Places to Visit

Shillong on Foot: 

Shillong is an ideal city to get around on foot, there are many shortcuts and byways that allow an interesting and exciting outing.

Not to miss places:

Iewduh (Bara-Bazar) - a great place to see locals and non locals selling and buying, from the meat, to the spice market, to vegetables and fruits, baskets and household items, cane and wood products, it is all here. This main bazaar is mostly run by women under the administrative supervision of the Mylliem state. On Iewduh, the first day of the eight-day long Khasi week, people from all over eastern Meghalaya come to sell their products here.

Butterfly museum - The Butterfly Museum at Riatsamthiah holds a rare collection of butterflies, moths and beetles. The butterflies are bred here as a conservatory measure.
 

Police Bazar - It is the main shopping area for Shillong, from the modern stores to small pan shops, emporiums, little cafes and restaurants serving multi cuisines.

State Central Library and Museum- Meghalaya's State Museum, in Lachumiere, has exhibits depicting tribal customs and a weaker collection of ancient scriptures from elsewhere in India. It has ethnographic and archaeological objects.

Timing:

In Summer - Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 4.30 pm

In Winter - 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

Closed on: - 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

Wards Lake: It is popular for short garden walks and boating. Built by Chief Commissioner William Ward in 1893-94, It is a horseshoe-shaped artificial picture book lake complete with a white wooden Japanese like bridge. The lake abounds in fish (grass carps) and feeding the fish from the bridge is a favorite pastime of the people who like to spend their evenings there. It is said that a Khasi prisoner, who requested for any kind of work to get him out of his cell, initiated its construction. The lake has a charming winding walk-a-way in the midst of rolling flowerbeds and fairyland lighting with gradually undulating grounds, hemmed in by lush greens. Boats are also available, while the cafeteria provides refreshments.
 

Lady Hydari Park: The Park is ablazed with roses and flowers of almost every variety and weeping willows bend into water bodies that house pelicans and the like. There is also a mini zoo, a small museum, an aviary, a deer park among tall cedars and pines and a butterfly museum with colourful species preserved for sale and posterity.

Botanical Gardens: The Botanical garden located near Ward's Lake is a secluded but captivating spot with plethora of indigenous and exotic plants.

The Orchidarium of the Botanical Survey of India has a rare collection of orchids and is a treat to the nature lover.

Also worthy of visit is the Mawphlang "Sacred groves" or virgin forest. The forest is so sacred that even a dead leaf cannot be removed from the area. With the sanction of religion, it is certainly a brilliant way of preserving the ecological system.
 

Golf Course: The Golf Course retains the colonial touch and is the first 18-hole golf course in Asia. It is also the third oldest golf course in India. It is termed as the 'Gleneagle of the East' at the United States Golf Association Library and Museum.
 


Shillong and surroundings by Taxi: The Meghalaya Tourism Office (Ph. 226220) on Jail Road in Police Bazaar conducts trips to Cherrapunji. The Government of India Tourist Office (Ph. 225632) at GS Road may also be contacted for help. Local cabs and taxis are available at all locations. The Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association can also be contacted for hiring of cabs (ph. 2223895).

Don Bosco Museum, Mawlai  - It has 17 galleries showcasing the lifestyle, characteristics and cultural aspects of the seven states of the North East. The sculptures depicting the subtleties and differences among the region's various ethnic groups are a treat for the eye. It also houses an extensive collection of nearly 10,000 books on the North East region. Spread over seven floors, the top floor of the museum offers a bird's-eye view of Shillong. The hexagonal building is topped by a flame-like structure, to illustrate the coexistence of cultures

Umiam Lake - It is located seventeen kilometers before entering Shillong—a large lake formed after a hydroelectric dam was built across a stream. It has become an increasingly popular place for outings and weekend visits. There are facilities for water sports here: from water skiing for the adventurous to water cycling and simple boating for the less brave. The Orchid Lake Resort which overlooks the lake has pleasantly appointed rooms with balconies, a restaurant and a bar.

Water Falls - The Crinoline Falls is about 12–13 m in height and lies to the west of the Survey of India Office. There is a swimming pool at the base of the falls.

The Gunner’s Falls 1 is about 24–26 m in height and is near the military establishment on the Upper Shillong road. It is about 1.6 km from the GPO.

The Gunner’s Falls 2 lies a km away from the Happy Valley amidst picturesque locales.

The Spread Eagle Falls or Sati Falls is located about a mile away from the Polo Ground. It is a famous picnic spot.

The Sweet Falls (also called “Weitden,” in the native dialect) is the most beautiful of all the waterfalls in Shillong. It lies about 5 km from the Happy Valley and is about 96 m in height.

The Elephant Gait and the Elephant Falls are located near Upper Shillong. These are beautiful sights especially in the rainy season and are favorite picnic spots among the locals. Beyond the Elephant Falls, one can also view the Upper and Lower Elysium Falls.

The Beadon Falls lies about 2 km from Bara Bazaar. There is a hydroelectric powerhouse at the base of the falls. The Bishop Falls is also nearby and together they mingle and flow into the Umiam River.

Caves: There are numerous natural caves all over Meghalaya. A few of them are even the longest that can be found in the Indian Sub-continent . We can find them in the East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and the South Garo Hills. Meghalaya State Tourism offers a packaged tour exclusively for the caves.