Top Tourist Spots To Visit In West Bengal
West Bengal is located in East India. It is a land which is noted for its cultural diversity. Due to its rich and interesting history, there are lot of important monuments and attractions in this place. Starting from the epic age of Mahabharata to Indian Independence era, a lot of important events have taken place in West Bengal. Apart from this, the Himalayas and Bay of Bengal add natural beauty to the place. This article talks in detail about the top tourist spots that you ought to visit in West Bengal.
1. Kolkata
Kolkata is the capital of the state. It is the largest city in the country. It has been inhabited for 2000 and more years. This guarantees rich cultural background in the city. The top tourist attractions in the city are Howrah Bridge, Mother House, Botanical garden, Marble palace, Indian museum, Eco Tourism Park, Shantiniketan, Victoria hall, Belur Math Shrine, Park Street and Bishnupur. If you are lucky, you can catch a cricket match in Eden Garden or Salt Lake stadium. There are a lot of malls and plazas for shopping and other entertainments.
Suggested Tour : Kolkata Full Day Sightseeing Tour
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2. Darjeeling
It is an important hill station in the country. The snowcapped Himalayas make the place more romantic and aesthetically appealing. The place is famous for tea, scenery and bird watching. The best of all is the toy strain that runs from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. If you are planning to visit this hill station, it is better to choose this train. The train runs for 78 km which indicates 78 km of sceneries. It is a world heritage site and an important tourist activity too. Apart from this, the other tourist attractions are Kanchenjunga, Batasia loop, Everest museum, Champramari wildlife sanctuary, Lava, Peace Paoda, Sandakphu, Neora National Park, Tiger Park and Barbotey rock garden. If you are up for some adventure activities, top activities to enjoy in Darjeeling are water rafting, bird watching and trekking.
Suggested Tour : 5 Days Darjeeling Tour Packages
Read More : Tips for First Time Darjeeling Travellers
3. Bankura
Bankura is located on the western side of the state. It has a rich history and many historic monuments. Apart from those attractions, tourists are usually awe-struck by the artistic beauty of the place. If you love sightseeing, this is the best place to visit. Top attractions in Bankura are Susunia hills, Garh Darwaja, Ganesh and Nandi statues, Rasmancha, Mukutmonipur dam and others.
4. Midnapore
The town is also called as Medinipur. It is a very famous pilgrim spot for Hindus. The place also has a lot of ancient mosques. Apart from the spiritual value, the place has a rich history which is related to independence struggle of India. There are a few monuments that are built in memory of the independence heroes. Top attractions in Midnapore are Bargabheema temple, Egra, Keshiari, Baptist mission church, Jhargram, Dantan, Shankarpur beach, Kurambera fort, Jora masjid, Chandrakona and Bahiri.
5. Siliguri
Siliguri is a small hill station that is famous for tea gardens and Himalayan view. Most importantly, it is famous for the natural attractions. It has thick forests on the foothill where you can find many recreational center and other attractions. Top attractions in Siliguri are Coronation Bridge, Chilapta forest, Isckon temple, Fulbari barrage, Surya Sen park, Sevoke, Kanchenjunga stadium, Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary and others.
6. Hooghly
It is an important tourist spot in West Bengal. It is a pilgrim spot as Sarada Devi and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa lived in this city for long. During the independence struggle, the place was under the control of French, Dutch and Portuguese. Thus, the place has slight touch of European style. The top tourist destinations in Hooghly are Srirampore, deer park, Garh Mandaran, Bhadreswar, Chandannagar museum, Hooghly Imambara, Sri Ramakrishna math, Hangseshwari temple, Tarakeshwar temple and others.
7. Birbhum
Birbhum is loosely translated as the land of brave. It is an important tourist destination which is famous for Shantiniketan. It is one of the oldest universities in the country. Other top attractions in this place are Fullara, Hetampur, Dubrajpur, Nadikeswari temple, Ballabhpur wildlife sanctuary, Kankali pith and others.
8. Cooch Behar
If you look for water based activities, this is the best place to visit in West Bengal. It is located on the Bangladesh-India border. It is famous for its rich history involving Mughal Empire. There are large water bodies in this place where you can enjoy water based activities. Top attractions in Cooch Behar are Rasik Bil, Cooch Behar palace, Madan Mohan Bari and Bangar Ayee temple. The Chilapara forest range also falls in this region.
9. Kalimpong
It is a small hill station that is located in the lower Himalayas at an altitude of 1250m. The place is famous for the view of Himalayas. It attracts a lot of people with its serene climate, traditional handicraft items, plantations, valleys, gompas and others. Top attractions to enjoy here are Tharpa Choeling Gompa, Tongsa Gompa, Jaldhaka river valley, pine view nursery, cactus nursey, Graham’s home, Deolo hill and others.
Suggested Tour : 8 Days Darjeeling Kalimpong Gangtok Tour Packages
This is not the exclusive list of all tourist attractions in West Bengal. Other top attractions are Kamarpukur, Murshidabad, Bishnupur, Jalpaiguri, Malda and others. The city is a year-round attraction.
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