Since I live close to Darjeeling I have visited it many times over the years. It is a charming place for sure but it has it’s share of problems too. Let’s talk about the good aspects first. Darjeeling has an appreciable amount of natural beauty. It is located at a very high altitude and has the unmistakable scent of clean, pure mountain air. The tea plantations in and around Darjeeling also contribute to it’s allure. Many tourists have fallen in love with this place for the very same reasons. One of the most famous spots in Darjeeling, the Chowrasta, is an entertaining placed with many shops and restaurants and is a tourist favorite. Now lets talk about the negative points. First and foremost is the unbelievable scarcity of water. Someone who’s used to what can be considered a normal amount of water supply will be appalled at the the lack of it in Darjeeling. Hotels make it a point to request guests not to use water unnecessarily. The second glaring problem is the lack of space inside the town. In fact the roads are so narrow that a Toyota Innova can’t pass through corners without stropping and backing up. There is of course no way to increase the size of the roads. The third problem is the Gorkha insurgence. Violence may break out at any time in Darjeeling so no one is completely safe. People are taking a moderate amount of risk just by visiting this place. It is for these reasons that I cannot honestly recommend Darjeeling as a vacation haven for outsiders, especially since Sikkim that is just a few hours away and that has none of these problems makes for a better holiday destination.