gay ski week vail 571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL Nagaland s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1-7 December) is ce

Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; gay ski week vail a) A friendly place with an ultra quick-service restaurant, although it doesn t open until 10am so breakfast has to be by room service. The rooms are nothing special but you do feel a sense of belonging when staying here.

571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL Nagaland s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1-7 December) is celebrated at Kisama Heritage Village (see below) with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Of all the festivals in the northeast this is the most spectacular and photogenic. Simultaneously, Kohima also hosts a rock festival (www.hornbillmusic.com).

chalet quebec Like a practice run for Sivasagar, Gaurisagar has an attractive tank and a trio of distinctive 1720s

Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE chalet quebec $ (%9856891520; Nongriat; per person chalet quebec 100) This highly basic four-room guesthouse is just one minute from the double-decker bridge and so is ideal if you want to explore the escarpment floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because carrying a backpack back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

Forty-five kilometres north of Kohima is the small town of Tuophema, which can make a useful overnight stop on the road to Mon if you leave Kohima late in the day. Although the town itself is nothing special, chalet quebec the

Like a practice run for Sivasagar, Gaurisagar has an attractive tank and a trio of distinctive 1720s temples Vishnudol, Shivadol and Devidol built by dancing girl queen Phuleswari. The more impressive is Vishnudol, not as tall as Sivasagar s Shivadol but sporting finer, but eroded carvings. Gaurisagar is on the main NH37 at Km501.5.

kopaonik ski resort All Dirang s commercial services are in New Dirang, with a strip of cheap hotels, eateries and sumo

All Dirang s commercial services are in New Dirang, with a strip of cheap hotels, eateries and sumo counters kopaonik ski resort around the central crossroads. Tourist Lodge (%200176; d 825), a kilometre south and overlooking New Dirang, is a basic but friendly family hotel in an old-style hill house crowded with potted plants. Nicer is the next-door Hotel Pemaling (%207265; s/d 1815/2420), which has shiny rooms, excellent service and a very pleasant garden where you can enjoy the views towards the sometimes snow-bound Se La and the high Himalaya kopaonik ski resort beyond.

4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms at this new hotel bang in the town centre are splashed in smart white paint, but have cold water only showers,

vail village photos oClassic Hotel HOTEL $$ (%2443967; North AOC Rd; s/d from 845/1170; aiW) This unexpectedly classy ho

oClassic vail village photos Hotel HOTEL $$ (%2443967; North AOC Rd; s/d from 845/1170; aiW) This unexpectedly classy hotel is one of the best-value business hotels in the northeast. The large spotless rooms come with full facilities, staff who love to please and the town s best restaurant (mains 100 to 150). Opt for one of the Classic Standard rooms (s/d 1885/2470).

10pm) Best of several closely vail village photos grouped options. Tripura Tourism (%2225930; vail village photos www.tripura tourism.in; Swet Mahal, Palace Complex; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 3-5pm Sun) Helpful and enthusiastic with many great-value tours.

than a geographical area. Most foreigners fly into Imphal; it is also possible to drive in from Kohima (Nagaland) or Silchar (Assam) if you have a guide. Travelling vail village photos east of Kakching towards the Myanmar border is not permitted.

banff beaver cabins This famous (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyon

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura and much of the more accessible western parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

This famous (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyond a WWII- era metal lift-bridge, look right to see the rather beautiful Rang Ghar (Indian/foreigner 5/100; hdawn-dusk). From this two-storey oval-shaped pavilion , Ahom monarchs once watched buffalo and elephant fights.

wildernest inn Dynasty HOTEL $$$ (%2516021; www.hoteldynastyindia.com; Sir Shahdullah (SS) Rd; r from 6100; aiW) Th

Dynasty HOTEL $$$ (%2516021; www.hoteldynastyindia.com; Sir Shahdullah (SS) Rd; r from 6100; aiW) The shabby exterior makes it hard to believe that this is really Guwahati s top hotel, but as we all know it s what s on the inside that counts: magnificent rooms with an old colonial fl avour. It has all the facilities you d expect wildernest inn from a top-end hotel, including a couple of superb restaurants plus a sauna and steam room.

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign wildernest inn tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura and much of the more accessible wildernest inn western parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the best budget wildernest inn option in town and about the closest the northeast comes to a backpacker hangout. Rooms are atypically clean and tidy with stain-free sheets, and management is helpful. It s off Manipuribasti East (ME) Rd, in the fi rst side lane and away from road noise.

Assam State Museum MUSEUM (GNB Rd; admission/camera/video 5/10/100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, until 4pm winter) This museum is worth a visit. It has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted to informative tribal culture displays. You get to walk through reconstructed tribal homes.

the memory chalet Ygdrasill Bamboo Cottage GUESTHOUSE $$ (%9401625744; r 1200) Around a kilometre before Garamur (on t

Ygdrasill Bamboo Cottage GUESTHOUSE $$ (%9401625744; r 1200) Around the memory chalet a kilometre before Garamur (on the road to Kamalabari), this thatched hut perches the memory chalet on stilts above a marshy, avian-filled lake. The sound of fish plopping about in the water below your bed and a thousand screaming the memory chalet cicadas the memory chalet (as well as a million marauding mosquitoes bring repellent!) will lull you to sleep at night. The bamboo the memory chalet beds are comfortable and it s nicely furnished. They serve a stunning Majuli thali in the evening and a breakfast that might be a bit too local for many tastes!

Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE $ (%9856891520; Nongriat; per person 100) This highly basic four-room guesthouse is just one minute from the double-decker bridge and so is ideal if you want to explore the escarpment floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because carrying a backpack back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

Remote, culturally magical and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a mountain-hopping journey the memory chalet through this, the lands of the Monpa (a people of Buddhist-Tibetan origin) to the gates of the famous Tawang Monastery is one of the northeast s greatest adventures.

chalet cafe This sprawling hill station was the capital of British-created Assam from 1874 until 1972. Since bec

This sprawling chalet cafe hill station was the capital of British-created chalet cafe Assam from 1874 until 1972. Since becoming the state capital of Meghalaya it has rapidly developed into a typical modern Indian town and in doing so some of its older buildings have been demolished. In parts it still retains its charm, the air is refreshingly cool and it has become a favourite holiday destination for domestic tourists.

The surrounding grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office soubriquet, although they re dotted with Khasi monoliths chalet cafe and scarred by quarrying. Much more impressive is the series of grand canyon valleys that plunge chalet cafe into deep lush chasms of tropical forest sprayed chalet cafe by a succession of seasonally inspiring chalet cafe waterfalls. The Nohkalikai chalet cafe Falls, fourth highest in the world, are particularly dramatic, especially in the monsoon when their capacity increases 20-fold. You can see them easily enough chalet cafe without chalet cafe quite entering the official chalet cafe viewpoint (admission/camera 10/200; h8am-5pm), 4.4km southwest of Sohra market.

H2O (Mancotta chalet cafe Rd; mains 80-120, beers from 80) is an upstairs bar-restaurant with elements of spaceship decor. For a break from the rigours of the Indian road you ll fi nd a branch of Caf Coffee Day on HS Rd.

chalet meaning 1 Sights War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk Mon-Sat) This immaculate War Cemetery contains the g

Just beyond, a left turning passes the Golaghar or Ahom ammunition store, the stonework of which is held together with a mix of dhal, lime and egg. Beyond are the two-storey ruins of Talatalghar chalet meaning (Indian/ foreigner 5/100; hdawn-dusk), the extensive, two-storey Ahom palace built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in the mid-18th century.

1 Sights chalet meaning War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk chalet meaning Mon-Sat) This immaculate War Cemetery chalet meaning contains the graves of 1400 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal roads, the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle.

chalet in canada Bus & Sumo Distance buses leave from the Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT) 8km east of Guwahati. Privat

Bus & Sumo Distance buses leave from the Interstate chalet in canada Bus Terminal (ISBT) 8km east of Guwahati. Private bus operators run shuttle services from their offices to the ISBT. With extensive networks are Network Travels (%2522007; GS Rd), Deep (%2152937; Heramba Prasad Borua (HPB) Rd) and Blue Hill (%2601490; HPB Rd). All companies charge the same regulated fares.

Ahom artefacts and nearby Assam Tourism (h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd & 4th Sat) in the good-value Tourist Lodge (%2321579; MG Rd; s/d 578/683), which has tiled floors, mosquito nets and enthusiastic staff who know how to use cleaning products.

Framing itself chalet in canada as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day chalet in canada Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices and a curious slow-motion shuffling dance performed chalet in canada in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

ski chalet chantilly virginia it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), whic

Tucked conveniently behind the Assam State Transport ski chalet chantilly virginia Corporation (ASTC) Bus Station (AT Rd), Solicitor Rd has half a dozen reasonable hotels. The Hotel Janata Paradise (%9435659461; Solicitor ski chalet chantilly virginia Rd; d 300) isn t quite as beautiful as the manager told us, but at this price you can t be too hard on the daffodil-yellow rooms. Its restaurant (h11am-4pm & 8-9pm) serves excellent-value 10-dish Assamese thalis (from 40).

