chalet web some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shing

The town s best hotel is the Hotel Heritage (%2301839; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 478/588; a), which has well-maintained rooms, obliging staff and old-fashioned character. Nearby is the New Park (%2300725; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 687/880; a), which is a big new hotel with small but tidy rooms and hot showers.

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references chalet web such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.

chalet xl series 560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign tourists visiting

This famous chalet xl series (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyond a WWII- era metal lift-bridge, look right to see the rather beautiful Rang Ghar (Indian/foreigner 5/100; chalet xl series hdawn-dusk). From this two-storey oval-shaped pavilion , Ahom monarchs once watched buffalo and elephant fights.

560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign tourists visiting the northeast states travel as part of an organised tour, and indeed for four of the states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram), chalet xl series independent travel in the normal sense of the word is almost impossible. Instead, the only realistic way of getting permits is to enlist the services of a tour company. Once you have a permit, travelling around independently is not normally a problem, but you re unlikely to find a tour company who ll help you get permits without fi rst hiring a car and driver/guide from them, thus making real independent travel in the permit states pretty much impossible. Most tour companies are based in Guwahati and all of the following can organise permits and tours throughout the northeast. Traveller s Point (Map p554; %2604018; www.assamtourism.org; Prashaanti Tourist Lodge, Station Rd) If you re staying only within Assam then Assam Tourism s commercial chalet xl series booth runs a variety of city- and state-wide tours including day excursions to Hajo via the silk-weaving centre of Sualkuchi. Network Travels (Map p554; %2605335; www.networktravelsindia.net; GS Rd; h5am9pm) A highly experienced agency whose operations cover the whole of the northeast with tailor-made and fixed-itinerary tours. Organising permits is a speciality. Jungle Travels India (off Map p554; %2667871, 9207042330; www.jungletravelsindia.com; 3b Dirang Arcade, GNB Rd) Another experienced agency covering the entire northeast chalet xl series with tailor-made tours and fixed-date departures. It organises all the permits, but can be slightly disorganised in this regard. With two boats, it runs Brahmaputra cruises (see www.assambengalnavigation.com) chalet xl series for four to 10 nights at US$350 per person per night, and also runs the Bansbari Lodge in Manas National Park. Rhino Travels (Map p554; %2540666; www.rhinotravels.com; M Nehru (MN) Rd) This agency offers set-date tours in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It also offers two- to four-night river cruises. 4 Sleeping & Eating

1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-andon- again regal capital of Manipur until the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 saw the defeat of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. Entrance is by way of an exceedingly tall gate on Kanglapat. The interesting older buildings are at the rear of the citadel guarded by three restored large white kangla sha (dragons).

stonehame lodge CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Fo

CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Foreign stonehame lodge Exchange There s no exchange booth and Agartala banks don t sell Bangladeshi taka, so changing money is hit and miss; ask local traders or border offi cials. Onward Transport From central Agartala the border is just 3km along Akhaura Rd ( 50 by rickshaw). stonehame lodge On the Bangladesh side the nearest town is Akhaura, 5km beyond, reached by baby taxi (autorickshaw). From Akhaura trains head to Dhaka, stonehame lodge Comilla and Sylhet. Coming eastbound, be sure to pay your Bangladeshi stonehame lodge departure tax at a Sonali bank before heading for the border. Visas Unhelpful, but the northeast s only Bangladesh visa office (%2324807; Airport Rd, Kunjaban; happlication 9am-1pm Mon-Thu, 9am-noon Fri, collection same day 4pm) hides down a small lane in Agartala, about 2km north of the Ujjayanta stonehame lodge Palace.

Private bus operators are clustered on LN Bari 8 Rd; others leave from the new Interstate Bus Terminal 3km east of the centre stonehame lodge (rickshaw 50). Sumos use the Motor Stand (Motor Stand Rd) and South Bus Station (SBS; off Ronaldsay Rd). Destinations and their respective departure stations for bus and sumo trips are:

Calling the Tawang Valley a valley just doesn t do justice to its incredible scale; it s more a mighty gash in the earth ringed by immense mountains. Patchworking the sloping ridges of the lower hills is a vast sweep of fields dotted stonehame lodge with Buddhist monast eries and Monpa villages.

the aspens kicking horse oTourist Lodge (%0369-2226373; tourist.lodgemkg@yahoo.com; r 750, without bath 400; aiW), The only p

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned foyer, complimentary breakfast and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

oTourist Lodge (%0369-2226373; tourist.lodgemkg@yahoo.com; r 750, without bath 400; aiW), The only place to stay worth considering is the superb the aspens kicking horse Tourist Lodge, which has bright and clean rooms, excellent service and a decent the aspens kicking horse restaurant serving Indian and Naga dishes.

Southern Tripura s best-known sights can be combined into a long day trip from Agartala, though sleeping at Neermahal is worthwhile. Any of Agartala s hotels can arrange a taxi, or you can engage English-speaking the aspens kicking horse Partha Laskar (%09774702908; partha.laskar@rediffmail.com) for a day trip in an AC car ( 1300 plus 12 per km).

chalet charlotte was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a

Bansbari Lodge (%3612602223; www.assam bengalnavigation.com/bansbari.htm; d 2000, jungle package 7500). Jungle packages cover full board, chalet charlotte early morning elephant chalet charlotte safari, jeep safari, guide, park entry fee and village and tea garden excursions. Ask about river rafting. Contact Jungle Travels India in Guwahati (p 560 ) for bookings. chalet charlotte Access is from Barpeta Rd.

was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The delightful waterborne chalet charlotte approach by speedboat (passenger/boat 20/400) or fancy rowboat (boat 100) is the most enjoyable part of visiting.

This historic Angami-Naga village was the site of two major British Angami siege battles chalet charlotte in 1847 and 1879. Built on an easily defended ridge (very necessary chalet charlotte back in headhunting days), Khonoma looks beautifully traditional.

beckers chalet oCherrapunjee Holiday Resort HOTEL $$ (%09436115925; www.cherrapunjee.com; Laitkynsew village; d 148

Several trains serve Dimapur beckers chalet (sleeper/3AC/2AC from 166/401/531, four to six hours), Jorhat beckers chalet (sleeper/3AC 202/521, seven to 11 hours) and Dibrugarh (3AC/2AC/1AC 926/1206/1970, 11 hours). Trains to Jorhat and Dibrugarh cut through Nagaland, but you don t need a Nagaland permit as long as you stay on the train (the same rule doesn t apply for buses however).

oCherrapunjee Holiday Resort HOTEL $$ (%09436115925; beckers chalet www.cherrapunjee.com; Laitkynsew village; d 1480-1800; iW) With seven eminently comfortable rooms, this resort is run by truly delightful hosts. They off er a selection of hikes, either self-orientated (using their hand-drawn maps) or with a local guide. Built on a ridge, rooms either look down to Bangladesh or up to the escarpment. beckers chalet During peak times tent accommodation ( 600) is available beckers chalet with shared bath

sea chalet Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; a) A friendly place with an ultra quick-s

With an oversized foyer better suited as a car showroom, Hotel Arun Subansiri (%2212806; Zero Point; sea chalet s/d 1100/1320; a) has comfortably large rooms with soft beds. It s within walking distance of the decent State Museum (Indian/foreigner/camera/video 10/75/20/100; h9.30am-4pm Sun-Thu) and the brightly decorated Centre for Buddhist Culture gompa set in gardens on the hill above.

Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; a) A friendly sea chalet place with an ultra quick-service sea chalet restaurant, although it doesn t open until 10am so breakfast has to be by room service. The rooms are nothing special but you do feel a sense of belonging when staying here.

Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the best budget option in town and about the closest the northeast comes to a backpacker hangout. Rooms are atypically clean and tidy with stain-free sheets, and management is helpful. It s off Manipuribasti East (ME) Rd, in the fi rst side lane and away from road noise.

Heritage Chang Bungalow (Mancotta Rd, Mancotta; r 6600-7150; aW), 4km from town, and Chowkidinghee Chang Bungalow (Convoy Rd; r 6600-7150; aW), 700m from the bus station. At both places, choose the upper rooms that have polished hardwood fl oorboards and a wonderful heritage feel. For either of these you must book in advance. Tea-estate tours can also be organised between April and November sea chalet for guests of either bungalow.

chalet beaconsfield The best accommodation option here is Aagaam Hotel (%223640; Nehru Chowk; s/d from 400-500), which h

The best accommodation option here is Aagaam chalet beaconsfield Hotel (%223640; Nehru Chowk; s/d from 400-500), which has rooms that could almost be called plush. The attached restaurant, Pizza Coffee Day (mains 80-100, pizzas 80-150) is the best place in town to eat and yes, it really does sell pizzas of a sort. Another option is the Hotel Holiday Cottage (%222463; Hospital chalet beaconsfield Hill; r 400-600) southwest of the helipad. However, it s not a cottage and nor is it the sort of place you d really

Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous views. The Hotel Tsepal chalet beaconsfield Yangjom (%223473; www.hoteltsepalyangjom.co.in; s/d from 800/1200) in the market area is probably the town s most popular hotel. Its wood-panelled rooms have a vague Scandinavian feel and it has a generator to cope with the frequent blackouts.

CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Foreign Exchange There s no exchange booth and Agartala banks don t sell Bangladeshi taka, so changing money is hit and miss; ask local traders or border offi cials. Onward Transport From central Agartala the border is just 3km along Akhaura Rd ( 50 by rickshaw). On the Bangladesh side the nearest town is Akhaura, 5km beyond, reached by baby taxi (autorickshaw). From Akhaura trains head to Dhaka, Comilla and Sylhet. Coming eastbound, be sure to pay your Bangladeshi departure tax at a Sonali bank before heading for the border. Visas Unhelpful, but the northeast s only Bangladesh visa office (%2324807; Airport Rd, Kunjaban; happlication 9am-1pm chalet beaconsfield Mon-Thu, 9am-noon chalet beaconsfield Fri, collection same day 4pm) hides down a small lane in Agartala, about 2km north of the Ujjayanta Palace.

577 Agartala chalet beaconsfield Sights 1 Jagannath Mandir.A2 2 Tripura Government Museum.A3 3 Ujjayanta Palace. B1 Sleeping 4 Hotel Chandana. B1 5 Hotel Welcome Palace.A3 Eating 6 Abhishek Restaurant.A2 Restaurant Kurry Klub.(see 5) Transport 7 Air India. B1 8 Motor Stand.B3 Hotel Chandana HOTEL $ (%2311216; Palace Compound Lane; r 210)

ski chalet chantilly Only 40km from Guwahati, this small national park has the highest concentration of rhinoceros in the

Only 40km from Guwahati, ski chalet chantilly this small national ski chalet chantilly park has the highest concentration of rhinoceros in the world. Entrance fees are the same as Kaziranga National Park (see p 561 ). Getting into the park involves a boat ride over the river boundary to the elephant- mounting station. From there it s a one-hour trip atop an elephant lumbering through boggy grassland and stirring up petulant rhinos. ski chalet chantilly

1 Sights Ujjayanta Palace PALACE (admission 5; h5-7pm) Agartala s indisputable centrepiece is this striking, dome-capped palace. Flanked by two large refl ecting ponds, the whitewashed 1901 edifice was built by Tripura s 182nd maharaja. It looks particularly impressive floodlit at night, but for security reasons only the gardens are open to the public.

ptarmigan vail A peaceful lane winding through forested hills and tribal settlements links Ziro to Pasighat via Alo

RAFTING IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY Another newly opened route is the Pasighat to Tuting road. This route is all about two things: the River Siang and the mysterious Buddhist land of Pemako. Tuting, ptarmigan vail which sits near the Tibetan border, is the point at which the Tsang Po river having ptarmigan vail left the Tibetan plateau and burrowed through the Himalaya via a series of spectacular gorges enters the Indian subcontinent and becomes the Siang (once it reaches the plains of Assam it turns into the Brahmaputra). Tuting and the River Siang are starting to gain a reputation as one of the world s most thrilling white-water rafting destinations, but this ain t no amateurs ptarmigan vail river. The few people who have descended the river have reported that the 180km route is littered with numerous grade 4-5 rapids, strong eddies and inaccessible gorges. For those after adventure of a different kind Tuting also serves as the launch pad for searching out the legendary Buddhist land of Pemako. You will, however, need more than this guidebook and a compass in order to find it. Buddhist belief says that Pemako is a synonym for a hidden earthly paradise and that it s the earthly representation of Dorje Pagmo, a Tibetan goddess. ptarmigan vail It was said that this land of milk and honey was to be found in the eastern Himalaya and that to reach it you had to pass behind an enormous hidden waterfall. For hundreds of years outsiders knew that the Tsang Po river left Tibet and entered a huge, and utterly impenetrable, gorge before emerging from the Himalaya around Tuting, but what happened to the river inside that gorge was unknown until the 1950s. As it turned out the river did indeed tumble over an enormous waterfall and, what s more, it passed through a rich and fertile valley populated by Memba Buddhists, completely isolated from the rest of the world. Today, ptarmigan vail this vast region of northern Arunachal Pradesh and parts of south eastern Tibet remains almost utterly unknown to the outside world, but Pemako is out there and for those willing to endure days of incredibly tough hiking (and deal with reams of paperwork) it is possible to visit.

A peaceful lane winding ptarmigan vail through forested hills and tribal settlements links Ziro to Pasighat via Along. Highlights are dizzying suspension footbridges and thatched Adi villages around Along. Do be warned though that the attractions along this route are very low-key, the villagers around Along are much less welcoming to foreigners (and they don t sport the Apatanis tattoos and nose plugs) and the route, which involves three full days of travel, is very tiring. Unless you re going to be heading from Along to fabulous Mechuka ptarmigan vail or remote eastern towns and valleys such as Tuting or the Namdapha National Park then you may find this route something of a let down.

chalet xl 1920 Of the various Adi villages around Along, Kabu (2km north of Along) is the best known and most easil

Of the various Adi villages around Along, Kabu (2km north of Along) is the best known and most easily accessible. Before entering the village you must seek permission from the headman (who often demands a 500 fee). As well as admiring the spectacular longhouse architecture chalet xl 1920 that is a hallmark of all Adi villages don t miss the terrifying cable-trussed but bamboo-decked wobbly suspension bridge over the river. Fortunately for vertigo sufferers a modern metal bridge has just been completed, which makes crossing the river slightly less sickening. It remains to be seen if the old bridge chalet xl 1920 will be maintained or not. There are further interesting, and less visited, Adi villages on the road to Pasighat, but whichever village you visit be discreet with cameras as the locals aren t at all keen on them.

The ASTC bus station (cnr AT & Temple Rds) has frequent services to Jorhat ( 35 to 45, one hour), Dibrugarh ( 51 to 69, two hours), Tezpur ( 189, five hours), Guwahati ( 310 to 390, eight hours, frequent from 7am).

555 Guwahati Sights Eating 1 Assam State Museum. B2 15 Beatrix.C2 2 Courthouse. B2 16 Dhaba.D3 3 Dighulipukhuri Park. B2 17 Kurry Pot.D3 4 Guwahati Planetarium. B2 18 Paradise.D3 5 Kachari Ghat. B2 Tandoori. (see 9) 6 Umananda Mandir.B1 Drinking Activities, Courses & Tours 19 Caf Coffee 7 Network Travels. B3 Day.B2 8 Rhino Travels. A3 20 Trafik.D3 Traveller's Point. (see 13) Information Sleeping Assam Tourism.(see 13) 9 Dynasty. A3 10 Hotel Prag Continental. A2 Transport 11 Hotel Siroy Lily. B3 21 Blue Hill.B4 12 Hotel Suradevi. A3 22 Deep.B4 13 Prashaanti Tourist Lodge. B3 23 Kachari Bus 14 Sundarban Guest House. B3 Stand.B2

woodland park timber ridge Hotel Clover HOTEL $$ (%2305736; www.davids-hotel-clover.com; G-16 Chanmari; s/d from 750/1500; iW)

Eastern and central Meghalaya are mainly populated by the closely related Jaintia, Pnar and Khasi peoples, originally migrants from Southeast Asia. Western Meghalaya is home to the unrelated Garo tribe. Despite their different ethnic backgrounds, these two groups use a matrilineal system of inheritance with children taking the mother s family name. A good time to be in Meghalaya is when the four day, state-wide, Wangala woodland park timber ridge festival takes place. This Garo harvest festival is renowned for its impressive traditional dancing.

Hotel Clover HOTEL $$ (%2305736; www.davids-hotel-clover.com; woodland park timber ridge G-16 Chanmari; s/d from 750/1500; iW) Dolly, your host for the evening, woodland park timber ridge should win an award as one of India s friendliest hotel receptionists. Rooms are equally friendly and as full of character with colourful, art-adorned walls.

Kurry Pot SOUTH INDIAN woodland park timber ridge $$ (GNB Rd; mains 100-180) The specialities of this clean and peaceful restaurant are the dosas ( 40 to 80) and the list of different types is almost as long as the dosa itself. If a dosa s not for you then they dish up a range of other Indian staples. It s popular with the lunchtime work crowd.

