Meghalaya

   
     Meghalaya, ‘the abode of the clouds’ (Megh – cloud and Laya – abode/home), is a home to the cleanest villages in Asia and the wettest place in the world. Interestingly, it is

one of few communities to follow matrilineal society where wealth is passed from mother to daughter.
It has so many beautiful and exotic places to explore.The foremost and most popular being the Cherrapunjee - with all the waterfalls and caves to fascinate you. At a short distance from Cherrapunjee lies Mawsyngram, the wettest place in the world. Then you have Mawlynong - the cleanest village in Asia to visit. A little distance away from God's own Garden lies Dawki from where you can view Bangladesh border and take a boating experience in a clear water of Umngot river.

Laithlum

You can explore the amazing landscape of Laithlum Canyons which gives you  a spectacular view of hill tops and gorges; and Diengiei Peak from where you can get a tantalising view of the Umiam Lake with the city of Shillong in the background .
      The state, with its capital Shillong, referred by many as "Scotland of the East", has more to offer like Shillong peak, Elephant falls, Sweet falls, Wards' lake, breathtakingly beautiful Golf Course and symbol of religious sanctity Mawphalang Sacred Forest. It has its own unique culture and tradition, the reflection of which can been seen in the Museums out here, the prominent being Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Culture.
      The other spots of Tourist attraction in the State is in Jowai and Nongstoin. The

Krang Suri Falls

Krang Suri Falls has in recent time become a major Tourist spot in Jowai. Apart from this you have Bophill Falls, Nartiang Monoliths, Stone Bridge, Ialong park, Umlawan Cave, Durga Temple and Lady of Good Hope Shrine and few more. The Nongstoin, Head Quarter of West Khasi Hills District also has many places to represent its scenic beauty and some of which are Nongkhnum Island, Mawthadraishan Peak, Kyllang Rock, Langshiang Falls, Thum Falls, Embroidery Stone and War Lake.

Major Tourist Destination in Meghalaya

Nohkalikai Falls

Cherrapunji

      Cherrapunji in Meghalaya is one of the wettest places on the planet. The town is 58 km southwest to the State’s capital, Shillong. Cherrapunji is also known as Sohra or Churra, means ‘the land of oranges’. It offer stunning views of waterfalls, facinating caves and beautiful landscape though the hills around Cherrapunji do not have the lush green vegetation one normally associates  wet places with. The water falls and caves are the main tourist attraction in the region. One of the most photogenic waterfalls is the

Mawsmai Falls

 Nohkalikai Falls which is fifth highest waterfall in India. Then you have the seven-segmented waterfall, the Nohsngithiang Falls or Seven Sister falls ( also Mawsmai Falls). The others are Dain-Thlen Falls, Wah Kaba Falls and Kynrem Falls. Ready to thrill yourself with excitement, then walk into the underground passage. There are three main caves you must visit, the Mawsmai Cave which is a major crowd puller that leaves tourists spellbound, the Lawshynna Cave (or Arwah Cave) and the Mawmluh Cave.

    Apart from waterfalls and caves you have other tourist attraction spots to visit. These are Thangkharang Park, Eco Park and Sa-I-Mika Park, Mawkdok Dympep Valley, Duwan Sing Syiem View Point, Ka Khoh Ramhah (Rock shaped in the form of huge cone), Khasi Monoliths and Ramkrishna Mission.

      But, the most interesting and thrilling of all these are the living root bridges of Cherrapunji. These root bridges are so strong that some of them can carry 50 or more people at a time. The most famous of these

Double Decker Bridge

 being the Umshiang Double Decker Root Bridge of Nongriat Village. It requires 3 km long hike from Village Tyrna to the bridge which stands at a height of 2400 feet. Reaching the upper bridge, which is 20 meter long is a tough but a worth it task. The other popular root bridges of Cherrapunjee areUmmunoi Root Bridges- A very popular attraction, this is known to be the oldest living bridge of the region. Place at a height of 1400 feet, this bridge is 74 m long.
Ritymmen Root Bridge- Settled in Nongthymmai village, this bridge is 30 m long. If you start trekking from Village Tyrna, this bride would fall on your way to double-decker living root bridges.
Umkar Root Bridge- Beginning from Village Siej, this is a short bridge. It takes just half an hour to walk to and fro on it. During the monsoon season, a visit to this bridge is even more exciting as a waterfall gushes along the bridge at that time.
Mawsaw Root Bridge- If you continue walking past Umshiang for around 20 - 30 minutes, you arrive at the Mawsaw Bridge. The natural swimming pool is the star attraction of this bridge.

Mawlynong
     

The cleanest village in India, Mawlynnong Village is also known as God’s Own Garden. It was awarded the prestigious tag of 'Cleanest Village in Asia' in 2003 by Discover India Magazine. Cleanliness is a way of life for the people of Mawlynnong Village. There are bamboo dustbins all over the village, even the dry leaves fallen from the trees go straight into the dustbin, plastic bags are banned and the rules are strictly followed. People here not only clean their houses, they step out to sweep the roads and plant trees.
The Living Root Bridges in Mawlynnong have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hanging on a river, the bridges are made by connecting the aerial roots of one massive rubber tree with another. There is a 85 feet high tower made of bamboo referred as 'Sky View' is a popular attraction of Mawlynnong Village from where you can have a nice view of the village and plains of Bangladesh as well. You also have beautiful place with waterfall to unwind and have a picnic.

