10 Places You Must Pay A Visit When You Are Visiting The Abode Of Clouds, Meghalaya

This is no secret that Meghalaya is the most beautiful north-eastern state. The states raves attention from travel enthusiasts all over the country owing to its cloud freckled hilly beauty, its unique cuisine that majors in beef and also from people who take a keen interest in the tribal culture and traditions that reigns supreme in Meghalaya.

The sovereign beauty of Meghalaya can be accredited to uncountable waterfalls hidden in its rocky chest, eye soothing lakes, innumerable caves to scorch the thirst of adventure seeking adrenaline junkies and then there are forests, national parks and museums.

Most of the famous tourist destinations and other places in the state, no matter small or big, famous or not have been named by the British. I bet visiting once would never be enough to felicitate the spell bounding beauty and serenity of this place. The state mainly experiences two seasons; winters and rain with Cherrapunjee receiving maximum rainfall round the year. The best time to visit the state is between October to April.

NOW, the places enlisted below are those that you must pay a visit when you are visiting the abode of clouds, Meghalaya:

1. Elephant falls

Elephant falls is a three-tiered picturesque waterfall located 12 km away from Shillong. In the native language, this fall is known as ‘Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew’. It was named Elephant Falls owing to an elephant shaped boulder located at the bottom of the falls that got destroyed by an earthquake later in the 19th century but the name remained unchanged.
The way to the falls is marked by steep steps, the gushing sound of the fall can be clearly heard from the parking lot itself. The highest waterfall is the third tier where thick strands of water flowing over the jutting dark rocks can be enjoyed. The second tier is thinnest and almost negligible in winters with a bridge between the second and third tier. One can enjoy the falls very closely unlike other waterfalls in Meghalaya.

2. Krem Liat Prah

In the list of deepest and longest caves in India, nine out of ten are located in Meghalaya itself. Till today 925 caves have been located and explored more or less partially and through the various expeditions carried out from the year 2000 to 2004, the length of exploration of Krem Liat Prah increased from 1.2km in length to 14.9km making it the second longest cave of India. By 2008 with further exploration it became the longest cave in India exceeding 30 km length. A gigantic trunk passage called “Aircraft Hangar” is one of the best features of this cave.

3. The Double Decker living root bridge

The living root bridge, yes, you heard it right! These are man-made natural wonders famous in Meghalaya where pliable roots of the old rubber fig tree (Ficus elastica) are directed across a stream or river and allowed to grow and provide an alternative support to the existing bridges. It takes almost 15 years for the roots to grow strong enough to support the weight of human beings and even after that the roots continue to grow as long as large as 100 feet and become stronger. The most famous living root bridge is the Umisang “Double-decker” root bridge in Cherrapunjee’s vicinity. It takes a hell lot of courage and patience to reach there but whoa! It’s indeed a sight to behold.

4. Seven Sister Falls

Meghalaya is a state endowed with many beautiful waterfalls. Seven sister falls is located in Cherrapunjee which is 2 hours’ drive from Shillong. Only during July to September one can actually appreciate the seven different strands of waterfall i.e. the seven sisters cascading the cliff next to each other. These waterfalls together look really enchanting with the plush greenery surrounding it and attract tourist all across the world.

5. Balpakram National Park

The Balpakram National Park is located to the extreme south of Garo Hills at a distance of almost 90 km from Baghmara and 167 km from Tura. Baghmara is a small town flanked by river Sim Sam on one side and penetrates the Suji caves through its tributaries. The Balpakram National Park almost mingles with international boundary of Bangladesh. It is dubbed as “abode of perpetual winds” and since only very few explorers or tourists visit here, it is a hotspot of virgin nature teeming with wildlife and fauna that consists of carnivore pitchers plant. The Hillock Gibbon, only ape species in India can be seen here. Besides there are barking deer, elephants, tigers, golden cat, pig-tailed macaque and a handful population of red panda. The best time to visit the national park is October-March.

6. Umiang Lake

Umiam lake alias Barapani is a huge stunning lake that comes on the way from Shillong to Guwahati, almost 15 km from Shillong. It is surrounded by mountains and lush greenery and the water is really clean and pristine. It extends from between two bridges and between the two the view-point is generally crowded as it supports a breathtaking scenic view for snaps and selfies! This lake came into being back in 1965 and supports hydropower generation as well as ecological projects. Needless to mention, one may enjoy paddleboats and motor boats here.

7. Umngot River

90 km from Shillong, Umngot River is a tourist destination round the year. The main attraction of this river is its clear water where one can see the sunrays penetrate right to the bottom the river. Avoid visiting in monsoon to enjoy this crystal clarity of the pristine waterbody. Visitors are encouraged to take eatables with them and keep patience with the murky roads. A boat ride is must to enjoy the cavern and touch the Bangladesh borders.

8. Nohkalikai Falls

This is the fourth highest fall in the world where water gushes down from a height of 1,100 feet. Best time to visit is of course during the monsoon when the flow of the swooshing water is at its peak. It is located at a distance of 5km from Cherrapunjee. There is a viewing gallery for the tourists. Avoid visiting in winters as the flow recedes to minimal.

9. Laitlum Canyons

A trekker’s paradise, the Amphitheatre of Meghalaya; perched in East Jaintia Hills, the Laitlum Canyon has acclaimed many titles for itself as it offers a captive breathtaking view of the ravines and stairways of Meghalaya after spending 4-5 hours of trekking. It’s a small heaven in itself with some primitive ropeway and 3000 steep stairs that help the residents of a small settlement of Rasong to connect with the nearest villages and market and to the valley.

10. Lalong Park

Alright! This is the place where you can put away your trekking gears and tools away and heave a sigh of relief as you relax here. It is located at a distance of eight kilometers from Jowai in the West Jaintia Hills. It is known for its sacred groves and the scenic beauty that includes Myndtu River and overlooks the Pynthowah valley.