Must-see attractions in West Bengal

If you like tea, you should visit this celebrated organic and biodynamic Darjeeling tea estate. Walk-in visits to the processing factory, with huge…

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known affectionately as the toy train, made its first journey along its precipice-topping, 2ft-wide tracks in 1881 and…

Singalila National Park covers the Indian side of the scenic Singalila Ridge, the Darjeeling region's finest trekking area, along the India–Nepal border…

The 2585-sq-km Sundarbans Tiger Reserve has 100-plus Royal Bengal tigers lurking in its impenetrable mangrove forests and sometimes swimming its delta…

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…

Ranged around tree-lined avenues, gravelled courtyards and exotic gardens, the Uttarayan Complex, in the heart of the Visva-Bharati campus, includes five…

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…

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…

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

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…

Within the zoo precinct, the prestigious HMI was founded in 1954 and has provided training for some of India’s leading mountaineers. Its fascinating…

Established in 1959, this refugee centre includes a Tibetan Buddhist temple, workshops producing carpets, woodcarvings, wool and woollen items, plus a…

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

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…

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

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…

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 …

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

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