OUR ADVENTURE OF NORTHEAST NOW COMES TO ANOTHER EXOTIC PLACE, MEGHALAYA. THE ABODE OF CLOUDS MEGHALAYA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS VALLEYS, HILLS, AND BEAUTIFUL CLOUDS ALL AROUND. THE COOL AND PLEASANT ATMOSPHERE IN MEGHALAYA IS DIFFICULT TO FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

MEGHALAYA IS BLESSED WITH BEAUTIFUL HILL STATIONS AND ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES FILLED WITH ALLURING LAKES AND HILLS AROUND IT. THE BEAUTY OF SHILLONG IS SUCH THAT IT KNOWN AS SCOTLAND OF THE EAST. THE BRITISH INFLUENCE HERE REMAINS EVIDENT THAT HOW TEMPTING THIS PLACE WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN TO THE BRITISHERS.

WHILE SHILLONG IS ALREADY FAMOUS IN ALL INDIA FOR ITS ASTONISHING BEAUTY BUT WE WANTED TO DO MORE THAN SHILLONG. THE WETTEST PLACE ON EARTH CHERRAPUNJI AND ALSO THE FORMER TITLE HOLDER MAWSYNRAM WILL ALSO BE EXPLORED.

HOW TO REACH MEGHALAYA?

THOUGH DIRECT TRAINS AND FLIGHTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR MEGHALAYA BUT VIA ROAD MEGHALAYA IS VERY WELL CONNECTED. TO REACH MEGHALAYA:

BY TRAIN

THE NEAREST RAILWAY STATION IS GUWAHATI WHICH IS IN ASSAM. GUWAHATI STATION IS 180 KM FROM MEGHALAYA. THIS RAILWAY STATION IS VERY WELL CONNECTED TO BIG CITIES LIKE DELHI, KOLKATA, BANGLORE ETC. FROM HERE YOU TAKE BUS OR TAXI TO REACH MEGHALAYA

BY AIR

LOKPRIYA GOPINATH BORDOLOI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, GUWAHATI IS THE NEAREST MAJOR AIRPORT NEAR MEGHALAYA. THE AIRPORT IS 160 KM FROM MEGHALAYA AND IS VERY WELL CONNECTED TO MAJOR INDIAN CITIES AND INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION ALSO. FROM HERE YOU TAKE BUS OR TAXI TO REACH MEGHALAYA.

BY ROAD

MEGHALAYA IS VERY WELL CONNECTED VIA ROAD TO ALL MAJOR CITIES. THE ROADS HERE ARE IN GOOD CONDITIONS AND RECIEVES MODERATE TRAFFIC. YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE NH 40 TO REACH SHILLONG BY GUWAHATI.

TOP TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT IN MEGHALAYA

FROM VALLEY PARADISE SHILLONG TO ASIA’S CLEANEST VILLAGE MAWLYNNONG MEGHALAYA HAS MANY BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO VISIT. THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF MEGHALAYA ARE PRETTY EVIDENT IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIFE. WHILE THERE ARE MANY PLACES TO VISIT IN THIS BEAUTIFUL STATE BUT WE HAVE MADE THIS LIST SHORT AS FOR A WEEK OR 2 WEEK HOLIDAY PURPOSE.

SHILLONG

WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL CITY OF MEGHALAYA SHILLONG. FILLED WITH MOUNTAIN PEAKS, WATERFALLS AND MANY BEAUTIFUL LAKES SHILLONG IS SUCH A BEAUTY. THE NAME SHILLONG HAS DERIVED FROM LEI SHYLLONG AN IDOL WORSHIPPED AT SHILLONG PEAK.

THE PLEASANT BLOWING WIND, BEAUTIFUL WEATHER MAKES SHILLONG VERY ALLURING. SHILLONG IS PACKED WITH ALL FEATURES OF A HILL STATION. WITH THAT THE LIGHT DRIZZLE IN DAY REFRESHES YOU AND MOUNTAIN PEAKS EXCITES YOU. WITH ALL THESE FEATURES SHILLONG IS KNOWN AS “SCOTLAND OF EAST”.

