Will be spending a few days in Calcutta this coming December. Any word of advice regarding hotels, things to see & do? What are your impressions of the place? <BR><BR>Never been to India before….<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>

Not sure what your budget is for hotels but here are a few:<BR><BR>1. The Park<BR>2. Taj Bengal<BR>3. Oberoi Grand<BR>4. Peerless Inn<BR>5. Hindustan Int'l<BR><BR>Regarding sights & city life, when I went there, I didn't see much, maybe it was too slow of a city for me. Anyway, do check out Victoria & Kali Temple. Then there's Park Street & Guria Hatt for shopping. <BR><BR>Make sure your flight is still going into Calcutta cuz' NW/KLM stopped their flights even after selling tickets. <BR><BR>Just a suggestion: if you have time to check out another part of India, I suggest you do that. Calcutta isn't the greatest to explore. If you are short with time though, Bhubaneshwar is a train or plane ride away with historic temples, just a beautiful & peaceful place. Puri(beach) is also nearby.

Hi,<BR>Your in for a real experience!<BR>Read "City of Joy" for some sobering if not excellent backround info. (Not the film!)<BR>If time permits travel north to Banares<BR>on the Ganges. No one is ever the same after India...<BR>Be well,<BR>Pete

Heloo xxx. Im not sure Calcutta is the right place for you to start (India is a huge country with some excellent tourist destinations, try the conventional ones first)! <BR><BR>Plus, Calcutta isnt as exotic or wonderful as it is made out to be. The city can be overbearing for someone whos a stranger to it. Talk about it with a few people and get ideas. If youre only planning to be in Bengal, take side trips to Puri and other quieter and cleaner places. Trust me, there isnt much to do in Calcutta.<BR><BR>Good luck. Regards/Aarti

You DON'T WANT TO go to Calcutta. Firstly, as someone pointed out correctly, there isn't much to do there. Secondly, it is sooooo sooo polluted. Thirdly, Calcuttans will make you deaf with their vehicle horns.<BR><BR>Calcutta is definitely not a good place to start travel to India. Remember what they say about trying something new cuisine. First Try at the best dish of that cuisine at the best restaurant. First bad experience good put you off that cuisine forever. <BR><BR>It has had some glorious past and some interesting people. But now Calcutta is the black sheep of Indian Family.<BR><BR>I have been there once and will never ever go there.