REGISTERING ON ARRIVAL IN MANIPUR On arrival at Imphal airport all foreigners must register with the police stationed next to the luggage collection ski chalet chantilly virginia point. You must then register again with the CID at the main police station. In both cases it s a fairly painless affair (assuming your papers are in order). Technically you don t need a local guide if you are just staying in Imphal, but it s highly unlikely that any tour company will help you obtain a permit without you agreeing to take one of their guides. A reliable tour company (who can also help obtain permits) to Manipur is Seven Sisters Tourism Services (%2445373; sstourism@redif fmail.com; MG Ave, Imphal). NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES IMPHAL

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; ski chalet chantilly virginia r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places ski chalet chantilly virginia around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic ski chalet chantilly virginia meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring and the people are truly lovely.

1 Sights Mizoram State Museum MUSEUM (Macdonald Hill, Zarkawt; ski chalet chantilly virginia admission 5; h9.30am5pm Mon-Fri) This museum has interesting exhibits on Mizo culture. It s up a steep lane from Sumkuma Point past Aizawl s most distinctive church, whose modernist bell- tower spire is pierced by arched windows.

lake chalet happy hour oHeritage Hotel HERITAGE HOTEL $$ (%9774416649; www.theheritage.in; Offi cers Hill; r/ ste 1800/3500

oHeritage Hotel HERITAGE HOTEL $$ (%9774416649; www.theheritage.in; Offi cers Hill; r/ ste 1800/3500; W) Back in colonial days this was the home of the deputy commissioner and, with roaring open fires taking the chill off a cold winter night and hunting trophies and tribal arts adorning the walls, it retains something of the flavour of those times.

All around Shillong gambling booths offer Forecast lake chalet happy hour odds on Siat Khnam. This is a unique sport. A semicircle of weatherbeaten Khasi men fire hundreds of arrows at a drum-shaped straw target for a set time before a canvas curtain is raised to keep further arrows off the target. Those that stick in are counted and bets predict the last two digits of this total. It s effectively a lottery but the shooting is a gently fascinating spectacle. Shoots are usually scheduled at 4pm and 5pm every day, timings can vary somewhat by season. The easy-to-miss Siat Khnam site is a small grassy area approximately opposite the big Nehru Stadium lake chalet happy hour on the south river bank.

la casa de eugenia Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE $ (%9856891520; Nongriat; per person 100) This highly basic four-room

555 Guwahati Sights Eating 1 Assam State Museum. B2 15 Beatrix.C2 2 Courthouse. B2 16 Dhaba.D3 3 Dighulipukhuri Park. B2 17 Kurry Pot.D3 4 Guwahati Planetarium. B2 18 Paradise.D3 5 Kachari Ghat. B2 Tandoori. (see 9) 6 Umananda Mandir.B1 Drinking Activities, Courses & Tours 19 Caf Coffee 7 Network la casa de eugenia Travels. B3 Day.B2 8 Rhino Travels. A3 20 Trafik.D3 Traveller's Point. (see 13) Information Sleeping Assam Tourism.(see 13) 9 Dynasty. A3 10 Hotel Prag Continental. A2 Transport 11 Hotel Siroy Lily. B3 21 Blue Hill.B4 12 Hotel Suradevi. A3 22 Deep.B4 13 Prashaanti Tourist Lodge. B3 23 Kachari la casa de eugenia Bus 14 Sundarban Guest House. B3 Stand.B2 Old Guwahati AREA The distinctive beehive dome of the Courthouse (MG Rd) rises above attractive Dighulipukhuri Park (HB Rd; admission 5, boats per person la casa de eugenia 15; h9.30am-8pm) la casa de eugenia with its large tank full of row boats. The nearby Guwahati Planetarium (MG Rd; shows 15; hnoon & 4pm, closed 1st & 15th of the month) looks somewhere between a mosque and a landed UFO.

Iora; the Retreat HOTEL $$$ (%262411; www.kazirangasafari.com; s/d from 3300/3900; aiWs) Not quite as discreet as you may imagine a place named the Retreat la casa de eugenia to be, this vast new place, to the east of the tourist complex, is almost as big as the national park itself, but despite this its deliciously quiet and subtly decorated rooms offer superb value for money. However, if you value a personal la casa de eugenia service you d best look elsewhere.

Rest House Nongriat GUESTHOUSE $ (%9856891520; Nongriat; per person 100) This highly basic four-room guesthouse is just one minute from the double-decker bridge and so is ideal if you want to explore la casa de eugenia the escarpment floor in greater depth. If you stay, take the absolute minimum with you because carrying a backpack back up all those steps would be a real bitch! Meals cost 100.

than a geographical area. Most foreigners fly into Imphal; it is also possible to drive in from Kohima (Nagaland) or Silchar (Assam) if you have a guide. Travelling east of Kakching towards the Myanmar border is not permitted. la casa de eugenia

washington way chalets The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The mo

The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, washington way chalets 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. The best chances washington way chalets of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third week of November).

The ASTC bus station (AT Rd) has frequent services to Sivasagar ( 35 to 45, 1 hours), Tezpur ( 120 to 140, four hours) and Guwahati ( 260, eight hours, eight buses 6am to noon; buses pass Kaziranga en route).

location chalet alpes Just beyond, a left turning passes the Golaghar or Ahom ammunition store, the stonework of which is

Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%221016; Jenkins Rd; s/d from 473/525) Facing Chitralekha Udyan, two blocks south of the bus station, the Tourist Lodge is unusual for a government-run hotel in that the staff do actually care about the well-being of their guests and the cleanliness of their hotel. location chalet alpes This place offers good-value spacious rooms with bathrooms (some squat toilets) and mosquito nets.

Tripura Sundari Mandir (h4.30am-1.30pm & 3.30-9.30pm), a 1501 Kali temple where a steady stream of pilgrims make almost endless animal sacrifices that leave the grounds as bloody as the temple s vivid-red shikhara (Buddhist monastery). Even more people come here at the big Diwali festival (October/November) to bathe in the fishfilled tank by the temple. The temple is 100m east of the NH44, 4km south of Udaipur. A rickshaw from Udaipur costs 50.

Other enchanting gompas and anigompas (nunneries) offer great day hikes from Tawang, including ancient if modest Urgelling Gompa where the sixth Dalai Lama was born. By road, it s 6km from Tawang town but closer on foot downhill from Tawang Gompa. At the time of research construction was almost complete on a chasm-spanning cable car that will link the monastery with an anigompa on the opposite location chalet alpes side of the valley. There was no information available on whether it would be open to tourists.

Just beyond, a left turning location chalet alpes passes the Golaghar or Ahom ammunition store, the stonework of which is held together with a mix of dhal, lime and egg. Beyond are the two-storey ruins of Talatalghar location chalet alpes (Indian/ foreigner 5/100; hdawn-dusk), the extensive, two-storey Ahom palace built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in the mid-18th century.

sea chalet The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The mo

The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video sea chalet 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. The best chances sea chalet of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third week of November).

Assam State Museum MUSEUM (GNB Rd; admission/camera/video 5/10/100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, until 4pm winter) This museum is worth a visit. It has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted sea chalet to informative tribal culture displays. You get to walk through reconstructed tribal homes.

chalet london 1960 Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason you came to Nagaland. This ru

# SantiparaLakeWaterTankWaterTankHGBRdMantriBariRd MotorStand Rd Palace CompoundNorth (VIP Rd) Jagannath Bari Rd (JB Rd) Akhaura Rd BK Rd BKRd Old Thana La SakuntalaRd CRRd Central Rd LN Bari Rd 1 7 6 8 2 4 5 3 312312ABBAAgartala e To Interstate Bus Terminal (3km) To International Bus Terminal (200m) To Tripura State Tribal Museum (300m) To Ginger & Geetanjali Guest House (2km) 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles 6# #

Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason you came to Nagaland. This rugged and divinely beautiful country is home to many diff erent villages composed of thatched longhouses, many of whose inhabitants are adorned with tattoos and continue to live a fairly traditional hunting and farming lifestyle.

hartsock village condos Brand new and the only possible competition for the Ginger, which is right opposite, half of this go

Brand new and the only possible competition for the Ginger, which is right opposite, half of this government-run guesthouse is reserved for visiting Ministers, the other half is for nobodies like us. The large, perfect rooms are filled with sunlight and for the moment it s all very impressive, but as we said it s government-run so there s every chance it ll be allowed to rot away without anyone really caring!

