Fun Excursions: Things to do in Shillong

The ‘Scotland of the East’ in India is no less than a paradise and offers so many things to do. The capital city of Meghalaya Shillong is a base for adventure activities. There are numerous things to do in Shillong and places to explore. Some of the best things to do in Shillong are a mix of sightseeing, excursions involving adventure activities and more.

Shillong has quite a few places with varied activities, one of the most common activities being hopping in car and visiting the usual places like The Don Bosco Museum for indigenous cultures, Butterfly Museum or Wankhar Entomology Museum, Shillong’s Lady Hydari Park, Wards Lake, The Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, Spread Eagle Falls and Golf Course to name a few. The picturesque views, rolling valleys, beautiful Shillong city, waterfalls everything seems so mesmerizing in Meghalaya. While visiting these popular places of tourist attractions and exploring them do not miss out on the delicious culinary delights of Shillong. Also, no trip is complete without shopping for souvenirs. The Police Bazaar in Shillong has many stores and small shops selling garments to accessories to food while the Bara Bazaar is for the locals with its exotic fruits and vegetables and the local bamboo & Cane craft wares.

Not very far from Shillong around 17km, is the Umiam Lake located in Nongpoh where you can go for boating. Enclosed with rich greenery from all sides this lake is filled with blue and crystal clear water. Shillong makes the base for excursions and trekking to Cherrapunjee or Sohra. Some of the things to do here are to go for a short hike to the famous Double Decker Living Root Bridges, caving at Mawsami Cave, Krem Mawmluh and Arwah caves. You may also visit the scared forests in Shillong Hills that are kept preserved from a long time.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/fun-excursions-things-to-do-in-shillong

Temperature in Imphal city

The beautiful state of northeast India Manipur has Imphal for its capital city located in the valley with Imphal River meandering through the city. This incredible capital of Manipur has a long great history that includes the ruins of Kangla Fort the seat of erstwhile kingdom. Today Imphal has emerged as an important tourist destination in the northeast of India and also an entry point for Manipur.

The climate of Imphal is pleasant throughout the year and the average high temperature in Imphal during summer is 29⁰C while the average low temperature in winter is 4⁰C. The highest recorded temperature in Imphal was 35.6 °C while the lowest temperature recorded was 2.7 °C.

Some of the many places to visit in Imphal are the famous Kangla Fort, Bihu Loukon, Women’s Market, India Peace Memorial (Red Hill), Imphal War Cemetery and Shree Govindajee Temple. The Kangla Fort is located on the banks of the Imphal River and has number of temples within the fort. Bihu Loukon is an interesting pre historic star shaped fort in Manipur that is situated in Maklang, the west district. At present only the ramparts remain which is built out of mud. The Women’s Market (Ima Keithel) is the commercial centre of Imphal city established in 16^th century and today host around 5000 to 6000 stalls all run and managed by women. The India Peace Memorial aka Red hill is located at 17 km south of Imphal. It was the scene of action during the Second World War between Allied Forces and Japanese Forces fighting alongside the Indian National Army. Japanese war veterans have constructed a monument at the foot of this hill to commemorate the battle. The Imphal War Cemetery is one of the most visited places in Manipur, it has 1600 graves of British and Allied soldiers who fought and died in 1944 during World War II. Another place of tourist attraction in Imphal is the Shree Govindajee Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple has two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised mandapa or congregation hall.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/temperature-in-imphal-city

The weather trivia and temperature in imperial Imphal

Imphal the capital city of Manipur is one of the incredible places in northeast India that borders with Myanmar and was often referred to as the royal seat of Manipur up until British invasion. Located roughly at 2600 feet above sea level, the city experiences humid subtropical climate as dry winters and hot monsoons.

Imphal is famous for many things and some of them are the world’s oldest Polo ground and the Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating national park on earth. It also houses historical landmarks such as the Kangla fort, the Khongjom War Memorial etc. The average annual temperature in Imphal in Manipur is roughly about 21°C with the summer temperatures reaching 30 °C and the winters at 4 °C. The three main seasons here are summer, monsoon and winter.

