, 2023
... read more people. The jungle visit was great and we could see so many animals
Kunal BasuMarch 17, 2022
... read more very beautiful ❤️👍🏻
Sandeep MukherjeeMarch 17, 2022
... read more trip of Sundarban ( 3D&2N).The trip was tailor made for our need.The staff members were very courteous & looked after all the nitty gritty to make the trip a memorable one.The food used to be prepared as per our requests & was relished by all members.The night stay arranged in the 5 star resort was superb and in an hospitable atmosphere.The resort has the added feature of being located in a natural surroundings of flora and fauna. It provided attractive play areas for kids. On top of everything, it was pocket friendly & no hidden cost was involved. Would strongly recommend SonakshiTravel for this riverine trip.
Arun BiswasJanuary 17, 2023
... read more staff. Just one regret with the govt to allow more routes inside core jungle to increase footfall at Sunderbans. All you can see is Deer. However i would surely visit again.
navin jayaramanMarch 17, 2022
... read more served us very well. Thank you for all your services.
Shaily GuptaMarch 17, 2022
... read more food with rustic touch...You're at a right place..Being at a place which is remote, Dinner variety options may be limited but enough to satisfy you..I had Aged people n kid travelling with me and they were taken good care..The accommodation & boat ride were very comforting n all the staffs, tour guide were helpful..I will recommend them to Families, friends for sure.
Arunima RoyMarch 11, 2023
... read more end point by professional guides who displayed very courteous behavior. definitely talukdar ji will be my preferred choice for all trips in future as well.
Auditro Hi-Fi SystemsDecember 17, 2022
... read more family including senior citizens and kids and had a nice experience. Thank you Mr. Talukdar and team.
Koushik PandaApril 17, 2022
... read more was excellent..inspite some language problem staff were very very humble n cooperative n always willing to serve to our satisfaction...i surely will recommend my friends/ relatives to visit the place once in lifetime through Sonakshi Travels...🙏🙏🙏
Munna DewanJanuary 17, 2023
... read more care of every group member as per the need, especially the elderly ones. I travelled with the parents and the staff members made the trip super comfortable for them as well. Thanks to each one of them!! 😊🙏 Would highly recommend Sonakshi Travels for the Sundarban trip.
Shuchita MitraMarch 17, 2022
Partha Sarathi MajumderFebruary 17, 2023
... read more package. Here are few points I would like to mention regarding the tour. PROS: 1) The tour organiser, Mr Talukdar gave us a very clear account of the package and there were no hidden cost. 2) We were appointed a manager ( Mr Subrata) during the tour, who was very polite in his dealings. Since I was travelling with my 4 yr old daughter, I had requested him to make few extra arrangements ( in meal) for her ….for which I never had to remind him again and all my requirements were taken care off. 3 ) since we were only 3 families travelling on one boat, we had enough space to ourselves as compared to other boats I saw during the trip were overly crowded. 4) Food was good and the preparation was quite homely. 5)As we had to spend considerable amount of time on the boat…. I was little apprehensive about the cleanliness of the washroom on the boat. But to my surprise, the washroom was sparkling clean. CONS: 1) Though the hotel we were made to stay was very well located… but the rooms were very basic. Rooms are newly made but not very well maintained. The floor of the rooms felt like they were not dusted and mopped in days.There were cobwebs here and there and bathroom had few centipedes. To my opinion..rooms could have been better than what was provided. Overall, it was a well organised trip and Mr Talukdar kept checking on us during the trip which I truly appreciate. We thoroughly enjoyed. And I would certainly recommend Sundarban Travel to my friends and family.
Vaishali SenguptaMarch 17, 2022
... read more team, tour manager Subrata, boat captain Bapi da and our guide Tanmoy da was very cooperative and helpful. Our stay was in Sobuj Deep Resort, the location is next to the river and rooms are quite good in size, there 4 bedrooms can accommodate 2 families with one kid comfortably. The facilities and services of boat and resort was excellent. My objective was to spend some time with family in the nature, and a wild wish if we could spot the graceful royal Bengal tiger in the wild was 100% fulfilled. When I was researching for this tour, I found Sundarbans travel (Sonakshi travel) rated 4.5 among all, and I am not disappointed as well. Next time when I will visit Sundarbans again my choice will be Sundarbans travel. All over experience “The tour is mind blowing”.
