19 Best Meghalaya Tourist Places, Landmarks + Fun Facts
Are you looking for the best tourist places in Meghalaya for an off the beaten path adventure?
Known as the abode of the clouds, Meghalaya consistently records some of the highest rainfall in the world. Along with the rains comes lush green landscape, plenty of waterfalls, large caves, and other natural wonders to explore.
19 Best Meghalaya Tourist Places & Landmarks
My partner is from this northeastern state and has taken me to many of these highlights so I can personally vouch for the magnificence of Meghalaya. My personal favorite thing to do was taking a rowboat ride in the clear waters of Shnongpdeng (even with the rough rocky drive down from Shillong).
Please note that some of these places are new to tourism so it’s important to be mindful and take all trash with you for proper disposal. Keep these beautiful places clean and green for locals and future visitors.
1. Shnongpdeng & the Umngot River
The Umngot River is off the beaten path but well worth the journey to see it. The village of Shnongpdeng is the best place to experience the river from. Dawki is the original place that made this river famous, but it’s more crowded so I highly recommend driving just a bit further to the peaceful village of Shnongpdeng.
The river is known for being crystal clear so you can each see through to the rocky bottom. There is a bridge you can cross to view it from above. You can also take a kayak out on your own or you can go in a rowboat that a guide rows and navigates. I did both to enjoy the river to its fullest after the long journey there.
Kayaking is nice to go at your own pace and sit out in the river to enjoy the views and get pictures, but you can’t go as far up the river on your own. The guides in the rowboats can take you further up stream to some cool rapids. The round trip is just under an hour and you can fit up to four people in the boat.
The clearness of the water depends on the weather so make sure to plan your visit outside of the rainy season. November to March are the months you are most likely to get a clear view of the river bottom.
The road from Shillong is 90 kilometers but it is unpaved in some parts and other parts are falling apart. As is unfortunately not uncommon in Meghalaya, it is in desperate need of roadwork and maintenance so plan for a slow drive as it takes time to navigate around the potholes.
2. Double Decker Living Root Bridge
The living root bridges are one of the most famous places to visit in Meghalaya. These bridges are hundreds of years old and made by the Khasi people by finessing tree roots into the structure of a bridge. To get to them, you’ll need to hike down to the village of Nongriat.
Tryna Village is the closest place you can drive to Nongriat and the starting point for the hike. You can pay a small parking fee to park in one of the small lots or along the road in Tryna. Or you can have a cab driver from Cherapunjee drop you off there. Just be aware that you’ll need to pre-arrange for that driver to come back at the end of the day to get you. Tryna is a small village with no public transport options.
The single decker living root bridge is about an hour hike down. From there you can continue onto the double decker living root bridge, which is another couple hours by foot. Be aware that being physically fit is necessary for this journey. Getting to the double decker root bridge is the easy part of the hike. For each stair you take down, remember you’ll need to walk back up it!
As you approach the entrance to the hike there are locals offering walking sticks to rent. Have some rupees with you as you’ll definitely want to get a walking stick to assist you on the way back up.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Jiva Resort – a 3 star resort with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and a restaurant with delicious Indian food. This is the perfect place to stay for exploring Cherapunjee and nearby tourist places.
3. Rainbow Falls
If you are an advanced hiker, you can continue another hour past the Double Decker Living Root Bridge to Rainbow Falls. It’s important to start your hike early in the day to get to the falls before noon if you want the best chances of seeing a rainbow here.
If you want to see the falls in addition to the living root bridges and you don’t have amazing endurance, you can consider staying in the village of Nongriat for one night to break the hike down and back up into two days. There are some basic homestays in the village for the more adventurous.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Jiva Resort – a 3 star resort with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and a restaurant with delicious Indian food. This is the perfect place to stay for exploring Cherapunjee and nearby tourist places.
4. Mawlynnong
Mawlynnong is credited as the cleanest village in Asia. It has become a very popular destination in Meghalaya amongst tourists due to this honor and you’ll have to pay a fee to enter and walk around. There is a living root bridge and a balancing rock to see on your way through the village.
Pro traveler tip: Pair it with a visit to Shnongpdeng since they are close to each other. Or, for a daytrip from Shillong, you can take a private guided tour.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong – a luxury option by Taj. This hotel is centrally located in Shillong and a great base for exploring the city and the surrounding tourist attractions.
📍Centre Point, Shillong – a solid 3 star option that is also centrally located but with a lower price point.
5. Cherapunjee
Cherapunjee (also known as Sohra and Cherapunji) is worth a few days all on its own. It’s one of the wettest places on earth and all that rainfall creates beautiful lush green landscape and majestic waterfalls. If you have time for one place in Meghalaya I would make it a trip here. There’s a plethora of spectacular sights and things to do in Cherapunjee.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Jiva Resort – a 3 star resort with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and a restaurant with delicious Indian food. This is the perfect place to stay for exploring Cherapunjee and nearby tourist places.
6. Shillong
This busy city is the capital of Meghalaya and a good base for exploring more of the state. It’s sometimes referred to as the Scotland of the East because the landscape reminded the British of Scotland. Read more about what to see and do in Shillong.
