Shillong Travel Guide - Wiki Travel

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Understand[+] Get in

By planeBy trainBy bus

[+] Get aroundBy busBy taxi

See[+] Do

Cave explorationBuyEatDrink[+] Sleep

BudgetMid-range

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ShillongFrom Wikitravel

Asia : South Asia : India : North-Eastern India : Meghalaya : East Khasi Hills : Shillong

Shillong (ि◌शलांग) is the capital and the largest town ofMeghalaya.

UnderstandShillong was the capital of Assam, but after the state wassplit as Assam and Meghalya meaning 'The abode Clouds', itbecame the first capital of the newly formed State ofMeghalaya . Located in undulating pine covered hills, the cityhas a milder climate than tropical India. The city center is1496 meters above sea level. Shillong currently has apopulation of around 270,000. Home to several waterfalls, itis also known as the Scotland of East. The British legacy isstill visible in architecture and food habits of population. TheAssam style houses with slanting roofs, large number ofwindows and wooden floors look like a piece of art (andhappen to be very good idea, considering Shillong lies in aarea where rains and earthquakes are very common).Shillong receives heavy rainfalls during monsoon and therainy season usually lasts longer than rest of India. Anumbrella is therefore a necessity while packing your bags.Although people avoid the rainy season, it is generally the

time when city is clean (rains wash the streets of all garbage) and waterfalls are in full strength.

Most of the Shillong population belong to Khasi tribe, who are predominantly Christian. Thereare significant Bengali and Nepali minorities. An interesting aspect of Khasis are that they area matrilineal society - the mother is head of family, youngest daughter owns all the propertyand mothers surname is passed on to children.

Get in

By plane

There is a small airport at Umroi, about 40km from Shillong. There are Alliance Air(operated by Indian Airlines) flights from Calcutta to Umroi on certain days of the week.Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati (104 km from Shillong) is connected to rest of Indiawith regular flights. Shared cabs (typically small cars from the airport, and larger Tata Sumosfrom Guwahati town center) are available from outside airport connecting to Shillong. The rate(as of June 2007)is INR 300 per passenger from Guwahati Airport to Shillong. The cab

6/6/2010 Shillong travel guide - Wikitravel

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drops you off at Police Bazaar from where you can get a ride to almost any part of Shillong.En route from Guwahati to Shillong, you'll probably stop mid way at Nongpoh to freshen upand get some refreshments. Nongpoh is also a good place to pick up bamboo pickles andother condiments.

By train

There are no rail lines in Meghalaya. The nearest railway station is Guwahati. It is 105 kmfrom Shillong and very well connected with all major cities of India.

By bus

The main interstate bus stand is located right next to Guwahati railway station. Buses run byAssam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) and Meghalaya Transport Corporation(MTC), ply every half an hour from Guwahati to Shillong. The ticket fares vary betweenRs.30 to 100, depending upon bus class (ordinary, semi-deluxe and deluxe). Please notethat many of the buses are very old and only visible difference among bus class isnumber of people allowed to sit. Many private run buses also run between two cities butthey leave from Paltan Bazar area and cost around Rs. 70. Private buses might be betterbuilt but are occasionally crowded and have more stops enroute. Buses usually takearound 4 hours with a mid-way stop at Nong-poh. Shared taxis are available from PaltanBazar area. These are generally SUV sized vehicles (Tata Sumo & Mahindra Bolero) sharedbetween 8 people. They take around 3 hours to reach Shillong from Guwahati.

Get aroundBest way to go about in Shillong is on foot. The city itself is small and can be easily coveredwalking and exploring hills and people.

By bus

For places within city limits, city buses are good options. There are two kinds of buses thatpass from Shillong - City bus and Bazar bus. City buses is what tourists should use. Bazarbuses are for villagers coming to Shillong to sell their products. Most of times they carryvegetables, fruits, poultry etc. along with people. City buses are notoriously slow. Driversmove their buses from bus-stop only when the bus gets packed or another bus arrives. Manytimes you will find that walking will take you earlier to your destination. Bus tickets are atmostRs. 5 for one journey. You will find many locals paying in form of betel leaves instead of cash.

