Meghalaya
Photos: Aadri (CC BY-SA 3.0)
North-eastern hill state of waterfalls, living root bridges and caves, with Shillong as its capital.
Meghalaya is a hilly state of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills with Shillong as its base. Plan around the rains: October to April is the easiest season for roads and river trips, while the monsoon (June to September) brings huge waterfalls but slow, slippery travel.
Highlights: Shillong, its viewpoints and Police Bazar · Sohra (Cherrapunji) waterfalls and caves · Double-decker living root bridge at Nongriat · Mawlynnong village and the Riwai root bridge · Clear Umngot river at Dawki · Laitlum canyons · Mawsynram and Mawjymbuin cave · Jowai, Krang Suri falls and Nartiang monoliths
When to go
Green best · blue good · red avoid · this month outlinedDestinations
Towns, valleys and cities worth the trip, with how they rate this month.
Shillong
State capital at about 1,500 m and base for most trips.
Sohra
Plateau town famous for record rainfall, waterfalls and caves.
Jowai
Main town of the Jaintia Hills and base for Krang Suri falls and Nartiang monoliths.
Nongriat
Village in a gorge below Sohra with the double-decker living root bridge.
Mawlynnong
Khasi village known for cleanliness, with the Riwai living root bridge nearby.
Dawki
Border town on the clear Umngot river, famous for boat rides.
Mawsynram
Village that competes with Sohra for the world's highest rainfall.
Laitlum
Viewpoint over deep green canyons close to Shillong.
Top sights
Nature and outdoors
Lady Hydari Park
Tea Garden
Mercury Environmental Lake
Lady Hydari Park
The park has a variety of local flowering plants and orchids. It also has a small zoo within it. Children will like it as there are few swings, sea-saws, slips for them. It is a famous picnic spot for local population. This park is named after the Lady Hydari, the first lady of t
Umiam Lake
A beautiful lake north of Shillong, which resembles the 'Lochs', or lakes of Scotland, and is a must-see for all tourists. This lake is man-made and is better known as 'Barapani' (big water) for its sheer size. It was created by damming the Umiam river in the early 1960s. There i
Wards Lake
This horseshoe-shaped artificial lake is below the Raj Bhavan (Governor's Residence). Boating facilities are available in the lake and surrounded by a fairly large garden. It has a wooden bridge at the middle. The winding walkway around the lake's periphery provides an enchanting