Best Places to visit in Meghalaya

Meghalaya - the abode of clouds

Meghalaya is one of the smallest states in India having a geographical area of 22,429 sq km along with a forest cover of 9,496 km². The state is endowed with gift of nature such as lofty mountain ranges with interplay of lush green valley, cascading rivers, sprawling water bodies, waterfalls, caves, and living root bridges. Not only is the state having national parks and wildlife sanctuaries it is an ideal habitat for flora and fauna with a pleasant and bracing climate. The state has over 100 tourist spots. Because of her natural assets, ethnic diversity and the societal ethos, tourism holds high potential in the state. The state government though has taken a number of steps to improve the tourism sector yet it is at the nascent stage and has a long way to develop. Air and road connectivity, infrastructural facilities at tourist sites in terms of accommodation, transport, banking including credit card use, drinking water, sanitation, health care, etc is either lacking or not developed or deplorable. Over and above of all these, tourists do not often find themselves at ease with the local public. The workforce in the transportation and hospitality sector are yet to be sensitized regarding professional ethos, decorum and visitor-friendly courtesy.

Tourist Spots in Meghalaya

At present, Meghalaya has over 100 tourist spots almost half of which are located in the East Khasi Hills district . In particular, the state has two National Parks and three Wildlife Sanctuaries. The state also offers many adventure tourism opportunities in the form of mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking and hiking, water sports, etc. The state offers several trekking routes, some of which also afford an opportunity to encounter rare animals such as slow loris, assorted deer and bear. The Umiam Lake has water sports complex with facilities such as rowboats, paddleboats, sailing boats, cruise-boats, water-scooters and speedboats.

Meghalaya has an estimated 500 natural limestone and sandstone caves spread over the entire state including most of the longest and deepest caves in the subcontinent. Krem Liat Prah is the longest cave, and Synrang Pamiang is the deepest cave. Both are located in the Jaintia Hills. Cavers from United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Ireland and the United States have been visiting Meghalaya for over a decade exploring these caves. Not many of these have however been developed or promoted adequately for major tourist destinations. Important tourist spots are Nohkalikai Falls and Standing stones. Cherrapunji which is one of the most popular tourist locations in North East India lies to the south of the capital Shillong. The town is well known and has guided tours of Tree Root Bridges. The popular waterfalls in the state are the Elephant Falls, Shadthum Falls, Weinia Falls, Bishop Falls, Nohkalikai Falls, Langshiang Falls and Sweet Falls. The hot springs at Jakrem near Mawsynram are believed to have curative and medicinal properties. The state is also known for her sacred groves. These have been preserved by the traditional religious sanction since the ancient days. The Mawphlang sacred forest is one of the most famous sacred forests being located about 25 kilometers from Shillong and represents the pristine glory and wisdom of the elders of yore in preserving the ecological system. Nongkhnum Island located in the West Khasi Hills district is the biggest river island in Meghalaya and the second biggest in Asia. It is 14 kilometers from Nongstoin. The island is formed by the bifurcation of Kynshi River into the Phanliang River and the Namliang River. Adjacent to the sandy beach the Phanliang River forms a very beautiful lake. The river then moves along and before reaching a deep gorge, forms a pretty waterfall about 60 meters high called Shadthum Fall. The Mawlynnong village located near the India-Bangladesh border is known for its cleanliness. The travel magazine ‘Discover India’ declared the village as the cleanest in Asia in 2003, and the cleanest in India in 2005.

Some of the interesting features include the presence of Living Root Bridges and another natural phenomenon of a boulder balancing on another rock. Meghalaya also has many natural and manmade lakes. The Umiam Lake, popularly known as Bara Pani on the Guwahati-Shillong road is a major tourism attraction. The state has several parks; Thangkharang Park, the Eco-park, the Botanical Garden and Lady Hydari Park to name a few. Dawki, which is located at about 96 Kilometers from Shillong is the gateway to Bangladesh and affords a scenic view of some of the tallest mountain ranges in Meghalaya and the Bangladesh border lands. The state has two National parks and two wildlife sanctuaries. Balpakram National Park with its pristine habitat and scenery is a major attraction. The Nokrek National Park in Garo Hills has its own charm with lot of wildlife. Species like golden cat, golden langur and hoolock gibbon are endemic to the state. Meghalaya resonates with fairs and festivals which are celebrated throughout the year. Music remains an integral part of every festival and ceremony of the state. The four major festivals of the three tribes are the Wangala Dance of Garos, Shad Suk Mynsiem and Nongkrem Dance Festival of Khasis, and the Behdeinkhlam Festival of Jaintias. The Shillong Golf Course in the state has one of the oldest 18-hole golf courses in the country. The golf course with very favorable climatic conditions has the potential of attracting ardent golfers from corporate houses within the country and from neighboring countries.