I went flat out from morning until 6a.m walking around Kolkata (with some driving in between), it’s hot, humid, smelly in parts and polluted, so staying 4-5 days is probably not the best idea.  For a quick 1-2 night stopover, it’s excellent, you can take in the city and enjoy it and I don’t think you’d get sick of it after 1-2 days.  By the end of the first day, I was feeling a bit jaded and wasn’t too disappointed I didn’t have another day.  One full day is a handful, especially if you’re trying to see as many things as possible as I did.

If you like to use Asia Miles like I do, it’ll cost you 50,000 to fly business class from Hong Kong to Kolkata, and unlike about 95% of the other destinations Cathay flies to, it’s actually possible to use your Asia Miles to get to Kolkata.

When you arrive at Kolkata Airport, you will need your bag receipt to get out of the airport with your bags, so when given it at check in, don’t throw it away or you’ll be up crap creek.

Calcutta Walks has great reviews and I recommend them.  If you want to explore by yourself, check out Toucan’s Kolkata Map but if you want to know the best way to get from A to B, and find out more about the city, give them a try.  In a city like this, you need some help getting around.