Easy Tourist Guide

Kurseong, a lesser known destination on the tourist map lies between Siliguri and Darjeeling at an altitude of 1458 mts. The rich flora of Kurseong is so fascinating that it has aptly been described as a ‘Botanists’ Paradise’. White orchids grow in plenty around Kurseong. All around Kurseong are some of the famous tea plantations, growing some of the best varieties of famous Darjeeling tea.
Peace, serenity and healthy climate of Kurseong had attracted many a great person to this place. Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore and the great composer Atul Prasad Sen got inspiration for some of their famous works while staying at Kurseong. Sister Nivedita, the great disciple of Swami Vivekananda made Kurseong her home. Even Mark Twain is believed to have spent some time in Kurseong in 1885. Fazul Haque, the Prime Minister of undivided Bengal also stayed here. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was interned by the colonial Government for a couple of months in a house at Giddhapahar near Kurseong town in 1936.

Where is Kurseong?

Kurseong is in Darjeeling district of West Bengal in India. On the way of Darjeeling from Siliguri lies Kurseong.

About Kurseong

Though Kurseong lags behind in the race to become a preferred tourist destination compared to its glamorous counterpart Darjeeling, there is tranquility and peace about the place that does not fail to attract tourists, and that quest for peace and tranquility brings him back to this place again and again.
Kurseong receives heavy rain during rainy season; in fact Kurseong receives the highest amount of rainfall after Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya. Moreover such heavy rainfall is ideal for white orchids that adorn the hill-slopes of Kurseong in abundance.
Trekking from Kurseong to surrounding areas is a fascinating experience. A one day trekking route from Kurseong to Mirik via Namsu and Balasun River is organized by the Tourism Department in group.

Sightseeing in and around Kurseong?

Eagle’s Craig view point – This view point is 1 Km uphill from Kurseong Railway station seemingly perched on a cliff. Tourists flock in large number at this place to have a sweeping view of the surrounding mountains, hills, hamlets, slopes and the mighty Teesta River. The spectacular view of the unspoiled plains below is mind blowing. The place has a cafeteria, a watch tower and a flower garden. Watching sunset from here is an unforgettable experience for the tourists.

Giddapahar view point – This view point, a few kilometers from Kurseong provides a great view of mountains and is a great place for clicking photograph. The place is extremely popular among tourists.
Kettle Valley Picnic Spot – This is an ideal picnic spot in Dilaram Tea Estate on the banks of the river Rinchengtong. The place offers a rare opportunity to play in its crystal clear water of the river in the backdrop of snow-clad mountains.
Dow Hill - The Deer Park, the Forest Museum and the mini amusement park all set amid moss-laden conifers of Dowhill is worth visiting.
Grotto – The grotto houses the statue of Virgin Mary and is located in a beautiful surrounding. It is a peaceful place and peace is what one feels when there. It is frequented by young couples because it offers seclusion.
Bhangzang Salamander Lake – At a distance of 14 Km from Kurseong this beautiful green-tinged lake shelters the rarest and most endangered species of salamanders – a species under threat of extinction. The beauty of the lake and its surroundings mesmerizes every tourist.
Giddapahar Seti Mata Temple – This temple is carved out of an ancient rock and is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The temple is considered very sacred for the Hindus.
Bagora - Also called zero point this place has the highest elevation in Kurseong. It also has a base camp of the Indian Air Force with a helipad.

Tea gardens around Kurseong are major attraction for tourists. All The finest varieties of Darjeeling Tea are found in the tea gardens surrounding Kurseong. The finest teas are produced by Castleton, Makaibari and Ambootia Tea Estate. Visitors can have a first- hand experience of how tea leaves are processed and prepared for production by visiting the nearby tea factories.

How to reach Kurseong?

By Air – Bagdogra is the nearest airport. Taxis/buses are available at the airport for transit to Kurseong which is 60 Km away.
By Rail – Siliguri, 50 km and New Jalpaiguri, 57 km are the two nearest main stations. From both this stations taxis/buses are available to reach Kurseong.
Kurseong is connected to New Jalpaiguri via toy train. The toy train takes a little over 5 hrs to reach Kurseong from New Jalpaiguri and the experience is magical.
By Road - Kurseong is well connected by all weather metal roads with Darjeeling, Siliguri, Kalimpong, Mirik, Gangtok etc.

