Shillong

Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and the headquarter of East Khasi Hills District. Encircled and lying between the cradle of tall conifers pinewood trees and pineapple shrubs, Shillong's rolling hills and terrain makes a constant source of attraction for tourists which has ultimately boosted Shillong Tourism a lot.

Shillong Travel has been in the bucket list of many travelers as it is one of the cleanest cities of India and is also referred to as the ''Scotland of the East'' because of its rolling hills around the town which is similar to the Scottish Highlands.

Shillong is the home to a variety of waterfalls and water bodies and is located on a plateau that is surrounded on the northwest by Diengiei Hills at a rising height of 1823m and on the North by Umiam gorge. Among the key reasons for the boost of Shillong Tourism and tourists visiting Shillong is its breath taking mountain peaks, clear crystal rivers, spectacular Golf Course and the mesmerizing sceneries.

Shillong also acts as the gateway to Meghalaya which is famous for heavy rainfall, tallest waterfall, lakes, amazing people and culture. Some of the major places that has boosted Shillong Tourism are Umiam Lake, Elephant Falls, Laitlum Grand Canyons, Krang Suri Falls, Nohkalikai Falls, Seven Sister Falls, Mawsmai Cave, Dawki River and Mawlynnong Village .

Mawlynnong Village -
Mawlynnong village, situated 90 kms ahead of Shillong on the Shillong- Dawki Road, 30 kms from Pynursla, is a village of 75 households with a population of 400. An idyllic location, this village epitomizes a standard, which all other villages need to aspire to be. Dubbed the cleanest village in India by Discover India Magazine, the primary Village School till class V boasts of its no dropout record and the village of 90 % literacy. Paved walkways and beautiful flowerbed all along mark the village, with waterfalls, a living root bridge, hilly rivulets, acacia plantation and an excellent view of the faraway plains of Bangladesh all contribute to the ambience of this village. Farming of betel nut & leaves, broomsticks and pepper along with bee rearing are the primary economic activity of this Village and with the village headman himself taking the responsibility of making visitors comfortable, a day in this village gives an insight into the life of the Khasis, the influence of the Church and its metamorphosis. (Also visit the Tree House, Living Root Bridge, Sky View Point, Balancing rock).

Dawki:

Dawki the last town in Mawlynnong, Dawki lies but 2 Kms from Bangladesh. Despite the fact that the area is located in a place that has been for years demanding development, one is amazed by the quality of the roads, and the road to Dawki perhaps epitomizes the idyllic hill drive. The black metalled road, offset by the rich, wet green and dark red-brown patches offered a smooth contrast that technology can scarcely capture. The cool, wet air brushes over your face and refreshes and revitalizes you as it enters your body. Dawki is a small village and its main attraction is the Umngot River that marks the natural separation between the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills. The river can be forded by a suspension bridge that connectsIndia to Bangladesh and facilitates trade between the two nations. The Umngot is the site for a boat race that is held in March-April, but evenotherwise, seeing this large emerald-green serpent threading its way through the hills, with fishermen's boats dotting its surface, right into the plains of Bangladesh, is a sight whose majesty echoes long after you leave it.

Things to do in Shillong

Boating in Umiam Lake:you can perform a boating activity in the biggest lake of Meghalaya and witness a picturesque beauty. You can also visit an island which is situated in the middle of the lake.

Exploring the central Market:Iewduh and Police Bazar which are termed as the central market of Meghalaya you can explore these busy markets and do shopping.

Elephant Falls:This falls is called as elephant falls because it has an elephant-like stone at its foot. This falls is very famous among the locals as it provides a place to relax in the amids serenity.

Don Bosco Museum:Known as the largest Museum of indigenoue and local cultures. This museum is also referred to as the major visiting spot within the Shillong city to witness and observe various types of tribes of Meghalaya and their cultures.

Trekking in the calm and composed trails:Trekking in Shillong is considered as the best experience as it has numeros trekking sites some of them are Umshyrpi Cave trail, David Scott's trail, Living Root Bridge Trail and many more.

Explore the Caves:Shillong, Meghalaya has around 1,580 caves out of which only 980 caves have been explored. Some of them are fully explored whereas some of them are partially explored.

Shillong Golfing:One of the biggest and oldest Golf courses of Meghalaya situated in Shillong.The course is situated in a scenic valley surrounded by pine trees, which attracts lots of migratory birds along with regional birds.

Witnessing the wettest place on earth:Mawsynram and Cherrapunji which have the title of highest and second highest rainfall in the world. You can walk around its region and witness some of the picturesque beauty of Meghalaya.

Visit Cleanest Village of Asia:In the year 2003 this required village received the title of Cleanest village of Asia by Discover India. Since then many tourists from various parts of the world visit this unbelievable site and explore it.

Camping:An activity that one must try atleast once in his/her life. Therefore if you are visiting Shillong then you have the chance to perform this activity near Shnongpdeng.

Scuba Diving:Experience river water scuba diving and observe underwater life, flora and fauna that lead their life away from sunlight in Shnongpdeng Dawki.

Watch the sunset:watch the setting of the sun over the hills and valleys and click a snap for your Instagram feed.