WEST BENGAL
From the mighty Himalayas to the greenery of genetic plants, from serene beaches to mangrove estuaries - West Bengal is a land of many natural splendors. The beautiful state of West Bengal attracts a significant number of tourists every year as the state is jeweled with mesmerizing landscapes, snow-clad mountains, gushing sea, blossoming tea gardens, enormous deltas, lush green forests, plentiful wildlife, ancient temples and magnificent British monuments. Surrounded by Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh internationally, and by the Indian states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, and Assam, West Bengal has an area of 88,752 km. The state capital is Kolkata ,formerly known as Calcutta. If you are an adventure enthusiast, the state has no dearth of attractions for you.
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit this state is from October to March. Winter is ideally between November and February, with January being the coldest month. The weather is pleasant during these months and you can enjoy all tourist attractions here. The month of October also witnesses the popular festival of Durga Puja and you can visit West Bengal in this month to participate in this extravaganza when the entire town decks up and out in revelry and glitz.
- HOW TO REACH
1) How to get there by Air
Kolkata as the capital of West Bengal has an international
airport that is connected by regular flights from Europe and the Orient.
Domestic airlines connect the major cities in India to Kolkata.
2) How to get there by Rail
Howrah on the west of Hooghly River and Sealdah to the east
of the river are the two rail stations in Kolkata, both very crowded and
frenetic with activity. All trains to India’s north-eastern region originate
and end at Sealdah and trains to west, central and south India operate from Howrah.
One needs to be careful against pickpockets at the stations.
3) How to get there by Road
It is possible to get to West Bengal by road. The road
connections are disrupted once in a while by floods but generally such a trip
is an experience in itself. One can drive or take a bus from anywhere to
Kolkata be it Delhi, Bombay or Guwahati. Gas stations dot the routes and there
are numerous options for eating and resting along the way. Distances are
however great and it is better if one opts for the rails or the skies.
- PLACES TO VISIT
1) KOLKATA : Labeled as the 'City of Joy', the 'Cultural capital of India', Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) is a city with character and remnants of British Raj visible in its Victorian style architecture, trams and the nomenclature of the place. Take a walk in North Kolkata to witness the chaotic lifestyle of the present day crowd function in perfect harmony against the backdrop of a bygone era. And the food! Don’t miss out on a delightfully gastronomic experience in the alluring food streets of Kolkata. If the hectic city life slightly aches your bones, sit near one of the picturesque Ghats and let the hot tea help you forget the world!
2) DARJEELING : Jaw-dropping locales, mesmerizing sunrises, the untouched beauty of the hills, the old-world charm of the past, and the welcoming smiles of the local people all add up to make Darjeeling one of the most beautiful hill stations in Eastern part of India. Spread over a steep mountain ridge, nestled amidst acres of lush green tea plantations, Darjeeling stands at the height of 2,050 meters above sea level, thus boasting of cool climes all year round. This scenic hill station is the perfect getaway for a romantic honeymoon and is just around 700 kilometers away from Kolkata.
3) SILIGURI : Situated in the Jalpaiguri and Siliguri districts of West Bengal, Siliguri is a city known as the Gateway to North-East India. Siliguri has its own international airport which serves mainly as a base for tourists to camp in. The Jaldapara National Park, situated on the banks of the Torsa river, is a prime attraction of Siliguri. Earlier known as the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, the park is spread over an area of around 215 kilometers, and is comprised of riverine forests as well as grasslands.
4) SUNDARBANS : Known for hosting the biggest mangrove forests in the world, Sundarbans provides the best mix for ecological balance right from 'Royal Bengal tigers' to roaring rivers and beautiful estuaries. Being in the midst of large water bodies means Sundarban can offer you the cruising experience of a lifetime where with just a little luck, you can experience the Royal Bengal tiger swimming alongside your cruise boat. Both government and private cruising tours are available here, ranging from budget to luxury options.
Boat Safari
The government operated boat safaris are available in large and small sizes, large ones for longer durations and small ones for smaller durations. They are available in AC as well as Non-AC. The boat safari can be booked for one day and even for longer time periods 0f one week.TimingsIt starts at 08:30 AM and ends at 04:00 PM. Boats are not allowed inside after 06:30 PM. Both AC and Non-AC boats
5) KALIMPONG : Kalimpong is a virgin hill station in West Bengal renowned for its panoramic valley views, Buddhists monasteries and churches and Tibetan handicrafts etc. Kalimpong was once under that dynasty of the King of Bhutan. However they had to hand over the administration to the British on December 6, 1864. Since then the British flocked to this part of the country in numbers, built great schools with high standard of education (which Kalimpong is still well known for), created lovely housing architectures in traditional British style that will remind you of typical British countryside, built several charity institutions and of course many flowering gardens. While the British have long gone, you will still get an essence of all these in Kalimpong.
- FAMOUS FOOD
West Bengal is not just about machh bhaat and the sweets. It has a lot more to it and is a haven for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies. Did you know that Bengali cuisine is the only one in the Indian subcontinent that has a proper multi-course structure, much similar to the style of modern French cuisine? Bengalis love their food and like to have it served course-wise, instead of all at once, as is typically done in most other Indian regional cuisines. There is much to explore in West Bengal, when it comes to food. From Mughlai foods to street foods and an elaborate spread of sweets and confectioneries, as well as the cuisine of the flourishing Anglo-Indian community in Kolkata, Bengali food is culturally vibrant and just simply delightful.
Here are the top 10 foods that you just cannot miss while exploring West Bengal:
- Keemar Doi Bora
- Daab Chingri
- Jhal Muri
- Luchi Alur Dom
- Kathi Rolls
- Bhetki Machur Paturi
- Shukto
- Ilish Maach
- Kosha Mangsho
- Rasgulla
History in West Bengal co-exists with modernity. From the Last Independent Nawab's Havelis to the super fast AC rides of the Metro Rail - West Bengal has it all. Here the culinary diversity merges, from haute cuisine to street foods to mouthwatering local specialties...
Come to West Bengal - The Sweetest Part of India.
