The antiquity of Sikkim though shrouded in mystery, dates back to the 8th century AD. Legend has it that the Master of esoteric Buddhism Guru Padmasambhava along with his retinue of 25 disciples visited Dhagkar Tashiding in the western district of Sikkim and consecrated four hidden caves in the four cardinal directions located at equidistance from Tashiding which came to be known as the centre of Pilgrimage – Neki Tewa.

Etymologically, Sikkim is a derivation from the Limbu word Sukhim, meaning land of prosperity. Another interpretation as Suhim meaning the bride’s new house owes to the Limbu queen of the first king of the land Phuntshog Namgyal. The first migratory settlers were however the Tibetans who had discovered the land situated at the southern tip of their country as early as the 5th century AD, preferred to call it Beyul Demojong or the Hidden Land of Rice. The Tibetan migrants who settled in the land were known as Lhopa or the settlers of the Southern region. They mingled with the local autochthones the Lepchas, and over the decades and centuries developed their own peculiar and unique culture and a dialect known as Lho Kye a derivative of the Tibetan language.
Towards the 19th century, immigrants from Nepal came to Sikkim and occupied large tracts of land for cultivation. These industrious and sincere people further enriched the socio-cultural fabric of Sikkim by dint of their religious beliefs and practices based on Hindu doctrines, large-scale agriculture and introduction of the first mint in the land. At a later stage, people from the central plains of India comprising mainly of Marwaries and Biharis migrated and settled down in the land allured by trade opportunities. The natives and the earlier settlers called them Madhesia or people from the Madhya Desha.
Today, Sikkim is a veritable cauldron of diverse cultures of the Nepalese (which include the Brahmin, Chettri, Newar, Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Limbu, Damai, Kami), Bhutias, Lepchas, Marwaris, Biharis and a small percentage of Bengalese, Punjabis, Parsis, and South Indians.
Progressive increase in the number of foreign and domestic tourists evidenced in the past two decades is testimony to the priority that the tourism sector is being accorded and the spurt of activities on the part of the state government to develop tourism as the most viable revenue generating industry in the state.
In terms of infrastructure, Sikkim has well maintained highways and district roads that connect almost every locality and village in all the four districts of the state. The road journey from Bagdogra or Siliguri to Gangtok that would otherwise take almost five hours way back in the 1990s can now be made in half that time. Sikkim also has seven helipads with regular helicopter flights to Bagdogra. An airport is being planned in Pakyong town in the vicinity of Gangtok, which will open up further vistas of tourism in Sikkim.
Sikkim has some of the most beautiful and enchanting spots in the world and the natural milieu has been left undisturbed in its pristine state to enrapture visitors and give them the ultimate bliss of solitude and divine splendor. The past few years have witnessed a spate of activities to enhance eco-tourism in the state. Tourist resorts, parks, monuments and landmark edifices have been added to the Sikkimese landscape. A ropeway across the chasm separating Deorali town and the government secretariat, a mammoth statue of Guru Padmasambhava standing at a height of 160 feet, a replica of the Chaar Dhaam – the pilgrimage centers dear to devout Hindus, besides innumerable malls, stately buildings and the like, are landmark achievements directed towards offering the best facilities and hospitality to visitors. There are hotels and lodges and homestays to suit all budgets  all around Sikkim. 
Owing to the tranquil environment that pervades the land, many corporate houses and various organizations in India have been targeting Sikkim for their conferences, seminars, symposia, meetings, and such other programs. All these developments speak for the consistent growth in the tourism sector in the state of Sikkim.
Although there are places in the extreme northern fringes of the State where entry is prohibited to foreigners for security reasons, special permission can be obtained from the Government of India for entry into the area beyond the Tschopta Valley in the vicinity of Muguthang. The State Government provides permission for entry to the other prohibited places in the Northern district of the State.