If you plan a vacation to explore India, you may have considered visiting Kolkata as one of your destinations. To make your vacation in Kolkata enjoyable, determine the best things to do in Kolkata when making vacation plans.
Then, what are the activities and places to visit in Kolkata? Check out some of the recommendations we have specially compiled for you in the explanation below!
Best Things to Do in Kolkata
You should be here for at least three days because as a big city with unique things to do in Kolkata, there are many exciting tourist spots. During these three days, you can feel the sensation of a pleasant vacation in Kolkata and have many experiences with the locals and cultures.
Some recommendations for things to do in Kolkata for couples, families, and solo travelers include:
1. Kalighat Temple – Shakti Peetha
If you want to visit a place thick with cultural and religious nuances, then Kalighat temple can be an option.
Due to the popularity of this place for local and foreign tourists, the queue to enter this area is very long. Visitors are also not asked to pay anything to enter it. But make sure to comply with existing regulations so as not to take photos at certain spots.
2. Visiting Howrah Bridge
Many cities worldwide have beautiful and historic bridges as tourist destinations, including Kolkata. Here there is a famous bridge among tourists, namely Howrah Bridge.
This bridge was built in 1931, and every day, many pedestrians pass, and tourists or residents pass by. If you want to feel the atmosphere of looking at the beauty of Kolkata from a high place, you can come here when the weather is good.
3. Visiting Hooghly River
This stream originates from the Ganges, so many call it the Ganges. As you know, India has a large population of Hindus, and the Ganges River is essential to this religion.
You can visit this river for free and can see various temples along the river. There are also many activities on this river daily, such as people washing clothes, meditating, praying, and consuming river water.
4. Celebrating Durga Pujas
Visiting Durga Puja can be one of the things to do in Kolkata in the evening because this celebration lasts 24 hours in ten days. Even though it is a special celebration for Hindus, this celebration has also started to become a tourist destination for tourists.
Because of the busyness of this celebration, the atmosphere was lively and exciting. It’s because there were parades, people singing, and even praying in the streets.
5. Going to College Street Book Market
This book market is also known as Book Town because it is one of the largest used book markets in the world. Because of this nickname, book lovers must come here to find unique and rare books. And like the concept of the used book market, the books are very cheap!
Located on College Street, this book market can take your time because of its location of up to 1 million square feet.
6. Going to the New Market
Every time you go on vacation to a new city, one of the places you should visit is a traditional market that shows a local feel.
At New Market, you can find a variety of exciting stalls such as spices, fruits, jewelry, and Indian clothing. The most exciting place is the food stall area because you can taste authentic Indian food at a lower price than food in hotels.
7. Visiting Mother Teresa Memorial
You can see various information about the life and work done by Mother Teresa, one of the world’s most famous humanitarian figures.
You are not charged an entry ticket into the memorial of this Nobel Peace Prize winner, but donations will be distributed to charity.
8. Visiting Victoria Memorial
This building with colonial architecture is also mandatory for tourists because they can visit two areas, namely the gallery, museum, and garden. Both of these spots offer a pleasant holiday experience. Entrance to this area costs around 200 INR (2.46 USD).
Travel Tips for Visiting Kolkata
To make your vacation safer and more comfortable, follow some of the tips below:
- Buy an Indian SIM card for more accessible communication and internet access. Most SIM cards not from India have bad connections, or the internet fee is pricey.
- Make sure to use travel insurance for protection during the holidays because it will help you if any accident happens.
- Convert currency to rupees. Exchanging money into local currency is important, so you can easily buy tourist tickets, shopping, or transportation costs because local residents only use rupees.
- Be careful of fraud, especially the transportation aspect. Some unscrupulous transportation drivers are targeting foreign tourists to use their vehicles. But when it arrives, you will be asked for a fare that is very expensive than it should be.
Based on the suggestions regarding the best things to do in Kolkata above, your question about “Is Kolkata worth visiting?” has already been answered, right? Get ready for your trip here by ordering flight tickets quickly and easily at Airpaz!
