Must-see attractions in West Bengal

  • Top Choice
    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…

  • Top Choice
    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…

  • Top Choice
    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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Eklakhi Mausoleum

    The large, beautiful Eklakhi Mausoleum at Pandua gets its name from the reputed ₹1 lakh (₹100,000) cost of building it back in 1431. It's a domed brick…

  • Adina Masjid

    The vast Adina Masjid, just west off NH12 (old NH34), 19km north of Malda, was India’s largest mosque when constructed by Sikandar Shah in the 14th…

  • Jor Bangla Temple

    The 'twin hut' structure of Jor Bangla is covered in particularly exquisite terracotta ornamentation.

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Durpin Gompa

    Kalimpong’s largest monastery, formally known as Zangtok Pelri Phodang, sits atop panoramic Durpin Hill (1372m) and was consecrated by the Dalai Lama in…

  • Deolo Hill

    On a clear day, the morning views of Khangchendzonga from this hilltop park, about 500m higher than the town centre, are simply superb. After savouring…

  • Japanese Peace Pagoda

    Perched on a hillside 2km south of the town centre, the gleaming white, 28m-high Peace Pagoda is one of more than 70 pagodas built around the world by the…

  • Yiga Choeling Gompa

    Yiga Choeling Gompa, the Darjeeling area's most famous monastery, founded in 1850, houses up to 40 monks of the Gelugpa school. The serene temple has…

  • Himalayan Tibet Museum

    This well-thought-out museum (one large room) is a good, colourful introduction to Tibet and its culture. The attractive displays introduce the Dalai Lama…

  • Hanseswari Temple

    About 6km north of Bandel, Bansberia is home to the imposing Hanseswari Temple, devoted to an avatar of the goddess Kali. With 13 pinnacled sikharas …

  • Hooghly Imambara

    Between Chinsurah and Bandel, you can climb the lofty clock tower of the romantically crumbling Imambara, which has breathtaking views of the Hooghly…

  • Katra Mosque

    On the east side of Murshidabad, the handsome, pink-brick Katra Mosque features two tall corner towers and multiple domes (some now fallen in)…