Digboi – The Oil Heritage Town of Assam

Digboi is one of those places where history doesn’t sit locked inside a museum—it breathes through the roads, the old bungalows, the quiet golf courses, and the still-functioning refinery that once transformed Asia’s economic landscape. Located in Assam’s Tinsukia district, this charming colonial-era town is famously known as the “Oil City of Assam”, home to Asia’s first oil well and the world’s oldest continuously operating oil refinery, commissioned in 1901. For travellers interested in heritage, industry, and slow travel through peaceful tea country, Digboi is a fascinating stop.

Getting There

If you are arriving by air, the nearest airport is Dibrugarh (65 km) away. From there, it’s a gentle drive through tea gardens and small Assamese towns before the colonial gates of Digboi welcome you.
Tinsukia, the nearest major railway hub, is just 34 km from Digboi and is well connected to major Indian cities.

The Vibe of Digboi

Digboi still carries an unmistakable British imprint—wide roads, clubhouses, golf greens and vintage bungalows wrapped in gardens full of orchids and ferns. Life here moves slowly, and the culture is fondly old-world: golfing on weekends, visiting the local club for a drink, swimming sessions in the warm months, and occasional tennis matches between old friends.

Assamese, Hindi, Bengali and English are widely spoken. Festivals like Lakhipuja, Kalipuja, Durga Puja, Diwali and Holi are celebrated with much community warmth. The surrounding tea gardens and farms support the local economy, and Digboi continues to be one of Assam’s key centres for both tea and oil production.

Most of all, Digboi is a living textbook on India’s early industrial story—the birthplace of the Indian oil industry.

What to See in and Around Digboi

1. Namdapha National Park (100 km)

One of India’s most biodiverse wildernesses, Namdapha in Arunachal Pradesh, is a dream for nature lovers. Towering evergreen forests, fast-flowing rivers and rugged peaks create the perfect habitat for clouded leopards, red pandas, Himalayan black bears and hundreds of rare bird species. It’s a paradise for trekkers, researchers and wildlife photographers.

2. Dibru–Saikhowa National Park (60 km)

Spread over 340 sq. km, Dibru–Saikhowa is among the last strongholds of the white-winged wood duck, one of the world’s rarest birds. The semi-wild (feral) horses roaming freely on the grasslands are another highlight. The park also shelters the leopard, clouded leopard, capped langur, slow loris, Asiatic buffalo, Indian wild dog, Gangetic dolphins, and nearly 250 species of migratory and local birds.
Boat safaris, island picnics and birding trails make this a memorable day trip from Digboi.

3. National Oil Park – Digboi Oil Field

If Digboi is a living museum, this is its main exhibit. The Digboi oil field is an unusual combination of oil museum + heritage site + wildlife sanctuary. The museum offers an excellent look at the early days of drilling, the evolution of oil exploration technology, and the pioneers who worked here under the dense forests of Upper Assam in the late 1800s.
It’s an educational and surprisingly scenic experience, perfect for families, students and history enthusiasts.

4. Margherita (14 km)

Margherita is a bustling hub of tea gardens, coal mines and plywood industries. The drive from Digboi to Margherita is lined with lush green estates, small markets and peaceful villages. The town also holds remnants of British-era coal mining and has some excellent local eateries serving Assamese and Nepali dishes.

5. Digboi Golf Course

One of Upper Assam’s finest 18-hole golf courses, this colonial-era green is a favourite among golfers and leisure travellers. The calm surroundings, framed by tea gardens and chirping birds, make it a photogenic and soothing stop—even if you don’t play golf.
Between Dibrugarh and Doom Dooma, you’ll also find eight more 9-hole courses, most located inside private tea estates.

Why Visit Digboi?

Digboi may not be a conventional tourist destination, but that’s exactly its charm. This is where you come to slow down, explore the roots of India’s oil history, sip tea in garden bungalows, take nature drives through wildlife-rich forests, and enjoy a slice of old colonial Assam. For heritage travellers, wildlife lovers and those curious about India’s industrial past, Digboi feels like a rare, quiet, immersive escape.