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Gangtok is a bustling, friendly hill station, and the capital of the Himalayan state of Sikkim. The name Gangtok is derived from the Tibetan word for 'hillside,' and the city currently has a population of around 80,000 - a mixture of indigenous Sikkimese and people of Nepalese and Tibetan ancestry.

[edit] Understand

Gangtok is popular place with tourists heading on treks, though the facilities do not reflect the number of international visitors. However, efforts are being made by the government to improve the conditions. Gangtok would be easily one of the most cleanest cities you would ever come across, highly organised and beautifully maintained it the switzerland of the east. Tourists are of paramount of importance, hence rules have been laid in order to prevent tourists from being cheated. Fares of Cabs are mostly fixed for such reason. A really nice place to unwind. Quite a few places for vegetarians to eat since it is mostly dominated by Buddhist culture. The city resembles the Bhutanese capital. Devoid of large stores, book shops this place is an nice break away from typical city lives. Still, the city is a fascinating place to spend a few nights, the winding side alleys hide some unexpected gems, and the main street (MG Marg) is pedestrianized and a pleasant place to take a stroll.

The city sleeps by 9pm mostly, except for a few pubs which are open till 11pm.

[edit] By plane

The nearest airport is at Siliguri,from there you need to hire a cab or taxi to go up there.A lovely highway with beautiful landscapes,twists and turns and loads of waterfalls and also you'll find River Teesta always running along.Many direct flights are there for Siliguri and after reaching there its just the mountains and you.

[edit] By train

The nearest train station to Gangtok is New Jalpaiguri in Siliguri which has direct connections to New Delhi, Kolkata, and other major cities in India. It is a 10-12 hour journey from Kolkata.

Once you arrive in New Jalpaiguri, you can either hire a taxi from the station itself or take an auto-rickshaw to the Siliguri bus stand. From there, you have the option of travelling to Gangtok by state bus, roughly a 5-6 hour journey.

Dozens of jeeps travel to Gangtok daily from Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and other mountain locales. Fare of the shared cabs is generally fixed, it is around Rs. 155 to Gangtok from NJP station. Drivers might try to charge high so check for the fare with other cabs before taking one.

[edit] Get around

Taxis ply routes around the city, and there are standard charges within the main areas: 40rs for a private service and 8rs for a shared. NB: Taxis can only be hailed from designated taxi stands.

[edit][add listing] See

• The scenery - there are beautiful views of the surrounding hills from the town itself, but the best views - dominated by Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain - are from Enchey Monastery and Ganesh Tok, both high above the town.

• Enchey Monastery - a two hundred year old monastery in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism - located above the town.
• Do-drul Chorten - a large and impressive stupa complex constructed in 1945.
• Dodrupchen Monastery. A large monastery in the Nyingma tradition. Famous for its large chorten. When in residence, Dodrupchen Rinpoche receives devotees to offer blessings from around 8AM to 9:30AM.
• Flower show. Near the whyte hall, flower show is at its best during the flowering season  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. An excellent collection of artifacts and manuscripts connected to Tibetan Buddhism.
• Banjhakri Falls. Its a lovely waterfall,surrounded by gardens and stairwells.Many beautifu sculptures can be seen there.A good picnic spot and a must watch for every Gangtok visitor.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Sikkim is famous for its fruit processing and tea aside from the local handicraft.Passion fruit Squash, Alpine Cheese, Temi Tea & Maha Gurudev Tea are some of the local products.

• Rachna, Development Area. Tel: 91 3592 204-336 (www.rachnabooks.com). Also organises events and exhibitions on The First Floor upstairs. By far the best bookstore in town. A wide selection of titles and knowledgable owner. Rachna is located about a ten minute walk from the main bazaar.
• Curio Craft Gallery Curio City, below Hotel Mayur, PS Road (just above the main hospital). Tel: 91 3592 220-551. One of the better quality handicraft stores in town. Excellent selection of Buddhist artwork.
• Souveneir, MG Marg. Good place to buy prayer wheels, flags and other handicraft. Little expensive  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are many great and cheap places to eat in Gangtok.

• Parivar's, on MG Marg down a short flight of stairs, serves some of the best food in town, and is very popular with locals.
• The Roll House, tucked on the side of a stairway between MG Marg and the main market, serves up Veg Momos & hot chapatis (Roll)with various fillings (paneer, egg, veggies). This place is always packed with both tourists and locals and deservedly so.
• Quick Bite, and numerous other sweet shops up and down MG Marg, serve up everything from samosas to momos
• Tangerine Restaurant, Chumbi Residency, Tibet Road, Gangtok-737101, Sikkim., ☎ +91(0)3592-226618/226619/226620 (slg_chumbi@sancharnet.in, fax: +91(0)3592-222707), [1]. Stunning food, some unusual options and far cheaper than it ought to be.  edit
• Agarwal's, MG Marg. Serves south indian and north indian snacks n sweets. Good place to have break fast. There are two outlets, one on MG Marg and other on the way near Taxi stand. Dosas are not so good  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

Baker's Cafe, MG Marg. The only place in town to sell cappuccino, latte and offer a wide selection of Western-style pastries. Check out the pizzas.