Carved out of Assam in 1972, hilly Meghalaya (Abode of Clouds) is a cool, pine-fresh contrast to the sweaty Assam plains. Set on dramatic horseshoes of rocky cliff above the Bengal plains, Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram are statistically the wettest places on earth. Most of the rain falls between April and September, creating very impressive waterfalls and carving out some of Asia s longest caves.

chalet quebec location oDon Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures MUSEUM (www.dbcic.org; Sacred Heart Theological College; In

La Villa GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435657282; jyoti24365@gmail.com; r from 300) Run by knowledgeable and keen-toplease Jyoti Naryan Sarma (who also acts as a guide), this Garamur guesthouse has three brightly painted but uninspiring rooms overlooking an open-billed stork roosting site (whose chalet quebec location dawn chorus will do away with any need for an alarm clock).

oDon Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures MUSEUM (www.dbcic.org; Sacred Heart Theological College; Indian/foreigner 50/150; h9.30am-4.30pm Mon- Sat, 1.30-4.30pm Sun, until 5.30 Apr-Sep) This very professional museum chalet quebec location displays a truly vast, very well laid-out chalet quebec location collection of tribal artefacts interspersed just occasionally with gratuitous galleries on Christian missionary chalet quebec location work. Tours (compulsory) last over an hour, departing on the half-hour.

lidia selkregg chalet oHotel Mona Lisa (%2320416; Mancotta Rd; r 600-1500; a), part Africa, part Cuba and possibly even a

oHotel Mona Lisa (%2320416; Mancotta Rd; r 600-1500; a), part Africa, part Cuba and possibly even a little slice of India, is a superb budget hotel with character. It s set back from the main road and everything is kept ticking along smoothly thanks to the lovely old man running it.

Eco-Camp (%9435250052/09854019932; dm/d 200/1620, plus membership per person 50) organises all Nameri visits, including two-hour birdwatching rafting trips (two people 550). Accommodation is in tents , but colourful fabrics, private bathrooms, sturdy beds and thatched-roof shelters make the experience relatively luxurious. The camp is set within lush gardens full of tweeting birds and butterflies drunk on tropical nectar. There s an atmospheric, and excellent, open-sided restaurant and the staff are simply superb. All up it gets our vote as the best place to stay in the entire northeast. It s very popular, so book way ahead. If it s full the government-run Jiabhoroli Wild Resort (%9954357376; lidia selkregg chalet tw 1200) just a short walk beyond lidia selkregg chalet the Eco-Camp, has plain cottages that aren t quite as quaint as a cottage should be. It s very much the second choice.

The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. lidia selkregg chalet The best chances of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third week of November).

chalets st gervais 1 Sights Ujjayanta Palace PALACE (admission 5; h5-7pm) Agartala s indisputable centrepiece is this s

Conjure up an image of a shimmering blue lake broken up into small lakelets by floating islands of thick matted weeds. Add bamboo bridges, tribal people in dugout canoes chalets st gervais and thatched hut-villages anchored on to the floating islands, chalets st gervais and you have Loktak Lake, one of the few places a foreigner is allowed to visit outside of Imphal. More peculiar than floating villages are the large, perfectly circular fishing ponds created out of floating rings of weeds. The best view is atop Sendra Island, more a promontory than island. You can hire a boat (per person 100) in order to get a closer look at lake life.

The modern glass tower Baliram Building, on the corner of Naren Bose (NB) and NC/SC Roads, contains chalets st gervais several floors of good dining. The ground-floor stand-up-and-eat dosa house (h6am-9pm) has South Indian fare and cheap breakfasts. Semismart China Villa (meals from 120; h10am-10.30pm) offers Indian and Chinese food in AC comfort, while the rooftop Chat House (snacks from 30; h8am-9.30pm) has an open-sided, but roofed, terrace for cooling breezes, views, Indian chalets st gervais snacks, noodles, pizzas chalets st gervais and momos.

1 Sights chalets st gervais Ujjayanta Palace PALACE (admission 5; h5-7pm) chalets st gervais Agartala s indisputable centrepiece is this striking, dome-capped palace. chalets st gervais Flanked by two large refl ecting ponds, the whitewashed 1901 edifice was built by Tripura s 182nd maharaja. It looks particularly impressive floodlit at night, but for security reasons only the gardens are open to the public.

attitash village Eco-Camp (%9435250052/09854019932; dm/d 200/1620, plus membership per person 50) organises all Namer

Eco-Camp (%9435250052/09854019932; dm/d 200/1620, plus membership per person 50) organises all Nameri visits, including two-hour attitash village birdwatching rafting trips (two people 550). Accommodation is in tents , but colourful fabrics, private bathrooms, sturdy beds and thatched-roof shelters make the experience relatively luxurious. The camp is set within lush gardens full of tweeting birds and butterflies drunk on tropical nectar. There s an atmospheric, and excellent, open-sided restaurant and the staff are simply superb. attitash village All up it gets our vote as the best place to stay in the entire northeast. It s very popular, so book way ahead. If it s full the government-run Jiabhoroli Wild Resort (%9954357376; tw 1200) just a short walk beyond the Eco-Camp, has plain cottages that aren t quite as quaint as a cottage should be. It s very much the second choice.

A peaceful lane winding through forested hills and tribal settlements attitash village links Ziro to Pasighat via Along. Highlights are dizzying suspension footbridges and thatched Adi villages around Along. Do be warned though that the attractions attitash village along this route are very low-key, the villagers around Along are much less welcoming to foreigners (and they don t sport the Apatanis tattoos and nose plugs) and the route, which involves three full days of travel, is very tiring. Unless you re going to be heading from Along to fabulous Mechuka or remote eastern towns and valleys such as Tuting or the Namdapha National Park then you may find this route something of a let down.

chalet strongsville Guwahati is considered the site of Pragjyotishpura, a semi-mythical town founded by Asura King Narak

CENTRAL ARUNACHAL S TRIBAL GROUPS The variety of tribal peoples in central Arunachal Pradesh is astonishing, but although the Adi (Abor), Nishi, Tajin, Hill Miri and various other Tibeto-Burman tribes consider chalet strongsville themselves different from one another most are at least distantly related. Over the last few decades Christian missionaries have been highly active throughout the Northeast and in the process chalet strongsville have brought huge changes to the region s traditional cultures, chalet strongsville religious beliefs and ways of life. Despite this, some aspects of the traditional chalet strongsville lifestyle are just about holding on and many people continue to practise the traditional religion of Donyi-Polo (sun and moon) worship sometimes at the same time as proclaiming themselves Christian. For ceremonial occasions, village chiefs typically wear scarlet shawls and a bamboo wicker hat spiked with porcupine quill or hornbill feathers. A few old men still wear their hair long, tied around to form a topknot above their foreheads. Women favour hand-woven wraparounds like Southeast Asian sarongs. House designs vary somewhat. Traditional Adi villages are generally the most photogenic with luxuriant palmyra-leaf thatching and boxlike granaries stilted to deter rodents.

Framing chalet strongsville itself as the Khasi cultural centre, chalet strongsville Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices chalet strongsville and a curious slow-motion shuffling dance performed in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

Iora; the Retreat HOTEL $$$ (%262411; www.kazirangasafari.com; s/d from 3300/3900; aiWs) Not quite as discreet chalet strongsville as you may imagine a place named the Retreat to be, this vast new place, to the east of the tourist complex, is almost as big as the national chalet strongsville park itself, but despite this its deliciously quiet and subtly decorated rooms offer superb value for money. However, if you value a personal service you d best look elsewhere.

Guwahati is considered the site of Pragjyotishpura, a semi-mythical town founded by Asura King Naraka who was later killed by Lord Krishna for a pair of magical earrings. The city was a vibrant chalet strongsville cultural centre well before the Ahoms arrived, and later it was the theatre of intense Ahom Mughal

kopaonik serbia The surrounding grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office sou

Private bus operators are clustered kopaonik serbia on LN Bari 8 Rd; others leave from the new Interstate Bus Terminal 3km east of the centre (rickshaw 50). Sumos use the Motor Stand (Motor Stand Rd) and South Bus Station (SBS; off Ronaldsay Rd). Destinations and their respective departure stations for bus and sumo trips are:

Mar The wildlife Oct The Himal-Dec Fierce Naga is at its most ayan vistas are warriors descend kopaonik serbia visible in Kaziperfect and the on Kohima for the ranga and other national parks. roads to Tawang and Mechuka remain snow-free. Hornbill festival (December 1 7).

The surrounding grassy moors justify Meghalaya s over-played Scotland of the East tourist-office soubriquet, although they re dotted with Khasi monoliths kopaonik serbia and scarred by quarrying. Much more impressive is the series of grand canyon valleys that plunge into deep lush chasms of tropical forest sprayed by a succession of seasonally inspiring waterfalls. The Nohkalikai Falls, fourth highest in the world, are particularly dramatic, especially in the monsoon when their capacity increases 20-fold. You can see them easily enough without quite entering kopaonik serbia the official viewpoint (admission/camera 10/200; h8am-5pm), 4.4km southwest of Sohra market.

winter park village movie 577 Agartala Sights 1 Jagannath Mandir.A2 2 Tripura Government Museum.A3 3 Ujjayanta Palace. B1 Slee

571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL winter park village movie Nagaland s biggest winter park village movie annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1-7 December) is celebrated at Kisama Heritage Village (see below) with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong winter park village movie cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Of all the festivals winter park village movie in the northeast this is the most spectacular and photogenic. Simultaneously, Kohima also hosts a rock festival (www.hornbillmusic.com).