Where to stay at Kurseong?

A number of luxury and budget hotels are available in Kurseong which provides descent accommodation facilities.
1) WBTDC’s Kurseong Tourist Lodge (Booking contact number – 0354 – 44409)
2) Hotel Amarjeet (Booking contact number – 0354 – 44678)
3) Hill Top Lodge (Booking contact number – 0354 – 2345887)
4) Kurseong Palace (Booking contact number – 0354 – 2344741)
5) Pradhan Guest House (Booking contact number – 0354 – 2344644)

Maravanthe, the seaside town sandwiched between Arabian Sea on one side and the Satuparnika River on the other, with a mountainous backdrop of Kodachadri Hills, is a perfect holiday destination. The endless golden sand, swaying palm trees, clear sky and the soothing sea of Maravanthe beach makes the tour to Maravanthe in Karnataka an out-of-the-world experience. This sea side resort is an ideal place to spend time in solitude away from the humdrum of busy city life.

Where is Maravanthe?

Maravanthe is in Udupi district of Karnataka and is about 50 Km from the town of Udupi.

About Maravanthe

The Maravanthe beach is a picturesque virgin beach with no tourists to spoil miles and miles of endless golden sand. Each and every corner of the beach is an epitome of beauty that look more like a place out of the leaves of the fairy tale books of children’s.
The most attractive feature of this place is the sunset that will leave each and every tourist spellbound. At sunset, a crimson sky and golden rays reflected both in the sea and the river convert Maravanthe into a fairyland of scenic beauty.
The water at Maravanthe beach is safe for swimming with huge but gentle tides inviting and appealing to come and play with them. Maravanthe beach is also famous for its friendliness towards water sports. Wide varieties of turtles found on the Maravanthe beach is another attraction for tourists

To experience the serenity of this picturesque virgin beach one can take a drive along the beach through NH 17 that offers a magnificent view of the Arabian Sea on one side and Satuparnika River on the other. Sailing on the waters of the River Satuparnika is another option for the tourists.

Sightseeing in and around Maravanthe

Baindur – 45 Km away from Maravanthe is the small town of Baindur which has a beautiful beach worth visiting. The virgin and unspoilt beach with golden sand is an ideal place to relax and rejuvenate. The Belekal Theertha falls near the town is another spot to see here.
St. Mary’s Island – The place is just a boat ride away from Maravanthe. The beautiful volcanic rock formation here is a major tourist attraction. The virgin beach of this island is an ideal place to relax and rejuvenate in solitude with your loved ones. This spectacular island is a perfect weekend gateway and a major picnic spot for locals.

Ottanane – The place is famous for its mesmerizing surroundings and glorious sunset. The view of the setting sun from here is so spectacular that will certainly remain vivid in mind.

How to Reach Maravanthe?

By Air – Mangalore is the nearest airport. From here one can hire taxi or can pick a bus to reach the beach.
By Rail – The nearest railhead is Kundapur at a distance of about18 Km and Mangalore at a distance of about 110 Km. Take a bus or hire a taxi from here to reach the beach.
By Road – Maravanthe is 50 Km from Udupi, 110 Km from Mangalore, 275 Km from Goa and 450 Km from Bangalore. Regular bus services to. Maravanthe are available from all these above places.

Where to stay at Maravanthe?

Maravanthe, in spite of being an off-beat and newer tourist destination is not short of good hotels and resorts. Some of the better hotels and resorts are :-
Beach Resort (Booking contact number – 08254 – 45401).
Asara Holiday Home (Booking contact number – 08254 – 2745607)
Turtle Bay Water Sports & Beach Resort (Booking contact number – 08254 – 45422, 09844125712)
Sagar Kinara Beach Resort (Booking contact number – 9448724861)

The historic city of Murshidabad situated on the bank of river Bhagirathi is one of the most visited historical places of Bengal. This city of Nawabs and their splendor is a silent witness to some of those events which have changed the course of Indian history. A visit to Murshidabad takes one down the memory lane to the era of Mughal and British rule in India. This historic city holds the ruins of several mosques, monuments and palaces of the Mughal era which are the main attraction for the visitors.

Where is Murshidabad?