4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms at this new hotel bang in the town centre are splashed in smart white paint, but have cold water only showers,

chalet of farmington Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason you came to Nagaland. This ru

REGISTERING ON ARRIVAL IN MANIPUR On arrival at Imphal airport all foreigners must register with the police stationed next to the luggage collection point. You must then register again with the CID at the main police chalet of farmington station. In both cases it s a fairly painless affair (assuming your papers are in order). Technically you don t need a local guide if you are just staying in Imphal, but it s highly unlikely that any tour company will help you obtain a permit without you agreeing to take one of their guides. A reliable tour company (who can also help obtain permits) to Manipur chalet of farmington is Seven Sisters Tourism Services (%2445373; sstourism@redif fmail.com; MG Ave, Imphal). NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES IMPHAL

A peaceful lane winding through forested hills and tribal settlements links Ziro to Pasighat via Along. Highlights are dizzying suspension footbridges and thatched Adi villages around Along. Do be warned though that the attractions along this route are very low-key, the villagers around Along are much less welcoming to foreigners (and they don t sport the Apatanis tattoos and nose plugs) and the route, which involves three full days of travel, is very tiring. Unless you re going to be heading from Along to fabulous Mechuka or remote eastern towns and valleys such as Tuting or the Namdapha National Park then you may find this route something of a let down.

Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason chalet of farmington you came to Nagaland. This rugged and divinely beautiful country is home to many diff erent villages composed of thatched longhouses, many of whose inhabitants are adorned with tattoos and continue to live a fairly traditional hunting and farming lifestyle.

broken bow map Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; its setting is more bea

Tripura s low-key capital, with its small- town atmosphere, feels like an India of yesteryear. The pace of life is much slower than in the towns and cities of the Indian heartlands and people are much more likely to swerve across the street to wish you a good day than to try and sell you something. The old quarter, which centres on the Ujjayanta Palace, has some impressive town gates and pretty tanks and gardens. Durga puja is celebrated with huge pandals (temporary temples built from wood and cloth).

tural and natural history ephemera. Tribal costumes, royal clothing, historical polo equipment, stuffed carnivores in action and pickled snakes compete with a two-headed calf for the attention of visitors.

Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; broken bow map its setting is more beautiful than the town itself. Nonetheless, colourful prayer wheels add interest to the central old market area. These are turned by apple-cheeked Monpa pilgrims, many of whom sport traditional black yak- wool gurdam (skullcaps that look like giant Rastafarian spiders). In the market area is M/S Cyber (per hr 30; h9am-6pm), which has internet sometimes. There s an SBI Bank with an ATM just past the market on the road to the monastery.

winter park village publix Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temp

H2O (Mancotta Rd; mains 80-120, winter park village publix beers from 80) is an upstairs bar-restaurant with elements of spaceship decor. For a break from the rigours of the Indian road you ll fi nd a branch of Caf Coffee Day on HS Rd.

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura and much of the more accessible western parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

ski chalet ski swap Food ff tame enough in high mountain areas like Tawang, where the food is reminiscent of neighbourin

Some 3km west on Mahatma Gandhi Marg is Ganga Market, landmarked by a red, triple-spired temple and nearby clock tower. The market itself is a busy clash of peoples from across the borderlands as well as piles of colourful fruit and some other decidedly ski chalet ski swap exotic food items. The good-value Hotel Blue Pine (%2211118; s 300-500, d 500-600) is here, with well-maintained rooms and a mix of common and private bathrooms. Don t mind the caged receptionist, he s quite tame and helpful.

oTourist Lodge (%0369-2226373; tourist.lodgemkg@yahoo.com; r 750, without bath 400; aiW), The only place to stay worth considering is the superb Tourist Lodge, which has bright and clean rooms, excellent service and a decent restaurant serving Indian and Naga dishes.

Food ff tame enough in high mountain areas like Tawang, where the food is reminiscent of neighbouring Tibet delicious momos and less-delicious Tibetan tea are all the rage. Head east and things become more interesting. Barbecued rat, forest antelope and something we couldn t quite identify ski chalet ski swap were on the menu in central Arunachal Pradesh. If you re going to Mizoram, don t take Rover dog meat is a delicacy there. In Nagaland, grubs, maggots, snakes, hornets and giant spiders all get taste buds excited.

silverwolf chalets This open-air museum (admission 50; h8am-6pm May-Sep, 8am-4.30pm Oct-Apr), which hosts the annual Ho

This open-air museum (admission 50; h8am-6pm May-Sep, 8am-4.30pm Oct-Apr), which hosts the annual Hornbill Festival, has a representative selection of traditional Naga houses and morungs (bachelor dormitories) with full-size log drums. Kisama is 10km from central Kohima along the well- surfaced silverwolf chalets Imphal road.

# SantiparaLakeWaterTankWaterTankHGBRdMantriBariRd MotorStand Rd Palace CompoundNorth (VIP Rd) Jagannath Bari Rd (JB Rd) Akhaura Rd BK Rd BKRd Old Thana La SakuntalaRd CRRd Central Rd LN Bari Rd 1 7 6 8 2 4 5 3 312312ABBAAgartala e To Interstate Bus Terminal (3km) To International Bus Terminal (200m) To Tripura State Tribal Museum (300m) To Ginger & Geetanjali Guest House (2km) 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles

thunder ridge cabins was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a

was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The delightful waterborne approach by speedboat (passenger/boat 20/400) or fancy rowboat (boat 100) is the most enjoyable part of visiting.

10pm) Best of several closely grouped options. Tripura Tourism (%2225930; www.tripura tourism.in; Swet Mahal, Palace Complex; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 3-5pm Sun) Helpful and enthusiastic with many great-value tours.

river run gondola 5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaura

State Museum MUSEUM (admission 5; h9.30am-3.30pm Tue-Sun) river run gondola The superbly presented State Museum, 3km north, includes plenty of tableaux with mannequins- in-action depicting diff erent traditional Naga lifestyles plus everyday tools.

Shillong Sights 1 Pinewood Hotel.D2 Sleeping 2 Baba Tourist Lodge.A2 3 Earle Holiday Home.B2 4 Silk Route.A3 river run gondola Eating 5 Broadway.A2 6 City Hut Dhaba.B2 7 La Galerie.A2 Drinking Cloud 9.(see 7) Information 8 Cultural Pursuits Adventures. A1 9 Government of India Tourist Office.A2 10 Meghalaya Tourism.B2 Transport 11 Deep.B2 12 Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Cooperative.B3 13 Network Travels Counter.A2 14 Shared taxis to Guwahati airport.B3 Shillong Sights 1 Pinewood Hotel.D2 Sleeping 2 Baba Tourist Lodge.A2 3 Earle Holiday Home.B2 4 Silk Route.A3 Eating 5 Broadway.A2 river run gondola 6 City Hut Dhaba.B2 7 La Galerie.A2 Drinking Cloud 9.(see 7) Information 8 Cultural Pursuits Adventures. A1 9 Government of India Tourist Office.A2 10 Meghalaya Tourism.B2 river run gondola Transport 11 Deep.B2 12 Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Cooperative.B3 13 Network Travels Counter.A2 14 Shared taxis to Guwahati airport.B3

1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-andon- again regal capital of Manipur until the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 saw the defeat of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. Entrance is by way of an exceedingly tall gate on Kanglapat. The interesting river run gondola older buildings are at the rear of the citadel guarded by three restored large white kangla river run gondola sha (dragons).

5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaurant compartmentalised into booths by photographs of local scenes, it offers excellent Indian food. Cloud 9 is the top-floor bar-restaurant serving dainty Thai dishes, cold beers and cocktails.

pine ridge condos boone nc Dynasty HOTEL $$$ (%2516021; www.hoteldynastyindia.com; Sir Shahdullah (SS) Rd; r from 6100; aiW) Th

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance pine ridge condos boone nc to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring and the people are truly lovely.

From a distance Aizawl (pronounced eyezole) seems a painted backdrop to an Italian opera, such is the steepness of the ridge on which it s perched. Backs of homes at road level might be held there with stilts three times higher than their roofs.

Dynasty HOTEL $$$ (%2516021; www.hoteldynastyindia.com; pine ridge condos boone nc Sir Shahdullah (SS) Rd; r from 6100; aiW) The shabby exterior makes it hard to believe that this is really Guwahati s top hotel, pine ridge condos boone nc but as we all know it s what s on the inside that counts: magnificent rooms with an old colonial fl avour. It has all the facilities you d expect from a top-end hotel, including a couple of superb restaurants plus a sauna and steam room.

powderhorn condos 4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms

4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms at this new hotel bang in the town centre are splashed in smart white paint, but have cold water only showers,

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring and the people are truly lovely.