Kaustav ChatterjeeMarch 17, 2022
prabhat kumar banerjeeSeptember 17, 2022
... read more a 21 heads office tour for two days and one night . Basically, it was a farewell to our General Manager. Ministry of Defence. Government of India. Following may noted for further: Promised were executed 💯% Timely availability of traveler on pick-up point. Food quality and quantity was very good. Comfortable night stay. Room condition was good. Arrangment of Folk dance 💃 was supab. Recommended for the tour.
Umesh PaswanJanuary 17, 2023
... read more staff ( Bapida, Bhaskarda and Uttamda). Special thanks to Talukdar Babu for taking care of everything. Highly recommended.
rupendu banerjeeMarch 17, 2022
... read more customised their programme for our convenience at their best. The boat waiting for us at Gadkhali was decent, neat & clean. The cooperation and helpful gesture of the Boatman Bapibabu and crew Pulak charmed us. The trip through the creeks and distributaries of the rivers of Sunderban became more enjoyable with the excellent taste of food cooked by Bhaskar in the running boat. The property named “Sabuj Dwip” under Lahiripur Gram Panchayat where we were parked at the day-end, was a resort having cottages with clean Rooms, modern Bathrooms & standard amenities including Generator along with a few shortfalls like lack of Geyser, AC, Toilet-shower, Kitchen/Kitchenet, Waste paper bin, Wall Hangers etc., though all such lacuna were covered by the sincere and hearty efforts of the servicemen. The owner may solve these minor problems by purchasing items of trivial value like Emersion Heater, Toilet-shower, Electric Cattle, Waste paper basket & Wall hangers. On 5th December, when the cyclone turned its face to Sunderban, the superb teamwork of Sonakshi rescued us through an alternative safe land-route maintaining our all urbane comfort upto the satisfaction. The courteous behaviour and delicious tasty food are the value-added satisfaction of this trip over the honest, humble and sincere approach of the owner Shuvabratababu which is highly appreciable. I highly recommend Sunderban Trip through this Travels.
Snehansu GangopadhyayMarch 17, 2022
... read more people, beautiful presentation of dance and songs to beautiful boat and boatmen with guide. A journey with100% fulfilment. Willing to go again and again. Thanks a lot Sundarban Travel Jyotirmoy Chakraborty Chairman Ispat Cooperative Hospital
JYOTIRMOY CHAKRABORTYMarch 17, 2022
... read more in a single word. Those who want fresh oxygen I suggest they should go Sundarbon and stay in Sabujdeep. Also get good village experience.
Sounava SamantaMarch 17, 2022
HRITURAJ CHAKRABORTYOctober 17, 2022
Dipanjan BiswasMarch 17, 2022
... read more date of departure our resort also exceptionally good I sincerely thanks to all cruise staff and manager to Mr. Talukdar.
Ashis RoySeptember 17, 2022
... read more dismantled as the driver uses it impulsively :) Definitely recommended...
Indraneil GhoshJanuary 17, 2023
Dr. Sikka & associatesJanuary 17, 2023
... read more bus that was allotted to us for taking us to the boat and we boarded it from Science City. It was a traveller and its was quite spacious and we travelled witout any problem. One thing that need to be looked upon is that there should be a helper with the driver in orderto contact the tourist for boarding the bus. The driver was speaking in his mobile while which can lead to a few problems. 2) Launch/Boat - It was quite big, spacious, the bathrooms were clean and the crews on board are very welll behaved. My 3 year old son really enjoyed the boat ride throughout the journey. 3) Resort - Some maintenance work is required in the rooms of the resort where we stayed at night. Things like ceiling fan regulator was not working, the flush in the wash room was not working and the room are not properly cleaned. It seemed to me that the room where I stayed was cleaned a long time back. 4) Food - The foods that were served to us was very well cooked. They were not at all spicy, not at all stale. Every time we were served hot and fresh foods. They also arranged food for my 3 year old son as per his requirement. 5) Employees/Crews - They are very well behaved, helpfull and always serving us by giving their level best.