The summer in Imphal ranges from April to June. The range of temperature varies between 16⁰C to 35⁰C. During this time, lai haroba and moatsu are the festivals celebrated in Manipur. Summer is one of the best times to visit Imphal. The period of July to September is regarded as the Monsoons in Imphal, with June-July being the wettest months. Strong winds often blow during this time and the temperatures vary between a low of 20°C to a high of 30°C. The average rainfall in Imphal is about 1500mm annually. Winter ranges from the month of November to February in Imphal and is really pleasant. The temperatures during this time of the year vary between a low of 4°C to a high of 24°C. During winter, the weather is inviting and is considered as one of the best times to visit Imphal. Prominent festivals and events of Manipur like hornbill, gaan-ngai, sekreny are held during this time of the year.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/the-weather-trivia-and-temperature-in-imperial-imphal

Loktak Lake: An incredible natural marvel

Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in India famous for many heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition floating over it, locally called as the phumdis. The etymology of Loktak is Lok ‘stream’ and tak ‘the end’. The largest of all the phumdis covers an area of 40 sq km and is situated on the southeastern shore of the Lake.

The Loktak Lake is spread across the area of 236.21 sq km. Every year on the 15^th of October in Manipur at the periphery of Loktak Lake, the Loktak Day is observed to celebrate its uniqueness. The Keibul Lamjao National Park is the only floating National Park in the world located on a phumdi at Loktak Lake. This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. It is also the source of livelihood for the rural fishermen who live in the surrounding areas. The famous Sendra Island is also located at Loktak Lake. From Sendra Island the visitors get a bird’s eye view of life on the Loktak Lake on small islands that are actually floating weeds associated with which are various aspects of life of the local inhabitants. Many local, exotic and migratory birds can be sighted at this lake. It is a birder’s paradise.

A day spent at Loktak Lake is a lifetime of memory and is a must visit place for biodiversity lovers. Within the lake and on its periphery, there are 14 hills of varying size and elevation. However, the Loktak Lake and its precincts have faced serious problems due to loss of vegetal cover in the catchment area and construction of Ithai barrage at the outlet of the lake for multipurpose development of water resources. Further, the degradation of the catchment area has occurred. Deforestation and shifting cultivation in the catchment areas have accelerated the process of soil erosion resulting in the lake’s shrinkage due to siltation. Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/loktak-lake-an-incredible-natural-marvel

Loktak

Loktak Lake in Manipur at Bishnupur District is the largest freshwater Lake in the whole of India. This gorgeous lake is spread across 287sq km and is fed by five main rivers in Manipur. The Loktak Lake got its name from Meitei words Lok meaning stream tak meaning end hence it is the end of the Imphal River. Another unique feature of Loktak Lake is the floating mass of vegetation, these floating mass are called phumdis locally varying in thickness from 0.4 to 4.5 m deep.

Loktak Lake also has the famous Sendra Island resting on it, home to all the rivers and rivulets of Manipur and a famous tourist spot. The only floating National Park in the world is located in this lake called the Keibul Lamjao National Park that is home to sangai deer, wild boar, large Indian civet, otter, flying fox etc. Besides these animals there are a number of fish, amphibians, local and migratory birds and reptiles found in the park. Rock Python is the largest carnivore reptile on the floating islands of the lake.

In Manipur the Loktak Day is observed every year on 15^th October at the periphery of the lake to celebrate its uniqueness. This lake is well connected by road to Imphal and is 39 km away. It also serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water. The Lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fishermen who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis. With 55 rural and urban hamlets around the Loktak Lake and a population of about 100,000 people living at the edge of the Lake, there is an enormous ecological pressure on the Loktak Lake. Today, Loktak Lake is at the highest level of eutrophication. The green surroundings, crimson sunset by the lake, pristine water, the labyrinth of boat routes add on to the beauty of the lake.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/loktak

Exploring the ethereal food of Manipur

The food of Manipur is influenced by different countries and communities, the traditional food of Manipur is said to be similar to the cuisine of South-east and Central Asia like that of the Thais and Vietnamese. The staples here are rice, local vegetables and leaves, fish and meats, and last but not the least, lots of herbs like mint, coriander, chives, pepper and basil, that grow in abundance in Manipur.