PLACES TO VISIT IN SHILLONG

SHILLONG PEAK

THE HIGHEST PEAK IN SHILLONG IS SHILLONG PEAK. AT A HEIGHT OF 6449 M THIS PEAK OFFERS YOU JAW-DROPPING VIEW OF WHOLE SHILLONG. FROM UP ABOVE YOU COULD SEE THE WHOLE CITY AS TELESCOPE IS AVAILABLE FOR TOURISTS. AS AIRFORCE BASE FEATURES A RADAR STATION THERE SO FOR SECURITY REASON CAMERAS ARE NOT ALLOWED THERE.

THE BIRDS EYE VIEW FROM TOP IS A MESMERIZING EXPERIENCE. TREKKING UP TO THIS PEAK IS VERY EASY AND BEAUTIFUL LITTLE ADVENTURE. AS SHILLONG REMAINS COLD LOT OF TIMES SO YOU COULD SEE CITY COVERED IN FOG WHICH LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
NOTE: DO CARRY A VALID ID PROOF FOR CHECKING.

ELEPHANT FALLS

THE NEXT NEAREST DESTINATION IN SHILLONG ARE BEAUTIFUL ELEPHANT FALLS. NAMED AFTER ELEPHANT LIKE STONE AT FOOT, THESE FALLS ARE MESMERIZING. EARLIER THESE FALLS WERE KNOWN AS ‘KA KSHAID LAI PATENG KHOSHSIEW’ BY LOCALS. THEN OFCOURSE BRITISHERS CAME IN CHANGED ITS NAME TO WHAT IT IS NOW.

THESE FALLS ARE JUST A FEW KILOMETERS AWAY FROM CITY. OFFERING YOU SPELLBOUNDING VIEW THESE FALLS FLOW LIKE A MILK ON THESE DARK ROCKS. THERE ARE 3 LAYERS OF FALLS ACCESSIBLE FROM DIFFERENT POINTS. THE FALLS ARE VERY POPULAR IN SHILLONG AND THE WHOLE NORTHEAST.

UMIAM LAKE

STILL IN SHILLONG. THERE IS LOT TO EXPLORE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY. OUR NEXT PLACE IS UMIAM LAKE. THIS MAN MADE LAKE IS THE ONLY 15KM FROM SHILLONG. UMIAM LAKE IS VERY ALLURING AS WHILE YOU ARE BOATING ON THE LAKE YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY KHASI HILLS ALL AROUND. NOT ONLY THE VIEW IS SPECTACULAR BUT OVERALL IT IS A PLEASANT ADVENTURE.

THIS LAKE FORMED WHEN A DAM WAS CREATED TO GENERATE HYDROELECTRIC POWER. THIS IDEA OF CONVERTING INTO LAKE TURNED SUCCESSFUL. AS MANY TOURISTS VISIT THIS LAKE AND INDULGE INTO BOATING ACTIVITIES.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THIS LAKE IS BETWEEN MARCH TO JUNE AS AT THAT TIME WEATHER IS VERY PLEASANT. BOATING CHARGES HERE VERY CHEAPING STARTING FROM JUST 10 RUPEES. OTHER THAN BOATING WATER SKIING AND YACHTING CAN ALSO BE DONE HERE.

DAVID SCOTT TRAIL

HOW COULD IXPLORE FORGET ABOUT TREKKERS. SO WE HAVE GOT YOU A POPULAR TREK FROM SHILLONG. NAMED AFTER DAVID SCOTT, A BRITISH OFFICER THIS TRAIL IS AN OLD ROUTE IN MEGHALAYA.
A PERFECT SHORT TREK COMPRISING OF MOUNTAINS, WATERS, MEADOWS, AND BRIDGES DAVID SCOTT IS A MUST FOR TREK ENTHUSIAST.