20th Millenium KidMarch 17, 2022
... read more with Mr.Suvabrata Talukder.We were 13 heads (including 3 senior citizen and 2 child of 5 years old).It was a programme from Howrah to Howrah (railway station). Yesterday (13th November 2021) we returned from our trip. Overall experience was awesome.Communication with Mr. Talukder over phone before journey came in reality through the entire tour in every respect. Manager Subrata and other staff of boat along with the staff of the resort was very helpful and polite . Behaviour of the staff was very good. Food quality was really good .Not to much spicy but tasty , quantity was sufficient.The resort we stayed (Sabujdieep) was good /clean/safe and a small walking from jetty where we dropped from boat.One evening we enjoyed tribal music and dance in the resort. We along with my co- travellers enjoyed the tour with amazing experience ,kept beautiful moments and memories for life time with us. Everything was perfect. Arrangements in every angle was Wonderful. I strongly suggest and recommend everyone to enjoy your tour with this Sonakshi Travel (Sonarpur).
Anjan RayMarch 17, 2022
... read more homely environment, mainly we are extremely impressed the condition of the boat, cleanliness and food quality was superb. Except the chilli chicken preparation ( not upto the mark), the taste of the food was just like home made food. Resort location was good but not in good quality, need to look into this to provide the best service. Also the car condition is not good. Apart from these we enjoyed a lot throughout the tour. Special thanks to Mr.Talukdar and Team for organizing our memorable trip.
Amit SasmalMarch 17, 2022
Raghavendra MunghateDecember 17, 2022
... read more boat as well as car was also good. We thank you very much and want to refer in future to our friends n relatives.
K. MadhuNovember 17, 2022
... read more group tours were available Mr Talukder arranged a customized tour for us & we were a little apprehensive as the two of us would be traveling alone . But he assured us about our safety & other facilities & truly everything was beyond our expectations. Right from our pickup, boat tours, hotel accommodation & food everything was well arranged. We have come back with sweet memories. Thank you Mr Talukder & every one at Sonakshi tours.
Leena MhatreMarch 17, 2022
... read more tour confirmation 7/10. I paid advance for booking after checking the availability. But after making the payment, I was informed the required dates are not available and I had to change my dates. Communication of programs are also not up to the mark. 2. Transfer from Kolkata to Gadkhali & Return 8/10. Onward journey driver was new and not carrying proper documents for Vehicle. Stuck at Ghatakpukur for more than 30 minutes in a police checking. Return journey was better but the vehicle given was too old. 3. Boat Arrangements from Gadkhali 10/10. Good & comfortable. Well decorated boat with well behaved staffs. 4. Accommodation 10/10. Very good place selection and enjoyed the staying. This point you will get a bonus point. 5. Food 8/10. First day lunch was awesome but next meals were just below par. Lacking variety. I came to know few other agencies are offering more variants in their service. Finally thanks to all your staffs in the boat and in the hotel. Specially mentioning Tapas, Bapi, your cook and Subrata for their service.
Sibagi GhoshMarch 17, 2022
... read more the stuff were very polite (Special mention- dipankar da).They did everything with professional manner with touch of heart. Strongly recommend them.
ataur rahamanMarch 17, 2022
... read more did a fantastic job. Wish them all the very best.
Avik RoyJanuary 17, 2023
... read more and the boat ride were upto another level. Thank you so much for this wonderful treat. Looking forward to visit again. 😊
CHANDNI NASKARDecember 17, 2022
... read more local people was truly a fun filled surprise.
Pronami SarkarMarch 17, 2022
... read more boat is undercover with green carpet,so it'is looking beautiful,all management are peaceful Jumur dance is wonderful our all member danced with Jumur dancers we are all coming a sweet memories. Thanks to continue Mr Talukder.
Avijit SarkarMarch 17, 2022
... read more members of the group were also very social and supportive. Thanks for gifting a pleasant memory for a long time.
Biplab SarkarJanuary 17, 2023
... read more cottage were excellent. Subrat dada was extremely well informed about the forests. His knowledge helped us a lot. Extremely grateful🙏
Shradha Suman SatpathyMarch 17, 2022
