places to go to in kolkota

wizzy

skinnylatte

Since you'll be there for 6 months as a volunteer, I believe you should be putting up in Sudder St Well, volunteer or not, that is that best place to meet people, as everywhere in Sudder St is brimming with people to meet. You'll realize among the foreign community there — volunteers, backpackers alike — there are these large pockets of communities: French-speaking, Chinese-speaking, Japanese-speaking, Spanish-speaking, but no matter what, people are always friendly even if some cliques can be hard to penetrate if you are on your own. It's quite easy to meet people, I've found that people usually do chat up each other by way of curiosity, wanting to know what you're doing here, where you're from, where you're volunteering, how long are you here for, and along the way you do make some very good friends.

The friendliest place to 'go meet people' is probably Blue Sky Cafe It's the most distinct place on Sudder St, an institution on its own. You'll probably find yourself having breakfast or lunch there every day, and talking to new people all the time. Then there're also the Internet cafes, where conversation alongside the computers is bound to strike up. Just be friendly

Some good restaurants to go to while you're in the area: Blue and Beyond (on Lindsay Street, on the rooftop of Lindsay hotel, just a short walk from Sudder). Good tandoori, overall decent Indian. Some Thai and Chinese items (from the perspective of a Chinese person who more or less lives in Thailand) are acceptable, better than the average Thai and Chinese fare anywhere else in India or Kolkata.

Peter Cat: On Park Street. Very good restaurant with fantastic ambience. Costs less than you would expect, from the looks of the restaurant. Great value for money.. recommended items are Chicken Marrakkech and Chelo Kebabs.

Aaheli: On Peerless Inn, Chowringhee, authentic Bengali food.

Kusum Mansion, Park St: For all forms of rolls — chicken roll, egg roll, double chicken egg, mutton... rolls go for approx Rs 20, which fills you up and is cheap as chips. (This place is not a restaurant, just a little store off the main street for takeaway)

Gaylords: decent restaurant at the Lytton Hotel.

Oxford Cha Bar: It's the cafe inside the Oxford Book Store on Park Street, which is very distinct. Serves very good drinks... try the Green Tea Margarita (absolutely gorgeous) and the ayurvedic teas (I like the one called 'Shanti').

Bars: Did not venture into many bars, found the ones I've been to quite disappointing. Was at Trincas at the Park Hotel, was not enjoyable (kind of dim and... I wouldn't say sleazy, but not much in form of entertainment or a good time). The pub on Sudder Street is the "Super Pub" at Super Guest House, which will be quite challenging for a lone female (and foreign) to be in. One good place in the vicinity is the outdoor drinking area at the Fairlawn Hotel, where I can assure you would be perfect for a girl on her own. No pressure, very laid back place.

Have you decided where you're going to stay yet? Don't hesitate to send me a PM or email if you'd like more detailed information.

wizzy

thanks for replying! i thought i wasn't going to get any answer!

well, i'll try all the places you told me about, i'll be there 6 months so i've got time.

i don't know where im going to stay yet but i know it 'll be in sudder st. do you know any hotels that are trustworthy in that area? i found some in the lonely planet guide but i don't know which one to choose (i'm looking in the cheap category!)

there's so much more i'd like to know about kolkota but i thing the best way is to get there and fast;im leaving france on the 5th of january, i cant wait!

i'll stay in touch if its ok for you.by the way what's a pm?

Jorge Reverter

I'll be too in Calcutta but only few days next November. Have a look at this web pages:
http://www.friendsofcalcutta.org/vol...nformation.htm
http://pages.cthome.net/india2/


Jorge

skinnylatte

wizzy, I spent a lot of time in Kolkata this summer (my third time there), and lived in Tourist Inn for most of it. It's right in the centre of Sudder St, has a range of rooms from Rs 100 to Rs 1200 — I've stayed in the Rs 100, Rs 400 and 800 rooms, was happy with all of them. I also keep staying there as I found them trustworthy and friendly. For Rs 100 you get a bed inside a very small room, but it's clean, and if you like you can get the bigger room for maybe 200. I guess you could bargain for a longstay deal. The shared toilet and shower is clean and not far from the rooms.

Yes do keep in contact, if you need more information... A PM means 'private message', which you can send to me thorugh this site.

wizzy

OK, thanks to all of you! i'll follow your advice then with the tourist inn; i don't need that much place, i think i'll start with the cheap one and see. iwas thinking that maybe if i pay the whole month in advance they might offer me a discount like you said.

jorge thanks for the websites, they're quite useful!

if you're around calcutta between january and june maybe we could meet!

have fun!

somnath

Hi Wizzy,
Welcome to IndiaMike and welcome to Kolkata.
Most of the answers are already given by Skinnylatte – cheers. First hand and latest info is really helpful. Especially regarding hotel / guest house recommendations. It is not possible for even a local person like me to share the hotel experience unless he / she has a personal experience to stay with them.

