ShillongTravel Guide

A vast reservoir surrounded by pine-covered hills about 15km from the city — popular for kayaking, boating, and water sports, with viewpoints offering some of the best scenery near Shillong.

A dramatic grassy plateau overlooking a deep canyon and the villages below — the name means "end of hills" in Khasi, and the view is one of the most spectacular in Meghalaya, especially at sunset.

A three-tiered waterfall surrounded by ferns and forest, easily reached via a short staircase — named by the British for a now-collapsed elephant-shaped rock that once stood nearby.

Shillong's buzzing commercial heart — a maze of shops selling clothes, music CDs, and street food, with a lively cafe and live-music scene that gives the city its nickname "Rock Capital of India".

A seven-storey museum dedicated to the cultures of Northeast India's tribal communities, with a rooftop gallery offering panoramic views over Shillong and the surrounding hills.

A horseshoe-shaped lake in the centre of the city, laid out with manicured gardens and a wooden bridge — a relaxed spot for a stroll or paddle boat ride amid colonial-era surroundings.

The highest point in the city at over 1,960m, offering a 360-degree view over Shillong and, on clear days, into Bangladesh — a popular spot for sunrise and sunset.

A dense, ancient forest protected for centuries by Khasi tribal taboo — guided walks reveal monoliths, rare plants, and a spiritual atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the region.

One of the wettest places on Earth, a couple of hours from Shillong — famous for living root bridges, dramatic waterfalls like Nohkalikai, and limestone caves carved by relentless monsoon rain.

Shillong's deep love of rock and blues music fills its cafes and bars most evenings — catching a live band in a Police Bazaar cafe is one of the most authentic ways to experience the city after dark.