West Bengal
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West Bengal

From Himalayan tea to tiger mangroves

Photo: Syed Sajidul Islam, CC BY-SA 4.0
Capital

Kolkata

Best time to visit

October to March; Darjeeling also April to June

Getting there

Kolkata is the main hub. Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri station serve the hills.

Ideal trip

10 to 14 days to cover the highlights

About West Bengal

West Bengal runs from the Darjeeling hills down to the Sundarbans delta. In between are Kolkata's culture, terracotta temples and Tagore's Santiniketan.

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Popular cities in West Bengal

Been to any? Mark them on your India travel map.

BishnupurDarjeelingDighaDurgapurHowrahKalimpongKolkata (Calcutta)MurshidabadSantiniketan (Shantiniketan, Bolpur)Siliguri

Top places in West Bengal

DarjeelingPhoto: Syed Sajidul Islam, CC BY-SA 4.0

Darjeeling

Tea estates, Tiger Hill sunrise over Kangchenjunga and the UNESCO-listed toy train.

Best time: March to May, October to DecemberBase: Darjeeling3 daysMountainsHeritageFood
Directions
From Wikipedia

Darjeeling is a city in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of 2,045 metres. To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, to the east the Kingdom of Bhutan, to the north the Indian state of Sikkim, and farther north the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

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Video by Siddhu Films on YouTube

SundarbansPhoto: Soumyajit Nandy, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sundarbans

The world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Royal Bengal tiger, explored by boat.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Godkhali2 daysWildlifeNature
Directions
From Wikipedia

Sundarbans National Park is a national park in West Bengal, India, and core part of tiger reserve and biosphere reserve. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta and adjacent to the Sundarban Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. It is located to south-west of Bangladesh. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile.

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Video by WILDLINE FILMS on YouTube

KolkataPhoto: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kolkata

The Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, College Street and legendary sweets.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Kolkata3 daysCityHeritageFood
Directions
From Wikipedia

Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, 80 km west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary financial and commercial centre of eastern India and one of the gateways to northeastern India.

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Video by OurWildWorld on YouTube

KalimpongPhoto: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kalimpong

A calm hill town of nurseries, monasteries and old colonial homes, facing Kanchenjunga.

Best time: March to June, October to DecemberBase: Kalimpong2 daysMountainsCulture
Directions
From Wikipedia

Kalimpong is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of 1,250 metres. The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The region comes under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration which is a semi-autonomous governing body within the state of West Bengal. The Indian Army's 27 Mountain Division is located on the outskirts of the city.

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DooarsPhoto: Rajibnandi, CC BY-SA 3.0

Dooars

Tea gardens and forests at the foothills, with Jaldapara's rhinos and Gorumara's elephants.

Best time: October to MayBase: Lataguri2 daysWildlifeNature
Directions
From Wikipedia

The Dooars or Duars are the alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India and southern Bhutan that lie south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas and north of the Brahmaputra River basin. This region is about 30 km wide and stretches over about 350 km from the Teesta River in West Bengal to the Dhansiri River in Udalguri district of Assam. The region forms the gateway to Bhutan. It is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion.

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Digha and MandarmaniPhoto: Pinakpani, CC BY-SA 4.0

Digha and Mandarmani

The most popular beaches near Kolkata, great for a weekend of seafood and sunsets.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Digha2 daysBeachFood
Directions
From Wikipedia

Digha is a seaside resort town located in the Purba Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India. Situated at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal, it is a popular coastal tourist destination known for its low gradient and shallow sand beaches. Referred to as the "Brighton of the East" by Warren Hastings in one of his 1780 letters to his wife, Digha has remained a favored holiday spot for decades. It is West Bengal's most visited sea resort, with beaches that stretch over 7 km.

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MurshidabadPhoto: MaheshPatil95, CC BY 4.0

Murshidabad

The last capital of the Nawabs of Bengal, with Hazarduari palace on the Bhagirathi.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Murshidabad1 dayHeritage
Directions
From Wikipedia

Murshidabad is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. This town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River. During the 18th century, Murshidabad was a prosperous and cosmopolitan town. Murshidabad was the capital of the Bengal Subah for seventy years.

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SandakphuPhoto: solarshakti, CC BY 2.0

Sandakphu

Bengal's highest point at 3,636 m, with four of the world's five highest peaks in one view.

