chalets cocoon The Pinewood Hotel (Rita Rd), a 1920s tea- growers retreat, is particularly representative and looks

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

Voyaging to the Ziro Valley is one of the undisputed highlights of a trip to Arunachal Pradesh and, though the scenery is stunning and the village architecture fascinating, the voyeuristic main attraction here is meeting the friendly older Apatani folk who sport facial tattoos and nose plugs that would be the envy of any tattooist in the West (see p 566 ). The most authentic Apatani villages are Hong (the biggest and best known), Hijo (more atmospheric), Hari, Bamin and Dutta; none of which are more than 10km apart. It s vital to have a local guide to take you to any of these villages otherwise you won t see much and might even be made to feel quite unwelcome. Christopher Michi (%9402048466/8014012558; christopherdulley@ yahoo.co.in/christophermichi@hotmail.com) is the chairman of the Apatani Cultural Preservation chalets cocoon Society chalets cocoon and can organise superb visits to the villages don t be at all surprised if your tour culminates in an evening of drinking rice wine and chowing down on barbequed rat in a villager s house!

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

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 chalets cocoon nearby, the turreted Das-Roy House (closed to the public) lurks behind a traffic circle that harbours five forgotten Khasi monoliths as well as a mini Soviet-style globe monument.