577 Agartala Sights 1 Jagannath Mandir.A2 2 Tripura Government Museum.A3 3 Ujjayanta Palace. B1 Sleeping 4 Hotel Chandana. B1 5 Hotel Welcome Palace.A3 Eating 6 Abhishek Restaurant.A2 Restaurant Kurry Klub.(see 5) Transport 7 Air India. B1 8 Motor Stand.B3 Hotel Chandana HOTEL $ (%2311216; Palace Compound Lane; r 210)

Draped across winter park village movie the dazzling hills and valleys of the India Myanmar border regions is Nagaland, an otherworldly place where until very recently some twenty headhunting Naga tribes winter park village movie valiantly fought off any intruders. Today the south of the state is fairly developed, but in the north, tribesmen in loin cloths continue to live a lifestyle that is normally only seen within winter park village movie the pages of National Geographic magazine.

From the main bus station (Mancotta Rd) both ASTC and private buses depart for Sivasagar winter park village movie ( 51 to 69, two hours, frequent 6am to 9am), Jorhat ( 130, three hours, frequent 6am to 9am), Tezpur ( 260, six hours) winter park village movie and Guwahati ( 380, 10 hours).

allegheny springs condos Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Prof

Two kilometres allegheny springs condos east of Hajo is a mosque sheltering the tomb of the multi-named allegheny springs condos Hazarat Shah Sultan Giasuddin Aulia Rahmatullah Alike who died some 800 years ago. Muslims need to walk (the less pious may drive) 4km up a spiral road to reach the mosque, which is architecturally unremarkable.

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara allegheny springs condos Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned foyer, complimentary breakfast and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

Of the four daily trains to Delhi, the Guwahati allegheny springs condos New Delhi Rajdhani (No 2423; 3AC/2AC allegheny springs condos 1995/2565, 27 hours, 7.05am) is the fastest; others take over 42 hours. allegheny springs condos The best daily train to Kolkata (Howrah Junction) is the Saraighat Express (No 2346; sleeper/3AC/2AC 386/1012/1366, 16 hours, 12.45pm). For New Jalpaiguri (for Darjeeling allegheny springs condos and Sikkim) the best train is the Guwahati New Jalpaiguri Rajdhani (No 2423; 3AC/2AC/1AC 733/926/1522, six hours).

Eastern and central Meghalaya are mainly allegheny springs condos populated by the closely related Jaintia, Pnar and Khasi peoples, originally migrants from Southeast Asia. Western Meghalaya is home to the unrelated Garo tribe. Despite their different ethnic backgrounds, these two groups use a matrilineal system of inheritance with children taking the mother s family name. A good time to be in Meghalaya allegheny springs condos is when the four day, state-wide, Wangala festival allegheny springs condos takes place. This Garo harvest festival is renowned for its impressive traditional dancing.

breckenridge ski and racquet club Despite being an oil-service town, Sivasagar exudes a residual elegance from its time as the capital

Despite being an oil-service town, Sivasagar exudes a residual elegance from its time as the capital of the Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for more than 600 years. The name comes from waters of Shiva , the graceful central feature of a rectangular reservoir dug in 1734 by Ahom Queen Ambika. Three typical Ahom temple towers rise proudly above the tank s partly wooded southern banks to the west Devidol, to the east Vishnudol and in the centre, the 33m-high Shivadol Mandir, India s tallest breckenridge ski and racquet club Shiva temple. Its uppermost trident balances upon an egg-shaped feature whose golden covering the British reputedly tried (but failed) to pilfer in 1823.

Baba Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%2211285; breckenridge ski and racquet club GS Rd; r 500-900) Ageing but clean, and popular with backpackers, breckenridge ski and racquet club Baba hides behind a deceptively small PCO shop. The best rooms have windows and views out onto greenery. Bucket showers and bucket hot water.

Of four Hindu temples around the palace compound, the most fanciful is Jagannath Mandir (h4am-2pm & 4-9pm). breckenridge ski and racquet club Its massive sculptured breckenridge ski and racquet club portico leads into a complex with wedding-cake architecture painted in ice-cream sundae breckenridge ski and racquet club colours. Several royal mausoleums are decaying quietly on the riverbank behind Batala market. To get to them walk west down HGB Rd, turn left at Ronaldsay Rd and right along the riverbank. Chaturdasha Devata Mandir (Temple breckenridge ski and racquet club of Fourteen Deities) hosts a big seven-day Kharchi Puja festival in July in Old Agar- tala, 7km east down Assam Agartala (AA) Rd (NH44) at Kayerpur.

# # POLICEBAZAARWard'sLakeKacheriRd GuwahatiShilllongRd OaklandRd JailRd JailRdThanaRd RitaRdBouchierRd PoliceBazaarRd Camel'sBackRd QuintonRd BivarRd KeatingRd 8 19 10 12 14 5 6 7 11 13 2 3 4 Tirat Singh Syien (TSS) Rd 431CBC24312BAADDShillong eTo AllSaints' Cathedral(200m); Khasi Monoliths & Globe Monument (400m); Das-Roy breckenridge ski and racquet club House (450m) To Siat Khnam (1.1km) 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles

chalet web Tezpur, with its large Bangladeshi immigrant population, is probably Assam s most attractive city th

Nestled before a curtain of luxuriantly forested foothills, Pasighat, which sits back out on the plains, chalet web feels more like Assam than Arunachal Pradesh. The town hosts the interesting Minyong-Adi tribe s Solung Festival chalet web (1-5 September). The internet cafe (per hr 60; h7.30am-8pm) chalet web is 50m from the Hotel Aane and there s an SBI ATM just along from the sumo stand in the central market area.

HEAD HUNTERS Throughout northeastern India and parts of western Myanmar the Naga tribes were long feared for their ferocity in war and for their sense of independence both from each other and from the rest of the world. Intervillage wars continued as recently as the 1980s, and a curious feature of many outwardly modern settlements is their treaty stones recording peace settlements between neighbouring communities. It was the Naga s custom of headhunting that sent shivers down the spines of neighbouring peoples. The taking of an enemy s head was considered a sign of strength, and a man who had not claimed a head was not considered a man. Fortunately for tourists, headhunting chalet web was officially outlawed chalet web in 1935, with the last recorded occurrence in 1963. Nonetheless, severed heads are still an archetypal artistic motif found notably on yanra (pendants) that originally denoted the number of human heads a warrior had taken. Some villages, such as Shingha Changyuo chalet web in Mon district, still retain their hidden chalet web collection of genuine skulls. Today Naga culture is changing fast, but it was not a government ban on headhunting that put an end to this tradition chalet web but rather chalet web the activities chalet web of Christian missionaries. Over 90% of the Naga now consider themselves Christian.

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura and much of the more accessible western chalet web parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

Tezpur, with its large Bangladeshi immigrant population, is probably Assam s most attractive city thanks to beautifully kept parks, attractive lakes and the enchanting views of the mighty Brahmaputra River as it laps the town s edge. The imaginatively named Internet Cafe (Main Rd; per hr 20; h9am-8pm) has, you guessed it, internet.

salmon arm campground PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for man

PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for many foreigners, but those who take the trouble will be rewarded. Permits are mandatory for Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur, and entry without one is a serious matter. Indian citizens just need an inner line permit, issued with little fuss in Guwahati or Kolkata (see p 469 ). The rest of this box applies salmon arm campground to foreigners who ll require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP). Minimum Group Size Permit applications need a four-person minimum group. Exceptions are Nagaland, salmon arm campground for a legally married couple with marriage certifi cate; and Arunachal Pradesh for a minimum of two people. In reality though, salmon arm campground it s now possible for single travellers to get permits to all the states, but only if you use a tour company (and even then you need a lot of patience). In Nagaland and Manipur, authorities may refuse salmon arm campground you entry if some people listed on your permit are missing ; Mizoram doesn t seem bothered and Arunachal salmon arm campground Pradesh is now much more relaxed. Validity & Registration Permits are valid for 10 days from a specified starting date, but Arunachal allows 30 days. You might be able to extend your permit, but only in state capitals at the Secretariat, Home Department. Be aware that permits only allow you to visit specified districts between specified dates, so plan carefully as changing routes salmon arm campground might be problematic. Be sure to make multiple photocopies of your permit to hand in at each checkpoint, police station and hotel. Where to Apply Applications made independently through the Ministry of Home Aff airs (%011-23385748; Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Rd, Delhi; hinquiries 9-11am Mon-Fri) or the appropriate State House in Delhi can take weeks and will normally end in frustration. Kolkata s Foreigners Registration Offi ce (FRO; %22837034; 237 AJC Bose Rd; h11am-5pm Mon-Fri) can issue permits but it seems to want to exclude Tawang from Arunachal, restrict access to Nagaland salmon arm campground and not allow you into Mizoram. The easiest and most reliable way to get permits is through a reputable travel agency; see the Information section for each state.

