The beautiful eastern Himalayas are where you shall come across one of the largest city in Sikkim, that’s Gangtok.  Up on the Tash View point, you will discover the humongous peak of Kanchenjunga. How thrilling this sounds! To witness the 3rd-highest peak in the world. You can see them from the Ganesh Tok and Hanuman Tok (Hindu temple managed by the Indian Army), but definitely check with locals for a clear day for a good picture. 

Locals include Bhutias, Lepcha, and Nepalese. You can explore their local culture, art, and delicacies. In the early days, it was a point on the trade route for India and Tibet.

To get a tranquil feeling in your body, mind soul, one should not miss the beautiful monasteries such as Rumtek Monastery, Enchery Monastery. It is also home to the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, founded by the Dalai Lama in 1958.

If you love climbing mountains and trekking up, then there are many popular peaks too.  You can’t miss the glacier Tsomgo Lake, the Nathula Pass. The most famous street, MG Road, is popular for hanging around too. You will also come across many architectural structures while you walk around. 

You can also opt for the 7-point tour, which refers to a popular half-day sightseeing tour. It takes you around the different attractions in and around the city. The Ban Jharki falls park, Enchery Monastery, the Himalayan Zoological park, Seven sisters waterfall, the Gangtok ropeway, Pelling, Do-drul Chorten, Khangchendzonga National Park, Gangtok Ravangla, etc.

Local cuisine is something we all want to explore, and why not try some fermented soybean curry known as Kinema, Momos, bamboo shoot curry, Mesu pickle, Shimi ko achar, Gundruk, and Sinki soup? Who doesn’t love cheese, and to try Chhupri is another level of taste. Special Sel roti is also a must-try; it’s a sweet, crispy rice product. All of these sound so different and new in the names, so don’t miss out on trying them on your taste buds. You can also sip on some Temi Sikkimese tea. 

Artists from Sikkim make some great pieces of art, and you can’t miss appreciating and bringing home the thangka painting. Everyone’s favourite pick of peace is the prayer flags. Let some air with great vibes come into your homes with the chants on those flags. Sikkimese textiles and fabrics are brilliant pieces of handicraft, and one can pick up some woolen shawls and fabrics( Lepcha weaves), Tibetan carpets. They are unique in their style of design and work. The most beautiful piece of wood art is the carved tables called the Choktse. Some cool designs you can find on cups that you can take back. 

Tea is something we all love, and so you can’t miss sipping the Sikkimese chai. You can also pick some spices like black cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon, which are of great quality.

To bring some good vibes into your homes, you can pick some Sikkimese masks. To the Buddhist vibes home, you can pick some singing bowls. You can also pick some handmade jewelry with semiprecious stones and silver.

There are some hidden places which are totally offbeat. You can explore the local life and enjoy the calm rather than the tourist chaos. Some rural places will take you through to see another world in itself. You can visit the villages like Dzongu, Lachen, and Zuluk. Other scenic beauties you can’t miss are Barsey and Uttarey, which offer quietness and nature-filled experiences away from the tourist-crowded spaces.