WHERE TO STAY
The local icon is the Windamere Hotel, a cluster of country-cozy cottages from British raj times, with vintage furnishings and historical artifacts (guests have included the king of Sweden and Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary). Its hillside location makes for wide views of the high Himalaya. Visitors also can and should stay at one of the tea estates, most of which offer tours and visits to their tea-processing facilities.
On the high end is the elegant yet casual hilltop Glenburn Tea Estate, where guest rooms are surrounded by hundreds of acres of tea plantings and trees. Also notable: the
Goomtee Tea Resort,with|a four-room main house that makes you feel as if you’re staying at your own private tea estate; the bio-organic Tumsong Tea Estate & Retreat, which has four suites; and the Selim Hill Tea Estate & Retreat, known for its sweeping mountain vistas. Visitors eager for an immersion in local life may enjoy a homestay with one of the working families at the Makaibari Tea Estates; a night for two people, including all meals and tea runs about $25.
WHERE TO EAT
Food in Darjeeling is as influenced by nearby Nepal and Bhutan as by India. I had the best momo dumplings at Kunga Restaurant, on Gandhi Road. Fans of breakfasts French toast, hash browns swear by tiny Sonam’s Kitchen, on Dr. Zakir Hussain Road. And north Indian curries star alongside Thai and Chinese dishes at The Park restaurant, on Laden La Road. Many tea plantations also offer dining.
SHOPPING FOR TEA
Darjeeling supports a number of tea shops, some of which ship purchases. Nathmulls showcases more than 50 teas and is popular for its tastings. Nearby Tea Emporium, in business since 1940, offers tastings and blogs about its tea offerings. Golden Tips Tea stocks hundreds of loose-leaf teas for tasting and purchase (though its prices are 011 the higher end).
BEYOND TEA
Chowk Bazaar is where locals go to buy produce and other goods. For stores that specialize in crafts and clothing, head to Nehru Roacl and Chowrasta square. You’ll find traditional copper pots, Tibetan caipets, prayer wheels, and other crafts made by hand at the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre, which supports community services for refugees from nearby Tibet.
One of the best ways to take in the mountain scenery is on a “joy ride” aboard the historic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known as the Toy Train and part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage site. The Sukna Steam Special joy ride travels through tea estates.
No comments:
Post a Comment