Bihar is a major tourist destination for almost all major religions in India. However, not many people are aware of the various tourist wonders that exist in Bihar. Did you know that Bihar is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world, with over 3,000 years of history in the state?
Before we get into the tourist destinations of this beautiful state, let’s quickly learn about the travel details on how you can get to Bihar.
By Air: As an entire state, you can get to Bihar by flight very easily. There are two major international airports in Bihar that you can get from any place in India and most places in the world. Based on where you would like to visit, you can get easy transportation to your destination from outside the airports in Bihar. You can easily get cabs to your destination. State-run and private buses are also available that can help you reach your destination.
By Road: You can get to Bihar by bus from various cities like Delhi, Kolkata, and other cities of Uttar Pradesh. You can easily reach Bihar from any part of India as Bihar is well-connected through a network of state and national highways. Autos, buses, and cabs are popular modes of transport. You can use these transportations to get around the city and enjoy your trip.
By Train: Bihar is well-connected through the train as you can get a train from anywhere in India and get to Bihar. Some of the major railway stations in Bihar are Bhagalpur, Patna, and Gaya. You can also find local trains to get to any nook and corner of the state. From the railway stations, you can get easy local commutes such as cabs, autos, and buses to reach your destination.
Top 10 places to visit in Bihar that will blow your mind
To help you learn more and possibly encourage you to plan your next trip to Bihar, here are the best tourist places in Bihar that you must visit on your next trip.
Bodh Gaya
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Bodh Gaya, located in the district of Gaya in Bihar, is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimages in the world. Under a Bodhi tree in these temple premises, Gautam Buddha was said to have attained enlightenment. In the exact spot where Buddha attained Moksha, the Maha Bodhi temple stands today.
Apart from the temple, a direct descendent of the actual tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment is also present in the temple premises today. There is also a sacred lotus pond along with six other sacred sites of great eminence and reverence to Buddhism. Bodh Gaya is the top must-visit tourist place of Bihar. With a history of thousands of years, you are sure to be mesmerised and awestruck by the peace, serenity, and beauty of Bodh Gaya.
The tourist destination of Bodh Gaya has a nearby airport, train station, and well-connected public transport system from other parts of the state. However, if you are travelling from Patna, you have to cover a distance of over 100 km to reach Bodh Gaya, which you would have to complete on buses or cabs.
Nalanda Mahavihara
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Nalanda Mahavihara was the first residential university in the world. It was a Buddhist monastic university that was one of the most important learning centres in the world at its time. Built and operated during the Gupta empire of India, this university helped propel the patronage of arts and academics in India at that time.
Some of the most learned people in the world acted as faculty for this university, where various philosophies of Buddhism were primarily taught. Today, you can visit the historical remains of this university and wonder in pride at the extent of your country’s heritage. The ruins of the Nalanda university are located at a distance of around 80 km from Patna, the capital of Bihar. You can easily get to this tourist destination with cabs and buses, both public and private.
Valmiki National Park
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The Valmiki National Park is one of the most underrated tiger reserves in the country. It is estimated that there are 40 tigers living in this national park, and it is one of the best places for you to see tigers in the wild. This national park is located at the border of India and Nepal in the West Champaran district of Bihar. It is an excellent place for you to go for adventurous safari tours.
Valmiki National Park is located at a distance of over 280 km from Patna. You have to take a considerable journey to reach this park from Patna. Even though there are airports and train stations closer to this park than Patna, you would still need public transport such as cabs or buses to reach your destination.
Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM
Entry Fees: Rs 350 for foreigners
Jeep charges:
- Indians: Rs 200
- Foreigners: Rs 1300
Lauriya Nandangarh
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Lauriya Nandangarh is one of the premier tourist places in Bihar. The Ashokan pillar you can see in this spot was erected thousands of years ago and still stands tall. The national emblem of India was inspired by the Ashokan pillars that stand in various parts of the country. Apart from the Ashokan pillar, this location was also a site for major excavations by the Archeological Survey of India, which found various other sites of historical relevance close to the Ashokan pillars.
The Ashokan pillars at Lauriya Nandangarh are located even further than the Valmiki tiger reserve from Patna at a staggering distance of over 225 km. The best way to get to this tourist destination is to get a train to the closest station from Patna and then use cabs or buses to reach the Ashokan pillars.
Vaishali
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Vaishali is a district in the state of Bihar that has profound religious reverence for three religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The district is known to be the birthplace of Jain preacher Mahavira. It is also said to be the first democratic republic in the world. Vaishali is also home to a Buddhist stupa, which is known as the place where the Buddha served his last sermon and announced that he was going to attain Nirvana at Vaishali.
