Introduction

West Bengal, the state in eastern India is endowed with uniqueness in its diversity. It offers its visitors a matchless geographical variety. The state is a tourist`s paradise which includes hill stations, religious centres, wild life sanctuaries, and sea beaches. West Bengal is a land of magnificent landscape, flora fauna amidst the undulating terrains of the north as well as the effervescent seas in the south. This state is an exceptional amalgamation of culture, entertainment, artistry and boundless life. The streaming populace of the streets offers a strange beauty of the urban milieu, whereas the remote hill stations and sea beaches are perfect retreat for that very hectic urban population. West Bengal has everything of its own to offer through its impeccable natural beauty.

Pilgrimage Tourism in West Bengal

Pilgrimage Tourism in West Bengal includes the temples, mosques, Buddhist monasteries and the churches that were erected in different ages.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata : Dakshineswar Temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali. Dakshineswar Temple is situated on the eastern side of River Hooghly in Dakshineswar locality of Kolkata.

Kalighat Kali Temple, Kolkata : Kalighat Kali Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. The reference of the temple has been found in 15th century composition Mansar Bhasan and 17th century composition Kavi Kankan Chandi.

Mayapur, Nadia District : Mayapur has always been an important pilgrim destination for followers of Vaishnavism; as this is the birth place of Chatanya Mahaprabhu who is considered to be the reincarnation of Lord Krishna and Radha.

Tarakeshwar, Hooghly District : Tarakeshwar Temple is situated nearly 80 Km from Kolkata. Tarakeshwar is a small village famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, dating back to 18th century, was built by Raja Bharamalla.

Chinese Buddhist Temple : Chinese Buddhist Temple is located on Jessore Road in between Lake Town and Bangur.

Mahabodhi Buddhist Temple : Mahabodhi Buddhist Temple is located on the eastern side of College Square and on the Bankim Chatterjee Street. Mahabodhi Buddhist Temple is one of the most well known Buddhist pilgrimages of Kolkata. It was founded in 1911 by the Ceylonese Buddhist monk Anagarika Dharmapala.

Dharmankur Vihar : Dharmankur Buddhist Temple is located on the Nalalda Square on Buddhist Temple Street. It lies on the eastern end of Bow Barracks.

Japanese Buddhist Temple : Japanese Buddhist Temple is located next to Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata. This building with golden boarders is officially known as The Nipponzan Myohoji.

St. Paul`s Cathedral : St. Paul`s Cathedral is said to be the largest cathedral in Kolkata and the first Episcopal Church in Asia.

Nakhoda Masjid : Nakhoda Masjid is a medieval mosque of Kolkata in the Chitpur area of the Burrabazar business district in Central Kolkata, at the intersection of Zakariya Street and Rabindra Sarani.

Bakranath Temple, Siuri : Bakranath Temple is located in Siuri in West Bengal. It was built in the Oriyan style. It is a large temple in West Bengal. It is the most important of the several shrines in Bakreswar.

Bargabhima Temple, Tamluk : Bargabhima Temple is located in the Tamluk region near Medinipur in West Bengal. It is a large Temple dedicated to Shakti influenced by the Oriyan architecture style displaying interesting engineering and architectural features.

Ekteswara Temple, Bankura : Ekteswara Temple is located at Ekteswara near Bankura District of West Bengal.