For recommendations on where to eat during your sight-seeing, here are the best restaurants in Shillong.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong – a luxury option by Taj. This hotel is centrally located in Shillong and a great base for exploring the city and the surrounding tourist attractions.
📍Centre Point, Shillong – a solid 3 star option that is also centrally located but with a lower price point.
7. Laitlum Canyon
A visit to Laitlum Canyon provides dramatic views of a gorgeous green canyon. I recommend spending a couple hours here. You can walk along the rim for a while and then set up a picnic on a blanket to eat in the fields and enjoy the views. It’s near Shillong so can easily be visited on your stay there.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong – a luxury option by Taj. This hotel is centrally located in Shillong and a great base for exploring the city and the surrounding tourist attractions.
📍Centre Point, Shillong – a solid 3 star option that is also centrally located but with a lower price point.
8. Mawphlang Sacred Forest
A short drive from Shillong, the Sacred Forest is located in the village of Mawphlang in the East Khasi Hills.
You can pay a small fee to have a guide walk you a short way into the forest and explain what the forest means to the local Khasi community (one of the three main tribes that make up Meghalaya’s rich cultural heritage). It won’t take more than an hour and is an easy walk, making this fun for all ages.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong – a luxury option by Taj. This hotel is centrally located in Shillong and a great base for exploring the city and the surrounding tourist attractions.
📍Centre Point, Shillong – a solid 3 star option that is also centrally located but with a lower price point.
9. Jowai
Jowai, located in the West Jaintia Hills (66 kms from Shillong) is the headquarters of the Jainta Hills district. It is a more “off the beaten path” destination that is up and coming for travelers in Meghalaya.
Jowai is surrounded by lush green valleys, meandering rivers, and serene lakes, making it a paradise for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Odyssey Stays Jowai – this budget accommodation has good reviews and is a good location for the places further away from Shillong that require staying overnight near Jowai to enjoy.
10. Balpakram National Park
Situated in western Meghalaya near the Bangladesh border, this national park is known for the Goncho Dare gorge, a steep forest filled canyon. Balpakram means “land of perpetual wind” and the park is sacred to the local Garo tribe. It’s considered an abode of spirits, where souls temporarily pass through on their journey to the afterlife.
It’s a multi-day trip to visit this park and you’ll need to hire a driver with a 4×4 vehicle from Tura (170 kms from the park) to arrange it.
Where to Stay Nearby
Your best bet is camping or a homestay. I recommend trying one of the places Meghalaya Tourism lists on their website here.
11. Wari Chora
Wari Chora is a small village in the Garo Hills, which are home to the nature-loving Garo tribe. It’s more than 360 kms from Shillong and can take more than 9 hours to drive there. Although gaining in popularity, this is a more remote destination in Meghalaya so plan accordingly.
The highlight of this special place is being able to kayak through a narrow canyon. You will need a guide to do this as it requires one hour of off road driving just to get to the start of a trail where it will take another hour to hike down to the river bed to start your kayaking journey.
Where to Stay Nearby
This hidden gem is new to tourists so local homestays and campsites are the best places to stay nearby. If traveling from Shillong, it requires an overnight trip due the time it takes to get there. The nearest major town is Baghmara and the other closest village is Dabalgre, where you can find some accommodation options.
12. Krang Suri Falls
This waterfall is just 30 km from Jowai and 90 km from Shillong. It’s only a 15 minute walk from where you park to reach the falls. Unlike a lot of other waterfalls in Meghalaya you can actually swim here (though you’ll be required to rent a life vest). You also have the option to rent a rowboat.
You can work in a stop here on your way to Shnongpdeng from Shillong to help break up the drive.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Loomkyntoor Resort – this resort offers a good location for exploring Jowai and the nearby tourist places. There aren’t a lot of options in the area so you can’t be too picky. It’s less than 30 mins drive to Krang Suri Falls.
13. Tyrshi Falls
This step-tiered waterfall can be seen amongst other sights in the area. It’s just a quick drive off the main Jowai-Shillong Road and a short walk to the falls. It’s only 8 kms from Jowai and is a popular spot amongst locals.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Odyssey Stays Jowai – this budget accommodation has good reviews and is a good location for the places further away from Shillong that require staying overnight near Jowai to enjoy.
14. David Scott Trail
For the more adventurous tourist, the David Scott Trail is a 16 km hiking trail that was once part of a 100km British-era trade route from Assam to Bangladesh. You can trek the full 100 kms in 4-5 days or take the 16 km trail from Mawphlang to Lad Mawphlang in about 5 hours.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong – a luxury option by Taj. This hotel is centrally located in Shillong and a great base for exploring the city and the surrounding tourist attractions.
📍Centre Point, Shillong – a solid 3 star option that is also centrally located but with a lower price point.