It was alleged that the living remains of Buddha were buried underneath the stupa at Vaishali, but this fact is heavily debated. Vaishali is located at a distance of only 33 km from Patna, which makes it very easy to visit this tourist spot from Patna and get back within a day. You can cover the distance using public transport such as cabs or buses, both private and public.
Navlakha Palace
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The Navlakha Palace of Bihar, located in the Madhubani district, is one of the most popular heritage buildings in the state. This palace was built by Maharaja Rameshwar Singh and, in its prime, was one of the most beautiful palaces in the country. It featured a well-paved garden and many other beautiful ornamentations that made it popular throughout the country.
This palace is also known as Rajnagar and features many artistic comparisons to the Taj Mahal in the Kali temple housed inside the palace. The temple, too, is built using white marble and ivory. There are many surprising forts and historical anecdotes to be seen in this palace, so make sure you visit it on your next Bihar trip.
The Navlakha fort is located at a distance of around 183 km from Patna. You can try and hop on a local train and navigate yourself to the closest station to the palace and then use cabs or buses to reach the palace finally. This process will help you save time when travelling.
Timings: 9 am to 7 pm
Mundeshwari Temple
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The Mundeshwari Temple is one of the oldest functioning temples in India and the world. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Durga and Lord Shiva and is believed to be from the age of the Gupta empire of India. The architecture of this temple is spectacular, and the fact that it has survived for thousands of years and still continues to be functional to this day is nothing short of a spectacle.
There is a lot you can learn about the history of Hinduism in India when you visit this temple, so make sure you do it on your next trip. The shortest distance between Patna and the Mundeshwari temple is 214 km by road. You can get on a train to make your journey easier and reach faster. Once you reach the closest station to the Mundeshwari temple, you can cover the remaining distance using cabs or buses.
Bhagalpur
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Bhagalpur is the third-largest city in Bihar that is well-known for the various shrines and tombs placed in the city. Religious sites of reverence for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists can be found in this city. Today Bhagalpur is known as the silk city and is also a major educational and financial hub for Bihar. The Digambar Jain Temple in this city is one of the most important Jain temples in the state and is visited by thousands of followers every year.
This city is located on the banks of River Ganga and has a history dating back hundreds of years. Bhagalpur is located over 250 km away from Patna. You can get a train from Patna to Bhagalpur to easily reach the city. This process will help you reach the fastest. If you want, you can travel by road as well, by getting on a state-run bus or a private cab to get to Bhagalpur from Patna.
Patna
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Patna is the capital of Bihar and also one of the oldest cities in the world. The history of Patna dates back thousands of years, and there are exceptional historical monuments spread across the city. You can spend most part of your trip just exploring Patna and the various wonders it holds. Even though Patna is the capital, it is still a city with an average cost of living, which makes it the perfect place for you to stay on your trip to Bihar.
Being the capital of Bihar, Patna is often the location from where the journeys start when you are on a trip to Bihar. Patna is located on the southeastern side of Bihar. This city is well-connected to the rest of the state, and whether it is to get anywhere by train or by road, you have the best chance of finding transportation from Patna to reach other parts of Bihar.
Madhubani
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Madhubani is another ancient city in Bihar that has an illustrious history of art and culture that spans thousands of years. The city of Madhubani has even been mentioned in the great epic Ramayana. The world-famous style of painting known as Madhubani paintings originates from this city, which makes it an important place for art lovers.
If you want to take back something that you can showcase from your trip to Bihar, you must visit Madhubani and get yourself souvenirs from this city. The city of Madhubani is located over 170 km away from Patna; this city is easily accessible by train from Patna. You can easily get on a train from Patna and reach Madhubani in around 5 hours of travel time. The remainder of the journey, if required, can be completed using local transportation such as autos, cabs, or buses.
FAQs
Is Bihar good for tourism?
Yes, Bihar is one of the oldest places in India, and with a history of thousands of years, there are numerous important tourist destinations spread across the state. There are important religious monuments of every major religion of India in Bihar. Bihar also has great diversity in terms of its flora and fauna. So, you just have to visit the state to fully comprehend and understand the beauty of it because there is too much of it to summarise in this answer.
What are the most famous things in Bihar?
Bihar is popular for Madhubani paintings, many important historical spots, and the rich and livid culture of the state. Bihar is also the birthplace of two major religions, Buddhism and Jainism. The state is also popular for its silk sarees that are renowned across India.
What is the ideal trip length for Bihar?
You would need around 2 weeks time to properly go around to all the important tourist places in Bihar as it is an entire state. The distance between some of the areas is huge sometimes as the state is vast, and it could take a considerable time for the transit between the various tourist places in Bihar. So, an ideal trip length to cover all the beautiful tourist places of this state would be two weeks.
