West Bengal Travel Guide: Where to Go and When to Visit

Photo: Paramanu Sarkar, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

West Bengal runs from the Himalaya in the north to the mangroves of the Bay of Bengal in the south. In between lie tea gardens, the forests of the Dooars, the terracotta temples of the west and the old river towns along the Hooghly. Kolkata, the capital, is where most journeys begin. Autumn is the season of Durga Puja, the state's great festival.

From Kangchenjunga to the tiger's delta, in one state.

Where to go

• Kolkata: the river at dawn, the Victoria Memorial, the clay workshops of Kumartuli and the book stalls of College Street. Start with Kolkata at dawn.
• Darjeeling: tea gardens, early views of Kangchenjunga from Tiger Hill, and the toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Kalimpong: a quieter hill town across the Teesta valley, known for its nurseries, monasteries and long views.
• The Dooars: the forested plains below the hills, with Jaldapara and Gorumara national parks for rhino, elephant and bison.
• The Sundarbans: the mangrove delta of the Bengal tiger, seen only from a boat. Read the Sundarbans from the boat.
• Bishnupur: the carved brick and laterite temples of the Malla kings, and Baluchari silk. See terracotta at Bishnupur.
• Santiniketan: Rabindranath Tagore's university town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023, with its open-air classes and red earth.
• Murshidabad: the last capital of the independent nawabs of Bengal, with the Hazarduari Palace on the Bhagirathi river.
• Purulia: the low Ayodhya hills, and the village of Charida, where the masks for the chhau dance are made.

Main cities

Kolkata is the capital and the first city of eastern India, with its airport, its two great railway stations and the oldest metro in the country. The state secretariat, Nabanna, stands across the river in Howrah.

• Kolkata: museums, colonial streets, the Hooghly ghats, food from street rolls to old sweet shops, and the pandals in puja season.
• Howrah: the railway station, the bridge, and the Great Banyan in the Botanic Garden at Shibpur.
• Siliguri: the plains gateway to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and the Dooars, served by Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri station.
• Asansol and Durgapur: the coal and steel towns of the west, and a road base for Bankura and Purulia.
• Bardhaman: a district town on the main line west, known for two sweets, mihidana and sitabhog.
• Kharagpur: a large railway junction and home to the first Indian Institute of Technology; a stop on the way to Jhargram's sal forests.
• Malda: mangoes in early summer, and the ruins of Gaur and Pandua, old capitals of the Bengal sultans.
• Cooch Behar: the palace and the Madan Mohan temple of the old Koch kings, in the far north.

Festivals

• Durga Puja (September or October): five days of pandals, lights and crowds, listed by UNESCO in 2021. In 2026 the main days run from Shashthi on 16 October to Bijoya Dashami on 21 October. See Ashtami night among the pandals and immersion day on the Hooghly. Regional calendars can shift a date by a day.
• Kali Puja (October or November): the night of Diwali in Bengal, given to the goddess Kali; 8 November in 2026.
• Jagaddhatri Puja (November): Chandannagar's own festival, known for its street lighting.
• Poush Mela (December): a winter fair at Santiniketan with Baul singers and village crafts.
• Gangasagar Mela (January): pilgrims bathe where the Ganges meets the sea on Sagar Island at Makar Sankranti.

Food to try

• Shorshe ilish: hilsa fish cooked in a sharp mustard sauce, best in the monsoon.
• Kosha mangsho: slow-cooked mutton, dark and dry, usually eaten with luchi, a puffed fried bread.
• Phuchka: crisp hollow shells filled with spiced potato and tamarind water, sold from street carts.
• Kathi roll: a paratha rolled round egg and grilled meat, a Kolkata street classic.
• Rosogolla, sandesh and mishti doi: soft cheese balls in syrup, fresh-cheese sweets and sweetened set curd. Read about sandesh.
• Momos and thukpa: dumplings and noodle soup in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills, with a cup of Darjeeling tea.

Stories from West Bengal

• West Bengal Before Durga Puja: Kolkata, Bishnupur and the Delta
• Kolkata at Dawn: Howrah Bridge, Mullick Ghat and the Hooghly
• Sandesh in Kolkata: What It Is and Where to Eat It
• Bishnupur Terracotta Temples: History, Tickets and How to Visit
• Sundarbans Tiger Reserve: Permits, Fees and How to Visit by Boat
• Navratri 2026: Dates, Meaning and Where to See the Festival
• New Market Kolkata: Timings, What to Buy and How to Shop
• West Bengal Districts: From the Darjeeling Hills to the Delta
• Cities in West Bengal: Kolkata, Siliguri, Chandannagar and More

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March for Kolkata, the Sundarbans and the south; October to December and March to May for clear views in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Summer is hot and humid, and the monsoon (June to September) brings heavy rain and landslides in the hills.
How to reach	Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata for the south; Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri for the hills and the Dooars. The main railway stations are Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata in the city, and New Jalpaiguri (NJP) for the north.
Getting around	In Kolkata, the metro, yellow taxis, app cabs and suburban trains from Howrah and Sealdah. Long-distance trains link the city to Bishnupur, Bolpur (for Santiniketan), Murshidabad and NJP. Shared jeeps and hired cars in the hills; boats only, with a registered operator, in the Sundarbans.
Where to stay	Kolkata: Park Street and the Esplanade area for the centre, Salt Lake and New Town nearer the airport. In the hills, Darjeeling Mall area or Kalimpong town; Lataguri near Gorumara for the Dooars; Bolpur for Santiniketan; Gosaba and nearby islands for the Sundarbans.
How long to spend	Three days for Kolkata; a week to add Darjeeling or the Sundarbans; ten days or more to take in the hills, the delta and Bishnupur or Santiniketan.
Permits	No state permit for Indian or foreign visitors in most of West Bengal. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve is entered only on registered boats, with entry fees paid at forest offices; the rules for foreign visitors have changed over the years, so carry your passport and check with the reserve before you go. Foreign visitors going on to Sikkim need a Restricted Area Permit.

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Questions people ask

When is Durga Puja in 2026?

The main days run from Shashthi on 16 October to Bijoya Dashami on 21 October 2026, with Ashtami on 19 October. Regional calendars can shift a date by a day. Book rooms and trains early, as Kolkata fills up.

What is the best time to visit West Bengal?

October to March suits Kolkata and the south. For mountain views from Darjeeling, October to December is usually clearest, with spring as the second season.

How do I reach Darjeeling from Kolkata?

Fly to Bagdogra or take an overnight train to New Jalpaiguri, then go up by shared jeep or taxi, about three to four hours. The toy train also runs from New Jalpaiguri, but services change with the season and landslides, so check before you go.

Do foreigners need a permit for the Sundarbans?

Everyone enters the Sundarban Tiger Reserve on a registered boat and pays entry fees at the forest office. The reserve's own pages give different advice on a special permit for foreign visitors, so carry your passport and confirm with the reserve or your operator before you go.

How many days do I need for West Bengal?

A week covers Kolkata and either Darjeeling or the Sundarbans. Allow ten days or more to see the hills, the delta and the temple towns.

Written by Muthu, editor of Aura of India. Sources: Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, Sundarban Tiger Reserve: how to reach and permits, UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Mountain Railways of India. Last verified: 13 October 2026.

Your turn: Which part of West Bengal would you go back to first: the hills, the delta or Kolkata in puja week?