Murshidabad town is in the district of Murshidabad in West Bengal, and is situated on the southern bank of river Bhagirathi, a tributary of River Ganges.

About Murshidabad

Murshidabad, the last capital city of independent Bengal was named after Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the Dewan of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa who founded the city and made it the capital of Bengal. Murshidabad has witnessed perhaps the biggest treachery and palace politics, which finally resulted in passing off of Bengal into the hands of the East India Company and ultimately to British. Murshidabad was the first capital of British India till 1772.
Murshidabad is also famous for its silk sarees which is hugely popular not only in India but around the world as well.

Sightseeing in and around Murshidabad

There are a number of monuments, mosques and palaces to visit in and Murshidabad which are the prime attraction of this historic town. Some of the major attraction of Murshidabad are :-
Hazarduari Palace – This palace with thousand doors is the chief tourist attraction of Murshidabad. The palace was constructed by Duncan McLeod of the Bengal Engineers for the Nawab in 1837. Built in European architectural style this three-storey palace has 114 rooms, 8 galleries covering a total area of 41acres. It is now a museum and has an exquisite collection of armoury, splendid paintings, exhaustive portraits of the Nawabs, various works of art including beautiful works of ivory. The other attractions are Vintage Cars and Fittan Cars used by the Nawabs and their families.

Katra Masjid - The huge and impressive Katra Mosque was built in 1724 by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan on the same lines as that of the Great Mosque at Mecca. The gorgeous building has huge domes and high minarets. The tomb of Murshid Quli Khan is also in this mosque.
Kath-Gola – This was the palace garden of Raja Dhanpat Singh Dugar and Lakshmipat Singh Dugar. The famous Adinath Temple belonging to Jainism is located here. The walls of this temple are intricately carved lending a unique a beauty to this Jain temple. The site is visited by hundreds of tourists every day.
Motijheel - Motijheel is a lake, located 3 km from Hazarduari. The lake stands in front of a beautiful three-storied palace, built by Nawab Naoajes Mohammad Khan. People believe, treasures of the Nawab are still buried in the lake. Hundreds of tourist flocks to see this wonderful lake every day.
Nasipur Palace – The palace was built by King Kirtichand Bahadur in late 19th century. Within the palace compound are the Ramachandra temple and the Lakshmi-Narayana temple. Closely situated is the Ashram of Mohandas and Jafraganj Deuri. The two cannons present here are said to be gifted to Mir Jafar by Clive.
Wasef Manzil – This palace built by Sir Wasef Ali Mirza, Nawab of Murshidabad, lies near the south gate of Hazarduari palace. The staircases made of marble and beautiful statues of this Palace are worth visiting.

Imambara – Parallel to the north face of the Hazarduari Palace, stands the Nizamat Imambara, built in 1847 AD. by Nawab Nazim Mansoor Ali Khan Feradun Jah, son of Humayun Jah. The Imambara is the largest in Bengal, and is perhaps the largest in India. Apart from being a place of worship for Muslims it is also a rime tourist attraction of Murshidabad.
Jafargang Cemetery - About half a mile from the Hazarduari Palace is Jafarganj the ruined palace of Mir Jafar. The Cemetery contains the tombs of the Nawab’s Nazim, from Mir Jafar to Humayun Jah. This cemetery was built by Mir Jafar, over an area of 3.51 acres.

How to reach Murshidabad?

By Air - The nearest airport is NSC Airport, Kolkata. Murshidabad is around 182 Km from Kolkata.
By Rail – Berhampore Court is the nearest station and is well connected Kolkata. Kolkata in also very well connected to the rest of India. It takes around 6 hours from Kolkata to reach Berhampore via rail route.
By Road – Berhampore and Kolkata are very well connected to the rest of India via roadways network. Buses ply frequently from Kolkata to Murshidabad and Behrampore.

Where to stay at Murshidabad?

A number of options for staying are available in Murshidabad, Berhampore and Lalbagh. These include luxury, budget and government owned hotels. Lodges, guest house are also available in here. Some of them are :-
Netaji Abas (Booking contact number – 0348-270033)
Hotel Manjusha (Booking contact number 0348-270321)
Hotel Indrajit (Booking contact number 0348-271858)
Hotel Anurag (Booking contact number 0348-270629)