By taxi

Black and yellow unmetered shared taxis ply within city limits. These are faster and are alwaysshared; rates may vary from Rs 5/- to Rs 15/- maximum. Being shared taxis, drivers oftenpick up additional passengers en route to the same destination, in order to make a better fare.If one decides to negotiate the "hire" of a taxi, however, the driver will not pick up any morepassengers (or stop roadside to find more) but the fare will be significantly higher than if onehad just hailed the taxi as it passed by.



For sightseeing it is a good idea to hire a taxi cab for full day. The fares should be fixed beforetravel. Hotel staff will be able to give you an idea of reasonable rate.

Much of the infrastructure is basic and many roads outside city are in bad shape due to heavyrains and poor maintenance, but within the city the roads are quite good. Although the citytraffic ranks second in the country in terms to vehicles to population ratio, Mumbai being first,it is very slow and disciplined unlike most of India.

SeeUmiam Lake, meghalaya (north of shillong). A beautiful lake north of Shillong, whichresembles the 'Lochs', or lakes of Scotland, and is a must-see for all tourists. This lakeis man-made and is better known as 'Barapani' (big water) for its sheer size. There is awater sports complex. There is a garden ( Lum Nehru park) by the side water sportscomplex. edit

Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous North East Culture. Run by the Salesian orderof the Catholic Church, the Don Bosco Museum is a truly amazing repository ofinformation on the entire North Eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur,Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura. Located within the precincts ofthe Sacred Heart Church, Mawlai, the edifice iteself is shaped like a spiral and itsdistinct form is discernible from quite some distance away. It has an amazing collectionof attire, accoutrements, weapons, ornamentation and rare photographs. This is alsothe largest cultural museum in the whole Asia. Fr Sebastian is the priest who has takenup the cause of preservation of art and culture with 'missionary zeal!

Wards Lake. Wards Lake is an artificial lake surrounded by a fairly large garden.Boating facilities are available in the lake. It has a wooden bridge at the middle. Lots oflotus plants with leaves are there on either side of lake. One can find lots of colourfulfishes in the lake. A cafeteria is there to provide refreshment.A fountain dancing to thetunes of song is also there.

Lady Hydari Park. The park has variety of local flowering plants and orchids. It alsohas a small zoo within it. Children wiil like it as there are few swings, sea-saws, slips forthem. It is a famous picnic spot for local population. This park is named after the LadyHydari, the first lady of the state, wife of the Governor of Assam. This park has a minizoo and a deer park, which is spread over more than one kilometre.

Sweet Falls. Located in Happy Valley, it is a very steep fall. Extreme caution isadvised as there are no barricades and rocks are nearly always slippery (due to rain ordew).

Bishop & Beadon Falls. Located in Suna valley,these two are very beautiful falls.Suna is the home to wild animals such as deer, leopard,langurs,wild cats and numerousbird species.

Elephant Falls. It is located in Upper Shillong area which also houses the Eastern Air



Elephant Falls

Command of Indian Airforce. The scenic fall is not continuous and more of collectionof smaller falls. It has footpath leading to bottom fo fall where it reaches a small lake.Its name elephant falls was given by British. Because there was a rock by the side offall which resembled elephant. The rock was destroyed in earthquake.

Shillong Peak. Shillong Peakis the highest point in state ofMeghalaya (1965 meters abovesea level). There is a view-pointwhere you can get breathtakingview of Shillong city. The cityview during night is a scene toremember. It is host to a radarstation for Indian Air force andtourists are advised to declaretheir cameras while reachingview-point and not to takepictures of radar facilties.

Butterfly Museum. There is ahuge collection of different types of butterflies. Students of zoology will find theminteresting. This place is also attractive for adults where they can see the natural beautyand play with the beautiful and colourful butterflies. This museum presents some of thefinest and rarest species of butterflies.

Golf course Shillong golf course is located at an altitude of around 5200 ft. This is thefirst golf course of India which has 18 holes in it. This place is like a dream come truefor the putters. This golf course is so beautiful and located at the unique location thatsome time it is compared with the “ Glen Eagle Course” of the United State.

DoTake a walk through Iewduh (Bara Bazar)-Iewduh means Big Market - It is one of thebiggest market in North-East India. There are separate areas dedicated to vegetables,fruits, iron works, fish, beef, betel and so on.