A typical Manipuri meal will consist of rice, ensaang or athongba, eromba, morok metpa and singju. Athongba is basically a vegetable stew often flavored with fried or dry fish. Eromba is similar to athongba the only difference is the vegetables are mashed and flavored with chilies and fermented fish called ngari. Morok metpa is spicy chutney or paste made of king chilies, garlic, salt and fermented fish and singju is a salad of local herbs, colocasia leaves, banana flowers etc. Even if you are a vegetarian you will find many options to choose from like kangsoi or chamthong, ooti etc. Kangsoi is similar to athongba minus the fish and ooti is another star food of Manipur consisting of mashed peas.

Apart from fish you will find many dishes of meat like chicken, beef, pork, lamb and mutton. Some of the popular meat dishes of Manipur are soibum thongba and yen thongba made of pork and chicken respectively. Many dishes of Manipur are flavored with bamboo shoots and tastes absolutely delicious. Also, the umorok or the king chilies form the basis of almost all vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparations in Manipur. The traditional food of Manipur may appear simple, but the flavors are unmistakably complex and tasty. There is plenty to eat and enjoy in Manipur. And your next visit to Manipur should be for food and all things of gastronomical proportions.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/exploring-the-ethereal-food-of-manipur

Manipuri cuisine

Manipur is one of the eight northeastern states of India also called as ‘the jewel city’. It is famous for so many things in India and one of them is the delicious culinary delights of Manipur. Manipuri cuisine predominantly consists of food eaten by the Meitei’s community which forms the majority of population of Manipur.

The staple food of Manipur is rice like other northeastern states of India and the side dishes of vegetables, meat and fish. Daily Manipuri food would have rice with a gravy based vegetable called ensaang, a dish of stir-fried vegetables called kanghou along with a hot spicy relish like chili paste morok metpa or boiled mashed potato with chilly and fermented fish called iromba. The essence of Manipuri food is the yummy fermented local fish called ngari, it is used to mainly for flavoring relishes and side dishes. A typical Manipuri thali consists of white rice, vegetable fry, meat gravy, chili paste or achar, dal and some other side dishes like papad, yogurt etc. In the Manipuri food raw turmeric, green garlic, onions, ginger garlic are used with mustard oil as cooking base.

A special food of Manipur bora is prepared by sun drying of lentil paste and is used to make curries. Food of Manipur consists of one or the other item of fish dish either as ngaari, roasted or fried. These fishes are sourced from freshwater bodies in Manipur.

Different ethnic groups and communities in Manipur have many unique food items to be placed on the table. The Tangkhul community has more emphasis on organic ingredients in their food. The locals of Manipur eat many organic wild edibles and these items are something everybody must try. Apart from fish Manipuri eat a lot of pork and chicken and also uses Manipuri Naga King Chilly in most of their dishes.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/manipuri-cuisine

The best of Manipur tourist places

Manipur in northeast India is also known as the jeweled town and it rightly justifies the picturesque land. Surrounded by nine hills and the presence of an oval-shaped valley at the centre, it really does look like jewelry. The lush greenery, wide array of flora, the colors of the sky, and the festivals of this state add on to the beauty of the land. Manipur is an ever blooming tourist destination in northeast India.

Manipur tourist places are bestowed with nature’s bounty, and there are myriad of options to choose from when it comes to sightseeing and exploring these places. Nestled in the laps of Himalayas the nature also has showered Manipur with numerous important water bodies, which also make some popular tourist destinations. The capital city of Manipur-Imphal one of the less explored places and has some untouched charm that surrounds the landscapes, natural beauty and sceneries of the state. Some of the popular places you can visit in Imphal are the Manipur State Museum, Loktal Lake and Sendra Island, Kangla Fort, Langthabal, Shri Govindjee Temple, and war cemeteries. Not very far from the capital is Ukhrul. It is rich for its scenic splendor; the fresh air, greenery, and natural beauty make a pleasant atmosphere that travelers often love to meditate. Another place to visit is Andro. It is a small village near Imphal. Andro is famous for pottery craftsmanship, and the art of the locals always attract attention of the tourists. Tamenglong is also known as the Land of Hornbill and is one of the naturally rich stunning places to visit. Other major Manipur tourist places to visit are Chandel, Thoubal and Khongjom.

