Hey guys!
Hope you all are doing well. Are you looking for the best places to travel in West Bengal?
Okay, Let me ask, have you ever been to West Bengal in India?
Well, my hometown is situated in West Bengal which is in the eastern region of the country India. The state combines art, music, literature, culture, heritage and has vibrant city life. Let me tell you a little about my state.
The history of the West Bengal is vast. There are several facts and incidents from the days of independence (1947); partition, the British rule, politics, communal violence, and numerous historical events are there.
Over the years, it has emerged as a beautiful state. The West Bengal tourism has everything to offer you forest, beaches, hill stations, and historical places.
I have spent 25 years of my life here studied the history of the state, went to places, enjoyed the Bengali cuisine and city life.
To all, who haven’t yet visited West Bengal, this article is for them. I will share with you, the 21 best places to travel in West Bengal for a perfect family vacation.
Here is the list:
The city of Joy Kolkata –
Kolkata is the capital of the state. Initially, it was known by its British name ‘Calcutta,’ later it was renamed as ‘Kolkata’ by the government.
Over the decade the city has changed a lot, but it is still rich in culture and represents strong Bengali heritage and tradition.
Some of the places like Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, Howrah Bridge, Maidan, Birla Planetarium, National Library and numerous other things about Kolkata makes it unique and different from the rest of the country.
One the best thing about the city you can never hold your cravings for the street food of Kolkata, which is famous. And of course, the sweets of Kolkata are even more popular. There are tons of things to do and see in this fantastic city.
Note: I will publish an article about ‘Kolkata’ very soon.
Shanti Niketan
Every Bengali read, listen and dances on Rabindranath Tagore‘s works. His contribution to the literature, art, and music has been immense.
Shanti Niketan is the place where he peacefully spent his days working, and he called it home. There is a University named ‘Vishwa Bharti University’ where you will find all the great works of Tagore kept safe.
Shanti Niketan is a small and quaint town, but a trip to this fantastic place will be worth remembering. Shanti Niketan is one of the best places to travel in West Bengal with family, especially during the festive occasion of ‘dol’ which is the festival of color in West Bengal. People play with colors and sing songs of Rabindranath Tagore. This is an unique of celebration that the people of Bengal love.
You can reach Shanti Niketan by rail and by road from Kolkata. Any literature lover will find the place exciting and will get to know more about Tagore’s life.
Sunderban National Park
If you want to experience the wildlife and nature at the same time, a tour through the mangrove forest of Sunderban will be an ideal choice.
The National Park is located in the Sunderban deltas and is home to the Royal Bengal Tigers. If you are lucky, you can get a view of the tigers along with the other animals.
You can also get to witness many striking and beautiful birds. The Sunderban National Park is an excellent option for wildlife photographers; they can capture some of the superb wildlife photographs.
Murshidabad
As I was saying West Bengal is known for its rich historical importance and, to begin with, Murshidabad is such a place. It has been home to several Nawabs who once ruled the state.
Hazarduari Palace is one of the most famous tourist destination spots. A magnificent palace built in 1837, which has a thousand doors and 114 rooms. It is an exciting place to visit and a perfect short weekend trip for a family. The best way to commute is to take Hazarduari Express train from Kolkata.
Bishnupur
Do you know what terracotta is?
It is a clay-based ceramic where the fire is used for baking.
Bishnupur is popularly known as the land of terracotta. You will find plenty of temples that reflect the rich architecture and detailed terracotta work.
The best time to visit Bishnupur would be during the winter because in summer the temperature touches 42degree Celsius. The weather remains irresistible.
Bishnupur fair is quite an extraordinary thing in West Bengal, it attracts a huge crowd, but you can skip if you don’t want the crowd.
Bishnupur is well-connected by both road and rail. There are trains available from Howrah, and plenty of Calcutta State Transportation Corporation buses are available regularly from Esplanade bus stand to Bishnupur. These aren’t air-conditioned buses, so if you want a comfortable journey, it is better to hire a cab.
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Far from the city life, coming to a Wildlife Sanctuary spending your vacations with your family will give you all memorable moments.
There is another best place to travel in West Bengal and that is Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is a vast grassland and is home to ‘One Horned Rhino.’
The sanctuary protects a great variety of flora and fauna. You will need to take a professional guide who will help you throughout the tour. You can also take a Jeep safari inside the forest. It will be an adventurous and thrilling experience getting close to wildlife.
Your kids will probably love to ride an elephant in the morning. Not only elephant but you can also witness other various species of animals. The trip to Jaldapara will make them forget about caged animals in the zoo and it will horizon their sight towards nature and wildlife.
Dooars
The next one is my favorite destination in West Bengal which is Dooars, laying in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern Bengal is an excellent place to visit for a perfect family vacation. It is best known for its rich biodiversity and forest.
Imagine your journey through the lush green tea garden, hill slopes, quiet villages. Your heart and soul will be pleased enough with these scenic views.
October to March is traditionally the best time of the year to visit the beautiful place. The nearest town is Siliguri you can halt there for local shopping.
Mandarmoni
You must want to know about the beaches in West Bengal.
Mandarmoni is a weekend gateway for the people of West Bengal. It is about 160 km from the city, and the road connectivity is too functional.
Mukutmanipur
A small town in the Bankura district of Kolkata has been successfully attracting tourist over the years. Many who lives in Kolkata has never even visited the place. Mukutmanipur dam is the largest in West Bengal, and it is situated near the rivers of Kangsabati and Kumari. It is a beautiful place indeed.
