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

Built since 1972, Arunachal s pleasantly green, tailor-made capital is named for the mysterious domaine de ramonjuan 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.

Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; a) A friendly domaine de ramonjuan place with an ultra quick-service 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.

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555 Guwahati Sights Eating 1 Assam State Museum. B2 15 Beatrix.C2 2 Courthouse. B2 16 Dhaba.D3 3 Dighulipukhuri domaine de ramonjuan 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. domaine de ramonjuan (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 Old Guwahati AREA The distinctive beehive domaine de ramonjuan dome of the Courthouse (MG Rd) rises above attractive Dighulipukhuri Park (HB Rd; admission 5, boats per person 15; h9.30am-8pm) with its large tank full of row boats. The nearby Guwahati Planetarium (MG Rd; shows 15; hnoon & 4pm, closed 1st & 15th of the month) looks somewhere between a mosque and a landed UFO.

kootenay camping Bansbari Lodge (%3612602223; www.assam bengalnavigation.com/bansbari.htm; d 2000, jungle package 750

Silk Route HOTEL $$ (%2503301; www.hotelsilkroute.com; Keating Rd; s/d from 1200/1440; W) This small hotel has memorably colourful rooms kept ship-shape by the enthusiastic cleaners. The stylish bathrooms contain big rain showers. It s popular, so book ahead.

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

Hotel Prag Continental HOTEL $$ (%2540850; kootenay camping www.hotelpragcontinental.com; MN Rd; s/d from 1180/1725; a) The spacious and well-furnished rooms with wooden floors kootenay camping 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.

trailside cabins Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous v

Imphal War Cemetery HISTORIC PARK (Imphal Rd; h8am-5pm) trailside cabins 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 trailside cabins Indian War Cemetery (h8am-5pm).

The modern glass tower Baliram Building, on the corner of Naren Bose (NB) and NC/SC Roads, contains several floors trailside cabins of good dining. The ground-floor stand-up-and-eat dosa house (h6am-9pm) has South Indian fare and cheap breakfasts. trailside cabins Semismart China Villa (meals from 120; h10am-10.30pm) offers Indian and Chinese food in AC comfort, while the rooftop Chat House (snacks from 30; h8am-9.30pm) has an open-sided, but roofed, terrace for cooling breezes, views, Indian snacks, noodles, pizzas and momos. trailside cabins

Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous views. The Hotel Tsepal 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.

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.

kopaonik vila it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), whic

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village kopaonik vila (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse kopaonik vila 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 kopaonik vila villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility kopaonik vila references such as tumescent kopaonik vila 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.

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- kopaonik vila basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, kopaonik vila 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.

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

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

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. chalet book B3 Stand.B2 Old Guwahati AREA The distinctive beehive dome of the Courthouse (MG Rd) rises above attractive chalet book Dighulipukhuri Park (HB Rd; admission 5, boats per person 15; h9.30am-8pm) with its large tank full of row boats. The nearby Guwahati Planetarium (MG Rd; shows 15; hnoon & 4pm, closed 1st & 15th of the month) looks somewhere between a mosque and a landed UFO.

Voyaging chalet book to the Ziro Valley is one of the undisputed chalet book highlights 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 tattoos and nose plugs that would be the envy of any tattooist 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 of the Apatani chalet book Cultural Preservation Society and can organise superb visits to the villages don t be at all surprised if your tour culminates in an evening of drinking chalet book rice wine and chowing down on barbequed rat in a villager s house!

snowmass chapel oHotel Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to

The MTC bus station (Jail Rd) also has a computerised railway-reservation counter (nearest train station is Guwahati). Private buses depart from Dhanketi Point; book tickets from counters around Police Bazaar, including Network Travels (Shop 44, MUDA Complex, Police Bazaar) and Deep (Ward s Lake Rd).

Air India (%2264420, Ganeshguri), IndiGo Airlines, Jet Airways snowmass chapel (%2633252; Tayebullah Rd), Kingfisher snowmass chapel 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.

Rest House Nongriat snowmass chapel 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 the escarpment snowmass chapel floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because snowmass chapel carrying a backpack back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

oHotel Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to the monastery, offers snowmass chapel far and away the best rooms in town colourful sky-blue affairs with polished wooden floors. There s a decent restaurant (mains 80-120) and the staff are great fun. It also has good monastery snowmass chapel views, a generator and, most bizarrely, a lounge bar/nightclub complete with throbbing strobe lights!

chalets lac simon The best of the couple of diff erent options are the tastefully renovated Banyan Grove (%9954451548;

The best of the couple of diff erent options are the tastefully renovated Banyan Grove (%9954451548; www.heritagetourism india.com; s/d 6272/7280; lunch 350, dinner chalets lac simon 450; s). Dating from the late 19th century, its rooms are crammed with antiques chalets lac simon and the drawing room is straight out of a Victorian period drama. It has wonderful lawns and verandas overlooking a tea estate and swimming pool. The site is 7km down rural tracks from Km442 on NH37 (Jorhat Deragaon Rd).

Bus & Sumo Distance buses leave from the Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT) 8km east of Guwahati. Private bus operators run shuttle services from their offices to the ISBT. With extensive chalets lac simon networks are Network Travels (%2522007; GS Rd), Deep (%2152937; Heramba Prasad Borua (HPB) Rd) and Blue Hill (%2601490; HPB Rd). All companies charge the same regulated fares.