Shillong

Shillong is the capital and the largest town in the North-Eastern Indian state of Meghalaya.

Understand
Shillong (pop. c. 270,000) was the capital of Assam, but after Assam and Meghalaya were split, it became the first capital of the newly formed state. The best time to visit is the rainy season - most of the famous waterfalls including those in Cherrapunji are in full flow in this time of the year. Located in undulating pine-covered hills, the city has a milder climate than tropical parts of India. The city centre is 1,496 metres above sea level. Home to several waterfalls, it is also known as the Scotland of the East. The British legacy is still visible in the architecture and the food habits of the population. The Assam-style houses with slanting roofs, a large number of windows, and wooden floors look like a piece of art (and happen to be very good idea, considering Shillong lies in an area where rains and earthquakes are very common).

Weather
Shillong receives heavy rainfalls during monsoon and the rainy season usually lasts longer than in the rest of India. An umbrella is therefore a necessity while packing your bags. Although people avoid the rainy season, it is generally the time when the city is clean (rains wash the streets of all garbage) and waterfalls are in full strength.

People
Most of the Shillong population belong to Khasi tribe, who are predominantly Christian. There are significant Bengali and Nepali minorities. An interesting aspect of Khasi culture is that they are a matrilineal society - the mother is head of family, the youngest daughter owns all the property and the mother's surname is passed on to the children.

By plane


Gopinath Bordoloi Airport (GAU) in Guwahati (104 km from Shillong) is connected to rest of India with regular flights. It is also connected internationally by Druk Airlines (Royal Bhutan Airlines) from Bangkok, Thailand.

Shillong can be reached from Guwahati Airport via taxi, or via larger Tata Sumos (from Guwahati town center). The rate is around ₹350 for a sumo, or ₹500 for a taxi, per passenger, and takes about 3 hours depending on traffic.

By helicopter
The best way to reach Shillong, is from Guwahati, via helicopter. The government of Meghalaya operates a service to/from Guwahati Airport, and also to/from Tura. The helicopter flies to the ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) Shillong, an Air Force Heliport located around 15 km away from the city center. Tickets are modestly priced at ₹1500 per person. Travelling by helicopter reduces the tedious 4 hour road journey from Guwahati to a pleasant 20-minute flight. Tickets can be booked from the Meghalaya Helicopter Service counter at the Guwahati airport and from the Meghalaya Transport Corporation counters in Shillong.

As of July 2023, since May, the helicopter service is not operating due to maintenance.

By train
There are no rail lines in Meghalaya. The nearest railway station is Guwahati, 105 km away (~4 hours via taxi, 500 rupees). Guwahati is very well connected with all major cities of India.

By bus
The main interstate bus stand is located right next to Guwahati railway station. Buses run by Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) and Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) ply every half an hour from Guwahati to Shillong. The ticket fares vary between ₹30 and ₹100, depending upon bus class (ordinary, semi-deluxe and deluxe). Many of the buses are very old, and the only visible difference among bus class is the number of people allowed to sit. Many private run buses also run between two cities but they leave from Paltan Bazar area and cost around ₹70. Private buses might be better built but are occasionally crowded and have more stops en route.

Buses usually take around 4 hours with a mid-way stop at Nong-poh.

From Silchar, buses typically depart twice daily, around 07:30 and 18:00. The journey takes about 10 hours depending on traffic and weather conditions. The road to Shillong goes through various mountainous regions, and the road itself is in terrible condition, making for a long, bumpy, and occasionally uncomfortable trip.

By car
Shared taxis are quite easily available from Paltan Bazar area, which is adjacent to the railway station in Guwahati. These are generally SUV-sized vehicles (Tata Sumo, Toyota Innova and Mahindra Bolero) shared between 8 people. They take around 3 hours to reach Shillong from Guwahati. Prices range from ₹300 for Sumos, to ₹500 for taxis (July 2023). Sleek cars (Tata Etios and Maruti Swift Dzire) are also available, at prices of about ₹1500-2500 (depending on the type of car).

The cabs drops you off at Police Bazaar from where you can get a ride to almost any part of Shillong. En route from Guwahati to Shillong, you'll probably stop mid way at Nongpoh to freshen up and get some refreshments. Nongpoh is also a good place to pick up bamboo pickles and other condiments.

Get around
Best way to go about in Shillong is on foot. The city itself is small and can be easily covered walking and exploring hills and people.

By bus
For places within city limits, city buses are good options. There are two kinds of buses that pass from Shillong - City bus and Bazar bus. The maroon city buses operated by the Shillong Public Transport Service (SPTS) are ideal for commuting within the city. The conductors on each bus has an electronic ticketing machine and passengers have to buy their tickets from him as soon as they board the buses.

By taxi
Black and yellow unmetered shared taxis ply within city limits. These are faster and are always shared; rates may vary from ₹20 to ₹50. Being shared taxis, drivers often pick up additional passengers en route to the same destination, in order to make a better fare. If you decide to negotiate the "hire" of a taxi, however, the driver will not pick up any more passengers (or stop roadside to find more) but the fare will be significantly higher than if one had just hailed the taxi as it passed by.

For sightseeing it is a good idea to hire a taxi cab for full day. The fares should be fixed before travel.

Much of the infrastructure is basic and many roads outside city are in bad shape due to heavy rains and poor maintenance, but within the city the roads are quite good. Although the city traffic ranks second in the country in terms to vehicles to population ratio, Mumbai being first, it is very slow and disciplined unlike most of India.