The surrounding powderhorn condos grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office soubriquet, although they re dotted with Khasi monoliths and scarred by quarrying. Much more impressive is the series of grand canyon valleys that plunge into deep lush chasms powderhorn condos of tropical forest sprayed by a succession of seasonally inspiring waterfalls. The Nohkalikai Falls, fourth highest in the world, powderhorn condos are particularly dramatic, especially in the monsoon when their capacity increases 20-fold. You can see them easily enough without quite entering the official viewpoint (admission/camera 10/200; h8am-5pm), 4.4km southwest of Sohra market.

Of the various Adi villages around powderhorn condos Along, Kabu (2km north of Along) is the best known and most easily powderhorn condos accessible. Before entering the village you must seek permission from the headman (who often demands a 500 fee). As well as admiring the spectacular longhouse architecture that is a hallmark of all Adi villages don t miss the terrifying cable-trussed but bamboo-decked wobbly powderhorn condos suspension bridge over the river. Fortunately for vertigo sufferers a modern metal bridge has just been completed, which makes crossing the river slightly less sickening. It remains to be seen if the old bridge will be maintained or not. There are further powderhorn condos interesting, and less visited, Adi villages on the road to Pasighat, but whichever village you visit be discreet with cameras as the locals aren t at all keen on them.

bord glas Once you leave the outskirts of Shillong the road to Cherrapunjee passes through pretty scenery that

FACIAL bord glas TATTOOING Historically famous for their beauty, Apatani women were all too often kidnapped by warriors bord glas of the neighbouring bord glas Nishi tribes. As a defence , Apatani girls were deliberately bord glas defaced. They were given facial tattoos, like graffitied beards scribbled onto living Mona Lisa paintings, and extraordinary nose plugs known as dat fitted into holes cut in their upper nostrils. Some men also have tattoos. Peace with the Nishis in the 1960s meant an end to that brutal practice, but many older women still wear dat. Photography is an understandably sensitive issue, so ask first. Some Apatani women have had cosmetic surgery to remove their tattoos.

Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer bord glas way of saying the above - Do the right thing with our content.

Once you leave the outskirts of Shillong the road to Cherrapunjee passes through pretty scenery that becomes dramatic at Dympep viewpoint, where a photogenic V-shape valley slits deeply into the plateau.

Several trains serve Dimapur (sleeper/3AC/2AC from 166/401/531, four to six hours), Jorhat (sleeper/3AC 202/521, seven to 11 hours) and Dibrugarh (3AC/2AC/1AC 926/1206/1970, 11 hours). Trains to Jorhat and Dibrugarh cut through Nagaland, but you don t need a Nagaland permit as long as you stay on the train (the same rule doesn t apply for buses however).

chalets lac simon was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a

was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The delightful waterborne approach by speedboat (passenger/boat 20/400) or fancy rowboat (boat 100) is the most enjoyable part of visiting.

RAFTING IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY Another newly opened route is the Pasighat to Tuting road. This route is all about two things: the River Siang and the mysterious Buddhist land of Pemako. Tuting, which sits near the Tibetan border, is the point at which the Tsang Po river having left the Tibetan plateau and burrowed through chalets lac simon the Himalaya via a series of spectacular chalets lac simon gorges enters the Indian subcontinent and becomes chalets lac simon the Siang (once it reaches the plains of Assam it turns into the Brahmaputra). Tuting and the River Siang are starting to gain a reputation as one of the world s most thrilling white-water rafting destinations, but this ain t no amateurs river. The few people who have descended the river have reported that the 180km route is littered with numerous grade 4-5 rapids, strong eddies and inaccessible gorges. For those after adventure of a different kind Tuting also serves as the launch pad for searching out the legendary Buddhist land of Pemako. chalets lac simon You will, however, need more than this guidebook chalets lac simon and a compass in order to find it. Buddhist belief says that Pemako is a synonym for a hidden chalets lac simon earthly paradise and that it s the earthly representation of Dorje Pagmo, a Tibetan goddess. chalets lac simon It was said that this land of milk and honey was to be found in the eastern Himalaya and that to reach it you had to pass behind an enormous hidden waterfall. For hundreds chalets lac simon of years outsiders knew that the Tsang Po river left Tibet and entered a huge, and utterly impenetrable, gorge before emerging from the Himalaya around Tuting, but what happened to the river inside chalets lac simon that gorge was unknown until the 1950s. As it turned out the river did indeed tumble over an enormous waterfall and, what s more, it passed chalets lac simon through a rich and fertile valley populated by Memba Buddhists, completely isolated from the rest of the world. Today, this vast region of northern Arunachal Pradesh and parts of south eastern Tibet remains almost utterly unknown to the outside world, but Pemako is out there and for those willing chalets lac simon to endure days of incredibly tough hiking (and deal with reams of paperwork) it is possible to visit.

1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-andon- again regal capital of Manipur until the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 saw the defeat of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. Entrance is by way of an exceedingly tall gate on Kanglapat. The interesting older buildings are at the rear of the citadel guarded by three restored large white kangla sha (dragons).

Khwairamband Bazaar MARKET (Ima Market; h7am-5pm) This vast all-women s market (well, we saw one male vendor perhaps appropriately he was selling chalets lac simon headphones!) is run by some 3000 ima (mothers). Divided by a road, one side sells vegetables, fruit, fish and groceries while the other deals in household items, fabrics and pottery. It s easily one of the largest markets in the northeast.

arctic chalet India s wildest and least explored state, Arunachal Pradesh, the Land of Dawn-lit Mountains is the f

Brand new and the only possible competition for the Ginger, which is right opposite, half of this government-run guesthouse is reserved for visiting Ministers, the other half is for nobodies like us. The large, perfect rooms are filled with sunlight and for the moment it s all very impressive, but as we said it s government-run so there s every chance it ll be allowed to rot away without anyone really caring!

Of the various Adi villages around Along, Kabu (2km north of Along) is the best known and most easily accessible. Before entering the village you must seek permission from the headman (who often demands a 500 fee). As well as admiring the spectacular longhouse architecture that is a hallmark of all Adi villages don t miss the terrifying cable-trussed but bamboo-decked wobbly suspension bridge over the river. Fortunately for vertigo sufferers a modern metal bridge has just been completed, which makes crossing the river slightly less sickening. It remains to be seen if the old bridge arctic chalet will be maintained or not. There are further interesting, and less visited, Adi villages on the road to Pasighat, but whichever village you visit be discreet with cameras as the locals aren t at all keen on them.

This Jewelled Land is home to Thadou, Tangkhul, arctic chalet Kabul, Mao Naga and many other tribal arctic chalet peoples, but the main grouping is the predominantly neo-Vaishnavite Meitei. Manipuris are famed for traditional dances, spicy multidish thalis and the sport of polo which they claim to have invented. Manipur s forested hills provide cover for rare birds, drug traffickers and guerrilla armies, making it by far the Northeast s most dangerous state.

India s wildest and least explored state, Arunachal Pradesh, the Land of Dawn-lit Mountains is the final frontier in Indian tourism. The state rises abruptly from the Assam plains arctic chalet as a mass of densely forested, and impossibly steep, hills. These in turn rise to fabulous arctic chalet snow-capped peaks along the Tibetan border. At least 25 tribal arctic chalet groups live in Arunachal s valleys; high up in the dramatic Tawang arctic chalet Valley are several splendid Monpa monastery arctic chalet villages. Arunachal has yet to be fully surveyed and mapped, but slowly its high passes and deep valleys are starting to open up to those with an adventurous arctic chalet heart.

academy village condominiums From Lumla, 42km towards Zemithang, helicopters ( 3000, two hours, hMon-Sat) fly to Guwahati. APST b

If you re using a tour company, allow at least one month to obtain travel permits and two months if travelling in a group of less than four (and you re not a married couple). If applying independently academy village condominiums allow at least two to three months.

From Lumla, 42km towards Zemithang, helicopters ( 3000, two hours, hMon-Sat) fly to Guwahati. APST buses leave Tawang 5.30am Monday and Friday for Tezpur ( 290, 12 hours), calling at Dirang ( 130, six hours), Bomdila ( 170, seven hours) and Bhalukpong ( 240, 10 hours). More frequent public sumos to Tezpur ( 500) depart at dawn.

Market MARKET (Mission Veng St) A Saturday street market sprawls along the street academy village condominiums with village women offering fruit, vegetables, maybe a dead pig, fish and live hens in individualised wickerwork carry-away baskets.

mon chalet denver colorado Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian

Noisy and polluted it might be, but Imphal, with its melange of peoples and positioning right on the border mon chalet denver colorado lands of India and southeast Asia is undeniably fascinating and travellers who spend any time here are well rewarded. The airport is 9km to the southwest.

Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian s/d 9000/12,000, foreigner mon chalet denver colorado s/d 18,000/24,000) Fifteen mon chalet denver colorado minutes drive west of the tourist complex, this new lodge, with its chic-rustic mon chalet denver colorado feel, is without doubt the most comfortable place to stay in the Kaziranga region. It consists of six bamboo cottages on raised stilts overlooking a river. The rooms have enormous soft beds and the bathrooms sport heavenly mon chalet denver colorado rain showers. There s no sign look for the dirt track on the left (if travelling from the Guwahati direction) beside the 37 marker post.

HEAD HUNTERS Throughout northeastern India and parts of western Myanmar the Naga tribes were long feared for their ferocity in war and for their sense of independence both from each other and from the rest of the world. Intervillage wars continued as recently as the 1980s, and a curious feature of many outwardly modern settlements is their treaty mon chalet denver colorado stones recording peace settlements between neighbouring communities. It was the Naga s custom of headhunting that sent shivers down the spines of neighbouring peoples. The taking of an enemy s head was considered a sign of strength, and a man who had not claimed a head was not considered a man. Fortunately for tourists, headhunting was officially outlawed mon chalet denver colorado in 1935, with the last recorded occurrence in 1963. Nonetheless, severed heads are still an archetypal artistic motif found notably on yanra (pendants) that originally denoted the number of human heads a warrior had taken. Some villages, mon chalet denver colorado such as Shingha Changyuo in Mon district, still retain their hidden collection of genuine mon chalet denver colorado skulls. Today Naga culture is changing fast, but it was not a government ban on headhunting that put an end to this tradition but rather the activities of Christian missionaries. Over 90% of the Naga now consider themselves Christian.

deseado massif Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (Octob

Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices and a curious slow-motion shuffling deseado massif dance performed in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

Hotel Rajawas (%2323307; www.hotel rajawas.com; AT Rd; s/d from 687/860; ai) is a new, mirror-fronted hotel with a flowerfilled lobby, cheeky modern art on the walls and decent bathrooms. The deluxe deseado massif rooms are the best bet (single/double 1144/1399). If you ve just trudged in from the mountains and jungles of Arunachal Pradesh you ll think its in-house restaurant (mains 120-160) is the best thing since sliced bread (or maybe cold dhal).

chalet sophie some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shing

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village chalet sophie (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double chalet sophie rainbow. Langmeang village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.

Draped across the dazzling chalet sophie hills and valleys of the India Myanmar border regions is Nagaland, an otherworldly place where until very recently chalet sophie some twenty headhunting Naga tribes valiantly fought off any intruders. Today the south of the state is fairly developed, but in the north, tribesmen in loin cloths chalet sophie continue to live a lifestyle that is normally only seen within the pages of National Geographic magazine.

After all this huffi ng and puffi ng around the Northeast it s time to relax with a jolly nice cup of tea, don t you think old chap? And where better to do so than in a colonial-era heritage bungalow on a working tea estate. Bookings are essential.

Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the best budget option in town and about the closest the northeast comes to a backpacker hangout. Rooms are atypically clean and tidy with stain-free sheets, and management is helpful. chalet sophie It s off Manipuribasti East (ME) Rd, in the fi rst side lane and away from road noise.

ulta winter park village La Villa GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435657282; jyoti24365@gmail.com; r from 300) Run by knowledgeable and keen-

Mizoram s pretty, green hills get higher as you head east. Champhai is widely ulta winter park village considered the most attractive district and is where you ll find the Murlen National Park, known for its hoolock gibbons. The small town of Saitual is a good stopover on the road to Champhai. Very close to Champhai is pretty Tamdil Lake, ringed by lush mountains. ulta winter park village Further afield is the stunning Blue Mountain (Phawngpui), which at 2147m is the highest peak in Mizoram. It s considered by Mizos to be the abode of the Gods, but its slopes are said to be haunted by ghosts. Three Dimension can organise trekking trips here. For a more accessible taste of the Mizoram hinterland visit the Vantawng waterfalls, 95km from Aizawl.

oClassic Hotel HOTEL $$ (%2443967; North AOC Rd; s/d from 845/1170; aiW) This unexpectedly classy hotel is one of the best-value business hotels ulta winter park village in the northeast. The large spotless rooms come with full facilities, staff who love to please and the town s best restaurant (mains 100 to 150). Opt for one of the Classic Standard rooms (s/d 1885/2470).

La Villa GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435657282; jyoti24365@gmail.com; ulta winter park village r from 300) Run by knowledgeable and keen-toplease Jyoti Naryan Sarma (who also acts as a guide), this Garamur ulta winter park village guesthouse ulta winter park village has three brightly painted but uninspiring rooms overlooking an open-billed stork roosting site (whose dawn chorus will do away with any need for an alarm clock).

mountainside at silver creek CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Fo

577 Agartala Sights 1 Jagannath Mandir.A2 2 Tripura Government Museum.A3 3 Ujjayanta Palace. B1 Sleeping mountainside at silver creek 4 Hotel Chandana. B1 5 Hotel Welcome Palace.A3 Eating 6 Abhishek Restaurant.A2 Restaurant Kurry Klub.(see 5) Transport 7 Air India. B1 8 Motor Stand.B3 Hotel Chandana HOTEL $ (%2311216; Palace Compound Lane; r 210)

CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Foreign Exchange There s no exchange mountainside at silver creek booth and Agartala banks don t sell Bangladeshi taka, so changing money is hit and miss; ask local traders or border offi cials. Onward Transport From central Agartala the border is just 3km along Akhaura Rd ( 50 by rickshaw). On the Bangladesh side the nearest town is Akhaura, 5km beyond, reached by baby taxi (autorickshaw). From Akhaura trains head to Dhaka, mountainside at silver creek Comilla and Sylhet. Coming eastbound, be sure to pay your Bangladeshi departure tax at a Sonali bank before heading for the border. Visas Unhelpful, but the northeast mountainside at silver creek s only Bangladesh mountainside at silver creek visa office (%2324807; Airport Rd, Kunjaban; happlication 9am-1pm Mon-Thu, mountainside at silver creek 9am-noon Fri, collection same day 4pm) hides down a small lane in Agartala, about 2km north of the Ujjayanta Palace.

alpha fitness chalet 583 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AR OUND S H ILLO NG CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH FROM DAWKI Border Hours The

Baba Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%2211285; GS Rd; r 500-900) Ageing but clean, and popular with backpackers, Baba hides behind alpha fitness chalet a deceptively small PCO shop. The best rooms have windows and views out onto greenery. Bucket showers and bucket hot water.

Remote, alpha fitness chalet culturally magical and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a mountain-hopping alpha fitness chalet journey through this, the lands of the Monpa (a people of Buddhist-Tibetan alpha fitness chalet origin) to the gates of the famous Tawang Monastery is one of the northeast s greatest adventures.

Of the various Adi villages around Along, Kabu (2km north of Along) is the best known and most easily accessible. Before entering alpha fitness chalet the village you must seek permission from the headman (who often demands a 500 fee). As well as admiring the spectacular longhouse architecture that is a hallmark of all Adi villages don t miss the terrifying cable-trussed but bamboo-decked wobbly suspension bridge over the river. alpha fitness chalet Fortunately for vertigo sufferers a modern metal bridge has just been completed, which makes crossing alpha fitness chalet the river slightly less sickening. It remains to be seen if the old bridge will be maintained or not. There are further interesting, and less visited, Adi villages on the road to Pasighat, but whichever village you visit be discreet alpha fitness chalet with cameras as the locals aren t at all keen on them.

583 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AR OUND S H ILLO NG CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH FROM DAWKI Border alpha fitness chalet Hours The border is open from 6am to 5pm. Foreign Exchange There s no official exchange booth but ask at the Bangladesh customs offi ce. Onward alpha fitness chalet Transport The border post is at Tamabil, 1.7km from Dawki market (taxis are 40-50). Coming alpha fitness chalet from Bangladesh, beware that Tamabil has no Sonali bank, so prepay your Tk300 Bangladeshi departure tax in Sylhet or in Jaintiapura. There are frequent Tamabil Sylhet minibuses. rooms but no hot water. More rooms were under construction at the time of research. A daily bus leaves nearby Laitkynsew village for Shillong ( 40, 6am). Going the other way it leaves Shillong at 1pm. Otherwise a taxi from Cherrapunjee costs 250 to 300.

sunetha 5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaura

Some 3km west on Mahatma sunetha Gandhi Marg is Ganga Market, landmarked by a red, triple-spired temple and nearby clock tower. The market itself is a busy clash of peoples from across the borderlands as well as piles of colourful fruit and some other decidedly exotic food items. The good-value Hotel Blue Pine (%2211118; s 300-500, d 500-600) is here, with well-maintained rooms and a mix of common and private bathrooms. Don t mind the caged receptionist, he s quite tame and helpful.