THE TREK IN 16 KM LONG WHICH STARTS FROM MAWPHLANG TO LAD MAWPHLANG. TAKE THE ROUTE FROM MAWPHLANG AND VIEW THE MESMERIZING VALLEY. WITH VALLEYS LOT OF VILLAGES ARE ALSO CONNECTED SO MAKE SURE TO VISIT THEM TOO.
ONE SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHILE DOING THIS TREK AS IT IS NOT WELL MARKED. BUT GOING THROUGH THIS BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURE IS ENTHRALING AND PLEASANT SAME TIME.

CHERRAPUNJI

WHEN YOU VISIT MEGHALAYA CHERRAPUNJI SHOULD BE ON YOUR LIST. THE FORMER TITLE HOLDER OF EARTH’S WETTEST PLACE IS ALSO A BEAUTIFUL WONDERLAND.
WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL VALLEYS, WATERFALLS AND PLEASANT CLIMATE CHERRAPUNJI SHOULD BE VISITED.

PLACES TO VISIT IN CHERRAPUNJI

DOUBLE DECKER ROOT BRIDGE

THE FAMOUS DOUBLE DECKER LIVING ROOT BRIDGES PRETTY FAMOUS IN INDIA. SINCE ITS EPISODE AIRED ON HISTORY TV18 WE ALL WANTED TO SEE IT. THIS LIVING DOUBLE DECKER ROOT BRIDGE IS AN EVIDENT PROOFOFHUMAN CRAFTMANSHIP AND VISION.

THIS BRIDGE IS AT A HEIGHT OF 2400 FT AND IS 3 KM LONG. THE BRIDGE IS MADE FROM INDIAN RUBBER TREES WHICH ARE AROUND. SINCE FROM VERY BEGINNING, THESE TREES WERE MODELLED SUCH THAT THEY WOULD FORM IN A MAN-MADE BRIDGE.

THE LOCAL KHASI TRIBE IS KNOWN TO BE THE CREATORS OF THESE BRIDGES. THIS TRADITION OF MAKING BRIDGES BY TREES IS CENTURIES OLD IN THEIR CULTURE. IT IS SAID THAT A NATURAL BRIDGE CAN BE OVER 200 YEARS OLD.

DAWKI RIVER

THIS IS A RIVER WHICH FLOWS BETWEEN INDIA AND BANGLADESH. THIS SMALL RIVER IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND SURROUNDED WITH DENSE FOREST AROUND. THIS PLACE IS PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO SEARCH PEACE AND CALMNESS. THE SPECIAL THIN ABOUT THIS RIVER IS THE BIRDS FLYING OVER YOU WHILE YOU ROAM AROUND. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE OF BEING THERE IS INTENSELY SATISFYING.

THE SMALL TOWN NEAR JAINTIA HILLS DWAKI IS ALSO PICTURESQUE. THIS SMALL TOWN IS A MAJOR HUB OF TRADE BETWEEN THESE TWO NATIONS. THIS RIVER HAS GOT ITS NAME FROM THIS TOWN ONLY. A SMALL DAY TRIP IN THE TOWN AND THEN GOING TO THIS RIVER WILL SURELY MAKE YOU DAY.

NOHKALIKAI WATERFALLS

MEGHALAYA NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE YOU. FROM BRIDGES TO WATERFALLS THIS PLACE HAS EVERYTHING. NEXT ON OUR LIST IS INDIA’S FOURTH HIGHEST WATERFALLS. THE NOHKALIKAI FALLS HAVE A STAGGERING HEIGHT OF 335M WHICH STUNS YOU WITH ITS BEAUTY.

BEST TIME TO EXPLORE THIS BEAUTY IS FROM OCTOBER TO MAY AS THE WEATHER SEEMS TO BE CLEAR AND DECENT THOSE DAYS. WHILE ALL YEAR LONG YOU CAN EXPECT RAIN HERE BUT THESE MONTHS ARE HAVE CLEAR WEATHER. YOU WOULD SEE BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS COVERED AROUND MYSTICAL CLOUD COVERS WHICH SEEMS MAGICAL. THESE MYSTICAL WATERFALLS ARE PRIDE OF NORTHEAST AND IS BETWEEN KHASI HILLS AND EVERGREEN RAIN FOREST.

