Place 1: Darjeeling: Queen of Hills

It is believed that the best tea in the world is produced by our country. It will not be too much of an exaggeration to say that the best tea in our country comes from Darjeeling, which is also closely associated with english, as it was their "Aaramgah" during hot summer.

For today's Indians, among other hill stations, it is a place where the heroes and heroines of bollywood chase each other, singing romantic songs, amidst breath-taking scenery.

Darjeeling is some 6000 feet above sea level. It is situated on a ridge in a mountainside. Consequently, you tend to get short of breath quickly, at least on your first day here. The fact that the whole town is developed on steppes doesn't really help. Here, you don't walk to any place, you either climb up to it or climb down from it. The ubiquitous rickshaws you find everywhere else in India don't operate here because of the steep gradients.

There is no local transportation, as a result, you have to walk everywhere. You can go for local sightseeing trips by either a taxi or a shared jeep. But walking is a good way of exploring this small town. Apart from leading you to beauty spots you might miss by faster transport, it also helps keep you fit. If you have plans to go further north to Sikkim or go trekking, getting fit beforehand is a good idea.

Best Time to Visit:
The best time to see Darjeeling is any time from May to Sep as it will be hot.
How to be there:
From Calcutta or Delhi to Bagdogra by Air, and from there by Bus, Jeep or Taxi.

Here are some of beautiful photos of Darjeeling.