Japanese Peace Pagoda Darjeeling

Perched on a hillside 2km south of the town centre, the gleaming white, 28m-high Peace Pagoda is one of more than 70 pagodas built around the world by the Japanese Buddhist Nipponzan Myohoji organisation. During the drumming puja (prayers) sessions in the neighbouring temple, visitors are offered a hand drum and encouraged to join in the rituals. Getting here involves a pleasant walk along Gandhi and AJC Bose Rds, past the curiosity-inspiring Institute for Astroparticle Physics and Space Science.