vail village shopping 556 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE NORTHEAST STATES In recent decades man

Hotel Rajawas (%2323307; www.hotel rajawas.com; AT Rd; s/d from 687/860; ai) is a new, mirror-fronted hotel with a flowerfilled lobby, cheeky modern art on the walls and decent bathrooms. The deluxe rooms are the best bet (single/double 1144/1399). If you ve just trudged in from the mountains and jungles of Arunachal Pradesh you ll think its in-house restaurant (mains 120-160) is the best thing since sliced bread (or maybe cold dhal).

556 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE NORTHEAST STATES In recent decades many ethnolinguistic vail village shopping groups in the northeast have jostled often violently to assert themselves in the face of illegal Bangladeshi immigration, governmental neglect and a heavy-handed defence policy. Some want independence from India, others vail village shopping autonomy, but more are fighting what are effectively clan or turf wars. At the time of writing Arunachal Pradesh, most of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and the tourist areas of Tripura were fairly peaceful. The problem is that trouble can flare up suddenly and unpredictably. In 2010 bombings hit parts of Assam and the Garo hills area of Meghalaya. Much of Manipur remains dangerous to visit (but the areas open to tourists are currently calm). If you stick to the main tourist routes, the worst problems you re likely to encounter are the regular strikes that paralyse Assam. Even so, it s wise to keep abreast of latest news with the Assam Tribune (www.assam tribune.com) and if you re with a tour group, ensure your guide is up to date with the latest situation. 556 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE NORTHEAST STATES In recent decades many ethnolinguistic groups in the northeast have jostled often violently to assert themselves in the face of illegal Bangladeshi immigration, governmental neglect and a heavy-handed defence policy. Some want independence from India, others autonomy, but more are fighting what are effectively clan or turf wars. At the time of writing Arunachal Pradesh, most of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and the tourist areas of Tripura were fairly peaceful. The problem is that trouble can flare up suddenly and unpredictably. In 2010 bombings hit parts of Assam and the Garo hills area of Meghalaya. Much of Manipur remains dangerous to visit (but the areas open to tourists are currently calm). If you stick to the main tourist routes, the worst problems you re likely to encounter are the regular vail village shopping strikes that paralyse Assam. Even so, it s wise to keep abreast of latest news with the Assam Tribune (www.assam tribune.com) and if you re with a tour group, ensure your guide is up to date with the latest situation. Eating vail village shopping Tandoori NORTH INDIAN $$ (%2516021; SS Rd; mains 200-300; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm) Inside the Dynasty Hotel, Tandoori concocts majestic North Indian dishes which are served at stylish low tables by waiters in Mughal uniforms accompanied vail village shopping by gentle live tabla music.