1. Where to Stay…

To (quite violently) paraphrase a well-known saying: “While in Calcutta, do as the Colonials did… in terms of accommodation at least”. The Oberoi Grand does an unbeatable line in colonial-style pampering; regal and spacious, it’s as luxurious today as it was a hundred years ago. Probably best you keep your pith helmet to yourself, though…

2. Refueling…

For top-end dining, Marco Polo on Park Street is a sure-fire bet for tasty food in swanky surroundings. Oh! Calcutta (in Forum Mall on Elgin Road) is also worth a visit, although don’t get your hopes up if you expect anything as risqué as the Broadway show it’s presumably named after.

For me a better option still is Bhojohari Manna, an authentic Bengali restaurant that does a homely take on fine dining. The epic Bengali Thali here is particularly worth dedicating a couple of hours to (so long as you start on an empty stomach).

3. After Dark…

Unless you’re willing to slum it in studenty Olypub, Kolkata’s nightlife is basically restricted to hotel bars and clubs. The faux-pub décor and live rock of The Park Hotel’s Someplace Else is a catchall for wealthy locals and visitors to the city. If the name sounds a little strange, it doesn’t take long to realise its cunning on nights out to other venues in the city when the suggestion that “we should probably go someplace else” is never very far from your lips.

4. Getting Around…

The metro is clean, safe and reliable, which makes it by far the best way to get around.  There’s only one line however, so options are limited. Above ground, road congestion and workers’ strikes can make things difficult. If you’re up for the battle, try taking an auto-rickshaw – for 8 Rs, they’re quick and a lot of fun. If not, just take one of the ubiquitous yellow cabs. Much easier.

5. Keeping Busy…

Kolkata is a city to experience rather than ‘do’. Once you’ve ticked off the Victoria Memorial (Kolkata’s criminally underrated answer to the Taj) there are few specific sites that really call to be explored. The most rewarding way of going about things here is to just wander around and stop at as many chai (tea) stalls and sweet shops as possible. Somewhere amongst the heat, the cars, the chattering locals, and the clay cups of steaming tea you’ll find the lifeblood of Kolkata, a place where people use the city rather than being used by it.

(When JB Cooper isn’t lending the TI Blog his wisdom on Kolkata, he can also be found penning top-notch pieces on mountain biking around the Kathmandu valley or finding beauty in the beast of Berlin for Travel Intelligence…)

Technorati Tags: 5 minute guides, India, kolkata

Tags: 5 minute guides, India, kolkata

This entry was posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 12:01 pm and is filed under TI Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.