MAWLYNNONG

ASIA’S CLEANEST VILLAGE MAWLYNNONG HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR LIST. THIS VILLAGE HAS IS FILLED WITH NATURAL BEAUTY ALL AROUND. THE STATUS OF ASIA’S CLEANEST VILLAGE WAS GIVEN IN 2003. YOU WILL FIND BAMBOO BINS IN EVERY CORNER, LOCALS CLEANING ALL AROUND. THIS PLACE HAS THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS SOCIETY WHICH IS NEEDED IN THIS MODERN ERA. WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS BLOOMING ALL AROUND AND NATURAL WATERFALLS THIS PLACE IS ALSO KNWON AS GOD’S OWN GARDEN.

THE LOCALS HERE ARE VERY WELCOMING AND GENEROUS PEOPLE. THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE IS VERY ALLURING. NATURAL BRIDGES, GARDENS, SCENIC LANDSCAPES MAKES THIS PLACE VERY BEAUTIFUL. NOT ONLY PEOPLE ARE PROGRESSIVE BUT ALSO THIS VILLAGE BOASTS A LITERACY RATE OF 100%.

MAWSYNRAM

THIS SMALL BEAUTIFUL PLACE LIES IN THE EAST KHASI HILLS DISTRICT OF MEGHALAYA. ACCLAIMED FOR BEING THE WETTEST PLACE ON THE EARTH MAYSYNRAM IS DELIGHT FOR RAIN LOVERS. NOT ONLY THIS PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL FOR THEM BUT ROMANTIC COUPLES LOVE THESE PLACES A LOT. THE UNIQUE CULTURE HERER IN EAST KHASI HILLS IS ALSO PRETTY FASCINATING.

PLACES TO VISIT MAWSYNRAM

MAWSMAI CAVE

MAWSMAI CAVE IS LOCATED VERY NEAR TO CHERRAPUNJI AND MAWSYNRAM. THIS MYSTERIOUS CAVE IS VERY POPULAR HERE. THIS CAVE HAS ALSO STARTED CREATING BUZZ AROUND NEARBY STATE TOURISTS. THE BEAUTY IS IN LIGHTS WHICH MEETS THE STONE A CREATES ALLURING PATTERN ALL AROUND. THESE GLITTERING LIGHTS SEEMS MAGICAL AND MYSTERIOUS TO MANY.

AROUND THE CAVE YOU COULD SEE LOT OF VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE. THE CAVE IS SHORT IN LENGHT BUT THE EXPERIENCE THERE IS MYSTICAL.

LUM SYMPER

ON THE WAY TO MAWSYNRAM YOU CAN VISIT LUM SYMPER PEAK. THIS PEAK IS IN THE EAST KHASI HILLS OF MEGHALAYA. THERE ARE VISIBLE DENTED SLOPES DUE TO MUD SLINGING. ACCORDING TO THE LOCLA FOLKS ONCE HERE MUD SLINGING EXSITED BETWEEN LUM SYMPER PEAK AND KYLLANG ROCK.

THIS PLACE IS FOR PERFECT FOR SHORT TREKS AND IT VERY SCENIC FROM THE TOP. IF YOU ARE VISITING MAWSYNRAM YOU MUST ALSO GO TO LUM SYMPER PEAK.

MAWSMAI FALLS

VERY CLOSE TO MAWSYNRAM IS LOCATED THESE BEAUTIFUL FALLS. THE MAWSMAI FALLS ARE SPLENDID WATERFALLS COMING FROM HILLS. IT IS IN THE LIST OF TOP 5 WATERFALLS IN INDIA. THE STAGGERING HEIGHT OF 315 KM WILL STUN YOU. THIS FALL IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SEVEN SISTERS WATERFALLS.
THIS FALLS LOOKS PARTICULARLY ALLURING AT THE TIME OF SUNSET WHEN IT RADIATES VIBRANT COLORS ALL AROUND.

MEGHALAYA CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

THE ORIGINAL TRIBES IN MEGHALAYA ARE OF KHASI AND GARO. THESE TRIBES ARE OF TIBETO-BURMAN AND MON-KHMER ORIGIN. THERE ARE MANY LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE. WHILE PNAR-SYNTENG, NEPALI, BENGALI, ASSAMESE, HINDI, AND HAIJONG REMAINS MOST SPOKEN AMONG MANY.