Wizzy, 6 months is a long time and you’ll be able to explore some more places of West Bengal beyond the Kolkata city. There are so many threads in Kolkata and West Bengal section of IM but allow me to mention a couple of URLs (you may find useful):

1. Places & Telephone nos. (places of Interest with phone numbers)
2. FOOD for thought! - food
3. http://www.kolkatahub.com/hotels-in-...n-kolkata.html - List of Budget Hotels.
4. a) http://www.hoteltravel.com/india/kol...ightseeing.htm - places to visit
b) http://www.catchcal.com/kaleidoscope/placestovisit.asp Places to visit.


And yes there are so many bars where a girl can go on her own (just like anywhere) like:
http://www.kolkatahub.com/travel-in-...n-kolkata.html
But please do not think that ALL the bars are safe for a girl.

Again I’ll request you read some old posts in Kolkata section and feel free to ask if you need some more info. Wish you a very happy traveling.

Skinnylatte, please let us know about your travel experience in Kolkata. And of course, plz don’t forget to share your travel pix with us.

Welcome to Kolkata, Jorge.

Cheers,
Somnath

__________________
Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

* My Travel Pix...

skinnylatte

Somnath, I just wrote a piece about Bengal - well bit of Kolkata, mostly about Bangladesh, here: http://popagandhi.com/361/amar-shonar-bangla/

And if you look at this link I've got a number of my updates from India and Thailand.

Some pictures of Kolkata and Darjeeling in 2004, in black and white, and I'm still editing the new pictures

Kolkata is like a home to me. I've been there just three times but.. Aamar shonar Bangla, aami tomay bhalobashi!

skinnylatte

Wizzy, just to give you more possibilities for accommodation, I know that Hotel Paragon is also regarded very highly. Super Guest House is another favourite of mine but they only have AC doubles, which can be expensive. I spent a lot of time in the Shilton Hotel because my friend lived there while she was volunteering.. it was dingy damp and smelt of urine all the time. I think you can't go wrong checking out the Paragon and the Tourist Inn. I stayed in Centrepoint Guest House as well. It was cheap and not bad but cramped.. and further away from the action (on Free School St itself, not Sudder). I think the Rs 200 rooms, which are actually doubles, in Tourist Inn will be perfect for you. The inn has two old men who are brothers working there, they were lovely people who would buy you breakfast and arrange your taxis for a small tip, and it was a pretty friendly atmosphere where even if you lived in the Rs100 single room the manager happily got his 'boy' to make you tea and coffee whenever you want it. Filtered cold water is complimentary at the Tourist Inn - it was safe, I drank it all the time instead of bottled water.

While you're there don't forget to visit the neighbouring attractions. The ones in the city itself I am sure you will finish seeing over a weekend, like the Victoria Memorial, the Belur Math, Kalighat. There are many wonderful places to see from Calcutta that are easily accessible, there's the Sunderbans you can spend a night or two visiting, nearby, then there are also Darjeeling and Sikkim. If you can go find the time to go up to Northeast India, in Assam and Meghalaya, you'll find great spots and few foreigners nearby. I just had the luck to spend some time in Meghalaya, it was gorgeous, Calcutta would be the perfect starting point for any trip to the Northeast. Maybe if you have even more time also try to visit neighbouring Orissa. I hear it is beautiful.

skinnylatte

One last word: be adventurous with the food! Bengali food has become some of my favourite. It's not necessarily spicy... there's such great food, from things like Bhape Ilish to Bengali sweets, and a simple lovely cup of misti doi. I find a lot of foreigners and volunteers there, maybe because of unfamiliarity, limit themselves when it comes to cusine, which is a pity! If you need any food tips, there are lots of old threads we could point you to

somnath

- Great !!!! Skinnylatte, let us know about your 4th visit so that we can arrange a Kolkata meetup . And thank you so much for those links. Lovely piece of writing!!!!

And we are waiting for the next lot, plz.
Ha ha ha……… just great !!!! You have become a Bengali (by heart or…… palate).

Dhanyobad .

Jorge Reverter

Somnath,

I'll be in Calcutta three or four days next November, around 24th. Will be great to have a cold beer (or a chai) somewhere there.

Jorge

somnath

Wonderful idea Jorge !!!! There will be the IM meetup once again - .
Come on Kolkata team ………… lets cast your vote :
a) Hot tea
b) Cold beer
c) Roadside Tea while waiting for rest of the members and finally some beer

Wizzy, by any chance if you are going to arrive early, plz join us. big group is always better.

- Somnath

Jorge Reverter

Great Somnath,

I'll choose C, nevertheless any other possibility is also welcome.
We'll keep in touch.

Jorge

ironman

I'll be in Kolkata for the first time at the end of November / start of December and would love to meet up with others for a drink.