Attractions in Kolkata
3 places to see, with what each one is and how long it takes.
Viewpoint
A riveted cantilever span opened in 1943, carrying an extraordinary weight of foot traffic. Photographing it from the bridge is prohibited and the rule is enforced. The flower market at Mullick Ghat underneath, busiest before dawn, is the better reason to come.
Elsewhere in West Bengal
Not in Kolkata — these are in other towns across the state.
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Experience
The narrow-gauge steam railway, a UNESCO World Heritage site, running a short ride that circles the Batasia Loop and its war memorial garden.
Attraction
On Durpin hill above Kalimpong, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976 and holding a set of scriptures he brought out of Tibet in 1959. From the road outside you see both the Teesta and the Relli valleys.
Attraction
The large pillared hall facing the main shrine, open on all sides and built for devotional singing and community gatherings.
Viewpoint
A caged platform over a freshwater pond the forest department maintains to draw animals in. Deer and boar most days, a crocodile often, a tiger very rarely. It is the likeliest spot in the park, which is not the same as likely.
Experience
A raised walkway looping through the mangrove canopy, fenced and netted over, so you can walk it safely.
Viewpoint
The highest geographic point in the town perimeter, hosting a manicured park complex famous for panoramic views and paragliding takeoffs.
Viewpoint
The historic old riverbed channel steps located adjacent to the temple, tracking centuries of ritual bathing traditions.
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Viewpoint
The high-altitude mountain summit at 2,590 metres, world-famous for catching the sunrise illuminating the snow peaks of Kanchenjunga and Everest.
Experience
Planted in 1854 and among the oldest gardens in Darjeeling, three kilometres out of town. Plucking runs March to November and there is little to see outside that; the factory closes on Mondays.