Visit the State Central Library - Located near Dhankheti, it was started at the time ofBritish Raj and holds many rare books and almanacs. For British searching for cluesabout ancestors in this area, it is a gold-mine. Unfortunately with time and poormanagement many books are being lost.

Explore the forest around Shillong peak - There are no large or dangerous animals andforest is full of rare and exotic plants - orchids, pines and others including the famousinsect eating pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana).

Cave exploration

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There are many naturally beautiful caves in Shillong, Meghalaya. Tourists can explore thecaves, where they will have to pass through dark and murky interiors.

BuyIewduh is the largest open street market in north-eastern India. It has large sections dedicatedto local fruits, vegetables, honey, fish etc. As a tourist, one can get a very nice picture of locallife in here. Traditional bamboo handicrafts and woollen handmade shawls are most popularbuys. Additionally art-crafts made of wood and bamboo funitures are popular. Bamboo shootpickles are quite favourite of the tourists. Please visit the Meghalya Govt. HandicraftsShowroom "Purbashree" located in police bazar.

Shillong is one of the fashion capitals of India,it has innumerable number of shops selling topquality brands from India and abroad. The well known ones are RAPs Apparel in Raps'Mansion MG Road, Uncle Shop, In-Fashion, Broadway Collection, Selection Centre, inPolice Bazar, etc..

EatThere are a variety of restaurants in Shillong. Most of the better ones are located in PoliceBazar area. Chinese, Indian and Tibetan foods are popular and even khun ksew.

Bamboo Hut in RAPs' Mansion MG Road is one of the famost hangout and also the CITYDhaba near Earl Holiday Home.

One should definitely try Momos (steamed Tibetan dumplings filled with cabbage and pork)They come as small momos and big momos and are very popular snacks.

Shillong has a pre-dominantly Christian population, therefore pork and beef are easilyavailable in restaurants run by local Khasis, although cleanliness remains a issue in smallerfood-outlets.

Khasi and Tibetan recipes use very little spices (including salt) unlike cooking style of rest ofIndia and emphasis is on boiling or roasting rather than frying in oil.

For Indian snacks, one can try Delhi Mistaan Bhandar in Police Bazar which in myopinion,has the best jalebis in the world.

Apart from these, the hotels mentioned below have restaurants that have their own charm.Ginger at Hotel Polo Towers is good, Royal Heritage has a nice restaurant. Sip & Dineat Hotel Alpine Continental have excellent restaurant.

suruchi hotel, police bazar (near parking lot). this place serves excellent bengalifood, rice, daal, vegetable, fish at a very economical price. the restaurant is clean, staffis polite and food is very good. The food is simply superb and the quality of fish isgreat. A must try for all the bengalis and others who appreciate bengalifood.recommended edit

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Foodplus, Laban Last Stop Taxi Stand, ☎ 091-9863083167. A fast food joint CumHotel edit

Chef's Multi Cuisine Restaurant, M G Road- Opp SBI, Shillong (5 minutes fromCity centre on foot), ☎ +919436332977, [1] (www.shillonghotels.com) . Great foodat reasonable prices edit

Sesame, Laitumkhrah. Serves South-east Asian cuisine including traditional tribal food.Newly opened and offers an interesting menu including the Jaintia thali. edit

DrinkIt is the drinker's paradise.Because of the tax structure on alcohol in this state, you will behard pressed find cheaper drinks anywhere else in India, if you are the type who buys liquorfrom a shop and drinks in your hotel room.

If you like pubs and clubs, then Shillong has quite a few of them.

Platinum, Hotel Polo Towers.Cloud 9, Centre Point.Picadilly (English Pub), Hotel Polo Towers.Tango at Police Bazar in O B Shopping Mall.Cocktails at Hotel Alpine Continental.

Nightlife is generally at its peak on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are very very dull.