ETHNICITY

KHASIS, JAINTIAS, AND GAROS ARE THE ORIGINAL ETHNICITY OF PEOPLE HERE. KHASIS AND JAINTIAS BELONG TO MONGOLIAN RACE AND GAROS BELONG TO TIBETO-BURMAN RACE. THE ETHNICITY AND CULTURE OF PEOPLE OF MEGHALAYA IS UNIQUE. ON UNIQUE TRADITION WHICH IS FOLLOWED HERE IS AFTER MARRIAGE THE GROOM GOES INTO FEMALE’S FAMILY.

CULTURE

THE CULTURE OF MEGHALAYA IS VERY INFLUENCED BY TRIBAL PEOPLE. WHILE MANY CITIES IN MEGHALAYA DO HAVE MODERN OUTLOOK BUT MANY PLACES STILL HAVE STRONG ESSENCE OF THEIR CULTURE. DANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT FEATURES IN KHASI TRIBE. THE FESTIVALS ARE CELEBRATED WITH JOY ALL AROUND. THE LOCAL FESTIVALS LIKE KA BAM KAHAN SHNONG, KA-SHAD SHYNGWIANG AND MANY OTHER REMAIN IMPORTANT HERE.

ONE FEATURE WHICH I LIKE AND APPRECIATE A LOT IS THEIR LOVE FOR NATURE. THE PEOPLE HERE LOVE THEIR NATURE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON’T HURT THEIR MOTHER.
THE ENVIRONMENT IS VERY WELL PRESERVED HERE IN MEGHALAYA AND PEOPLE BELIEVE IN CLEAN SURROUNDINGS.

MEGHALAYA FOOD

THE CUISINE HERE IS VERY INFLUENCED BY THE SURROUNDING. THE FOOD HERE INCLUDES RICE, FISH, AND MEAT A LOT. DUE TO STRONG PRESENCE TRIBAL NATURE HERE MEGHALAYA SEEMS TO BE A HEAVEN FOR NON-VEGETARIANS.
THE PLANT FOOD INCLUDES BAMBOO’S MAIZE, MILLTES. PEOPLE BELIEVE IN HARD WORK AND THEY EAT FROM THEIR FARMS. LOCAL CURRIES ARE ALSO VERY TASTY AND FISH CHUTNEY IS EXCELLENT IN TASTE.

SOME FOOD WHICH YOU MUST TRY ARE:

• PUMALOI
• JODOH
• NAKHAM BITCHI
• MOMO
• BAMBOO SHOOTS

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN TRAVELLING MEGHALAYA

• KEEP IN MIND THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS. MEGHALAYA BEING A HILLY STATE THE TRANSPORT FACILITY ARE NOT AS LIKE IN CITIES. TRY TO TRAVEL IN EARLY MORNING AND REACH DESTINATION IN NOON ONLY. SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY AND BECAUSE DURING EVENING TIMES IT WILL BE HARD TO FIND VEHICLES.
• THE MARKET CLOSES EARLY AROUND 7 OR 8 PM SO IF YOU ARE EATING OUT SO TAKE CARE OF THAT. EAT LOCAL CUISINE WHICH IS VERY TASTY.
• WHILE THERE ARE LOT OF HOTELS IN MEGHALAYA BUT I COULD EASILY FIND HOME STAY OPTION TOO. THE HOMESTAY OPTION IS VERY CHEAP AND VIABLE. NOT ONLY YOU SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BUT ALSO MAKE NEW FRIENDS THERE.
• IF YOU WANT TO VISIT BANGLADESHI POST NEAR DAWKI DO KEEP PASSPORT WITH YOU FOR BSF CHECK.
• RESPECT THE CULTURE AND TRADITION OF MEGHALAYA
• PLEASE MAKE SURE WHILE TRAVELLING YOU ARE NOT THROWING YOUR RUBBISH AROUND.

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