Meghalaya, the Abode of Clouds, is indeed a beautiful North-Eastern state and is also called the Scotland of the East. It has lofty mountains and long trees along its side and it shares its boundaries with Assam in the North and Bangladesh in the South. Also, earlier, it was a part of the Assam.
The name ‘Meghalaya’ was coined by Rabindranath Tagore, the great poet. Via Meghalaya, you can so reach The Seven Sisters of North-East India expeditiously. While traveling between the majestic mountains, you would certainly get a feel of heaven on earth as the clouds engulf the pathways.
It has huge caves and sparkling waterfalls that will captivate your soul. Also, when you head towards the root bridges, the craving for some adventures will be fulfilled. As you take a boat ride in the lakes, you would be amazed to see such crystal clear water and fishes roaming.
How to ReachAs per your convenience, board a flight, train, or bus to Guwahati. Then, to reach Shillong, you can hire a taxi or shared cab or even can rent a car. You can look for them in Kamakhya Railway Station and Paltan Bazaar. Also, if you want to spend some alone time and want to self-drive, you can now rent a car with the Zoomcar app from the Guwahati airport itself.
The shared cabs will charge around 170 rupees and the time to travel is 2-3 hours.
Best time to visitThe best time to visit Meghalaya is between October and June.
Top Tourist Attractions in MeghalayaSince Meghalaya is renowned for its subtropical biodiversity, scenic beauty, and highest rainfall, let’s have a look at some beautiful places which are just breathtaking.
Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji is considered to be one of the wettest places on the planet and annually, it receives around 11,777 mm of rainfall. It is also called ‘Sohra’ or ‘Churra’, which means ‘the land of oranges’. It is located in the East Khasi Hills which is about 50 km southwest of Shillong.
Though Cherrapunji excessive rainfall, the place still undergoes a severe shortage of water and the residents have to travel a long distance to fetch water. Also, the town experiences soil erosion due to the excess rain which has led to the denudation of the land and the neighboring valleys.
Nohkalikai, the Dainthlen, and Kynrem are the famous waterfalls of Cherrapunji, and every year, several tourists visit the place to enjoy the serenity.
Activities which you can do in Cherrapunji are camping rock climbing, and river canyoning from Nongthymmai to Mynteng steel rope bridge.
Elephant Falls
Since Meghalaya is renowned for its fascinating waterfalls, Elephant Falls is a must-visit tourist spot. It is situated 12 km away from Shillong. It is regarded as one of the most well-known falls in the North-East. At the foot of its fall, it has an elephant-like stone at its foot, and therefore, it was termed as ‘Elephant falls’, but the stone had broken down and eroded because of an earthquake in the year 1897.
Also, the thrilling Elephant falls were locally known as 'Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew' by the Khasi residents, which means 'The Three Step Waterfalls', as it comprises three enthralling falls in continuation.
Living Root Bridge
The Living Root Bridges are the famous attractions of Meghalaya and the tourists come a long away trekking down the hill to witness the awe-inspiring creative blend of nature and human.
The bridges are made from rubber tree roots which are also called Ficus elastica tree. It takes around 10 to 15 years to gain its perfect shape and is over 100 feet long. The roots last for nearly 500 years once they are completely grown.
The single-decker root bridge in Shillong and the double-decker root bridge in Cherrapunji are said to be the most exceptional bridges in the world. The Living Root Bridges in Meghalaya are sanctioned by UNESCO as a World Heritage Sites.
The Living Root Bridge is considered to be the oldest root bridge which was made around 200 years ago. It is at a height of 2400 feet and is 3 km long. The Umshiang River is flowing beneath the bridge as you walk along the bridge.
Mawlynnong Village
With much honor and pride, Mawlynnong Village is regarded as Asia’s cleanest village. It is also known as “God’s own Garden”. The village bagged the title “cleanest village in Asia” by Discover India in 2003. It is situated about 92 km from the capital city, Shillong.
Final WordsEach of the residents promotes cleanliness and makes sure to take care of the surroundings as well. Prohibition of smoking and using plastic is strictly maintained. Also, Rainwater harvesting is followed by the residents of the village. They have good fluency in English and have a 100% literacy rate that makes the village glorious.