Madras Cafe (Police bazar). 7 am to 10 pm. This small but busy place in policabazar serves some authentic south indian dishes like idlis, dosas, vada etc.. Dosas aretheir favourite and are crispy and hot. They also serve some south indian rice dishes.100 for a meal. edit

Swish, laitumkhrah. Swish Cafe which is opening soon after undergoing renovation, isthe first cafe in Shillong and is a favourite haunt of youngsters and anyone who wants agood cup of coffee and some tasty snacks. Its a cute little coffee shop with a lot ofcharacter! edit

Delhi Mistan Bhandar, Police bazar. Vintage sweet shop in Shillong,famous for it'sjalebis edit

MOT (Matter of Taste), Laitumkrah, (turn left at the junction). Matter of taste,MOT is an amazing coffee shop which serves pastas, sandwiches and pizzas too. Irishcoffee is a must try. After a hard day of travelling around shillong, it refreshes you likeanything edit

Sharma Bhojanalaya, Near Police Bazaar (Enter from Iewedeh, near roop kalasarees). For all those who look for vegetarian food. Serves decent food, marwari thalipriced at Rs.40. Good food for veggies edit



SleepShillong has options for all kind of travellers. Most of the hotels are located in and around thePolice Bazar which is the noisy, crowded city centre of Shillong. Hotel Polo Towers andRoyal Heritage have locations that are more relaxing. Backpackers might want to check theYouth Hostel near Office of Chief Telecom Officer (CTO Complex). Internet reservation isavailable only in few starred hotels.

Budget

White Orchid Guesthouse,Lachaumiere Shillong Tel :+91-9774012129 [2](http://www.shillonghotel.com)B&B, Rosaville Cottage,[3] (http://www.nivalink.com/rosaville/index.html)The Majestic Hotel, Polo Road, [4] (http://www.majesticmonsoonshillong.com)Lake View Inn, MG Road, [5] (http://www.shillonghotels.com)Shillong Club Guesthouse near Police bazaarRohit Guest House, Near Shillong Times Building, Tel:+91-9864506161Hotel Yalana, Laimukhra,Shillong Tel:+91-9954364952 [6](http://www.northeastindiatravels.net)

Mid-range

Hotel Centre Point (+91 364 222 0272/ 222 0480 Email:[email protected])Royal Heritage Tripura Castle (+91 364 250 1111/49 Email:[email protected])Hotel Alpine Continental,3 Star, Shillong [7] (http://www.alpinecontinental.com)email: [email protected] Polo Towers, Shillong`s Only 4 Star Hotel, [8](http://www.hotelpolotowers.com)HotelPine Brook Guest House. Pure Bengali food available Laban Howell( NearPolice Bazer)road well furnesid 700 to 1200 Kolkata Cont.91 033 224_92716,2264_2051Rooms Rs 1000-1500 resturant , Garden etcLuxury, Ri Kynjai Resort, (+91 98624 20300/01 Email:[email protected]), [9](http://rikynjai.com/)

Get outThere are many interesting places for outing from Shillong.

Cherrapunjee (or Sohra as called locally) is around 60 km south of Shillong. It holdsthe world record for the highest rainfall ever in a calendar year. It is famous for itsvarious waterfalls (most famous of all Noh Kalikai Falls) and limestone caves. TheMonsoon is the best time to enjoy thundering waterfalls. Limestone caves are full ofstalactites and stalagmites and you will find many adventurous souls venturing deep intothem.



Umiam is a water sports complex, developed upon the reservoir of the Umiam HydroElectric Project, around 20 km north of Shillong. The campus consists of a lake resortand a park. It also offers many water sports activities.

Sacred Forest (or Mawphlang as called locally) are groves around 25 km away fromShillong. These are considered sacred by Khasis and people were forbidden to enterthem earlier. This ensured protection of a dense growth of several kinds of treesincluding the Khasi pine. The heavily covered grounds around the forests facilitatinggrowth of ferns and orchids most of them endemic.

Mawsynram is 56 km from Shillong and is known for the Giant Stalagmite formationshaped into a "Shivalinga" and found inside a cave known locally as Mawjymbuin. Italso gets the heaviest rainfalls in world in recent years.

Jakrem, 64 km from Shillong, is a hot-spring of sulphur water, believed to havecurative medicinal properties.

Jaintia Hills This is not a hot tourist spot but one can find a beautiful lake, a 700hundred years old Durga temple and a rock garden.

This is a usable article. It has information forgetting in as well as some complete entries forrestaurants and hotels. An adventurous personcould use this article, but please plunge forwardand help it grow!

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