Interested to know about northeast India? Maybe you are planning to visit this beautiful part of India. But before packing your bags and hopping onto the train/flight, you should select a destination, right?.
So, let’s see which are the states in northeast India you could visit.
The Seven Sisters and their Brother (Northeast India)
Northeast India is a beautiful paradise that has a lot to offer to travellers. These places are often overlooked, and it’s a shame that people from outside these states do not get to explore their unmatched beauty.
So, Let’s briefly look at this family of states.
1. ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Sela Lake
Photo by Soumyajit Dash on Unsplash
The state with the largest landmass, Arunachal Pradesh is also known as the land of the rising sun of India. More than half of its area is covered by forest, hills and the mighty Himalayas. It shares its boundary with its sister states Assam and Nagaland and also shares international borders with Bhutan, Myanmar(Burma) and China. The largest and the oldest Buddhist monasteries of the country, Tawang Monastery is situated here. Other major locations you could visit include the capital city Itanagar, Sela Pass, Bumla Pass, Mechuka, Anini, Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary, etc.
2. ASSAM
Kaziranga National Park
Land to the famous one-horned rhino, Assam is the largest producer of tea in the country and one of the largest in the world. It shares its borders with all its sister states and an international border with Bhutan and Bangladesh. The capital of Assam is Dispur. The World Heritage sites Kaziranga National Park and the Manas National Park are the two outstanding spots for wildlife lovers to visit. Places like Maa Kamakhya Temple, World’s Largest River Island “Majuli”, Sibsagar, India’s longest bridge “Bhupen Hazarika Bridge” etc are major tourist attractions.
3. MEGHALAYA
Krang Suri Waterfalls
Photo by Arghya Mondal on Unsplash
Meghalaya, as the name translates to ‘home of clouds’, has the wettest place on the planet, Mawsynram. Bangladesh can be seen to the south and west of the state. It also shares its border with its sister state Assam. Unlike any other place, Khasi and Garo tribes in Meghalaya practise matrilineal descent, where women are the “boss”. Here the youngest daughter inherits all the property of her family and after marriage, the groom moves to his laws and wife’s house. By visiting this northeast state, you can enjoy its scenic waterfalls, Living root bridge, its capital city Shillong which is also known as “Scotland of the east”, natural caves and much more.
4. MANIPUR
Loktak Lake
Photo by Sayan Nath on Unsplash
Ever heard of a floating lake? Yes! you can behold the only one if you visit Manipur. Considered to be one of the princely states by the British during the British raj, this northeastern state of India shares its border with Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Myanmar(Burma). In the epic, The Mahabharata, it is mentioned that Arjuna visited this kingdom and married princess Chitrangada. If you ever found yourself in this jewel of Northeast India, definitely visit The Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is only about 50km from its capital Imphal. The Ima Keithel Woman’s Market, which is a five-hundred-year-old market in Manipur, where thousands of women sell a variety of textiles, jewellery and food items is also a place to definitely consider touring.
5. MIZORAM
Champai
Photo by Sayan Nath on Unsplash
The Land-of-the-Mizos, Mizoram is very well known for its natural beauty. This leading bamboo producing state, Mizoram shares its border with three of its sister states namely, Assam, Manipur and Tripura and also has international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar. Mizoram has a lot to offer its visitor, especially if you are a nature lover. The Phawngpui Hills also known as ‘House of Gods’ is a very eye-pleasing place near Myanmar one should never miss. For trekking and camping lovers, The Phawngpui or Blue Mountain National Park which is about 300km from the capital Aizawl, is the place for you.
6. NAGALAND
Dzukou valley
Photo by Arindam Saha on Unsplash
Nagaland is covered in evergreen forests and is bounded by Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar. Here life is one long festival. Nagaland is a perfect place for trekking, rock climbing and camping. It also offers unending exploration possibilities in its sub-tropical rainforests. Trekking to Dzukou valley should be every nature lover bucket list. If you are ever planning to visit this northeastern state of India, don’t miss the Hornbill Festival which is celebrated every year in the first week of December. Its capital city Kohima is also worth travelling to.
7. TRIPURA
Unakoti
This unexplored place of northeast India shares most of its border with Bangladesh and a little with Assam and Mizoram. As it is located in a geographically isolated location in India, only one major highway (NH8) is connected to the rest of the country. During British rule, Tripura was a princely state and became a part of independent India in the year 1949. The Historical heritage sites and century-old temples situated in this part of India will sure fascinate you. The Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, famous for spectacled monkeys, which is situated near the capital city Agartala is a must-visit while in Tripura.
8. SIKKIM
Gurudongmar Lake
Photo by Abhishek Singh on Unsplash
Sikkim is not considered to be one of the seven sister states however it is often called their brother. It shares a national border with West Bengal and international borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan. This second smallest state of India hosts the highest peak in India “Kangchenjunga”. Unlike the other northeastern states of India, Sikkim is a quite popular destination for tourists. Places like the capital city Gangtok, Nathula Pass, Rumtek Monastery, Tsomgo Lake etc are quite famous. There is also a handful of breathtaking places in North Sikkim worth visiting.
Conclusion
Northeast India is a relatively safe and beautiful place to visit. This Unexplored Paradise of India has a lot to offer. Due to lack of knowledge and some misinformation, people outside of these states don’t ever think of visiting this wonderful part of India. It’s about time we start exploring the unexplored and also encourage others to do so. Its unmatched natural beauty, wonderful culture, finger-licking food and lovely people will surely captivate any traveller.
So, have you been to or planning to visit any of these places? Or maybe you call one of these places your home. Comment down your thoughts.
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