Best time: March to May, October to DecemberBase: Manebhanjan4 daysAdventureMountains
Directions
From Wikipedia

Sandakphu or Sandakpur at 3,636 m is a mountain peak in the Singalila Ridge on the border between India and Nepal. It is the highest point of the ridge and of the state of West Bengal, India. The peak is located at the edge of the Singalila National Park and has a small village on the summit with a few hotels. Four of the five highest peaks in the world, Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu can be seen from its summit. It also affords a pristine view of the entire Kangchenjunga Range.

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MirikPhoto: Benoy, CC BY-SA 3.0

Mirik

A lake town surrounded by tea gardens and orange orchards, quieter than Darjeeling.

Best time: March to June, October to DecemberBase: Mirik1 dayMountainsNature
Directions
From Wikipedia

Mirik is a small town and a Notified Area of Darjeeling district ruled by Shri L.B.Rai since 30years in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Mirik subdivision. The name Mirik comes from the Lepcha words Mir-Yok meaning "place burnt by fire".

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MayapurPhoto: DJTikkaMasala, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mayapur

The ISKCON world headquarters at the meeting of the Ganga and Jalangi rivers.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Mayapur1 daySpiritual
Directions
From Wikipedia

Mayapur is a pilgrimage town in the Nabadwip CD block in the Krishnanagar Sadar subdivision of the Nadia district, West Bengal, India. It is situated at the confluence of the Jalangi River and the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges. The area is considered spiritually significant by followers and devotees of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

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BishnupurHidden gemPhoto: Pdhang, CC BY-SA 3.0

Bishnupur

Terracotta temples of the Malla kings and Baluchari sarees.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Bankura1 dayHeritage
Directions
From Wikipedia

Bishnupur is a city and a municipality in Bankura district, West Bengal, India. It has terracotta temples built by the Malla rulers, historic Radha Krishna temples built during 1600–1800 CE and the Baluchari sarees. In 1997 the Temples of Bishnupur were placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site's Tentative list.

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Video by CCRT OFFICIAL CHANNEL on YouTube

SantiniketanHidden gemPhoto: Billjones94, CC BY-SA 4.0

Santiniketan

Tagore's university town, a UNESCO site since 2023, with the Saturday Sonajhuri haat.

Best time: October to MarchBase: Bolpur1 dayHeritageCulture
Directions
From Wikipedia

Santiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Debendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son, Rabindranath Tagore whose vision became what is now a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati. It is also the birthplace of Indian Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, who was also an alumnus of the school.

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Video by Subhadip Mukherjee on YouTube

PuruliaHidden gemPhoto: Sumitsurai, CC BY-SA 3.0

Purulia

Ayodhya Hills, red soil, spring palash forests and the Chhau masked dance.

Best time: November to MarchBase: Purulia2 daysNatureCulture
Directions
From Wikipedia

Purulia district is one of the twenty-three districts of West Bengal state in Eastern India. Purulia is the administrative headquarters of the district. Some of the other important towns of Purulia district are Raghunathpur-Adra, Manbazar, Jhalda, Anara and Balarampur.

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Food to try

Kosha mangsho, shorshe ilish, kathi roll, phuchka, mishti doi, rosogolla, Darjeeling tea

Where to stay

Kolkata for the city, Darjeeling and Kalimpong for hills, Lataguri for Dooars, Digha for the sea

Getting around

Kolkata Metro and trams; toy train from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling; shared jeeps in the hills

Good to know

Durga Puja in October is the best time for Kolkata. Book Sundarbans trips with registered boat operators.

West Bengal: quick answers

What is the best time to visit West Bengal?

October to March; Darjeeling also April to June

How do I reach West Bengal?

Kolkata is the main hub. Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri station serve the hills.

How many days do I need for West Bengal?

Plan 10 to 14 days to see the highlights, such as Darjeeling, Sundarbans, Kolkata.

What food should I try in West Bengal?

Kosha mangsho, shorshe ilish, kathi roll, phuchka, mishti doi, rosogolla, Darjeeling tea

Where should I stay in West Bengal?

Kolkata for the city, Darjeeling and Kalimpong for hills, Lataguri for Dooars, Digha for the sea

Neighbouring states

Timings, fees, permits and road conditions change. Please check official sources before you travel.