West Bengal attractions

In 1953, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI was founded in Darjeeling to celebrate Tenzing Norgay’s trip to the summit of Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary. Today, the institute has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for climbers, who come from around the globe to train here.

Rising from the banks of Kolkata’s River Hooghly, the Dakshineswar Kali Temple is held sacred by millions of Hindu faithful. Built in 1855, the 9-spired temple is dedicated to the goddess Kali and offers an insight into the city’s religious life and culture.

Built in 1926, the Nakhoda Mosque is Kolkata’s principal and biggest mosque, capable of holding 10,000 worshippers. Located in the Chitpur area of Kolkata, this enormous red-sandstone edifice echoes India’s Fatehpur Sikri-style of architecture, with its ornate exterior and green-roofed domes, minars (Indian turrets), and minarets.

Dating back to the end of the 18th century, St. John's Church was the first Anglican cathedral in India. It was one of the earliest buildings set up by the East India Company, its construction funded largely by public lottery. The church served as the seat of the Anglican Church until the 1847 construction of St. Paul's Cathedral.

If you're looking for a place to escape the heat of Kolkata, Aquatica Water Park will deliver. This giant park and conference center features a variety of waterslides for visitors of all ages, including a lazy river and a family pool with gentle waves and water features, plus a smattering of fast-paced slides for daring visitors.

Ganga Sagar (Sagar Island, the largest village on Sagar Island 50 miles (80 kilometers south of Kolkata, has long been an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. Each January on Makar Sankranti, pilgrims from around the country gather on the island to take a ceremonial bath in the waters where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal.

Bharat Sevashram Sangha is a Hindu charitable organization headquartered in Kolkata. Visitors to their temple and ashram on the island of Ganga Sagar can learn about the organization’s humanitarian efforts, including disaster relief, healthcare, education, tribal welfare, vocational training programs, and spiritual outreach.

In the southern reaches of Darjeeling, right next to the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple, the Japanese Peace Pagoda is one of many Buddhist stupas installed worldwide to promote peace. This beautiful white structure enshrines four images of the Buddha and is a peaceful place to go for a bit of reflection.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway—part of the Mountain Railways of India UNESCO World Heritage Site—is the oldest hill passenger railway in the country. The 55 miles (88 kilometers of track connecting New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling opened in 1881, and the trip up to Darjeeling has changed little since the first journey.

In one of India’s largest cities, it’s hard to find natural places to escape the honk of traffic and press of humanity, but at Kolkata’s New Town Eco Park you can do just that. This 480-acre (194-hectare) urban park has cycling and walking trails, a lake for kayaking and boating, themed zones, and many other activities and facilities.

Just south of Darjeeling, the Batasia Loop is a scenic turnaround point on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. As the name suggests, it’s where the track—on the Darjeeling Toy Train line—makes a big loop. In the middle of the track stands the Batasia Eco Garden and a war memorial to Gorkha soldiers at its center.

Science City Kolkata is a huge science park, consisting of a museum, outdoor gardens, auditoriums, and a convention center, which is packed with fun interactive exhibits. It’s extremely family friendly, and explores everything from space to ecosystems, dinosaurs, evolution, and much more. You won’t struggle to fill a full day here, which makes the trip from central Kolkata truly worthwhile.

Situated in the Shibpur suburb of Kolkata, this 269-acre (109-hectare) expanse of greenery dates back to the late 1700s, when it was used to study and develop commercial plants for trade under the British East India Company. Early tea-growing experiments here led to the thriving industries in Darjeeling and Assam that remain to this day.

The Quest Mall in Kolkata is a stylish place to shop, eat, or just escape from the hustle of the city outside. The 5-story mall isn’t just home to a wealth of luxury, upmarket clothes and lifestyle brands, but has a multiplex cinema and a food court, which serves a variety of Indian and international fare.

Officially called Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Chowringhee cuts through the heart of Kolkata. Running alongside the Maidan park, this wide avenue is a must for visitors keen to experience the soul of the city through its jumble of colonial-era buildings, shops, markets, and sidewalk stalls.

Located on the Chhotanagpur Plateau on the western end of West Bengal, the Ajodhya Hill and Forest Reserve Area is a natural area popular among hikers, climbers, and eco-tourism enthusiasts. Highlights include scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, and several lakes and dams.

Founded in 1814, Kolkata’s Indian Museum is India’s oldest and largest museum, and hosts a vast collection of historical artifacts and natural history specimens. Located near the Maidan park, the colonnaded museum is a must-see for visitors interested in India’s past.

Belur Math is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, founded in 1898 by Swami Vivekananda. It features architectural elements borrowed from Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism, a nod to the mission’s beliefs in interfaith unity. Depending on your vantage point, Belur Math can resemble a church, mosque, or temple.

Built in 1875, the Tagore House was the ancestral home of India’s greatest modern poet, Rabindranath Tagore—a native of Kolkata. The first non-European to obtain the Nobel Prize for Literature, the poet was born (1861) and died (1941) in this vast house, which is now a museum honoring his life and works.