West Bengal, located in the eastern region of the country, is the home to
some of the stunning landscape features and natural scenic beauty and also has
some of the historical and architectural heritage to allure the tourists around
the year. The state of West Bengal is bordered by the enormous, gigantic
Himalayas in the northern part and Bay of Bengal in the southern part. It could
be the best holiday destination for those who want to experience the nature,
history and architectural heritage of India. From scenic Himalayan Mountains to
Temples, beaches to Ancient Monuments and more, the state has all for everyone.
Don’t miss to meet the Royal Bengal Tiger at the Sundarban without which your
trip to West Bengal won’t be complete. Below you will come across with the top
ten places to visit in West Bengal.
Kalimpong and Lava Lolegaon
Kalimpong is one of the many bio-diversity places in India, and the primary
attraction of this place is its Neora Valley National Park where the natural
habitat is the Bengal Tiger. It also has the Ecological Museum that is named
after the great Rishi Bankim Chandra, and this museum has the most extensive
collection of Flora from across the world. Visiting this place would fill your
life with positive energy. Some of the nearby places to explore are Zong Dhog
Palri Fo Brang monastery, Deolo Hills, and other tourist spots.
There is another place about 30Km away from Kalimpong named as Lava
Lolegaon, and this area is mainly known for its attachment to the Neora Valley
National Park and the scenic beauty of its beautiful Jelep La and Rechi La
Passes. Some of the other tourist spots are Neora Lake, Changey Falls,
Silviculture Research Center, and Ratnasri Gumpha.
Digha
It is the widely explored beach of West Bengal and thousands of people from
across the country visit this town of Digha. It is the favorite honeymoon
destination for newly married couples. This beach is mainly crowded with people
for outings and picnic. If watching the sunrise and sunset along with youth
better half is your priority, then visiting this beach is a must. Apart from
it, you can also enjoy some of the exotic sea fishes from the beach stalls.
Besides strolling across the beach, you can also explore other places in Digha
like the Temple at Chandaneswar and Marine Station Aquarium of Zoological
Survey of India.
Sunderbans
Without visiting the
Sundarbans, your trip to West Bengal won’t be complete.
It is the largest single mangrove forest in the world with various species, and
it is considered to be the top tourist destination in West Bengal. It is the
only place where you can find the Royal Bengal Tigers. This national park has
its specific ecosystem which is sustained for years perfectly. Apart from the
various Flora and Fauna, you will find around 300 Royal Bengal Tigers and about
150 species of commercially important fishes, 42 species of mammals 270 species
of birds, eight amphibian and 35 reptile species. Fishing and collecting honey
is the prime occupation for living in the Sunderbans.
Darjeeling
Darjeeling is the famous city of West Bengal that is globally claimed for
its lush green tea gardens and the top hill station in India. The city is
bestowed with the magnificent views of the Mount Kanchenjunga, which is the
third highest peak in the world. Some of the popular attractions of the town
include botanical gardens, monasteries, zoo and the Darjeeling-Rangeet Valley
Passenger Ropeway cable car. Tourists can roam around the city and explore the
long stretched tea gardens, markets, and villages. You can see the rising of
the sun from the nearby Tiger Hill, which is the favorite thing to do in
Darjeeling.
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Jaldapara is the wildlife sanctuary which is a protected area which is
beautifully nestled in the foothills of Himalayas. This wildlife sanctuary is
located in Alipurduar, which is the subdivision of Jalpaiguri District of West
Bengal alongside the river Torsa. You will find some of the rare species at
this wildlife sanctuary, which are the prime attractions of this place, including
the Asiatic One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tigers, Deer, Elephants,
Barking Deer, Sambar, Hog Deer, Spotted Deer, Bisons and Wild Pigs. For all
bird watchers, this could be the best place to visit as this wildlife sanctuary
has some of the unique species of birds, including the jungle fowl, Pallas’s
Fishing Eagle and shikra, lesser pied Hornbill, Bengal Florican, Partridges and
more.
Kolkata
The State Capital of West Bengal, Kolkata is also called as the City of Joy
as it is full of life and amazing people. To complete your vacation, you must
cover the city of Kolkata as there are many tourist destinations which might
include the Eden Gardens, Victoria Memorial, Fort William, Howrah Bridge and
Birla Planetarium to name a few. The city is also famous for its variants of
street foods in the Park Street and James Hickey Sarani.
Mayapur, Krishnanagar, and Nabadwip
All these three cities of West Bengal are located in the Nadia District, and
it is the birthplace of Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya. The ISKCON headquarters is
situated in the Mayapur, and you will find some of the beautifully designed
temples of Lord Krishna. You can also explore the Chandrodaya temple, which is
the famous destination of this place and even the Sonar Gouranga which is the
temple with statue of Sri Chaitanya which is designed with golden color and it
is the important shrine of this place. Krishnanagar is located on the banks of
Jalangi River, and it is the primary place of attraction.
Tarapith
This is the temple of goddess Tara, and she is considered to the ninth form
of Goddess Kali. This temple is located in Birbhum District of West Bengal, and
it is known for the Tantric Temples and the adjoining cremation ground where
the activities of Tantriks are performed.
Kalighat
Kalighat is considered to be the most important sacred place out of 51
Shakti Peeth in India. This site is the holy ghat of Goddess Kaali located on
the old course of Hooghly River in the ancient city of Calcutta. This temple is
now visited by most of the Hindu pilgrims of India. The pilgrims who visit this
temple on a daily basis treat Kaali very much like their human mother and
brings her their domestic issues and prayers for her prosperity.
Mirik Lake
Mirik is the most abundant natural lake in West Bengal, and it was initially
named Sumendu Lake earlier, and it is the primary attraction for tourists
around the year. According to the locals of the city, the lake is named after a
different fish that is found in this lake, i.e., Mrigal Fish. However, there is
no such evidence to prove this claim of the locals. Over the lake, you will
find an arched footbridge which is called as Indreni Pull or the Rainbow Pull.
The total length of this footbridge is about 80 meters. Activities like boating
and paddling over this lake are available which tourists can enjoy.
These were the
Top Ten Places to Visit in West Bengal,
which you must not miss visiting during your trip to West Bengal. There are
also other places to be included on the must-do list, but these were some of
the places that are worth visiting and exploring during your next West Bengal
trip.
