Recreation in West Bengal ranges from mountain trekking and wildlife safaris to urban club sports, riverfront walks, beach holidays, and neighborhood playground culture.
## Outdoor recreation - **Hiking and trekking** in the Darjeeling Himalayas, including routes around Sandakphu and Singalila areas. - **Wildlife safaris** in Jaldapara, Gorumara, Buxa, and the Sundarbans. - **Beach recreation** at Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur, and Shankarpur. - **Boating** on lakes, reservoirs, and river stretches, including urban boating spots and tourist boat rides. - **Fishing and angling** occur in rivers, ponds, wetlands, and coastal zones, subject to local rules.
## Urban recreation - Kolkata has major public spaces for walking and leisure, including the **Maidan**, **Eco Park**, riverfront ghats, and neighborhood parks. - Clubs remain part of the social landscape, especially in Kolkata, offering tennis, swimming, cricket, football, and social events. - Malls, cinemas, cultural centers, and cafés are important recreational spaces in large cities.
## Sports and fitness - Cricket and football dominate recreational sport. - Badminton, table tennis, swimming, athletics, and martial arts are widely practiced. - Gyms, yoga studios, and community fitness centers are common in urban areas.
## Hill and forest recreation - Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas support camping, nature photography, birdwatching, and short mountain walks. - The Dooars region is popular for forest stays, jeep safaris, and river-edge tourism.
## Golf and club recreation - Golf is available in and around Kolkata through historic clubs, and in select hill or cantonment areas.
## Children's and family recreation - Zoos, science centers, museum campuses, and amusement-style attractions in and around Kolkata are popular for family outings.