583 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AR OUND S H ILLO NG CROSSING INTO BANGLADESH FROM DAWKI Border Hours The border is open from 6am to 5pm. Foreign Exchange There s no official exchange booth but ask at the Bangladesh customs offi ce. Onward Transport The border post is at Tamabil, 1.7km from Dawki market (taxis are 40-50). Coming from Bangladesh, beware that Tamabil has no Sonali bank, so prepay your Tk300 Bangladeshi departure tax in Sylhet or in Jaintiapura. There are frequent Tamabil Sylhet minibuses. rooms but no hot water. More rooms were under construction at the time of research. A daily bus leaves nearby Laitkynsew village for Shillong ( 40, 6am). Going the other way it leaves Shillong salmon arm campground at 1pm. Otherwise a taxi from Cherrapunjee costs 250 to 300.

windham mountain village 555 Guwahati Sights Eating 1 Assam State Museum. B2 15 Beatrix.C2 2 Courthouse. B2 16 Dhaba.D3 3 Dig

# # POLICEBAZAARWard'sLakeKacheriRd GuwahatiShilllongRd OaklandRd JailRd JailRdThanaRd RitaRdBouchierRd PoliceBazaarRd Camel'sBackRd QuintonRd BivarRd KeatingRd 8 19 10 12 14 5 6 7 11 13 2 3 4 Tirat Singh Syien (TSS) Rd 431CBC24312BAADDShillong eTo AllSaints' Cathedral(200m); Khasi Monoliths & Globe Monument (400m); Das-Roy House (450m) To Siat Khnam (1.1km) 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES MEGHAL AYA 6666666666666666666666666666666 #

555 Guwahati Sights Eating 1 Assam State Museum. B2 15 Beatrix.C2 2 Courthouse. B2 16 Dhaba.D3 windham mountain village 3 Dighulipukhuri Park. B2 17 Kurry Pot.D3 4 Guwahati Planetarium. B2 18 Paradise.D3 5 Kachari Ghat. B2 Tandoori. (see 9) 6 Umananda Mandir.B1 Drinking Activities, Courses & Tours 19 Caf Coffee 7 Network Travels. B3 Day.B2 8 Rhino Travels. A3 20 Trafik.D3 Traveller's Point. (see 13) Information windham mountain village Sleeping Assam Tourism.(see 13) 9 Dynasty. A3 10 Hotel Prag Continental. A2 Transport 11 Hotel Siroy Lily. B3 21 Blue Hill.B4 12 Hotel Suradevi. A3 22 Deep.B4 13 Prashaanti Tourist Lodge. B3 23 Kachari Bus 14 Sundarban Guest House. B3 Stand.B2 Old Guwahati AREA The distinctive beehive dome of the Courthouse (MG Rd) rises above attractive Dighulipukhuri Park (HB Rd; admission 5, boats per person 15; h9.30am-8pm) with its large tank full of row boats. The nearby windham mountain village Guwahati Planetarium (MG Rd; shows 15; hnoon & 4pm, closed 1st & 15th of the month) windham mountain village looks somewhere between a mosque and a landed UFO.

Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian s/d 9000/12,000, foreigner s/d 18,000/24,000) Fifteen minutes drive west of the tourist complex, this new lodge, with its chic-rustic feel, is without doubt the most comfortable place to stay in the Kaziranga region. It consists of six bamboo cottages on raised stilts overlooking a river. The rooms have enormous soft beds and the bathrooms windham mountain village sport heavenly rain showers. There s no sign look for the dirt track on the left (if travelling from the Guwahati direction) beside the 37 marker post.

tjeng Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the b

Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the best budget option in town and about the closest the northeast comes to a backpacker hangout. Rooms are atypically clean and tidy with stain-free sheets, and management is helpful. It s off Manipuribasti East (ME) Rd, in the fi rst side lane and away from road noise.

oClassic Hotel HOTEL $$ (%2443967; North AOC Rd; s/d from 845/1170; aiW) This unexpectedly classy tjeng hotel is one of the best-value business hotels in the northeast. The large spotless rooms come with full facilities, staff who love to please and the town s best restaurant (mains 100 to 150). Opt for one of the Classic Standard rooms (s/d 1885/2470).

panelled rooms with a more reliable electricity supply than many similar places. It s in the market area. The Hotel Siddhartha (%222515; s 750, d 1030-1350) has large, carpeted and well-kept rooms that help make it the best of the town-centre options.

location belle plagne 569 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK Arun

Sprawling Hapoli (New Ziro), starting 7km further south than Ziro, has hotels and road transport. Just below the Commissioner s office on a bend in MG Rd is an SBI ATM. There are a couple of internet cafes around the market area but connections are as rare as a tiger in the nearby forests. The small central market is well worth poking about in. As well as fruit, veg and clothing you can stock up on various insects and other delights to snack on.

583 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AR OUND S H ILLO NG CROSSING location belle plagne INTO BANGLADESH FROM DAWKI Border Hours The border is open from 6am to 5pm. Foreign Exchange There s no official exchange booth but ask at the Bangladesh customs offi ce. Onward Transport The border post is at Tamabil, 1.7km from Dawki market (taxis are 40-50). Coming from Bangladesh, beware that Tamabil has no Sonali bank, so prepay location belle plagne your Tk300 Bangladeshi departure tax in Sylhet or in Jaintiapura. There are frequent Tamabil Sylhet minibuses. rooms but no hot water. More rooms were under construction at the time of research. A daily bus leaves location belle plagne nearby Laitkynsew village for Shillong ( 40, 6am). Going the other way it leaves Shillong at 1pm. Otherwise a taxi from Cherrapunjee costs 250 to 300.

569 NORTHEAST TRIBAL location belle plagne STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK Arunachal Pradesh is said to contain fifty percent of India s bio-diversity. location belle plagne In fact, so rich is life in Arunachal that the whole area has been proclaimed a world bio-diversity hotspot. Nowhere is the gathering of habitats location belle plagne and plant and animal species so dense as in eastern Arunachal and it s here that the staggering Namdapha National Park (Indians/foreigners/ cameras/cameras with zoom lens/video 10/50/75/400/750) can be found. location belle plagne Covering 1985 sq km this vast park has an altitude range from 200m to 4500m and contains an exceptional diversity of habitats and an equally varied array of wildlife. location belle plagne Namdapha location belle plagne is famous for being the only park in India to have four big cat species (leopard, tiger, location belle plagne clouded leopard and snow leopard). location belle plagne It s also a birdwatching hotspot with around 500 species recorded. The park is a long haul from anywhere but it s slowly opening up to tourism. The access location belle plagne point is the small town of Miao. From here you will need private transport to take you 26km to Deban where the park headquarters are located. Simple accommodation is available in Miao at the Eco-Tourism Guest House (%9436228763; per person Indian/foreigner 400/600) or in Deban at the Forest Rest House (%3807-222249; s/d from 175/300). To really get into the middle of nowhere you ll have to stay at one of the campsites inside the park. Bring a tent and all supplies. Porters and guides can be obtained in Miao or Deban. Tour companies in the northeast can help with the logistics of a visit, or UK-based tour company Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk) runs pioneering 16-day tours of Namdapha and other northeastern location belle plagne parks. However you do it, prepare for real adventure. 569 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK Arunachal Pradesh is said to contain fifty percent of India s bio-diversity. In fact, so rich is life in Arunachal that the whole area has been proclaimed a world bio-diversity hotspot. Nowhere is the gathering of habitats and plant and animal species so dense as in eastern Arunachal and it s here that the staggering location belle plagne Namdapha National Park (Indians/foreigners/ cameras/cameras with zoom lens/video 10/50/75/400/750) can be found. Covering 1985 sq km this vast park has an altitude range from 200m to 4500m and contains an exceptional diversity of habitats and an equally varied array of wildlife. Namdapha is famous for being the only park in India to have four big cat species (leopard, tiger, clouded leopard and snow leopard). It s also a birdwatching hotspot with around 500 species recorded. The park is a long haul from anywhere but it s slowly opening up to tourism. The access point is the small town of Miao. From here you will need private transport to take you 26km to Deban where the park headquarters are located. Simple accommodation is available in Miao at the Eco-Tourism Guest House (%9436228763; per person Indian/foreigner 400/600) or in Deban at the Forest Rest House (%3807-222249; s/d from 175/300). To really get into the middle of nowhere you ll have to stay at one of the campsites location belle plagne inside the park. Bring a tent and all supplies. Porters and guides can be obtained in Miao or Deban. Tour companies location belle plagne in the northeast can help with the logistics of a visit, or UK-based tour company Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk) runs pioneering 16-day tours of Namdapha and other northeastern location belle plagne parks. However you do it, prepare for real adventure.

tignes location some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shing

Prices drop at least 30% when Kaziranga National Park closes. In season booking ahead is wise and advance payment is often required. All the better hotels listed here sell Jungle Plan packages, which includes full-board tignes location accommodation, park entrance fees, a morning elephant tignes location safari and an afternoon jeep safari. Unless stated otherwise, the prices we list are for rooms only.

