Eastern India Holidays

What to do in Eastern India

The vast and varied eastern region of India stretches from the high mountains of Buddhist Sikkim to the low-lying delta south of Kolkata and from the rolling plains of Bihar to the forested hills of rural Odisha. Cultured Kolkata dominates the region and is a fascinating city of grand public buildings, museums, churches and temples. Kolkata is also the starting point for a number of exploratory river cruises upstream on the Hooghly River. These cruises provide an opportunity to visit some of the earliest, European settlements in India including French Chandernagore, Danish Serampore, British Murshidabad, Dutch Cossimbazar and the battlefield of Plassey. Heading north, visit the charming old Raj hill station of Darjeeling and ride the iconic Himalayan Railway then continue on to the beautiful state of Sikkim with its fine mountain scenery and impressive monasteries. Further afield, visit both Nalanda and Bodh Gaya – sites irrevocably linked to the life of the Buddha – or visit Odisha and the temple city of Bhubaneswar, Puri’s Jaganath Temple, the UNESCO protected Sun Temple at Konark and the indigenous communities of the interior.