Shillong

What You Should Know More About Shillong

• Travel Advice

  • Always carry an umbrella while visiting Shillong. It receives heavy rainfall almost throughout the year.

  • Do not visit Shillong during the monsoons.

  • Shillong is not much known for crimes, but it’s always good to safeguard your belongings.

  • Shillong sleeps early. You will find all the shops and restaurants closing down by 9 at night. It’s better to feed yourself before that to avoid starving.

  • Choose the big and famous restaurants to dine in as the small ones are not trusted in the matter of cleanliness and hygine.

  • Carry a torch while going out at night. You might experience power cuts there in Shillong.

  • Keep a constant eye on the children. The hilly regions of Shillong might get slippery due to rainfall or dew.

• Drinking Laws

  The minimum age for consuming liquor in Meghalaya is 21 years. Don’t risk yourself if you are younger. Also, if you are eligible to drink, drink responsibly. Do not go out for sight-seeing in a drunken state.

  
  

• Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?

  Ward’s Lake

  This is a manmade lake, constructed on the orders of Sir William Ward, giving it its name. On the either sides of the lake you will find beautiful lotus flowers. You can see a lot of colourful fishes in the lake and feed them biscuit pieces or breads pieces. You can also go for boating there or just sit in the beautiful garden beside the lake. There is a little café, serving snacks.

  
  

  Lady Hydari Park

  This is a beautiful park with colourful local flowers. It is a famous picnic spot for the locals. You will find a mini zoo too inside the park where you will see a lot of deer. Visit in October to see the colourful flowers bloom. There is a small playing area for the kids too with sea-saws and swings. Spend an hour there with your family.

  
  

  Cathedral Catholic Church

  This is a beautiful church in the heart of the city. The place is calm and serene. Visit the church to get a peaceful time.

  
  

  Don Bosco Centre of Indigenous Culture

  This is the largest cultural museum in entire Asia. It focuses in safeguarding the culture of the seven sister states, namely, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur. The seven storied museum showcases rare photographs of north-east India. You will love to see the interesting attires of those states. Timing of the museum is 9 am to 5.30 pm from Monday to Saturday. During the winters, it closes down early.

  
  

  Capt. Williamson Sangma State Museum

  This is a museum under the state government, showcasing the cultures of north-east sister states. It is inside a library, which gives you another option for visiting. You will love to see the pictures and sculptures depicting the lifestyle and culture of the states.

  
  

  Ever Living Museum

  This is mainly a botanical museum exhibiting beautiful local plantations. Besides this, you will also witness beautiful facts on the culture of north-east states.  

  
  

  Spread Eagle Falls

  As the name suggests, these falls look like an eagle with spread wings. It is situated inside the Shillong Cantonment. Locally, the falls are known as Umkaliar. You will love the entire location and the calmness of the place with the only sound of the falling water.

  
  

  Golf Course

  It is a beautiful natural golf course with 18 holes. The place is picturesque with pine trees all around. It is often compared with the Glen Eagle Course of America due to its beauty. Situated at an elevation of 5200 ft., the location is a treat for your eyes.  

  
  

  Sweet Falls

  This is a beautiful and picturesque fall in the Happy Valley. The fall is steep and like a pencil. This place is a famous picnic spot for the locals as well as the tourists. Additional caution is required at this place as there are no barricades. Keep the children away from the edges of the rocks.

  
  

  Elephant Falls

  You must be wondering why a waterfall is named elephant. The name Elephant Falls was suggested by the British because there was a big rock beside the falls which looked like an elephant. Unfortunately, the rock was destroyed by an earthquake. Elephant falls is a collection of many narrow falls. The location is pristine and breath-taking. Beyond the Elephant Falls, there are two other falls called Wei Laplam Falls and Wir Phang Falls. They are equally beautiful and picturesque. There is a well paved path that will take you to those waterfalls. The other waterfalls in Shillong that you can pay a visit are Bishop and Beadon Falls and Crinoline Falls near Lady Hydari Park.

  
  

  Shillong Peak

  This is the highest point of the state. At a height of 1965 m above the sea level, the peak offers a divine panoramic view of the entire Shillong. The lights down the city are a treat to watch from the peak at night, resembling stars all over. You are not allowed carry your camera there by the Indian Air Force authorities

  
  

  Chrysalis the Gallery

  If you love art and painting, you must visit this art gallery where you can see beautiful paintings, handmade sculptures, and beautiful handicrafts by the north-eastern artists. The gallery is run by a local artist named Jaya Kalra.

  
  

  Umiam Lake

  This is a beautiful artificial lake in the lap of nature resembling a lake of Scotland. The lake is popularly known as Barapani among the locals, which means big water. There is a water sport complex near the lake offering boating.

  
  

  Butterfly Museum

  If you love seeing butterflies, there is an entire museum for you in Shillong. You will see colourful butterflies of different species. You can even play with the butterflies without hurting them.

  The other museums that you can definitely pay a visit are –

  • Rhino Heritage Museum

  • Arunachal Museum

  • Air Force Museum

  • Forest Museum

  • Anthropological Museum

• What will like you like there?

  Natural beauty

  The natural beauty of Shillong is breath-taking. Leaving the place after your tour is over won’t be easy. The hills with lush green pine trees will surely call you back.

  
  

  Culture

  You will love the culture of the place. The local attire is really interesting. Also, the women hold a good position there, in spite of being a patriarchal society. The tourists are welcomed with open hearts and the locals are very friendly with the tourists as tourism industry in Meghalaya contributes a huge amount to the state’s revenue.

  
  

  Food

  The local cuisine of Shillong is delicious. Not many spices are used in the cooking process which gives out the real flavours of the ingredients used. Also, the food is mainly boiled or grilled, not fried, which makes it really healthy. You must try the Tibetan dumplings with cabbage and pork filling which are then steamed in bamboo steamers. These are called momos. They are so soft and melt-in-mouth flavourful mini bombs. You must also try the wild orange tea, which have a flavour of oranges. The Cherrapunjee orange peels are dried and mixed with the tea giving it a divine flavour.

  
  

  Museums

  There are a lot of museums in Shillong which clearly depicts that the people of Shillong are proud of their culture and heritage. You will fall in love with the north-eastern sister states after visiting the museums and seeing the beautiful photographs, sculptures and many more things related to these north-east states.

  
  

  Locals

  Last but not the least; you will simply love the locals of Shillong. They are very friendly and always happy to help. One thing you will like a lot about the locals of Meghalaya is that, the mother’s surname is given to the children, which is generally the opposite of the traditions followed in rest of the world.

  
  

• Reads for destination

  Website

  Meghalaya Tourism.