      35 km to east of Mawlynnong is a small border town Dawki, from where you can see the India-Bangladesh border. On approaching Dawki is the Umngot river, the venue of the annual boat race held during March - April. The crystal clear river is a major attraction for boating and the suspension bridge over it gives you an eye catching view.

Laithlum

      Laitlum is a little-explored haunt of the hilly state of Meghalaya situated at East Khasi hills district of the state. At Laitlum, all one can see are breathtaking gorges and steep winding stairways that snake their way down to the lush valley. Meghalaya is called the ‘abode of the clouds” and at Laitlum Canyons (blanketing the entire canyon with clouds) one can experience why. Also,the beautiful rocky trail to Laitlum is a trekker’s paradise. The terrain is a bit difficult to navigate  but this is a trek worth adding to your bucket list of trekking expeditions. Narrow and uneven rocky paths lead to several small slate-roofed houses perched at great heights of the canyon, each with its very own picture perfect view. A 3000 steps long steep stairway, carved out of the mountain and lined with fern covered rocks, which passes through sprawling bamboo plantations and colourful bursts of orchids, is the only route between the village and the nearest market. In recent years, these picturesque canyons have also captured the interest of some Bollywood producers, with the movies like Rock On 2 being filmed here. But, despite its gradually increasing popularity, Laitlum Canyons still remains a little piece of heaven that few have heard of and fewer still have visited.

Shillong 
      Shillong, the Capital, also referred to as the 'Scotland of the East', has many things to

offer to the tourist. The foremost being the highest point of Shillong, the Shillong peak which is at the height of 1965 m above sea level. It offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire city and trekking up to this peak is worth doing for the best views of beautiful landscape, lush greenery and the serene environment. A few Km from the peak is one of the natural wonders of Northeast, the Elephant Falls. This is a three step beautiful waterfalls and the exciting part is that it allows you to get close to the waterfall, unlike many of the taller ones in the State. There is a 18 hole natural golf course lined with fragrant pine and flowering rhododendron trees which not only attracts golfers but everyone who loves beauty. There are no fences to ward off outsiders and not many golf in India course can be casually visited as this.
     

If you want to enjoy the whether of Shillong what better it could be than to do so with the beautiful and green environment of Lady Hydari Park and Ward's Lake around you. The park has a mini zoo which house many species of birds, few species of reptiles and cats. The beautiful bed of roses is the highlight of the park. The combination of the zoo, Park and beautiful stretches of flower beds makes it an ideal location for the families to relax and spend some quality time. Ward’s lake is a must-visit place in Shillong as it is a refreshing pool surrounded by beautiful gardens and the cobble-stone path in the heart of the city. Visitors can also enjoy boating here on the placid waters of the Lake. The serene lake and the cool shades of trees around it, makes it a nice spot for sightseeing and boating. 
      Meghalaya has diverse indigenous cultures  and traditions, the reflection of which can

been seen in the Museums out here, the prominent being Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Culture in Shillong. Its exhibition of cultural artifacts thematically arranged from floor to floor in the different galleries along with excellent paintings depicting various aspects of the cultures of North East India forms the first and most visible aspect of DBCIC. The other museums are Capt. Williamson Sangma State Museum, Airforce Museum, Everliving Museum and Entomological Museum (Butterfly Museum). Some visitors often look for a religious place of the region to visit and for those Cathedral Catholic Church also known as Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is the destination.

Trekking
      Meghalaya provides the best nature trek through rain forests to the river front at the 

David Scott Trail

bottom of the valley, to living root bridges which are exclusive to Meghalaya in the entire world. The dry months from November to February throw open abundant trekking, camping and caving opportunities for the adventurous. The trekking opportunity in Meghalaya is outstanding as the terrain is very challenging. Guides are available on your request to help you walk through the tough terrains.

    One of the most popular trekking routes is the old mule track marked by David Scott, which was originally the horse-cart road that connected the plains of Slyhet (now in Bangladesh) to Assam. This route spread in over 100 km and takes around 5 days to get covered, on-foot. This trail route is separated into smaller trekking routes and the trail between Mawphlang and Lad Mawphlang, is the most famous one. This 1-day route in David Scott Trail expands up to 16 km and can be covered in 4 hours. The whole trek takes you past clear streams, by waterfalls over rushing rivers, through meadows, jungles, valleys and also through a Khasi village on a hilltop. 

Another interesting trek is from Cherrapunjee to Pynursula or Krang to Pynursula. This trek is hard as one has to walk deep into the valleys before climbing up to Pynursula. There are many Living Root bridges on this trek and the experience of life in the deep valleys, with no access to modern amenities is unforgettable.


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