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.