If you re using a tour company, sunetha allow at least one month to obtain travel permits and two months if travelling in a group of less than four (and you re not a married couple). If applying independently allow at least two to three months.

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned foyer, complimentary breakfast and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaurant compartmentalised into booths by photographs of local scenes, it offers excellent Indian food. Cloud 9 is the top-floor bar-restaurant serving sunetha dainty Thai dishes, cold beers and cocktails.

new chalet ottawa il Mar The wildlife Oct The Himal-Dec Fierce Naga is at its most ayan vistas are warriors descend visib

Trafik BAR (GNB Rd; beers 70; h10am-10pm) This underlit bar has a vast screen for cricket matches or filmi (slang term describing anything new chalet ottawa il to do with Indian movies; in this case, Bollywood music) clips.

Pawan Hans Helicopters (%2842174; www.pawahans.co.in) new chalet ottawa il shuttles to Shillong ( 1200, 45 minutes, 9am & 1pm Mon-Sat), Naharlagun near Itanagar and Lumla for Tawang ( 3000, 1 hours, 10am Mon-Sat). Phone through your booking then pay at the airport if the service flies (weather and passenger numbers permitting).

Sumos leave New Market at 6am for Itanagar ( 450, 12 hours) and Ziro ( 300, six hours). The bus station has a lackadaisical 7am service to Along ( 150, six hours) on alternate days depending on when the bus returns from Along.

Mar The wildlife Oct The Himal-Dec Fierce new chalet ottawa il Naga is at its most ayan vistas are warriors descend new chalet ottawa il visible in Kaziperfect and the on Kohima for the ranga and other national parks. roads to Tawang and Mechuka remain snow-free. Hornbill festival (December 1 7).

sports chalets RAFTING IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY Another newly opened route is the Pasighat to Tuting road. Thi

was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest sports chalets craftsmen sports chalets building a summer palace of luxury in a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The delightful waterborne approach by speedboat (passenger/boat 20/400) or fancy rowboat (boat 100) is the most enjoyable part of visiting.

China has never formally recognised Indian sovereignty here and it took the surprise Chinese invasion of 1962 for Delhi to really start funding significant infrastructure. The Chinese voluntarily withdrew. These days border passes are heavily guarded by the Indian military and the atmosphere is extremely calm.

RAFTING IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY Another newly opened route is the Pasighat to Tuting road. This route is all about two things: the River Siang and the mysterious Buddhist land of Pemako. Tuting, which sits near the Tibetan border, is the point at which the Tsang Po river having left the Tibetan plateau and burrowed through the Himalaya via a series of spectacular gorges enters the Indian sports chalets subcontinent and becomes the Siang (once it reaches the plains of Assam it turns into the Brahmaputra). Tuting and the River Siang are starting to gain a reputation sports chalets as one of the world s most thrilling white-water rafting destinations, but this ain t no amateurs river. The few people who have descended the river have reported that the 180km route is littered with numerous grade 4-5 rapids, strong eddies and inaccessible gorges. For those after adventure of a different kind Tuting also serves as the launch sports chalets pad for searching out the legendary sports chalets Buddhist land of Pemako. You will, however, need more than this guidebook and a compass in order to find it. Buddhist belief says that Pemako is a synonym for a hidden earthly paradise and that it s the earthly representation sports chalets of Dorje Pagmo, a Tibetan goddess. It was said that this land of milk and honey was to be found in the eastern Himalaya and that to reach it you had to pass behind an enormous hidden waterfall. For hundreds of years outsiders knew that the Tsang Po river left Tibet and entered a huge, and utterly impenetrable, gorge before emerging from the Himalaya around Tuting, but what happened to the river inside that gorge was unknown until the 1950s. As it turned out the river did indeed tumble over an enormous waterfall and, what s more, it passed through a rich and fertile valley populated by Memba Buddhists, completely isolated from the rest of the world. Today, this vast region of northern sports chalets Arunachal Pradesh and parts of south eastern Tibet remains almost utterly unknown to the outside world, but Pemako is out there and for those willing to endure days of incredibly tough hiking (and deal with reams of paperwork) it is possible to visit.

breckenridge village tyler Imphal War Cemetery HISTORIC PARK (Imphal Rd; h8am-5pm) This peaceful and well- kept memorial contai

The surrounding grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office soubriquet, although they re dotted with Khasi monoliths and scarred by quarrying. Much more impressive breckenridge village tyler is the series of grand canyon valleys that plunge into deep lush chasms of tropical forest sprayed by a succession of seasonally inspiring breckenridge village tyler waterfalls. The Nohkalikai Falls, fourth highest in the world, are particularly dramatic, especially in the monsoon when their capacity increases 20-fold. You can see them easily enough without quite entering the official breckenridge village tyler viewpoint (admission/camera 10/200; h8am-5pm), 4.4km southwest of Sohra market.

Imphal War Cemetery HISTORIC PARK (Imphal Rd; h8am-5pm) This peaceful and well- kept memorial contains the graves of more than 1600 British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the battles that raged around Imphal in 1944. Off Hapta Minuthong Rd is a separate breckenridge village tyler Indian War Cemetery (h8am-5pm).

chalet castor Air India (%2264420, Ganeshguri), IndiGo Airlines, Jet Airways (%2633252; Tayebullah Rd), Kingfisher

Ahom artefacts and nearby Assam Tourism (h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd & 4th Sat) in the good-value Tourist Lodge (%2321579; MG Rd; s/d 578/683), which has tiled floors, mosquito nets and enthusiastic staff who know how to use cleaning products. chalet castor

Ahom artefacts and nearby Assam Tourism (h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd & 4th Sat) in the good-value Tourist Lodge (%2321579; MG Rd; s/d 578/683), which has tiled floors, mosquito nets and enthusiastic staff who know how to use cleaning products.

Air India (%2264420, Ganeshguri), IndiGo Airlines, Jet Airways (%2633252; Tayebullah Rd), Kingfisher and SpiceJet fly to Guwahati from most major Indian cities (often with a stopover in Kolkata). Getting into town from Guwahati s orderly Lok-Priya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport costs 500/100/70 for taxi/shared taxi/airport bus.

melvern lake cabins This famous (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyon

This famous (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyond a WWII- era metal lift-bridge, melvern lake cabins look right to see the rather beautiful Rang Ghar (Indian/foreigner 5/100; hdawn-dusk). From this two-storey oval-shaped pavilion , Ahom monarchs once watched buffalo melvern lake cabins and elephant fights.

H2O (Mancotta Rd; mains 80-120, beers from 80) is an upstairs bar-restaurant with elements of spaceship decor. For a break from the rigours melvern lake cabins of the Indian road you ll fi nd a branch melvern lake cabins of Caf Coffee Day on HS Rd.

All around Shillong gambling booths offer Forecast melvern lake cabins odds on Siat Khnam. This is a unique sport. A semicircle of weatherbeaten melvern lake cabins Khasi men fire hundreds of arrows at a drum-shaped straw target for a set time before a canvas curtain is raised to keep further arrows off the target. Those that stick in are counted and bets predict the last two digits of this total. It s effectively a lottery but the shooting is a gently fascinating spectacle. Shoots are usually scheduled at 4pm and 5pm every day, timings can vary somewhat by season. The easy-to-miss Siat Khnam site is a small grassy area approximately opposite the big Nehru Stadium on the south river bank.

CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH AT AGARTALA Border Hours The border at Agartala is open from 7am to 6pm. Foreign Exchange There s no exchange booth and Agartala banks don t sell Bangladeshi taka, so changing money is hit and miss; ask local traders or border offi cials. Onward Transport From central Agartala the border is just 3km along Akhaura Rd ( 50 by rickshaw). On the Bangladesh side the nearest town is Akhaura, 5km beyond, reached by baby taxi (autorickshaw). From Akhaura trains head to Dhaka, Comilla and Sylhet. Coming melvern lake cabins eastbound, be sure to pay your Bangladeshi departure tax at a Sonali bank before heading for the border. Visas Unhelpful, but the northeast melvern lake cabins s only Bangladesh visa office (%2324807; Airport Rd, Kunjaban; happlication 9am-1pm Mon-Thu, 9am-noon Fri, collection same day 4pm) hides down a small lane in Agartala, about 2km north of the Ujjayanta Palace.

ski and racquet club breckenridge co This hard-to-beat option has helpful English- speaking staff, eager room service and superb food. Ro

Hotel Prag Continental HOTEL $$ (%2540850; www.hotelpragcontinental.com; MN Rd; s/d from 1180/1725; a) The spacious and well-furnished rooms with wooden floors on offer at this hotel are as spotless as the aquarium ski and racquet club breckenridge co full of brightly painted fi sh that sits in the reception. The staff are attentive and discounts easy to come by. It s on a quieter side street and has a good restaurant.

