Siliguri Tourism

Considered the third largest city within the state of West Bengal, Siliguri has manifold attractions for any visitor. It is principally known as a transportation and commercial hub and for its strategic position connecting three international borders of China, Nepal and Bangladesh. It also has the unique advantage of being the transit point for the North eastern states of India.

Beyond all these obvious positive factors, what will strike every visitor is Siliguri’s natural beauty and exquisite charm, merging the rustic simplicity of crowded market stalls with a degree of sophistication unmatched of in any other non-metropolitan city. This sophistication is the result of Siliuri’s pivotal role as an educational and trading center which brings an increasing conglomeration of people from diverse religio-ethnic backgrounds in search of better living.


Situated at the base of the eastern Himalayas, Siliguri will offer the lucky visitor a distant glimpse of the snow clad Kanchenjunga on a clear day. Forest covered foothills, the charming sight of the Mahananda River flowing across the city, tea gardens in the south and the myriad flora of the Terai in the north are some of the natural blessings Siliguri is endowed with to fascinate visitors. True, most of the tourists use Siliguri as a place for sojourn while travelling upwards towards the captivating hill stations of the eastern Himalayan ranges like Darjeeling, Mirik and Gangtok. However, even for these wayfarers, Siliguri gives plenty of reasons to rejoice in the serenity and quiet beauty of nature and the warmth of its friendly people. So find out more about this exciting city from the description given below:

Also Read: Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary

Travel in Siliguri

As an important transportation hub, Siliguri is well connected with the rest of the country and links India with its North-eastern states. The city has three main railway stations; Siliguri Junction, New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri and the oldest Siliguri Town which started during the time of the British Raj. Presently New Jalpaiguri station in Siliguri or NJP is the most significant railway station in the entire eastern region which connects Siliguri to every part of the country.

The most important bus station in Siliguri is the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus where all state-owned and private buses operate in the region. These include air conditioned sleeper bus services which ply to and from Kolkata, Assam and Patna. Besides, the Royal Govt. of Bhutan also has its buses operating from Siliguri to the border town Phuentsholing. There are Sikkim Government buses at the Sikkim Nationalized Transport bus station which will take the tourist to various destinations in Sikkim. The P.C. Mittal bus station in Sevoke Road handles buses heading for the Dooars and Terai region. Siliguri has numerous private jeeps which will take you to the hill stations of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Gangtok, Kalimpong, Mirik, Namchi and Jorethang.

The most important airport catering to Siliguri and the entire north-eastern India is the Bagdogra International Airport is situated about 15 km from the town.

Siliguri Tourism and Development

For detailed information about tourism in Siliguri, please contact:

Tourism Centre
M Block, House Number 4,
Building, Hill Cart Road, Siliguri
District-Darjeeling, West Bengal,India
Phone: 0353-2511974/2511979; 9733008785
Telefax: 91-353-2517561

Weather and Best Time to Visit Siliguri

As experienced in the tropics, Siliguri has three major seasons; summer, monsoons and winter. Summers are from March-May when temperatures reach about 38 degree Celsius. Monsoon season is between June and Spetember and is characterized by heavy rainfall. The winters are cool and come with dense fog and mild showers with temperatures between 8 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius.
The best time to visit Siliguri would be between March to mid-June and October to December.

Eating in Siliguri

Good food prepares the way for a happy tour. Being the most important city in the entire Darjeeling-Dooars-Sikkim and the last main rail terminus before moving up the Himalayan ranges, all tourists arriving in Siliguri look for attractive places to eat out before heading to their destination. Thus the city has a large number of multi-cuisine restaurants providing both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for this large influx of visitors and local residents. Some of them are:

• Hatari Restaurant (9, Sevoke Road)
• Sartaj A.C. Restaurant Cum Bar (Hill Cart Road)
• Tai Wah Chinese Restaurant (Shri Bhavan Building, Ground Floor, Hill Cart Road)
• Amrapali (Cinderella Hotel, Siliguri, Sevoke Road, 3rd Mile)
• Palms (Hotel Sinclairs, Siliguri)
• Ice Blue (Cinderella Hotel, Siliguri, Sevoke Road, 3rd Mile)
• Patio (Cinderella Hotel, Sevoke Road, 3rd Mile, Siliguri)
  
  For details on restaurants in Siliguri, click here

Shopping in Siliguri

Siliguri is rightly known as a shopper’s paradise. The very mention of the city brings to mind its innumerable shopping markets and malls packed with varied merchandise and bustling with customers. The most important centres of shopping are concentrated in two areas; Hillcart Road which sells its items in traditional stores, and Sevoke Road known for its upscale shopping malls like Cosmos Mall, Orbit Mall, City Mall and City Center giving an international shopping experience.

Some of the street markets in Siliguri are Hong Kong Market in Hill Cart Road which specializes in selling mostly imported goods from China as well as Thailand, Nepal and other Asian countries, Bidhan Market, Nivedita Market and Seth Srilal Market in the city centre. Do not forget to pack some excellent varieties of Darjeeling or Dooars tea from Siliguri, which is the nucleus of a tea producing area in eastern India.

Historical Monument in Siliguri

Siliguri is famous for its historical Coronation Bridge which was built in 1930 to celebrate the coronation of King George V. Constructed over the River Teesta at its confluence with the River Rangeet, the Sevoke Coronation Bridge is a strategically important bridge in North east India connecting Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling. In addition, it is also reputed for its marvellous architectural design of British craftsmanship. With its surrounding greenery and ambiance of the crystal clear Teesta River flowing by, the Coronation Bridge in Siliguri also makes for a unique picnic spot.

Religious Places in Siliguri

As a place where different religious communities cohabit, Siliguri has a number of places of worship attracting both regular tourists and ardent devotees. Some of them are:

• Sevoke Kali Mandir close to the coronation bridge
• Salugara Monastery
• ISKCON Temple
• Kalchakra Monastery
  
  

Parks and Gardens in Siliguri

Siliguri is also known for its natural scenic beauty and lush green parks and gardens which are also great picnic spots. Some of them include:

• Madhuban Natural Park
• Surya Sen Park
• Shorea Forest Recreation Center
  
  

Hotels in Siliguri

As the base point for all the hill stations of eastern India, Siliguri caters to numerous tourists who sojourn in the city before moving to their destinations. Not only this, Siliguri is also an important commercial hub for corporate travellers who have to do business with the people of the North East. To look after this large influx of visitors, Siliguri has abundant quality budget and luxury accommodation offering a number of facilities to make their stay comfortable. Some of the prominent ones are:

Luxury Accommodation in Siliguri

• Hotel Sinclairs in Pradhan Nagar
• Hotel Cinderella in Sevoke Road
• Royal Sarovar Premiere in 3rd Mile, Sevoke Road
• Barsana Hotel in Khaprail Road, Matigara
• Viramma Resort on the Darjeeling highway
  
  

Budget Hotels and Guest Houses in Siliguri

• Hotel Central Plaza in Hill Cart Road
• Hotel Heritage in Hill Cart Road
• Marina’s Motel, very close to the IXB airport
• Hotel Manila in Hill Cart Road
• Hotel Holydon in N.J.P. Station Road
• Mainak Tourist Lodge in Hill Cart Road
• Athithi Guest House in Hill Cart Road
  
  

For hotels in Siliguri, click here

So enjoy the sights and sounds of this cosmopolitan and commercially bustling city. Blessed by abundant natural beauty in the form of rivers, forests, tea gardens and snow clad Himalayan peaks in the distance as well as the unmatched comfort at its numerous hotels, Siliguri will offer you a fulfilling and memorable experience!