4 Sleeping & Eating Hotel Centre tignes location Point HOTEL $$ (%232359; Main Rd; r from 660; aW) The cheaper rooms at this new hotel bang in the town centre are splashed in smart white paint, but have cold water only showers,

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated tignes location with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly tignes location sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu tignes location village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang village, with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.

the chalet school series Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason you came to Nagaland. This ru

Northern Nagaland, the most unspoiled part of the state, is the reason you came to Nagaland. This rugged and divinely beautiful country is home to many diff erent villages composed of thatched longhouses, the chalet school series many of whose inhabitants are adorned with tattoos and continue to live a fairly traditional hunting and farming lifestyle.

Lonely the chalet school series Planet Publications the chalet school series Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, the chalet school series please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - Do the right thing with our content.

REGISTERING ON ARRIVAL IN MANIPUR On arrival at Imphal airport all foreigners must register with the police stationed next to the luggage collection point. the chalet school series You must then register again with the CID at the main police station. In both cases it s a fairly painless affair the chalet school series (assuming your papers are in order). Technically you don t need a local guide if you are just staying in Imphal, the chalet school series but it s highly unlikely that any tour company will help you obtain a permit without you agreeing to take one of their guides. A reliable tour company (who can also help obtain permits) to Manipur is Seven Sisters Tourism the chalet school series Services (%2445373; sstourism@redif fmail.com; MG Ave, Imphal). NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES IMPHAL

The ASTC bus station (AT Rd) has frequent services to Sivasagar the chalet school series ( 35 to 45, 1 hours), Tezpur ( 120 to 140, four hours) and Guwahati ( 260, eight hours, eight buses 6am to noon; buses pass Kaziranga en route).

nephi broken bow Trafik BAR (GNB Rd; beers 70; h10am-10pm) This underlit bar has a vast screen for cricket matches or

Travelling to Dibrugarh ( tea-city ) usefully closes a loop between Kaziranga and the Ziro Along Pasighat route and is the terminus (or starting point) for the fascinating ferry ride along the Brahmaputra to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. nephi broken bow Dibrugarh is a rapidly growing city with a new road and rail bridge being built at Bogibeel Ghat (originally scheduled to open in 2008, it s now unlikely to be ready for some years to come) that will extend the railway system to north of the Brahmaputra.

Trafik BAR (GNB Rd; beers 70; h10am-10pm) This underlit nephi broken bow bar has a vast screen for cricket matches or filmi (slang term describing anything to do with Indian movies; in this case, Bollywood music) clips.

For many a year accommodation in Mon meant the friendly, but sadly very scrappy and slightly overpriced Helsa Cottage (%9436433782; r from 1000) run by Aunty. At the time of research Aunty was about to shut the old place down and open a new (as yet unnamed) hotel near the market area. Another venture is the confusingly named Helsa Resort (%9436000028; r 1000), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to Myanmar. It consists of four traditional thatched Konyak huts with springy bamboo floors, sparse furnishings and hot water by the bucket. Its generator is a huge plus. All the accommodation options serve meals.

Built since 1972, Arunachal s pleasantly green, tailor-made capital is named for the mysterious Ita Fort whose residual brick ruins crown a hilltop above town. There s a stack of ATMs in Mahatma Gandhi Marg, along with several internet cafes.

china chalet 47 broadway Iora; the Retreat HOTEL $$$ (%262411; www.kazirangasafari.com; s/d from 3300/3900; aiWs) Not quite a

Hotel Nirmala HOTEL $ (%2459014; MG Ave; s/d from 390/650; a) A friendly place with an ultra quick-service china chalet 47 broadway restaurant, although it doesn t open until 10am so breakfast has to be by room service. The rooms are nothing special but you do feel a sense of belonging when staying here.

Assam State Museum MUSEUM (GNB Rd; admission/camera/video 5/10/100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, until 4pm winter) This museum is worth a visit. It has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted to informative tribal culture displays. You get to walk through reconstructed tribal homes.

Iora; the Retreat HOTEL $$$ (%262411; www.kazirangasafari.com; s/d from 3300/3900; china chalet 47 broadway aiWs) Not quite as discreet as you may imagine a place named the Retreat to be, this vast new place, to the east of the tourist complex, is almost as big as the national china chalet 47 broadway park itself, china chalet 47 broadway but despite this its deliciously quiet and subtly decorated rooms offer superb value for money. However, if you value a personal service you d best look elsewhere.

# SantiparaLakeWaterTankWaterTankHGBRdMantriBariRd MotorStand Rd Palace CompoundNorth (VIP Rd) Jagannath Bari Rd (JB Rd) Akhaura Rd BK Rd BKRd Old Thana La SakuntalaRd CRRd Central Rd LN Bari Rd 1 7 6 8 2 4 5 3 312312ABBAAgartala e To Interstate Bus Terminal (3km) To International Bus Terminal (200m) To Tripura State Tribal Museum (300m) To Ginger & Geetanjali Guest House (2km) 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles

moonlight chalets The most accessible villages are the Konyak settlements around Mon. Traditional houses abound, and s

Bustling Jorhat is the junction for Majuli Island. Gar-Ali, Jorhat s commercial street, meets the main east west thoroughfare Assam Trunk (AT) Rd (NH37) in front of a lively central market area. AT Road is also home to an SBI ATM and the Netizen Cyberspace ( 20 per hr; h9am-8pm)

Tourist Lodge HOTEL $ (%221016; Jenkins Rd; s/d from 473/525) Facing Chitralekha Udyan, two blocks south of the bus station, the Tourist Lodge is unusual for a government-run hotel in that the staff do actually care about the well-being of their guests and the cleanliness of their hotel. This place offers good-value spacious rooms with bathrooms (some squat toilets) and mosquito moonlight chalets nets.

Noisy and polluted it might be, but Imphal, with its melange of peoples and positioning moonlight chalets right on the border lands of India and southeast Asia is undeniably fascinating and travellers who spend any time here are well rewarded. The airport is 9km to the southwest.

The most accessible villages are the Konyak settlements around Mon. Traditional houses abound, and some villages have morungs and religious relics from pre-Christian times. Village elders may wear traditional costume and Konyak of all ages carry the fearsome-looking dao a crude machete used for headhunting right up until the mid-20th century.

vail to breckenridge Meghalaya Helicopter Service (%2223129; airport) has two to three daily (except Sunday) 557 flights

Wild Grass Resort ECORESORT $$ (%262085; www.oldassam.com; r 1900) This delightful and slightly ramshackle ecofriendly resort is so justifiably vail to breckenridge popular that it doesn t bother with a sign but carefully labels vail to breckenridge all the trees instead. Raj-inspired decor makes you feel that the clock has slowed. The dining room serves tasty Indian food. The entrance is opposite the Km373 marker on National Highway (NH) 37. In season, bookings are essential.

BUSES FROM GUWAHATI DESTINATION FARE ( ) DURATION (HR) Agartala (Tripura) vail to breckenridge 660 24-26 Aizawl (Mizoram) 750 28 Dibrugarh 380 10 Imphal (Manipur) via Mao 700 20 Jorhat 260 8 Kaziranga 260-300 6 Kohima (Nagaland) 330 13 Shillong (Meghalaya) 90-110 3 Sivasagar 310-390 8 Tezpur vail to breckenridge 140-150 5

Meghalaya Helicopter Service (%2223129; airport) has two to three daily (except Sunday) 557 flights to Shillong ( 1200, 30 minutes, 9am & 12.30pm plus 2pm Tuesday & Thursday). vail to breckenridge There are also services to Tura (Garo Hills, 1500, 50 minutes, 10.30am Mon, Wed & Fri).

chalets food Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous v

David s Kitchen MULTICUISINE $$ (%2305736; Zarkawt; mains 80-140; h10am9.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-9.30pm Sun) David s fine Mizo, Thai, Indian, Chinese and continental food, mocktails, friendly staff and pleasant decor will please everyone. The views aren t half bad either.

Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous views. The Hotel Tsepal Yangjom (%223473; www.hoteltsepalyangjom.co.in; s/d from 800/1200) in the market area is probably the town s most popular hotel. Its wood-panelled rooms have a vague Scandinavian feel and it has a generator to cope with the frequent blackouts.

oHotel Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres out of town on the road to the monastery, offers chalets food far and away the best rooms in town colourful sky-blue affairs with polished wooden floors. There s a decent restaurant (mains 80-120) and the staff are great fun. It also has good monastery views, a generator and, most bizarrely, a lounge bar/nightclub complete with throbbing strobe lights!

tjeng 1 Sights Ujjayanta Palace PALACE (admission 5; h5-7pm) Agartala s indisputable centrepiece is this s

1 Sights Ujjayanta Palace PALACE (admission 5; h5-7pm) Agartala s indisputable centrepiece is this striking, dome-capped tjeng palace. Flanked by two large refl ecting ponds, the whitewashed 1901 edifice was built by Tripura s 182nd maharaja. It looks particularly impressive floodlit at night, but for security tjeng reasons only the gardens are open to the public.

La Villa GUESTHOUSE $ (%9435657282; jyoti24365@gmail.com; r from 300) Run by knowledgeable and keen-toplease Jyoti Naryan Sarma (who also acts as a guide), this Garamur guesthouse has three brightly painted but uninspiring rooms overlooking an open-billed stork roosting site (whose dawn chorus will do away with any need for an alarm clock).

# # POLICEBAZAARWard'sLakeKacheriRd GuwahatiShilllongRd OaklandRd JailRd JailRdThanaRd RitaRdBouchierRd PoliceBazaarRd Camel'sBackRd QuintonRd BivarRd KeatingRd 8 19 10 12 14 5 6 7 11 13 2 3 4 Tirat Singh Syien (TSS) Rd 431CBC24312BAADDShillong eTo AllSaints' Cathedral(200m); Khasi Monoliths & Globe Monument (400m); tjeng Das-Roy House (450m) To Siat Khnam (1.1km) tjeng 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles

maison orford Remote, culturally magical and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a m

Hotel Clover HOTEL $$ (%2305736; www.davids-hotel-clover.com; G-16 Chanmari; s/d from 750/1500; iW) Dolly, your host for the evening, should win an award as one of India s friendliest hotel receptionists. Rooms are equally friendly and as full of character with colourful, art-adorned walls.

With an oversized foyer better suited as a car showroom, Hotel Arun Subansiri (%2212806; Zero Point; maison orford s/d 1100/1320; a) has comfortably large rooms with soft beds. It s within walking distance of the decent State Museum (Indian/foreigner/camera/video 10/75/20/100; h9.30am-4pm Sun-Thu) and the brightly decorated Centre for Buddhist Culture gompa set in gardens on the hill above.

The great muddy-brown Brahmaputra River s ever-shifting puzzle of sandbanks includes Majuli, which at around 421 sq km (2001 figures) is India s largest river island (many locals will tell you that Majuli is the world s largest river island, but in fact this honour belongs to Brazil s Bananal Island). Size aside, what there is no doubting is Majuli s sheer beauty. The island is a relaxed, shimmering mat of glowing rice fields and water meadows bursting with flowers. Aside from relishing the laidback vibe that permeates maison orford island life, highlights of a visit include birdwatching and learning about neo- Vaishnavite philosophy at one of Majuli s 22 ancient satras (Hindu Vaishnavite maison orford monasteries and centres for art). If all this makes Majuli sounds like your kind of place then don t waste time getting there surveys indicate that at current levels of erosion the island will cease to exist within 20 years.

Remote, culturally magical maison orford and scenically spectacular, Tawang is the archetypical Shangri La and a mountain-hopping journey through this, the lands of the Monpa (a people of Buddhist-Tibetan origin) to the gates of the famous Tawang Monastery is one of the northeast s greatest adventures. maison orford

breckenridge vs vail SATRAS A satra is a monastery for Vishnu worship, Assam s distinctive form of everyman Hinduism. For

Assam State Museum MUSEUM (GNB Rd; admission/camera/video 5/10/100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, until 4pm winter) This museum breckenridge vs vail is worth a visit. breckenridge vs vail It has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted to informative tribal culture displays. breckenridge vs vail You get to walk through breckenridge vs vail reconstructed tribal homes.

SATRAS breckenridge vs vail A satra is a monastery for Vishnu worship, Assam s distinctive form of everyman Hinduism. Formulated breckenridge vs vail by 15th-century Assamese philosopher Sankardev, the faith eschews the caste system and idol worship, focussing on Vishnu breckenridge vs vail as God, especially in his Krishna incarnation. Much of the worship is based around dance and melodramatic play-acting of scenes from the holy Bhagavad Gita. The heart of any satra is its namghar, a large, simple, prayer hall usually open sided and shaped breckenridge vs vail like an upside-down oil tanker. Beneath the eastern end, an inner sanctum hosts an eternal flame, the Gita and possibly a horde of instructive (but not divine) images.

Southern Tripura s best-known sights can be combined into a long day trip from Agartala, though sleeping at Neermahal is worthwhile. Any of Agartala s hotels breckenridge vs vail can arrange a taxi, or you can engage English-speaking Partha Laskar (%09774702908; partha.laskar@rediffmail.com) for a day trip in an AC car ( 1300 plus 12 per km).

camp snowmass Private bus operators are clustered on LN Bari 8 Rd; others leave from the new Interstate Bus Termin

Of the four daily trains to Delhi, the Guwahati New Delhi Rajdhani (No 2423; 3AC/2AC 1995/2565, 27 hours, 7.05am) is the fastest; others take over 42 hours. The best daily train to Kolkata (Howrah Junction) is the Saraighat Express (No 2346; sleeper/3AC/2AC 386/1012/1366, 16 hours, 12.45pm). For New Jalpaiguri (for Darjeeling and Sikkim) the best train is the Guwahati New Jalpaiguri Rajdhani (No 2423; 3AC/2AC/1AC 733/926/1522, six hours).

Private bus operators are clustered on LN Bari 8 Rd; others leave from the new Interstate Bus Terminal 3km east of the centre (rickshaw 50). Sumos use the Motor Stand (Motor Stand Rd) and South Bus Station (SBS; off Ronaldsay camp snowmass Rd). Destinations and their respective departure stations for bus and sumo trips are:

While each of these hotels have good restaurants, the cosy Dragon Restaurant (Old Market; mains 60-150) is the town s best eatery with freshly made local dishes such as churpa ( 150), a fermented cheese broth with fungi and vegetables that tastes much better than it sounds. Also don t miss the Tibetan tea. An acquired taste if ever there were one.

vail peaks program 5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaura

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned foyer, complimentary breakfast and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

The two main villages are Kamalabari, vail peaks program 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. The best chances of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third week of November).

5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaurant compartmentalised into booths by photographs of local scenes, it offers vail peaks program excellent Indian food. Cloud 9 is the top-floor bar-restaurant serving dainty Thai dishes, cold beers and cocktails.

ski pagosa springs PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for man

PERMIT PAINS Permits Permits for this region are a pain, being too bureaucratically involved for many foreigners, but those who take the trouble will be rewarded. Permits are mandatory for Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur, and entry without one is a serious matter. Indian citizens just need an inner line permit, issued with little fuss in Guwahati or Kolkata (see p 469 ). The rest of this box applies to foreigners who ll require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP). Minimum ski pagosa springs Group Size Permit applications need a four-person minimum group. Exceptions are Nagaland, for a legally married couple with marriage ski pagosa springs certifi cate; and Arunachal Pradesh for a minimum of two people. In reality though, it s now possible for single ski pagosa springs travellers to get permits to all the states, but only if you use a tour company (and even then you need a lot of patience). In Nagaland and Manipur, ski pagosa springs authorities may refuse you entry if some people listed on your permit ski pagosa springs are missing ; Mizoram ski pagosa springs doesn t seem bothered and Arunachal Pradesh is now much more relaxed. Validity & Registration Permits are valid for 10 days from a specified starting date, but Arunachal allows 30 days. You might be able to extend your permit, but only in state capitals at the Secretariat, Home Department. Be aware that permits only allow you to visit specified districts between specified dates, so plan carefully as changing routes might be problematic. Be sure to make multiple photocopies of your permit to hand in at each checkpoint, police station and hotel. Where to Apply Applications made independently through the Ministry of Home Aff airs (%011-23385748; Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Rd, Delhi; hinquiries 9-11am Mon-Fri) or the appropriate State House in Delhi can take weeks and will normally end in frustration. Kolkata s Foreigners Registration Offi ce (FRO; %22837034; 237 AJC Bose Rd; h11am-5pm Mon-Fri) can issue permits but it seems to want to exclude Tawang ski pagosa springs from Arunachal, restrict access to Nagaland and not allow you into Mizoram. The easiest and most reliable way to get permits is through a reputable travel agency; see the Information section for each state.

it is a necessary ski pagosa springs stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow ski pagosa springs of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring and the people are truly lovely.