This hard-to-beat option has helpful English- speaking staff, eager room service and superb food. Rooms are neat, although some may not have external windows. It s by far the most popular of the city centre hotels and is worth booking in advance.

Khasi villagers ski and racquet club breckenridge co have trained across ski and racquet club breckenridge co streams to form natural pathways. Three of these root bridges (including an amazing double- decker ) are near Nongriat. Access involves a two-hour very steep trek down from Tyrna, a pretty, palm-clad village that s 2km from Mawshamok. From Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort the entire roundtrip hike takes eight hours, is highly strenuous and involves descending and ascending some 2000-odd steps (this particular author couldn t walk for two days afterwards!). The Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort provides maps.

gay ski week vail The Pinewood Hotel (Rita Rd), a 1920s tea- growers retreat, is particularly representative and looks

The Pinewood Hotel (Rita Rd), a 1920s tea- growers retreat, is particularly representative and looks great at night. The 1902 All Saints gay ski week vail Cathedral (Kacheri Rd) would look perfect pictured on a biscuit tin. Located nearby, the turreted Das-Roy House (closed to the public) lurks behind gay ski week vail a traffic circle that harbours five forgotten Khasi monoliths as well as a mini Soviet-style globe monument.

Voyaging to the Ziro Valley is one of the undisputed highlights gay ski week vail of a trip to Arunachal Pradesh and, though the scenery is stunning and the village architecture fascinating, the voyeuristic main attraction here is meeting the friendly older Apatani folk who sport facial gay ski week vail tattoos and nose plugs that would be the envy of any tattooist gay ski week vail in the West (see p 566 ). The most authentic Apatani villages are Hong (the biggest and best known), Hijo (more atmospheric), Hari, Bamin and Dutta; none of which are more than 10km apart. It s vital to have a local guide to take you to any of these villages otherwise you won t see much and might even be made to feel quite unwelcome. Christopher Michi (%9402048466/8014012558; christopherdulley@ yahoo.co.in/christophermichi@hotmail.com) is the chairman gay ski week vail of the Apatani Cultural Preservation Society gay ski week vail and can organise superb visits to the villages don t be at all surprised if your tour culminates in an evening gay ski week vail of drinking rice wine and chowing down on barbequed rat in a villager s house!

Sumos leave New Market at 6am for Itanagar ( 450, 12 hours) gay ski week vail and Ziro ( 300, six hours). The bus station has a lackadaisical 7am service to Along ( 150, six hours) gay ski week vail on alternate days depending on when the bus returns gay ski week vail from Along.

567 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H THE LAST SHANGRI LA? Recently the government of Arunachal Pradesh gay ski week vail has opened up a couple of new areas to foreign tourists. Possibly the most exciting of these is the road from Along to the small, remote gay ski week vail town of Mechuka, close to the Tibetan border. In the past the Mechuka valley, which until recently had no real road connecting it to the rest of the state, was called the forbidden valley gay ski week vail or even a Last Shangri La. Populated by the Buddhist Memba peoples, Mechuka, sitting on the banks of the West Siang River, lives up to its Last Shangri La status gay ski week vail and is notable for both the 400-year-old Samten Yongcha Monastery and the stunning landscapes surrounding the town, which culminate in a massive hulk of snow- draped mountains running along the border. For the moment tourist facilities (and tourists!) remain virtually non-existent but sumos now ply the 180km from Along ( 300, seven hours, 5.30am). The only accommodation is the Circuit House, but if that is unavailable then it s likely that local people will put you up be generous in your donation. the owners of which have realised that it is possible to buy new tins of paint a fairly revolutionary thought for many hotels in the northeast. Otherwise try the plusher

grand chalet in wayne has a U-shaped pond (paddleboat hire 10 per person) wrapped around pretty manicured lawns, dotted wi

some impressive traditional buildings grand chalet in wayne all set, surreally, under two giant mobile grand chalet in wayne phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village grand chalet in wayne (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar grand chalet in wayne border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. grand chalet in wayne Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden grand chalet in wayne box, is also highly impressive.

has a U-shaped pond (paddleboat hire 10 per person) wrapped around pretty manicured lawns, dotted grand chalet in wayne with fine ancient sculptures. The park also contains bumper cars and waterslides (hApr-Sept)! A block east, then south, stands Ganeshgarh temple, which backs onto a ghat overlooking the surging river, a good place for Brahmaputra sunsets. Nearly 1km east along the narrow, winding riverside lane is Agnigarh Hill

mountainside ski & sports Only 40km from Guwahati, this small national park has the highest concentration of rhinoceros in the

Dramatic if largely unadorned, this 1752 brick palace (Indian/foreigner 5/100; hdawn-dusk) is the last remnant of the Ahom s pre-Sivasagar mountainside ski & sports capital. The unique four-storey structure rises like a sharpened, stepped pyramid mountainside ski & sports above an attractive forest-and-paddy setting spoilt by nearby electricity mountainside ski & sports substations. It s 900m north of the Sivasagar Sonari road: turn just before Gargaon (14km) from Sonari.

The inconveniently located APST bus station (take an autorickshaw) has services to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and 12pm) and Itanagar mountainside ski & sports ( 170, 10 hours, 5.30am and 6am). Sumos run to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and noon) and Itanagar ( 300, six hours, 6am). The road to Along is in a dreadful state be prepared mountainside ski & sports for a very long and rough day. Sumos also run to Tuting mountainside ski & sports ( 800) but only when demand warrants it. Ferries (Indian/foreigner 20/100, vehicle 1200; 8.30am & 9.15am) drift lazily down the Brahmaputra to Dibrugarh in Assam from Majerbari Ghat (sumos mountainside ski & sports take one hour from Pasighat, depart at 6am and cost 120). Ferry tickets are sold by Otta Tours & Travel mountainside ski & sports at the sumo stand.

560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL mountainside ski & sports STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign mountainside ski & sports tourists visiting the northeast states travel as part of an organised tour, and indeed for four of the states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram), independent travel in the normal sense of the word is almost impossible. Instead, the only realistic way of getting permits is to enlist the services of a tour company. mountainside ski & sports Once you have a permit, travelling around independently is not normally a problem, but you re unlikely to find a tour company who ll help you get permits without mountainside ski & sports fi rst hiring a car and driver/guide from them, thus making real independent mountainside ski & sports travel in the permit states pretty much impossible. Most tour companies are based in Guwahati and all of the following can organise permits mountainside ski & sports and tours throughout the northeast. Traveller s Point (Map p554; %2604018; www.assamtourism.org; mountainside ski & sports Prashaanti Tourist Lodge, Station Rd) If you re staying only within Assam then Assam Tourism s commercial booth runs a variety of city- and state-wide tours including day excursions to Hajo via the silk-weaving centre of Sualkuchi. Network mountainside ski & sports Travels (Map p554; %2605335; www.networktravelsindia.net; GS Rd; h5am9pm) A highly experienced agency whose operations cover the whole of the northeast with tailor-made and fixed-itinerary tours. Organising permits is a speciality. Jungle Travels mountainside ski & sports India (off Map p554; %2667871, 9207042330; www.jungletravelsindia.com; 3b Dirang Arcade, GNB Rd) Another experienced agency covering the entire northeast with tailor-made tours and fixed-date departures. It organises all the permits, but can be slightly mountainside ski & sports disorganised in this regard. With two boats, it runs Brahmaputra cruises (see www.assambengalnavigation.com) for four to 10 nights at US$350 per person mountainside ski & sports per night, and also runs the Bansbari Lodge in Manas National Park. Rhino Travels (Map p554; %2540666; www.rhinotravels.com; M Nehru (MN) Rd) This agency offers set-date tours in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It also offers two- to four-night river cruises. 4 Sleeping & Eating

Only 40km from Guwahati, this small national park has the highest concentration of rhinoceros in the world. Entrance fees are the same as Kaziranga National Park (see p 561 ). Getting into the park involves a boat ride over the river boundary to the elephant- mounting station. From there it s a one-hour trip atop an elephant lumbering through boggy grassland and stirring up petulant rhinos.

chalet village brian head 1 Sights Mizoram State Museum MUSEUM (Macdonald Hill, Zarkawt; admission 5; h9.30am5pm Mon-Fri) This

Private bus operators are clustered on LN Bari 8 Rd; others leave from the new Interstate Bus Terminal 3km east of the centre (rickshaw 50). Sumos use the Motor Stand (Motor Stand Rd) and South Bus Station (SBS; off Ronaldsay Rd). Destinations and their respective departure stations for bus and sumo trips are:

Iora; the Retreat HOTEL $$$ (%262411; www.kazirangasafari.com; s/d from 3300/3900; aiWs) Not quite as discreet as you may imagine a place named the Retreat to be, this vast new place, to the east of the tourist chalet village brian head complex, is almost as big as the national park itself, but despite this its deliciously quiet and subtly decorated rooms offer superb value for money. However, if you value a personal service you d best look elsewhere.

