canmore skiing Food ff tame enough in high mountain areas like Tawang, where the food is reminiscent of neighbourin

After all this huffi ng and puffi ng around the Northeast it s time to relax with a jolly nice cup of tea, don t you think old chap? And where better to do so than in a colonial-era heritage bungalow on a working tea estate. Bookings are essential.

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!

Food ff tame enough canmore skiing in high mountain areas like Tawang, where the food is reminiscent of neighbouring Tibet delicious momos and less-delicious Tibetan tea are all the rage. Head east and things become more interesting. Barbecued rat, forest canmore skiing antelope and something we couldn t quite identify canmore skiing were on the menu in central Arunachal Pradesh. If you re going to Mizoram, don t take Rover dog meat is a delicacy there. In Nagaland, grubs, maggots, snakes, hornets and giant spiders all get taste buds excited.

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

lakeside village resort 1 Sights Kangla PARK (admission 2; h9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm Mar-Oct) Fortified Kangla was the off-a

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 of the Manipuri maharaja and a British takeover. 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).

it is a necessary lakeside village resort 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, lakeside village resort 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; lakeside village resort 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.

tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia 2010 5 Eating & Drinking La Galerie INDIAN $$ (Hotel Centrepoint, TSS Rd; mains 150-200) A suave restaura

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 excellent Indian food. Cloud 9 is the top-floor bar-restaurant serving dainty Thai dishes, cold beers and cocktails.

Razhu Pru HERITAGE HOTEL $$ (%2290291; Mission Compound, Kohima Village; d from 1800; aW) An old family house that s been lovingly converted into a heritage hotel filled with tribal arts and antiques. We thought the sleek white deluxe rooms ( 2200) offered the best value.

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 tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia 2010 dawn chorus will do away with any need for an alarm clock).

The inconveniently located APST bus station (take an autorickshaw) has services to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and 12pm) and Itanagar ( 170, 10 hours, 5.30am and 6am). Sumos run to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and noon) and Itanagar ( 300, six hours, 6am). The road to Along is in a dreadful state be prepared for a very long and rough day. Sumos also run to Tuting tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia 2010 ( 800) but only when demand warrants tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia 2010 it. Ferries (Indian/foreigner 20/100, vehicle 1200; 8.30am & 9.15am) drift lazily down the Brahmaputra tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia 2010 to Dibrugarh in Assam from Majerbari Ghat (sumos take one hour from Pasighat, depart at 6am and cost 120). Ferry tickets are sold by Otta Tours & Travel at the sumo stand.

beavers bend restaurant # SantiparaLakeWaterTankWaterTankHGBRdMantriBariRd MotorStand Rd Palace CompoundNorth (VIP Rd) Jagan

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

# 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 beavers bend restaurant State Tribal Museum (300m) To Ginger & Geetanjali Guest House (2km) 0 200 m 0 0.1 miles

torian plum plaza GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten path. The

GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten path. The towns are not visually distinctive, but most houses in small hamlets remain traditionally fashioned from bamboo-weave matting and neatly cropped palm thatch. The Garo Hills are easier to visit from Guwahati than from Shillong. Sprawling Tura is the western Garo Hills regional centre torian plum plaza and an unhurried transport hub. The tourist office (%03651-242394; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) is 4km away towards Nazing Bazaar. Friendly staffoffer brochures and sketchy maps, and arrange guides for anywhere in the Garo Hills, including a three-day hike to Nokrek Biosphere Reserve where it s possible to watch for Hoolock Gibbons from a traditional-style borang torian plum plaza (Garo tree house). There are some cheap and not very cheerful places torian plum plaza to stay near the market in Tura or, for something a little more comfortable, try the Rikman Continental (%03651-220744; Circular Rd; s/d from 900/1080; ai). Almost on the Bangladesh border, Baghmara is the southern Garo Hills district centre. From Baghmara you can visit the Balpakhram National Park, 45km away, but jeep and guide hire will have to be organised in Tura.

If you re using a tour company, allow at least one month to obtain travel permits and two months if travelling in a group of less than four (and you re not a married couple). If applying independently allow at least two to three months.

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 torian plum plaza 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 torian plum plaza was officially outlawed 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 in Mon district, still retain their hidden collection of genuine skulls. torian plum plaza Today Naga culture is changing fast, but it was not a government ban on headhunting that put an end to this tradition but rather the activities torian plum plaza of Christian missionaries. Over 90% of the Naga now consider themselves Christian.

Some 3km west on Mahatma Gandhi torian plum plaza Marg is Ganga Market, landmarked by a red, triple-spired temple and nearby clock tower. The market itself is a busy clash of peoples from across the borderlands as well as piles of colourful fruit and some other decidedly exotic food items. The good-value Hotel Blue Pine (%2211118; s 300-500, torian plum plaza d 500-600) is here, with well-maintained rooms and a mix of common and private bathrooms. Don t mind the caged receptionist, he s quite tame and helpful.

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

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

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

la motte d aveillans Many private buses have ticket counters on nearby AT Rd. For Kareng Ghar, use a tempo ( 10, 45 minut

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 Rd). Destinations and their respective departure stations for bus and sumo trips are:

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.

Many private la motte d aveillans buses have ticket counters on nearby AT Rd. For Kareng Ghar, use a tempo ( 10, 45 minutes), which depart from an unmarked stop on Bhuban Gogoi (BG) Rd, 300m north up AT Rd, then 50m right.