The Sundarbans are the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world, stretching 80 km (50mi) into the Bangladeshi and Indian hinterland from the coast. The Sundarbans has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The part of the forest within Indian territory is called Sundarbans National Park. The forests aren't just mangrove swamps though, they include some of the last remaining stands of the mighty jungles which once covered the Gangetic plain. The Sundarbans cover an area of 3,850 sq km, of which about one-third is covered in water/marsh areas. Since 1966 the Sundarbans have been a wildlife sanctuary, and it is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. The forest is called 'Sunderban'due to the rich growth of Sundari trees.
Paradise for wild life and greenish dense forest adventures and enthusiastic photographers, looks for the real panoramic region as the canvas, come over to Sundarbans. This forest has the credit of large number of Sundari trees and some claim that Sundarban derived its name from these trees. One who likes nature in its wildest forms, Sundarbans is the prime location which is not to be missed. Sundarbans offers a very extra ordinary view and a wild journey for a life time to recall.
Meandering rivers, springs, creeks and beautiful estuaries, Sundarban is ruled by the unique natural beauty of its surroundings. Wild life flourishes in Sundarbans, leading with the Royal Bengal Tiger. The mighty Royal Bengal Tiger, ultimate and unopposed king of the forest, is majestic, cunning and merciless to its prey. It is the natural habitat of many other famous wild life animals like jungle fowl, giant lizards, spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles and many more and the nature lovers would get a very good chance to have a close look. Migratory group of Siberian ducks is an attraction in some seasons, a beautiful scene of these ducks flying over sail boats fully loaded with many items like timber, fuel wood, honey, fish and shell adding to the serene natural attractiveness of the Sundarban.
The ecological balance of these impenetrable forests is extremely delicate and influenced greatly by tidal shifts that affect the salinity, and hence the growth rates, of the surrounding vegetation. The eclectic inhabitants of the Sundarbans range from deer, pigs and crabs to the mighty Royal Bengal tiger. The Divisional Forestry Office supervises activities to protect the delicate ecological balance and botanists, zoologists, environmentalists and conservationists around the world keep eager eyes on this ecological repository. The dry season, November to April, is the most popular season for visiting the Sundarbans.