Leisure Tourism in West Bengal

A dream destination for vacationers, West Bengal is endowed some wonderful hill stations and beaches. The most well-known of all hill stations is Darjeeling. Tourists from all across the world come here to witness the breathtaking views of sun rise on Eastern Himalayas. The toy train ride in Darjeeling contributes to the perfect choice for leisure tourism for the visitors. This magnificent hill resort is a heavenly retreat, bathed in hues of every shade. The burning red rhododendrons, the dazzling white magnolias, the interesting forests of silver fir, the miles of surging hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes make Darjeeling the "Queen of Hill Stations". Darjeeling summons thousands of tourists for a leisurely relief from the hustle and bustle of the madding crowd. The traveler, whether a tourist or a trekker, an ornithologist or a photographer, a botanist or an artist will discover in Darjeeling an experience which will stay etched in ones memory eternally. Kalimpong is another famous hill station of West Bengal. Hidden under the shadows of Eastern Himalayas, the white snow covered hill stations of West Bengal are the main stay of tourism in the state. Mirik and Sandakphu are among the other popular hill stations of West Bengal. The exquisite beaches in West Bengal are a major crowd puller. The Southern West Bengal is gifted with the most well-known beach on the eastern coast of India, which is Digha. This beach town is crowded almost all throughout the year by local visitors as well as tourists from outside the state. Shankarpur, a virgin beach is a recent discovery. It is a twin beach of Digha. It is now developed as a sea resort with hotels, tourist lodges and other facilities. Bakkhali is a popular sea resort of West Bengal. The quiet and charming environment of this place attracts thousands of tourists every year. West Bengal is also noted for some magnificent historical monuments. The district of Murshidabad is a legendary spot in West Bengal which attracts many tourists. The Hazarduari palace of Murshidabad is a famous historical monument and a much visited site for the tourists. It lies amidst extensive gardens and is a fairly flawless example of Italian-style architecture. Plassey is a place of great historical importance. This historic battlefield is still preserved and is visited by many enthusiastic tourists. In the north of West Bengal, the town of Coochbehar is a store house of numerous historical monuments and buildings. The most important landmark of this very old princely state that stands majestically is the splendid Raj Bari or the palace of the kings. The Firoze Minar of Malda in West Bengal is a small imitation of the Qutub Minar in Delhi and is an interesting place to visit. Thus West Bengal has the widest variety of attractions in terms of tourist spots.

Nature Tourism in West Bengal

Nature Tourism in West Bengal allures tourism in the world, before Odisha"s Simlipal. The evergreen and the deciduous forestry of Bengal attract not only the foreign and national based tourists, but also the weekenders. Some of the nature tourism sites in West Bengal are Adina Deer Park, Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, Shantiniketan, Bibhutibhusan Wildlife Sanctuary, Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary. The lush green Dooars, Purulia, Mukutmanipur, Aduriya, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Gadiara, Diamond harbour, Falta, Raichak, Kakdwip, Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary, Narendrapur Wildlife Sanctuary, Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary and many more.

Adina Deer Park : Adina Deer Park is located in Malda district of West Bengal. It is 21 kilometres from the district town Malda. Adina Deer Park is an important breeding centre for cheetal or spotted deer in the state and sometimes they overflow in number. Adina Deer Park also has a nilgai population. However, in spite of its name, the deer park is a small fraction of the area and protected within an orchard plantation. The woods are rich in butterfly and birds, especially Asian openbill, paradise flycatcher, prinia, oriole, fish eagle, etc.

Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary : Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1977, located in Birbhum District. It is not very far from Shantiniketan, Shriniketan, Labhpur and Prantik. This thin forest area is administered near Shantiniketan in Bolpur subdivision. Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary is popular for the varieties of birds and the large number of deer.

Shantiniketan : Shantiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. It is approximately 160 km north of Kolkata and this place is popular as the Shantiniketan is boosted by Rabindranath Tagore. Vishwabharati University is located there. Khowai in this region attracts one to walk in the midst of silence and dry leaves of Sonajhuri.

Bibhutibhusan Wildlife Sanctuary : Bibhutibhusan Wildlife Sanctuary is an animal sanctuary in North 24 Parganas district West Bengal. Bibhutibhusan Wildlife Sanctuary attracts the tourist as it is placed on the banks of river Ichamati covering an area of 68 square kilometres. It has more than 200 deer, birds, rabbit and a large number of langur. It also has a children`s park, a small zoo and a tourist lodge of the forest department.

Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary : Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Nakashipara area of Nadia District, West Bengal. Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary is located beside National Highway 34. The sanctuary covers 67 hectares and was established in 1980 to preserve a portion of the central Gangetic alluvial economic zone. While visiting Nadia, one can often visit this place.

Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary : Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary is very close to the Gorumara National Park. Chapramari is about 30 kilometres from Chalsa and Lataguri in northern West Bengal. The total coverage of the forest is 960 hectares.

Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary : Haliday Island Wildlife Sanctuary is one of several wildlife sanctuaries in the nation of India. It is located in the state of West Bengal. The area is approximately six square kilometres in size. It is a part of the `Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve`, with the Sundarbans region as a whole becoming a `Biosphere Reserve` officially in 1989.

Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary : Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary is a part of Sunderban Forest Region. It is a 362 square kilometres area in the northern part of the Sundarbans delta in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The area is mainly mangrove scrub, forest and swamp. It was set up as a sanctuary in 1976.

Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary : Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary is in Burdwan. While visiting the palace of Bardhaman District or the religious temple complex of Kalna, one can sure visit this wildlife sanctuary. The animals found include spotted deer and common langur. Blackbuck has been introduced recently. Ramnabagan Mini Zoo in the Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary spread over an area of 14.31 hectares is in Mouza Baburbag in Burdwan. This is under the control of Divisional Forest Officer, Burdwan Division.

Narendrapur Wildlife Sanctuary : Narendrapur Wildlife Sanctuary is located in South 24 Parganas District and it is located very near to Tollygunge and Kolkata. It is an Orchard Plantation and constitutes only 17 acres and is rich in smaller birds, especially paradise flycatcher, oriole and many other birds.

Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary : Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary is situated at south Kolkata and near Narendrapur Ramkrishna Mission. This is also known as "Kayal-r Bagan". This place is famous as the place for birds. This garden is famous for availability of wide variety of birds, butterflies, ferns and orchids.

Aduria : Aduria is a beautiful forest area in West Bengal and lies very near to Durgapur-Panagar. This lush green village has full of Sal, Eucalyptus and other deciduous trees with red moram soil. It is a weekend destination and it is easy to explore in winters at Panagarh forest Range of Burdwan district in West Bengal. It is considered to be a part of Ramnabagan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Salboni : Salboni is a town in the midst of green vegetation of Midnapur with a police station in Medinipur Sadar subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Now due to the transportation easiness Salboni now turns into major retreat in winters.

Gadiara : Gadiara is a village in Howrah District of West Bengal. This place is the point of convergence of the Damodar River, the Rupnarayan River and the Hugli river and it is ideal for picnic. Gadiara is a popular picnic and daytrip spot for locals and tourists alike.
 
Baranti : Baranti hill and surroundings are made of Bamboo shrubs", Sal, Piyal, Amloki, Bahra, Haritoki, Neem and other tropical trees. Palash tree is found everywhere. The local villagers collect dry firewood and leaves for their daily needs from this jungle. While visiting Baranti, one will get refreshed with the savour and flavour of those trees. The forest, hill and lake looks mysterious in a full moon day.

Adventure Tourism in West Bengal

Adventure Tourism in West Bengal provides the tourists" pleasure to have an adventure in the regions which are bounded with the thick jungles or the rugged landforms of the mountains and the plateau. Some of the adventurous places in West Bengal, which are worth visiting are Sandakhphu Trek, Visit to Tiger Hill, Durpin Dara, Gorgaburu, Tajpur, Mandarmani (especially while doing parasailing), Kalimpong, Kurseong and many more.

Sandakphu Trek : Sandakphu Trek is not an easy destination to trek. From Sandakphu Trek one can find the incredible views of Mount Everest, Makalu and Lhotse. It is no wonder that the Sandakphu trek is the holy grail of Indian trekking.