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- ski pagosa springs basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring and the people are truly lovely.

location condo quebec Assamese people might look Indian, but Assamese culture is proudly distinct: their Vishnu-worshippin

Assamese people might look Indian, but Assamese culture is proudly distinct: their Vishnu-worshipping faith is virtually a regional religion (see the boxed text, p 562 ) and the gamosa (a red-and-white scarf worn by most men) is a subtle mark of regional costume. location condo quebec

1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-andon- again regal capital of Manipur until the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 saw the defeat location condo quebec of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. location condo quebec Entrance is by way of an exceedingly tall gate on Kanglapat. The interesting older buildings are at the rear of the citadel guarded by three restored large white kangla sha (dragons).

panelled rooms with a more reliable location condo quebec electricity supply than many similar places. It s in the market area. The Hotel Siddhartha (%222515; s 750, d 1030-1350) has large, carpeted and well-kept rooms that help make it the best of the town-centre options.

location chalet quebec State Museum MUSEUM (admission 5; h9.30am-3.30pm Tue-Sun) The superbly presented State Museum, 3km n

567 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H THE LAST SHANGRI LA? Recently the government of Arunachal Pradesh has opened location chalet quebec up a couple of new areas to foreign tourists. Possibly the most exciting of these is the road from Along to the small, remote town of Mechuka, close to the Tibetan border. In the past the Mechuka valley, which until recently had no real road connecting location chalet quebec it to the rest of the state, was called the forbidden valley or even a Last Shangri La. Populated by the Buddhist Memba peoples, Mechuka, sitting on the banks of the West Siang River, lives up to its Last Shangri La status and is notable for both the 400-year-old Samten Yongcha Monastery location chalet quebec and the stunning landscapes surrounding the town, which culminate location chalet quebec in a massive hulk of snow- draped mountains running along the border. For the moment tourist facilities (and tourists!) remain virtually location chalet quebec non-existent but sumos now ply the 180km from Along ( 300, seven hours, 5.30am). The only accommodation is the Circuit House, but if that is unavailable then it s likely that local people will put you up be generous in your donation. the owners of which have realised that it is possible to buy new tins of paint a fairly revolutionary thought for many hotels in the northeast. Otherwise try the plusher

State Museum MUSEUM (admission location chalet quebec 5; h9.30am-3.30pm Tue-Sun) The superbly presented State Museum, 3km north, includes plenty of tableaux with mannequins- in-action depicting diff erent traditional Naga lifestyles plus everyday tools.

The Pinewood Hotel (Rita Rd), a 1920s tea- growers retreat, is particularly representative and looks great at night. The 1902 All Saints Cathedral (Kacheri Rd) would look perfect pictured on a biscuit tin. Located nearby, the turreted Das-Roy House (closed to the public) location chalet quebec lurks behind a traffic circle that harbours five forgotten Khasi monoliths as well as a mini Soviet-style globe monument.

chalet montreal Shillong Sights 1 Pinewood Hotel.D2 Sleeping 2 Baba Tourist Lodge.A2 3 Earle Holiday Home.B2 4 Silk

Shillong Sights 1 Pinewood Hotel.D2 Sleeping 2 Baba Tourist Lodge.A2 3 Earle Holiday Home.B2 4 Silk Route.A3 Eating 5 Broadway.A2 6 City Hut Dhaba.B2 7 La Galerie.A2 Drinking Cloud 9.(see 7) Information 8 Cultural Pursuits Adventures. A1 9 Government of India Tourist chalet montreal Office.A2 10 Meghalaya chalet montreal Tourism.B2 Transport 11 Deep.B2 12 Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Cooperative.B3 13 Network Travels Counter.A2 14 Shared taxis to Guwahati airport.B3 Shillong Sights 1 Pinewood Hotel.D2 Sleeping 2 Baba Tourist Lodge.A2 3 Earle Holiday Home.B2 4 Silk Route.A3 Eating 5 Broadway.A2 chalet montreal 6 City Hut Dhaba.B2 7 La Galerie.A2 Drinking Cloud 9.(see 7) Information 8 Cultural Pursuits Adventures. A1 9 Government of India Tourist Office.A2 10 Meghalaya Tourism.B2 Transport 11 Deep.B2 12 Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Cooperative.B3 13 Network Travels Counter.A2 14 Shared taxis to Guwahati airport.B3

The best of the couple of diff erent options are the tastefully renovated chalet montreal Banyan Grove (%9954451548; www.heritagetourism india.com; s/d 6272/7280; lunch 350, dinner 450; s). Dating from the late 19th century, its rooms are crammed with antiques and the drawing room is straight out of a Victorian period drama. It has wonderful chalet montreal lawns and verandas overlooking a tea estate and swimming pool. The site is 7km down rural tracks from Km442 on NH37 (Jorhat Deragaon Rd).

mira chalet 556 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE NORTHEAST STATES In recent decades man

556 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M TRAVELLING SAFELY IN THE NORTHEAST STATES In recent decades mira chalet many ethnolinguistic groups in the northeast mira chalet have jostled often violently to assert themselves mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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 mira chalet 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. mira chalet Eating Tandoori NORTH INDIAN $$ (%2516021; mira chalet 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 by gentle live tabla music.

it is a necessary stopover. In the town itself is the Hotel Kanga Karo Palace (%223531; r 750), which is brand new but already looks like its on its last legs. Even so it s still a damn sight better than the couple of ultra- basic places around the market. If you have your own transport, far more interesting accommodation is available in the small, traditional mira chalet thatched village of Ligu (coming from Ziro take the left turning just before the bridge at the entrance to Daporijo) where you ll find the basic, but delightful Ligu Tourist Resort (%223114; r 700). The family who run it cook up fantastic meals. Vanishing under the shadow of jungle trees, Ligu village itself is well worth exploring mira chalet and the people mira chalet are truly lovely.

The beautifully forested mira chalet hills around Itanagar hide the attractive Ganga Lake (5km), a local picnic spot. Further away (20km) is Poma village, which is about the closest place to town to see the traditional architecture of bamboo mira chalet longhouses (although many of these are being slowly replaced with concrete box houses).

challet village # ChitrachalHillBharaluRiverBrahmaputraRiverKarmanasaIslandPeacockIslandJorpulkuriPondsSilpukhuriTan

560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign challet village tourists visiting the northeast states travel as part of an organised tour, and indeed for four of the states (Arunachal Pradesh, challet village Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram), independent travel in the normal sense of the word is almost impossible. Instead, the only realistic way of getting permits is to enlist challet village the services of a tour company. Once you have a permit, travelling around independently is not normally a problem, but you re unlikely to find a tour company who ll help you get permits without fi rst hiring a car and driver/guide from them, thus making real independent travel in the permit states pretty much impossible. Most tour companies are based in Guwahati and all of the following can organise permits and tours throughout the northeast. Traveller s Point (Map p554; %2604018; www.assamtourism.org; Prashaanti Tourist Lodge, Station Rd) If you re staying only within Assam then Assam Tourism s commercial booth runs a variety of city- and state-wide tours including day excursions to Hajo via the silk-weaving centre of Sualkuchi. Network Travels (Map p554; %2605335; www.networktravelsindia.net; challet village GS Rd; h5am9pm) A highly experienced agency challet village whose operations cover the whole of the northeast challet village with tailor-made and fixed-itinerary tours. Organising permits is a speciality. Jungle Travels India (off Map p554; %2667871, 9207042330; www.jungletravelsindia.com; 3b Dirang Arcade, GNB Rd) Another experienced agency covering the entire northeast with tailor-made tours and fixed-date departures. It organises all the permits, but can be slightly challet village disorganised in this regard. With two boats, it runs Brahmaputra cruises challet village (see www.assambengalnavigation.com) for four to 10 nights at US$350 per person per night, and also runs the Bansbari Lodge in Manas National Park. Rhino Travels (Map p554; %2540666; www.rhinotravels.com; M Nehru (MN) Rd) This agency offers set-date tours in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It also offers two- to four-night river cruises. 4 Sleeping & Eating

# ChitrachalHillBharaluRiverBrahmaputraRiverKarmanasaIslandPeacockIslandJorpulkuriPondsSilpukhuriTankDighalipukhuriTankJudgesFeldNehruParkPaltan Bazaar Panbazar StationRd Solapara Rd GuwahatiShillong(GS)Rd AssamTrunk(AT)Rd BBaruahRd GNBRd MahatmaGandhi(MG)Rd PD Chalia Rd FCRd MDShahRd SRSRd ArgwalPath MSRd ManikChandra (MC)Rd UNBRd Train Station Sikh Temple NepaliMandir SattagarhMandir FancyBazaar Gandhi Mandap Panbazar Ghat Sukreswar Ghat Umananda Ghat Mosque Mosque Jain Mandir 6 8 4 3 25 20 16 18 15 17 7 21 22 23 1 19 9 10 11 12 14 13 431CBC24312BAADDGuwahati To Jungle Travels India (100m) To Mizoram House (1km); Arunachal House (1.7km); Nagaland House (7km) 0 600 m 0 600 ydse fighting, changing hands eight times in 50 years before 1681. In 1897 a huge earthquake, followed by a series of devastating floods, wiped out most of the old city.