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.