Tabakoshi is one of the least visited tourist places in North Bengal as of now, in 2021. It has got to offer you nothing epic but peace of mind in the lap of tea gardens, unknown ferns, a river (upon which the place is named) and a bridge across it.
Tempted to explore?
'Tabakoshi'- the word can be broken down into ‘taba’, meaning bronze and ‘koshi’ which means river in Nepali. It is so called because in the monsoon, the color of the river water turns reddish due to the mud it carries from the mountains. The common name for the river is Rangbhang Khola and its Nepali name is ‘Tambakoshi’. Coming down from this fact is that the village is named Tabakoshi and it's still a hidden gem for travelers.
It is a serene place with the river roaring 24x7 and birds chirping for the whole day. Not many activities to do here but you certainly won’t need to as well. The nature here will gulp you into a state where you will enjoy just being there.
How to Reach
Tabakoshi is hardly 6-7 km from the town of Mirik, which is easily accessible via roads from Siliguri. A shared car from Mirik will take around ₹100 to reach Tabakoshi. A fully reserved car will cost approximately ₹800. The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP), 57 km from Mirik, and the nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB) which is 48 km from Mirik.
I traveled with this amazing person, and here's his contact details: Mr. Pravin Tamang (+91 9734425866, +91 6295137482) - His home is in Sukhia Pokhri (about 20km from Mirik); he is one of the best drivers of Mirik region, having full knowledge of all the roads, places and local sight scenes. Also, he has become a very dear friend now and is my family’s permanent driver for North Bengal, in the Mirik-Darjeeling area.
Where to Stay
There are only a handful of homestays to stay here - the most reputed ones being Tea Village Homestay and Sunakhari Homestay. Both of them are gorgeous homestays with an abundance of nature surrounding them. Both of them are just a couple of minutes’ walk from the river bank. Approximate cost: ₹1500 per head per night. We had stayed in Sunakhari Homestay.
Contacts
Tea Village Homestay: Mr. Bijoy Subba (+91 9434131737, +91 9083111566) - A very helpful and kind man, and one of the most respected people in the area.
Sunakhari Homestay: Uttam (+91 8372064419, +91 8167795334) - He lives in Mirik and owns the homestay, Deep (+91 9339237932, +91 7864938583) - he stays in the homestay and will be your constant companion there.
You can also choose to camp by the river banks and spend the nights there.
Best Time to Visit
Since it is a riverside place, the monsoons will always be the best time to visit, but this place will never bore you. For spending one night or weekend, this place is open throughout the year.
Nearby Attractions
Although most people visit this place for a night or a weekend to just relax, but there are plenty of nearby attractions to explore around Tabakoshi.
1. Tea Gardens - The district of Mirik is full of tea gardens and you may visit any of them, target Gopaldhara.
2. Tea Factory - The Gopaldhara tea factory is also a famous spot to visit. You might need prior permission.
3. Sumendu Lake, Mirik - It is a huge lake right in the center of Mirik and has a long foot bridge over it. Boating and horse riding are the famous activities here.
4. Rameetey Dara Viewpoint - A small viewpoint surrounded by tea gardens, from where the whole village, the river and the valley are visible.
5. Bokar Monastery - It is a Buddhist monastery that comes on the way to Rameetey Dara.
6. Tingling Viewpoint, Mirik - A viewpoint providing absolutely stunning views of the tea gardens!
7. Pashupati Nagar - It is in Nepal, about 5 km from Simana viewpoint, and is famous for the local market which sells products at a very low price!
8. Simana viewpoint - It is one of the most awesome viewpoints of North Bengal and the whole Sleeping Buddha Range is visible if you are lucky.
9. Different Birds and Animals. Find some of the rare species below!
Before wrapping up, I would like to show you a photo of the night sky that I had taken from Tabakoshi.
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