Manipur offers varied tourist places fit for every kind of tourist. Visiting Manipur is no less than feasting one’s soul in the astounding landscapes, flaunting the beauty of hilltops and foothills in all their glory.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/the-best-of-manipur-tourist-places

Manipur tourist places

Manipur is the ‘land of jewel’, one of the seven sisters and a popular tourist attraction in northeast India. It has rich and long history and being on the cross road between south East Asia and rest of the country it has much to offer to tourist visiting the state. Manipur has natural, cultural as well historical places to visit.

The green rolling hills and valleys, waterfalls, natural caves and international borders magnetizes travelers to travel to Manipur. The capital city of Manipur Imphal is the gateway to Manipur tourist places since it is the only place with an airport. Some of the main tourist places of Imphal are Kanlgla fort, Shree Govindajee Temple, Manipur State Museum and the Ima Market, Mapal Kangjeibung, Red hill, Manipur Zoological Gardens, World War –II cemeteries etc. An hour and half drive from Imphal is the largest fresh water lake in Manipur, the Loktak Lake, which is world famous for its floating islands.

Ukhrul is the most popular hill destination in Manipur for tourist which is about 3 hours drive from Imphal. It is famous for Manipur’s Kachai Lemon and because of its uniqueness this lemon has been accorded geographical indication registration. Manipur also has beautiful natural waterfalls and the Sadu Chiru waterfall is one of them. Other waterfalls in Manipur are Kanglatongbi Shantipur Waterfall, Khoupum Waterfall, Thangshi Waterfall, to name a few.

Manipur is an ideal place for spelunking, with number of caves found in the hill tracts. The caves of Manipur are also associated with the history of the place. The Thalon Cave with a length of around 910 metres is around 185 kilometres from the Manipur’s state capital. While the Khangkhui Cave is a natural limestones cave in Ukhrul district. With opening of trade at the border town of Moreh with Tamu in Myanmar, a day visit to this place in Manipur has become a must on every tourist visiting Manipur. Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/manipur-tourist-places

Discover Meghalaya places to visit

Bounded on the north and east by Assam and on the south and west by Bangladesh, Meghalaya is one of the northeastern states of India. The name ‘Meghalaya’ means ‘the abode of clouds’ and is one of the wettest places on earth. This beautiful state is blessed and the nature has been kind to her bounty; the picturesque views to witness, natural beauty, light drizzles, thick forests of green hue and lovely waterfalls attract travelers from all over the world. There is so much to do in Meghalaya and so many places to visit and explore.

A good place to visit is the Baghmara Reserve Forest, 4 km away from the Baghmara town and 65 km from Baghmara National Park. Another place to visit is the Bara Bazar that is locally called as the ‘Lewduh’ market and is among the biggest trade centers of northeast India. Also, Do.bul Lake at Damalgre village is about 17 km from Tura and is an Ornithological hotspot famous for rich variety of avifauna. It is the perfect spot for bird watching and spotting wildlife. Another famous place to explore in Meghalaya is the Elephant Falls. This three steps falls is named by the Britishers after a rock shaped like an elephant during their invasion in India. This curved falls is eye-catching and the green vegetation makes it a perfect picnic spot.

Similarly the Mawsami cave is a famous cave of Meghalaya and attracts tourists. Mawsami cave in Khasi language is translated to ‘Oath Stone’ and is an easy cave for beginners to navigate. Also, the Nohkalikai Falls 8 km from Cherrapunjee is the tallest plunge waterfall of India of height of 1115ft (340m). The Umium Lake 15 km to the north of Shillong is a popular tourist spot and the principle catchment area plus dam is spread over 220sq km. Some other major places to visit and explore in Meghalaya are the Kyllang Rock, Langshiang Falls, Seven Sister Waterfalls, Siju Cave, Tura Peak, Tyrshi Falls, Wards Lake, Dargah Sharif etc.

Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/discover-meghalaya-places-to-visit