The easiest way to reach Mukutmanipur is to take a train available from Kolkata to Bankura and then a bus to Mukutmanipur which is around 55-60 km.
Mayapur
You must have heard of the Iskcon temple; they are spread all over the world.
Mayapur is home to the ISKCON. It is a spiritual center, people come and worship Lord Krishna. I have been to this place when I was in grade 7 or 8 with my parents. I found the place quite thrilling; they have a considerable number of followers.
There are different ways to reach Mayapur but I think the easiest will be to take a train from Kolkata (Sealdah) to Krishnanagar and from there take a bus to ISKCON Mayapur. We followed this route, and it took around 3-4 hours to reach.
Talshari
I have been to Talshari, and it was 7-8 years ago. I still remember how beautiful this place is. Early morning breeze, fishers busy catching fishes, boats lying on the beach.
A perfect place to capture the landscape in my camera. It was breathtaking. You can take plenty of beautiful photographs of early morning activities of fishers and boats from a different angle. It is located on the border of Orissa but near to a place name ‘Digha.’
Digha
To every person of Bengal, Digha is a very common tourist destination and considered as one of the best place to travel in West Bengal for a weekend trip. A coastal town faces towards the Bay of Bengal. It is a one-stop destination for families looking forward to spending a weekend relaxing.
I have been to this place five times, and I can even direct you the route with my closed eyes. I happen to know this place this much better.
Darjeeling
Who doesn’t know about this magnificent hill station in eastern India?
Widely known for its tea industry, it is one of the most visited hill stations in Eastern India. There are several observatory points, trekking destinations and things to do. Darjeeling is such a place which will leave no visitor disappointed. Its natural beauty, hill slopes, small villages, and tea garden will leave you overwhelmed.
It would be best if you come here for an extended vacation because you can then cover almost all the major destinations around Darjeeling. The easiest way to reach Darjeeling is from Siliguri by road.
Tinchuley
How about spending your days in a small mountain village?
Tinchuley is an eco-friendly tourist spot in Darjeeling which is surrounded with lush green tea gardens, and majestic mountains. You will only get to see greenery everywhere around you. Isn’t it sound wonderful?
As it is a small village, so you won’t get accommodation readily available. It is best suggested to book resorts a few months early. Trust me guys; you won’t regret a bit after reaching Tinchuley.
Note: Take as much cash and medicines possible with you. You will get neither ATM nor any medicine stores here. So, these are two vital things that you need to keep in mind.
Lepchajagat
It is yet another small mountain village in Darjeeling situated at an altitude of 6,965 ft. The picturesque village is closer to Darjeeling, and it takes around an hour by road to reach.
It is considered a unique vacation spot. A fantastic combination of mountains surrounded by dense forest and cold climate is a perfect place to spend your dream long vacation away from the digital world. An early morning walk through the trails is much relaxing.
Kalimpong
You see there are so many hill stations in West Bengal that I have been discussing. Kalimpong is another destination which is a part of Darjeeling.
With the diverse culture and tradition of the Lepchas community, the place has a profound influence on the local food, music, and language too. The ‘Lepchas’ are the original inhabitants of the area. But now, many from other parts of the country have settled here to expand the tourism business.
To reach Kalimpong, you can go by road from New Jalpaiguri station. If you hire a car from Darjeeling, it will take around 2.5 hours to reach Kalimpong. There are unlimited tourist spots near Kalimpong that you can enjoy on your vacation trip with the family.
Rishop
So, the list continues with another amazing place name ‘Rishop’ which is situated at an altitude of about 8100 ft. A small village close to Kalimpong about 35 km, has earned its title for its breathtaking mountainous landscape.
It could be your best family vacation if you love nature and its quietness. Early in the morning, you can even see the peak of mountains from your hotel window.
Well, while describing these places made me feel like to book a flight ticket now.
Purulia
The westernmost district of West Bengal, Purulia is a beautiful town. Sometimes visiting rural life brings you a different meaning to your life.
Purulia is famous for one thing ‘Chhau Dance.’ It is a tribal dance form wearing masks and combines various movements of martial art. The dance form originally represents the rich culture of Purulia, and the performances depict the story of Indian mythology ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata.’
Taki
You can take a day trip to Taki which is located in the southeastern part of West Bengal. The major tourist destination is the ‘Ichemati River.’ It is closer to Bangladesh.
I cannot guide you on the exact route as I went there by car from my home which took around 4 hours with a guide.
I am sorry guys. You can use the google map that will help you to find the direction.
Samsing
Samsing isn’t known to many people I guess. It is around 80 km from Siliguri, a beautiful picturesque small place although not much accommodation is available there but, at Suntalekhola, you will find forest department tourist cottages.
You can try this place at least, not very crowded with regular tourist. It might give you a good feeling about the place.
Henry Island
Quaint and desolate beach with the dramatic wide sky and rolling waves is what you are looking for then Henry’s Island will please you and make your vacation memorable. There aren’t many exciting things to do, but the breathtaking views of the shoreline will cheer you up. It is a quite lovely place to go with family for a weekend trip.
Conclusion
Here, I thereby, end my article and hope you find the above 21 best places to travel in West Bengal article helpful to plan further if you ever travel to West Bengal.
You can comment below if you want to know any details about any of these places. I would be happy to help you.
Thank you all.