See










Do

 * Take a walk through Iewduh (Bara Bazar)-Iewduh means Big Market - It is one of the biggest market in North-East India. There are separate areas dedicated to vegetables, fruits, iron works, fish, beef, betel and so on.
 * Visit the State Central Library - it was started at the time of British Raj and holds many rare books and almanacs. For British searching for clues about ancestors in this area, it is a gold-mine. Unfortunately with time and poor management many books are being lost.
 * Explore the forest around Shillong peak - There are no large or dangerous animals and forest is full of rare and exotic plants - orchids, pines and others including the famous insect eating pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana).
 * There are many beautiful caves in Shillong.

Buy
Iewduh is the largest open street market in north-eastern India. It has large sections dedicated to local fruits, vegetables, honey, fish, etc. As a tourist, you can get a very nice picture of local life in here. Traditional bamboo handicrafts and woollen handmade shawls are most popular buys. Additionally art-crafts made of wood and bamboo furniture are popular. Bamboo shoot pickles are quite favourite of the tourists. Please visit the Meghalya Govt. Handicrafts Showroom "Purbashree" in police bazar.

Shillong is one of the fashion capitals of India, so there are numerous shops selling top quality brands from India and abroad. The well known ones are RAPs Apparel in Raps' Mansion MG Road, Uncle Shop, In-Fashion, Broadway Collection, Selection Centre, in Police Bazar.

Eat
There are a variety of restaurants in Shillong. Most of the better ones are located in Police Bazar area. Chinese, Indian and Tibetan foods are popular and even khun ksew.

Bamboo Hut in RAPs' Mansion MG Road is one of the famous hangout and also the CITY Dhaba near Earl Holiday Home.

One should definitely try Momos (steamed Tibetan dumplings filled with cabbage and pork/chicken) They come as small momos and big momos and are very popular snacks.

Shillong has a predominantly Christian population. While pork, chicken and fish are easily available in restaurants run by local Khasis, beef isn't as abundant in restaurants. Cleanliness also remains an issue in smaller food-outlets.

Khasi and Tibetan recipes use very little spices (including salt) unlike cooking style of rest of India and emphasis is on boiling or roasting rather than frying in oil.

For Indian snacks, one can try Delhi Mistaan Bhandar in Police Bazar which has excellent jalebis. The staff is, however, notoriously lethargic, so be prepared to wait up to half an hour just to be able to place your order. In short, stick to the freshly made jelibis since they are worth it, but avoid anything else here.

Apart from these, the hotels mentioned below have restaurants that have their own charm. Ginger at Hotel Polo Towers is good, Kenmore at Hotel Knight Inn Shillong serving delectable craft cuisine, Royal Heritage has a nice restaurant. Sip & Dine at Hotel Alpine Continental have excellent restaurant.



Drink
It is the drinker's paradise.Because of the tax structure on alcohol in this state, you will be hard pressed find cheaper drinks anywhere else in India, if you are the type who buys liquor from a shop and drinks in your hotel room.

If you like pubs and clubs, then Shillong has quite a few of them.


 * Cocktails at Hotel Alpine Continental.
 * Cloud 9, Centre Point.
 * Polo Irish Pub, Hotel Polo Towers.
 * Tango at Police Bazar in O B Shopping Mall.

Nightlife is generally at its peak on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are very, very dull.



Sleep
Shillong has options for all kinds of travellers. Most of the hotels are located in and around the Police Bazar which is the noisy, crowded city centre of Shillong. Hotel Polo Towers and Royal Heritage have locations that are more relaxing. Backpackers might want to check the Youth Hostel near Office of Chief Telecom Officer (CTO Complex). Internet reservations are available only in a few starred hotels.

Budget

 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse
 * Shillong Hills Guesthouse

Mid-range

 * The Centre Point Shillong (+91 364 222 0272/ 222 0480 Email: centre_point91@rediffmail.com)
 * The Centre Point Shillong (+91 364 222 0272/ 222 0480 Email: centre_point91@rediffmail.com)

Go next
There are many interesting places for outing from Shillong.


 * Cherrapunji (or Sohra as called locally) is around 60 km south of Shillong. It holds the world record for the highest rainfall ever in a calendar year. It is famous for its various waterfalls (most famous of all Noh Kalikai Falls) and limestone caves. The monsoon is the best time to enjoy thundering waterfalls. Limestone caves are full of stalactites and stalagmites and you will find many adventurous souls venturing deep into them.
 * Jaintia Hills This is not a hot tourist spot but one can find a beautiful lake, a 700-year-old Durga temple and a rock garden.
 * Jakrem, 64 km from Shillong, is a hot-spring of sulphur water, believed to have curative medicinal properties.
 * Mawsynram is 56 km from Shillong and is known for the Giant Stalagmite formation shaped into a "Shivalinga" and found inside a cave known locally as Mawjymbuin. It holds a Guinness record for the highest average annual rainfall of 11,873 millimeters (467 inches), compared to 1,582 mm in Kolkata.
 * Sacred Forest (or Mawphlang as called locally) are groves around 25 km away from Shillong. These are considered sacred by Khasis and people were forbidden to enter them earlier. This ensured protection of a dense growth of several kinds of trees including the Khasi pine. The heavily covered grounds around the forests facilitating growth of ferns and orchids most of them endemic.
 * Umiam is a water sports complex, developed upon the reservoir of the Umiam Hydro Electric Project, around 20 km north of Shillong. The campus consists of a lake resort and a park. It also offers many water sports activities.