{"id":1745,"date":"2018-04-18T16:46:46","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T16:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.co.in\/stories\/?p=1745"},"modified":"2022-07-23T00:20:58","modified_gmt":"2022-07-23T00:20:58","slug":"travel-diary-meghalaya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.co.in\/stories\/india\/travel-diary-meghalaya\/","title":{"rendered":"Meghalaya Travel Diary"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was barely able to control my excitement. My friend had registered for a monsoon run in Cherrapunji, and we were planning a trip to Meghalaya<\/a>, a state located in the North East of India. Visiting Meghalaya in the monsoons had been a childhood dream, after reading a chapter on Cherrapunji in our course book. It was then the wettest place on the planet. The title now rests with the neighbouring Mawsynram village in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Here is an itinerary on things to do in Meghalaya that I recommend based on my own experiences.<\/p>\n

Charmed by Meghalaya<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/h2>\n

Day 1 Morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reach Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya<\/h2>\n

Fly to\u00a0Guwahati<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are a number of transport options available from the Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati, including shared taxis. They typically charge Rs. 300 per passenger and drop you at Police Bazaar in Shillong.<\/p>\n

We decided to board the airport shuttle run by Meghalaya Tourism. The shuttle departs from the Guwahati Airport twice a day, at 2.00 p.m & 4.00 p.m\u00a0and charges Rs. 250 per passenger. You can buy the tickets at the Meghalaya Tourism Information Centre inside the Guwahati Airport.<\/p>\n

Shillong is about 117 kilometres away, but the journey can stretch up to four hours due to traffic congestion.<\/p>\n

\"Meghalaya\"<\/p>\n

Day 1 afternoon\/ evening: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Chill out at Cafe Shillong<\/h2>\n

Check in at your hotel or homestay. For a royal experience, stay at the\u00a0Heritage Tripura Castle\u00a0in Shillong built in the 1920s by Maharaja Bir Bikram.<\/p>\n

The long journey to Shillong is a tad tiring, so keep the agenda for Day 1 light. Cafe Shillong at Laitumkhrahon is a beautiful place to unwind over cups of coffee and catchy music. I enjoyed eating a traditional rice and meat dish while listening to a singer jamming live at the Cafe. Meghalaya food is yum!<\/p>\n

\"CafeMy first meal in Meghalaya. At Cafe Shillong.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 2 morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Drive to Mawlynnong<\/h2>\n

From Shillong, drive to Mawlynnong early morning (start at about 5 a.m.) to avoid the rush. Hike to the single decker living roots bridge. The living root bridges have been built over many years by entwining the aerial roots of Ficus Elastica trees. The Mawlynnong village is regarded as Asia\u2019s cleanest village, with cleanliness and waste segregation deeply ingrained among the people. You can spot bamboo baskets positioned outside each house to ensure there is no littering.<\/p>\n

I devoured a plateful of hot Maggi noodles at Mawlynnong village \u2014 it was the perfect comfort food in the midst of rain and mist.<\/p>\n

\"livingAt the living root bridge in Mawlynnong \/ (c) Gitika Saksena<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Day 2 afternoon\/ evening: <\/strong><\/p>\n

At Dawki, a river runs through the border<\/h2>\n

If weather permits, you can cover Dawki on Day 2 itself. The drive takes about an hour and a half. The town is located in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. The India – Bangladesh international border here is defined by the Umngot river that runs from the Indian side to the Bangladeshi area.<\/p>\n

A boat ride on the crystal clear waters of Umngot is a must. You can see the river bed through the twelve-feet-deep emerald green waters of the Umngot \u2014 it’s so clean! The fare of the boat ride is negotiable.<\/p>\n

You can head back to Shillong in the evening or choose to stay at Mawlynnong village. Mawlynnong Nongrai Homestay and Meghalaya Village\u00a0Mawlynnong Bamboo Cottage are two good options at Mawlynnong.<\/p>\n

\"DawkiFishermen at Dawki river \/ CC BY-SA 4.0 \/ AditiVerma2193<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 3 morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Visit Mawsmai Cave and Nohkalikai Falls at Cherrapunji<\/h2>\n

