Siliguri
Siliguri is the gateways to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Nepal, Dooars, Bhutan and most of the North-East states of India. Although Siliguri by itself is not a tourist spot and it is more of a transit point with very strong road, rail, air links. The tourists has to come to Siliguri since New Jalpaiguri railway station (NJP), the main railhead of the region, and Bagdogra Airport, the airport catering to the region with connections to Calcutta, Delhi. and Guwahati are near this city.
Siliguri is the commercial capital of North Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Hosts to over 5 lakhs domestic and 15000 foreign visitors, excluding the people of Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, who visit Siliguri regularly both for business as well as for leisure.
Siliguri is the major trade centre for the North-East and eastern Nepal; a real boom city, cycle-rickshaws dominate the roads and there are large number of buses and jeeps plying to different tourist destinations of the region. The main national highways of this region pass through Siliguri. Bus services to all the neighboring places and states is available from Siliguri. Bus services to Bhutan are also there.
Geographically the location of Siliguri is unique in that by only half an hour's drive one will reach center of dense forest or start climbing the hills. Meandering roads to Kalimpong or Gangtok running parallel to the River Teesta or Rangit with its rapids and falls is one of the finest stretch of landscape in the world. Cluster of hill stations around Siliguri will make any country proud. Once you leave the plains and start climbing you enter a different domain altogether.
The surrounding areas of the city are beautiful. The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is 18 km from the city (Permits are required). The Coronation Bridge (Sevoke Bridge) is an important bridge of the north east. There are a number of good hotels in the city.