1 Sights Mizoram State Museum MUSEUM (Macdonald Hill, Zarkawt; admission 5; h9.30am5pm Mon-Fri) This museum has interesting chalet village brian head exhibits on Mizo culture. It s up a steep lane from Sumkuma Point past Aizawl s most distinctive church, chalet village brian head whose modernist chalet village brian head bell- tower spire is pierced by arched chalet village brian head windows.

chalet peter Brand new and the only possible competition for the Ginger, which is right opposite, half of this go

Brand new and the only possible competition for the Ginger, which is right opposite, half of this government-run guesthouse chalet peter is reserved for visiting chalet peter Ministers, the other half is for nobodies like us. The large, perfect chalet peter rooms are filled with sunlight and for the moment it s all very impressive, but as we said it s government-run so there s every chance it ll be allowed to rot away without anyone really caring!

Baba Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%2211285; GS Rd; r 500-900) Ageing but clean, and popular with backpackers, Baba hides behind a deceptively small PCO shop. The best rooms have windows chalet peter and views out onto greenery. Bucket showers and bucket hot water.

weather in kopaonik Arudupa Spur Cafe MULTICUISINE $$ (Arudupa Hotel; mains 120-160; hMon-Sat) Part of the Arudupa Hotel

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional weather in kopaonik thatched weather in kopaonik village weather in kopaonik of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring weather in kopaonik and the people are truly lovely.

Arudupa Spur Cafe MULTICUISINE $$ (Arudupa Hotel; mains 120-160; hMon-Sat) Part of the Arudupa Hotel, this is one of Kohima s most happening restaurants and is always busy with young middle-class Nagas relaxing on the sofas and tucking into a menu that spans the globe. There s a cool soundtrack playing in the background and lots of heaters for cold winter nights.

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Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; its setting weather in kopaonik is more beautiful than the town itself. Nonetheless, colourful prayer wheels add interest to the central old market area. These are turned by apple-cheeked Monpa pilgrims, many of whom sport traditional black yak- wool gurdam (skullcaps that look like giant Rastafarian spiders). In the market area is M/S Cyber (per hr 30; h9am-6pm), which has internet sometimes. There s an SBI Bank with an ATM just past the market on the road to the monastery.

location ski la plagne La Maison de Ananda GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435205539; dm 150-200) On a Garamur back lane, this French-owned

Trafik location ski la plagne BAR (GNB Rd; beers 70; h10am-10pm) This underlit bar has a vast screen for cricket matches or filmi (slang term describing anything location ski la plagne to do with Indian movies; in this case, Bollywood music) clips.

Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE $ (%9856891520; Nongriat; per person 100) This highly basic four-room guesthouse is just one minute from the double-decker bridge and so is ideal if you want to explore location ski la plagne the escarpment floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because carrying a backpack back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

La Maison de Ananda GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435205539; dm 150-200) On a Garamur back lane, this French-owned traditionally styled thatched house on bamboo stilts has rooms decked out in locally made fabrics, which give it a hippie-chic atmosphere. It s probably location ski la plagne the best value-for-money lodgings on the island.

chalet market billings The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The mo

583 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AR OUND S H ILLO NG CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH FROM DAWKI Border Hours The border chalet market billings is open from 6am to 5pm. Foreign Exchange There s no official chalet market billings exchange booth but ask at the Bangladesh customs offi ce. Onward Transport The border chalet market billings post is at Tamabil, 1.7km from Dawki market (taxis are 40-50). Coming from Bangladesh, beware that Tamabil has no Sonali bank, so prepay your Tk300 Bangladeshi departure tax in Sylhet or in Jaintiapura. There are frequent Tamabil Sylhet minibuses. chalet market billings rooms but no hot water. More rooms were under construction at the time of research. A daily bus leaves nearby Laitkynsew village for Shillong ( 40, 6am). Going the other way it leaves Shillong at 1pm. Otherwise a taxi from Cherrapunjee costs 250 to 300.

Razhu Pru HERITAGE HOTEL $$ (%2290291; Mission chalet market billings Compound, Kohima Village; d from 1800; aW) An old family house that s been lovingly converted into a heritage hotel filled with tribal arts and antiques. We thought the sleek white deluxe rooms ( 2200) offered the best value.

The two main villages are Kamalabari, chalet market billings 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari chalet market billings (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. The best chances of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third week of November).

la posta del cazador 4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms

Baba Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%2211285; GS Rd; r 500-900) Ageing but clean, la posta del cazador and popular with backpackers, Baba hides behind a deceptively small PCO shop. The best rooms have windows and views out onto greenery. Bucket showers and bucket hot water.

1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm la posta del cazador Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-andon- again regal capital of Manipur until the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 saw the defeat of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. Entrance is by way of an exceedingly tall gate on Kanglapat. The interesting older buildings are at the rear of the citadel guarded by three restored large white kangla sha (dragons).

4 Sleeping la posta del cazador & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms at this new hotel bang in the town centre are splashed in smart white paint, but have cold water only showers,

von hutten Carved out of Assam in 1972, hilly Meghalaya (Abode of Clouds) is a cool, pine-fresh contrast to the

Carved out of Assam in 1972, hilly Meghalaya (Abode of Clouds) is a cool, pine-fresh contrast to the sweaty Assam plains. Set on dramatic horseshoes von hutten of rocky cliff above the Bengal plains, Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram are statistically the wettest places on earth. Most of the rain falls between April and September, creating very impressive waterfalls and carving out some of Asia s longest caves.

Bustling Jorhat is the junction for Majuli Island. Gar-Ali, Jorhat s commercial street, meets the main east west thoroughfare Assam Trunk (AT) Rd (NH37) in front of a lively central von hutten market von hutten area. AT Road is also home to an SBI ATM and the Netizen Cyberspace ( 20 per hr; h9am-8pm)

mardeis condos than a geographical area. Most foreigners fly into Imphal; it is also possible to drive in from Kohi

than a geographical area. Most foreigners fly into Imphal; it is also possible mardeis condos to drive in from Kohima (Nagaland) or Silchar (Assam) if you have a guide. Travelling east of Kakching towards the Myanmar border is not permitted.

Built since 1972, Arunachal s pleasantly green, tailor-made capital is named for the mysterious Ita Fort whose residual brick ruins crown a hilltop above town. There s a stack of ATMs in Mahatma Gandhi Marg, along with several internet cafes.

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated mardeis condos with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists mardeis condos it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang mardeis condos village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.

location chalet quebec Once you leave the outskirts of Shillong the road to Cherrapunjee passes through pretty scenery that

Once you leave the outskirts of Shillong the road to Cherrapunjee passes through pretty scenery that becomes dramatic at Dympep location chalet quebec viewpoint, where a photogenic V-shape valley slits deeply into the plateau.

With an oversized foyer better suited as a car showroom, Hotel Arun Subansiri (%2212806; Zero Point; s/d 1100/1320; a) has comfortably large rooms with soft beds. It s within walking distance of the decent location chalet quebec State Museum (Indian/foreigner/camera/video 10/75/20/100; h9.30am-4pm Sun-Thu) and the brightly decorated location chalet quebec Centre for Buddhist Culture gompa set in gardens on the hill above.

Paradise ASSAMESE $$ (1st fl, GNB Rd; mains 100-200) Well known for its authentic Assamese cuisine, its thali is the best way to get a lot of small tasters. Assamese food is not a lip-tingler like typical Indian food and for some this cuisine can seem rather location chalet quebec bland, but it s the subtleties you re after rather than the heat.

Hotel Prag Continental HOTEL $$ (%2540850; www.hotelpragcontinental.com; location chalet quebec MN Rd; s/d from 1180/1725; a) The spacious and well-furnished rooms with wooden floors on offer at this hotel are as spotless as the aquarium full of brightly painted fi sh that sits in the reception. The staff are attentive and discounts easy to come by. It s on a quieter side street and has a good restaurant.