West Bengal
A sliver of fertile and densely populated land running from the tea-draped Himalayan foothills to the steamy mangroves of the Bay of Bengal, West Bengal presents a remarkable range of destinations and experiences within a single state. In the tropical southern areas, the wildlife-rich, mangrove-lined waterways of the Sundarbans vie for attention with Bishnupur's ornate terracotta Hindu temples and the cultured, arty vibes of Shantiniketan. Upstream from Kolkata (Calcutta) on the Hooghly River (a branch of the Ganges) you'll reach old European trading towns and three former Bengali capitals at Murshidabad, Gaur and Pandua. The cool northern hills are home not just to British colonialist hill stations like bustling Darjeeling and more laid-back Kalimpong, but also to fantastic vistas of massive Khangchendzonga, rolling green tea estates, some great hiking and the huffing and puffing 'toy trains' of the almost 140-year-old Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
Latest Stories from West Bengal
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout West Bengal.
See
Makaibari
If you like tea, you should visit this celebrated organic and biodynamic Darjeeling tea estate. Walk-in visits to the processing factory, with huge sorting and drying machines, typically last 30 to 45 minutes (mornings before 9am are the best time to see the production process). For a more in-depth experience, reserve a day ahead through Makaibari Homestays for a day tour, which includes a factory visit, a plantation walk with tea plucking, lunch in a local homestay, and tea tasting. The estate is 3km southwest of Kurseong station down Pankhabari Rd, and 1km past Cochrane Place. It's a pleasantish walk down (traffic can be irritating) and an uphill walk back. En route, the partly overgrown St Andrew's Cemetery has poignant reminders of the colonial tea-planter era. Local vans will take you either way for ₹20 (shared) or ₹200 'reserved' (all to yourself/ves). In town, they start from St Andrew's Church, 250m down Pankhabari Rd from the station. A shop at the factory gate sells Makaibari's prized teas (Silver Tips Imperial, the finest, costs ₹3500 per 100g!). Makaibari runs a homestay and volunteer programme from a separate office 150m down the road. Volunteers can find placements in teaching, health and community projects in March, April, May, October and November. A minimum two-week commitment is requested. Ask for Nayan Lama (if he's not in the office, ask at the factory-gate shop). Another possibility here is early-morning birdwatching tours (₹500 for one or two people, plus ₹200 for each extra person). More than half the Makaibari estate is forested and there's a sizeable population of hornbills, among other birds (and some rarely spotted leopards).
See
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known affectionately as the toy train, made its first journey along its precipice-topping, 2ft-wide tracks in 1881 and is one of the few hill railways still operating in India. It has had Unesco World Heritage listing since 1999. Two-hour 'joy rides' from Darjeeling to Ghum and back satisfy most people's toy-train urges. There are normally around six of these pulled by antique steam locomotives daily, and three or so with diesel engines. Just one (diesel-powered) train in each direction daily makes the whole 88km (seven-hour!) trip between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling; another runs just from Kurseong to Darjeeling and back.
See
Singalila National Park
Singalila National Park covers the Indian side of the scenic Singalila Ridge, the Darjeeling region's finest trekking area, along the India–Nepal border west of Darjeeling. As well as providing fantastic views of the eastern Himalaya, the park is home to extensive rhododendron forests, a gorgeous site when blooming in late April and May. The most used park entry point is near Tumling, on the road from Mane Bhanjang, 25km from Darjeeling, to Sandakphu. A local guide (per day per Indian/foreign group ₹1000/1300) or porter (per day ₹1000) is obligatory within the park (unless you come with a Forest Department–authorised guide from Darjeeling) and can be arranged at the Highlander Guides & Porters Welfare Association in Mane Bhanjang. Bring your passport as you’ll have to register at a Frontier Check Post in Mane Bhanjang and probably show it elsewhere too. Jeep transport within the national park is available from the Singalila Land Rover Owner’s Welfare Association in Mane Bhanjang.
See
Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
The 2585-sq-km Sundarbans Tiger Reserve has 100-plus Royal Bengal tigers lurking in its impenetrable mangrove forests and sometimes swimming its delta channels. Other residents of the forest include Gangetic dolphins, water monitors, 5m-long saltwater crocodiles and luminiscent kingfishers. Entry and guide fees, payable at the reserve's Sajnekhali Ecotourism Centre, depend on which areas you are visiting. If you're on an organised trip from Kolkata, they are normally included in your price. Overall the best time to visit the reserve is between November and February, though warmer March and April are better for tiger spotting.
See
Hazarduari
Literally meaning 'house of 1000 doors', the Hazarduari was built in very English Neoclassical style for Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah in 1829–37. Not all of its 1000 doors are real, though: some are just motifs on walls. The palace houses an astonishing collection of antiquities, and its compound is also home to the beautiful Nizamat Imambara (1847), a clock tower, and two elegant Medina Mosques (one between the Hazarduari and Imambara, another inside the Imambara). Mobile phones and bags must be left at the cloakroom by the ticket office.
See
Uttarayan Complex
Ranged around tree-lined avenues, gravelled courtyards and exotic gardens, the Uttarayan Complex, in the heart of the Visva-Bharati campus, includes five architecturally very varied houses, from art deco to rural Bengal, in which Rabindranath Tagore lived at different times and did a lot of his writing. Also here is a museum of Tagore exhibits and memorabilia (including his ancient Humber car).
See
Observatory Hill
The hill rising above Chowrasta is home to several much-visited temples, approached through a flurry of colourful prayer flags and hanging bells. The main summit temple is sacred to Mahakala, a Buddhist protector deity also worshipped as a wrathful avatar of Shiva. It is staffed by a Hindu priest and Buddhist lama sitting side by side in an admirable display of religious coexistence. A 300m path up to the summit starts about 100m along the eastern Mall road from Chowrasta. The several other temples around the hilltop include a narrow cave with a Shiva lingam, signposted down steps to the left as you approach the summit. Sadly no mountain panoramas from the top, but if you go back down to the Mall and turn left (north) you'll soon reach a couple of viewpoints with Khangchendzonga-view benches. Observatory Hill was the original location of Bhutia Busty Gompa, whose monks may have given Darjeeling its name calling their site dorje-ling (place of thunder).
See
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Within the zoo precinct, the prestigious HMI was founded in 1954 and has provided training for some of India’s leading mountaineers. Its fascinating Mountaineering Museum exhibits evocative memorabilia from the 1922 and 1924 Everest expeditions, which set off from Darjeeling, as well as more-recent summit attempts – including the successful 1953 climb. Just outside the museum are Tenzing Norgay's samadhi (cremation spot) and a Tenzing statue. The intrepid Everest summiteer was a director and adviser at the institute for many years. An odd curiosity of the museum is the Carl Zeiss telescope presented by Adolf Hitler to the head of the Nepali Army. The HMI also runs 28-day basic and advanced mountaineering courses from March to May and September to December.
See
Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
Established in 1959, this refugee centre includes a Tibetan Buddhist temple, workshops producing carpets, woodcarvings, wool and woollen items, plus a home for the aged, a kindergarten and a clinic. Visitors are welcome to wander through the workshops. There’s also an interesting, politically charged photographic exhibition on Tibetan history. The handicrafts are for sale in the showroom. A quick walking approach is to take the lane down beside Hotel Dolphin on The Mall and zigzag downhill about 1.2km (asking directions a few times). You can return to the town centre via Bhutia Busty Gompa, about 700m to the southeast (asking directions again). A taxi from the town centre to the refugee centre costs around ₹250/500 one way/return.