15. Krem Liat Prah
The word ‘krem’ in the local Khasi language translates to cave. Krem Liat Prah is the longest natural cave in India, so long that experts are still mapping it! For now, there’s 34 kms mapped. Needless to say, a guide is required for tourists to explore this cave.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Odyssey Stays Jowai – this budget accommodation has good reviews and is a couple hours away from Krem Liat Prah. I recommend visiting this cave when you are based out of nearby Jowai.
16. Krem Mawmluh Cave
Exploration of the 7km of cave passages here helped to prove existence of 200-year-long drought around 4,200 years ago, which is now known as the Meghalayan Age. You’ll need a trained guide with proper caving equipment to visit this cave, which you can find in town in Cherapunjee or Shillong.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Jiva Resort – a 3 star resort with sweeping views of the surrounding hills and a restaurant with delicious Indian food. This is the perfect place to stay for exploring Cherapunjee and nearby caves.
17. Nartiang Monoliths
Nartiang is a small village, about 24 km from Jowai and 60 km from Shillong. You can find a large collection of monoliths here. Each stone structure is dedicated to a person, with the standing rocks commemorating male ancestors and the flat rocks representing female ancestors.
You can take a walk through the historic archaeological site. It’s one of the top historical landmarks in Meghalaya.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Odyssey Stays Jowai – this budget accommodation has good reviews and is a good location for the places further away from Shillong that require staying overnight near Jowai to enjoy.
18. Phe Phe Falls
These falls, named by the Jainta tribe, are also known as Phea Phea or Paradise Falls because ‘phe phe’ translates to ‘paradise.’ Unlike many waterfalls in Meghalaya, swimming is permitted in the cool blue pools at the base. Even outside of the rainy season these falls do not dry up, although the water runs a little lighter.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Loomkyntoor Resort – this resort offers a good location for exploring Jowai and the nearby tourist places. There aren’t a lot of options in the area so you can’t be too picky. It’s less than 30 mins to Phe Phe Falls.
19. Umlawan Cave
This cave is located in Lumshnong village in West Jaintia Hills district, almost two hours drive southeast of Jowai. During monsoon season the entrance may be filled with water making swimming necessary to reach it.
Where to Stay Nearby
📍Odyssey Stays Jowai – this budget accommodation has good reviews and is about 54 km from Umlawan Cave.
Getting Around Meghalaya
Shillong is a good base for travels around Meghalaya but to get to some of the best spots you’ll need to stay overnight in smaller towns and villages. You can take tourist taxis and sometimes public buses from Shillong to get to tourist destinations outside of town.
Infrastructure for public transit is lacking so driving is the best way to see Meghalaya but roads can get small and patchy so be aware that drives to more remote areas can take up to double the time Google Maps indicates.
Renting a Car
I do not recommend renting your own car in Meghalaya if you are not familiar with driving in India. It’s important to note that the roads outside of cities can get quite difficult to navigate due to poor road conditions and incorrect information on apps such as Google Maps.
If you are comfortable with driving in India, you can use Zoomcar to rent a self driving car.
FAQs: Meghalaya Tourist Places
There’s a variety of tourist places in Meghalaya from geological to historical sites with plenty to explore and learn more about.
Meghalaya: what is it most famous for?
Meghalaya is most famous for its natural beauty and its rainfall. In Hindi, ‘meg’ means clouds and ‘alaya’ translates to abode, making it the abode of the clouds. This beautiful Indian state receives a high amount of rainfall, providing lush greenery and gushing waterfalls.
What are the top Meghalaya historical landmarks?
Between the rich tribal cultural heritage and the era of British colonialism, there’s enough to keep a history buff interested in Meghalaya.
- Living Root Bridges
- Nartiang Monoliths
- David Scott Monument on the David Scott trail
- Krem Mawmluh Cave – where evidence was found of a 200 year long drought, which took place after the conclusion of the Ice Age (approximately 4,200 years ago). The term “Meghalayan Age” was introduced to name this time period.
What are the top natural landmarks in Meghalaya?
There are countless beautiful places to see in Meghalaya. The best of the nature sites includes:
- Shnongpdeng & the Umngot River
- Rainbow Falls
- Laitlum Canyon
- Mawphlang Sacred Forest
- Balpakram National Park
- Krang Suri Falls
- Tyrshi Falls
- Krem Liat Prah
- Krem Mawmluh Cave
- Phe Phe Falls
- Umlawan Cave
What is the Meghalaya flag?
In India there are no officially recognized flags for states. Meghalaya does have an emblem used to represent the state government. The emblem is made up of five main elements:
1) Three mountain peaks to represent the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo hills.
2) Clouds to illustrate the name “abode of clouds.”
3) Three monoliths to represent the tribes of Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo people.
4) A traditional festival drum.
5) A traditional beaded necklace.
TL;DR: Meghalaya Tourist Places And Landmarks
This northeastern state is a lesser known gem of India. The mesmerizing landscapes makes it well worth a visit for those looking for off the beaten path experiences. Tourist places in Meghalaya consist of mostly of nature scenes as well as some historical landmarks. If you’re planning a trip here be sure to leave plenty of time to explore all the top sites because it takes time to get from place to place.
As you plan your trip, keep in mind what activities you want to do will vary what time of year to plan your visit.