• Pub 25, MG Road, Gangtok. Till 11PM. An upscale pub right in the heart of MG Road. Great drinks, tasty food (especially the Malai Tikka and Sauted Mushrooms), and an amazing ambience. The price is higher than other pubs on the street, but its definitely worth it. High.  edit
• Taste of tibet, MG Marg. Serves tibetan food, thupkas, gyathuk and thentuk. It includes a bar too  edit
• Cafe Tibet. On the way up towards the Zero point, left side. Run by a tibetan, serves very good coffee. Eatables are just decent. Coffee is way better than baker's cafe  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Teen Taley Eco Resort, Rumtek, Gangtok, ☎ 9832052995, [2]. Situated near the holy Rumtek Monastery about 20 Kms from Gangtok town, this Eco resort spread over 6 acres has its own garden and organic farming. The flowing streams, mountain below, snow range in the front and the river below.... There are 12 well maintained rooms spread over 6 cottages. Type:- Eco Garden Resort with cottages Rooms:- 12 rooms spread over 5 cottages. 4 Suite Rooms and 8 Deluxe Cottages, Theme:- Ethnic Nepalese  edit

[edit] Budget

• Hotel Sonali International, Phone: (033) 2552 3432 / 2584 0080 (Cell: +91 98302 87429, E-mail: sonalihotel07@yahoo.com), [3]. A nice place for budget tourists and a good base to meet other travellers - recently relocated to the main town near the Tourist Information Centre. It also organizes tours throughout Sikkim.

• Central Lodge - a nice place for Budget tourists and a good base to meet other travellers - recently relocated to the main town near the Tourist Information Centre. It also organizes tours throughout Sikkim.

• Green Hotel, Mahatama Gandhi Road. One of the oldest budget hotels in Gangtok. Rooms are clean, some with attached bath. Hot water in buckets (unless recently upgraded). Rs. 200-500.

[edit] Mid-range

• Bamboo Grove Retreat Bamboo Grove [4], Kazi Road. A Boutique 2 star hotel. Theme = Sikkimese design with modern amenities. Available = Car Parking, Peaceful Environment, Internet, Mountain View from Rooms, Mountain Biking,Bar & Restaurant.

• Hotel Tibet, Paljor Stadium Road. Clean and comfortable rooms with an excellent restaurant. Rs.1500-2500.

• Hotel Rigwa International Libing Complex, M.G.Marg & Nam Nam Crossing, above Star Cinema Hall.

• Hotel Delamare, Church Road, [5]. Conveniently located, warm, elegant decor and excellent service. 1,200rs+ per night

• Hotel Golden nest & Hotel Hill View Near mall 600 to 1500 Kolkata cont 033 2249=2716 , 329=53360

[edit] High-End Luxury hotels

• The Nor-Khill, Gangtok. Unit of Elgin Hotels and Resorts. Colonial decor and luxury at its best. Rs.6000 +.[6]

[edit] Respect

Littering and spitting are fineable offenses.

[edit] Contact

There area no internet cafes along the main thoroughfares and the rate is compatible with other centers of commerce in India. However, the infrastructure is weak, and the mantra of most internet cafes is 'server down.' Travelers who need to work extensively on the internet are advised to do so in Siliguri, where the server connection is much more reliable.

• Softect Enterprises, tucked away just after the first pedestrian bridge up from the old taxi station, this internet cafe offers two rooms filled with computers with fast connections.

[edit] Get out

• Gangtok serves as an excellent base for visiting places like Chomgo Lake, Lachung, and the Yumthang Valley.

• Rumtek Monastery, located 22 km from the town, [7]. One of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and head seat of the Karma Kagyu school in Sikkim. Originally built in 1740, it fell into disrepair. The current structure dates from 1959. Sangye Guest House, (near Rumtek) is a small, friendly, family run hotel.

To reach Rumtek one can hire an taxi. There are share taxi's which run from MG Marg taxi stand to Rumtek. One way fare is around Rs. 30 per person. It is a cheaper alternative but you need to return from the Rumtek Monastery before 4pm to get shared taxi to MG Marg again.

• ranka monastery is a newly built monastery and a treat to watch out for

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