Of the ten longest and deepest caves in India, nine are found in Meghalaya. The Mawsmai Cave near Sohra (Cherrapunji) is a must-see with its dim-lit passages and limestone formations.<\/p>\n

The spectacular Nohkalikai Falls is a top rated Meghalaya attraction. It is the tallest plunge waterfall in India, with a height of 340 metres. Fed by rainwater, the waterfall is at its vociferous best during and after the monsoons.<\/p>\n

Adventure buffs can also try zip-lining at the Mawkdok – Dympep Valley, the zip-line is 2600 feet long and 1200 feet high. If that is not your cup of tea, you can admire the valley views from the Duwan Sing Syiem\u00a0bridge. Cafe Cherrapunji located close to the bridge is a good pit-stop for lunch.<\/p>\n

\"MawkdokAt Mawkdok bridge near Cherrapunji. (c) Gitika Saksena<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Day 3 evening:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gallivant at Police Bazaar<\/h2>\n

Head to Police Bazaar, a lively market area where you can shop for locally made bamboo and cane handicrafts. If you are willing to experiment, there are a number of street food stalls here.<\/p>\n

Your trip is incomplete if you do not try out the local cuisine at Trattoria restaurant at Police Bazaar. Traditional Khasi dishes are served here, do sample Jadoh\u00a0(rice and pork) and Jhur-Kleh (mixed vegetables).<\/p>\n

\"PoliceAt Police Bazaar, Shillong. (c) Gitika Saksena<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Day 4 morning<\/h4>\n

Pick up souvenirs at Bara Bazaar<\/h2>\n

For shopping in Meghalaya, Lewduh or Bara Bazaar is an exciting destination, it is among the largest and oldest trade markets in the North-East. You can pick up interesting souvenirs including local spices – Shyrmit (turmeric powder), Sohmirit (Khasi pepper), handcrafted knives and betel nut cutters. The market is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on all days except Sunday.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, you can visit the\u00a0Don Bosco Centre<\/a>\u00a0to know more about the region\u2019s indigenous cultures and artefacts.<\/p>\n

Day 4 afternoon\/ evening<\/h4>\n

Admire the panoramic vistas of Umiam Lake<\/h2>\n

The scenic and tranquil Umiam Lake lies en route from Guwahati to Shillong. You can walk up to its shore and marvel at the beauty of this hill-flanked Lake. Enjoy a relaxing walk through the Nehru Park that lies on the shores of the Lake. For lunch, Ri Kynjai’s Northeastern restaurant – ‘Sao Aiom’\u00a0located at Umniuh Khwan, UCC Road\u00a0is a great option.<\/p>\n

\"UmiamUmiam Lake. (c) Gitika Saksena<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On Day 5, head back to Guwahati airport. Plan for four hours of travel time at least. We got stuck in traffic on our way out of Shillong. Depending on the time of your flight, you can also visit the famous Kamakhya temple at Guwahati. And with that, its a wrap on your fabulous trip to Meghalaya!<\/p>\n

[button url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.co.in\/Destinations-In-Meghalaya.d553248627679246297.Flight-Destinations’ icon=’entypo-flight’ fullwidth=’true’] Fly me to Meghalaya![\/button]<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

NohKaliKai Falls in Meghalaya \/ CC BY-SA 3.0 \/ Kunal Dalui<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was barely able to control my excitement. My friend had registered for a monsoon run in Cherrapunji, and we were planning a trip to Meghalaya, a state located in the North East of India. Visiting Meghalaya in the monsoons had been a childhood dream, after reading a chapter on Cherrapunji in our course book.… Continue reading Meghalaya Travel Diary<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[501,206,502,54,503],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-1745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india","tag-bazaars","tag-meghalaya","tag-night-market","tag-outdoors-and-nature","tag-travel-diary","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMeghalaya Travel Diary - Expedia India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Visiting Meghalaya in the monsoons had been a childhood dream, after reading a chapter on Cherrapunji in our course book. It was then the wettest place on the planet. 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