Tiger Hill : Tiger Hill is located in Darjeeling of West Bengal. It is a popular destination in West Bengal to feel the thrill of adventure for any nature lover. It is the summit of Ghoom, the highest railway station in the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a panoramic view of Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga Peak. together.

Durpin Dara : Durpin Dara is one of the two hills connected by a ridge on which the town of Kalimpong stands. The hill is 1,372 metres above mean sea level and is located south west of the town. Durpin Dara commands a panoramic view overlooking the town of Kalimpong, the snow clad Himalayan ranges of West Sikkim, Teesta River and its valleys and the Jelepla Pass in the distance. The trek to this place offers one the scopes for stunning photography.

Gorgaburu : Gorgaburu is the highest peak of Ajodhya Hills. It is lesser known place not in the northern part of Bengal, but in the southern part of Bengal with at an altitude of 855 meters. It is the highest point in southern part of West Bengal. It is located at Western plateau and highlands of Purulia district.

Murti : Murti is a lesser known adventurous destination in north Bengal. It is situated amidst the forest of north Bengal. Basically, it is gateway to Nepal and Bhutan. But it offers the adventurous journey for its natural beauty and the rugged landforms.

Ayodhya Hills : A visit to gorgeous waterfalls, cavernous forests, tribal villages are sure to enthral senses of the nature lovers and the tourists. The presence of a variety of wild animals in the forests makes this place more adventurous and thrilling. There are various deep forests and numerous waterfalls located amidst the hill. Several tribal villages are also situated on the hill. A trip to the Mayur hill will provide a spectacular view of the Ayodhya Hills, just like it has been portrayed on a canvas. This is Ayodhya Hills.

Susunia : Susunia is a hill of southern West Bengal. It is known for its holy spring, its natural beauty, its rich flora and the rock faces on which many of the famous mountaineers of this region started their journey. It is one of the rich reserves of medicinal plants. Surely it is a very good spot for beginning an adventure.

Dooars : The beauty of Dooars lies not only in its tea gardens but also in the dense jungles that make up the countryside. Many wildlife sanctuaries and national park like Manas National Park, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Forest and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary are located in this region.

Visiting information on West Bengal

By air: The international airport of West Bengal is at Kolkata which is called the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport and another domestic airport is at Bagdogra near Siliguri, in the North Bengal. These two airports are served by nearly all public and private airlines and linked to major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangaluru, Chennai and many more. Within West Bengal most of the destinations are located at convenient distance from Kolkata to Bagdogra.

By rail: The state of West Bengal has good network of railways. Two railway stations namely: Howrah and Sealdah near Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri, close to Siliguri, are the major railway stations in the state. There are several other railheads that are served by important trains from all over the country and connect major destinations within the state.

By road: The state of West Bengal has an extensive road network system that covers the entire state. A number of National Highways and State Highways crisscross the territory. It is well linked with its neighbouring states like Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand. Cross border road transportation is also equipped with neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

West Bengal is a shopper`s destination. The state is well-known for the beautiful items of clay, shoal and conch. The Baluchari saris or Bengali silk saris are the main shopping item for the travelers. It is an eminent for its exquisite design and wonderful weaving techniques. These saris are mainly produced at Baluchar town of Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Another major handicraft item of West Bengal is Batik. It involves a Japanese style of work, which comprise wax painting. The delicate look of the fabric is bound to mesmerise the shoppers. The most popular embroidery type of West Bengal is the Kantha stitch which is usually done with folk motifs. Other varieties of embroidery include Chikan work, zari work and the kashida. The cane mats are exclusive items of West Bengal. The design of these mats consists of sequence of motifs of animals, and human and are a must buy for the shoppers. The Darjeeling tea is a hot favourite among the tourists who make it a point to buy some before leaving the state. The vest time to visit West Bengal is during the months of September-October and December-January. The state of West Bengal is finely equipped with an abundance of hotels which offers best of accommodation facilities and services.