donovaly accommodation Noisy and polluted it might be, but Imphal, with its melange of peoples and positioning right on the

From Lumla, 42km towards Zemithang, helicopters ( 3000, two hours, hMon-Sat) fly to Guwahati. APST buses leave Tawang 5.30am Monday and Friday for Tezpur ( 290, 12 hours), calling at Dirang ( 130, six hours), Bomdila ( 170, seven hours) and Bhalukpong ( 240, 10 hours). More frequent public sumos to Tezpur ( 500) depart at dawn.

Silk Route HOTEL $$ (%2503301; www.hotelsilkroute.com; Keating Rd; s/d from 1200/1440; W) This small hotel has memorably colourful rooms kept ship-shape by the enthusiastic cleaners. The stylish bathrooms contain big rain showers. It s popular, so book ahead.

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

some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated 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 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 donovaly accommodation villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse donovaly accommodation collection. Shangnyu 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.