Shillong is the capital and the largest town of the eastern State of Meghalaya in India. It is also called the beautiful Hill Queen. It is surrounded by picturesque hills and is known for its outstanding natural beauty. The city derives its name from “Leishyllong”—the Superpower or God who is believed to reside on the Shillong peak, overlooking the city.

It is the district headquarters of East Khasi Hills District. Shillong has steadily grown in size and significance in its own traditional way from a mere village as it used to be when it was made the new civil station of Khasi and Jaintia Hills in 1864 by British.

It remained the summer capital of Eastern Bengal and undivided Assam for many years until the creation of the new state of Meghalaya on January 21, 1972 when Shillong became the capital of Meghalaya and Assam’s capital -Dispur. Because of its convenient location between the River Brahmaputra and Surma Valley, the climate of Shillong is much cooler than tropical India. Most of the Shillong population belongs to Khasi tribe, who are predominantly Christian. An interesting aspect of Khasis are that they are a matrilineal society - the female is head of family, youngest daughter owns all the property and mothers surname is passed on to children. The languages spoken here is Hindi, Khasi, Garo, Assamese and English.

Best For:

The romantic city of Shillong has been one of the important tourist destinations in the NorthEast. It is often referred to as the “Scotland of the East” due to its striking similarity with the Scottish highlands. It is also home to several beautiful waterfalls.

Due to its high elevation, Shillong has a sub-tropical climate with warm summer and cold winter. The best time to visit Shillong is October–November and March–April. Shillong receives heavy rainfall during monsoon and waterfall is in full force then. The rainy season usually lasts longer than rest of India. An umbrella is therefore a necessity while packing bags. Cotton for summers and warm Woolen for winter is recommended clothing.

Any tourist coming to Meghalaya has to obtain an Inner Line Permit. Foreign nationals are required to obtain a valid Indian Visa while traveling. Visa exemptions include Bhutanese and Nepalese who are staying for less than 3 months and Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals.

Where To Eat:

There are a variety of restaurants in Shillong. Most of the better ones are located in Police Bazar area. Chinese, Indian and Tibetan food is popular. One should definitely try the Momos (steamed Tibetan pancakes filled with cabbage and pork). Other places to try out for food is Delhi Mistaan Bhandar, Sip 'n' Dine at Hotel Alpine Continental and at Chef's located at Lake View Inn.

Shillong has options for all kind of travellers. Some of the best hotels to stay here would be: Hotel Alpine Continental, Hotel Polo Towers, Hotel Pinewood and the Hotel Pegasus Crown.

The scenically beautiful places to see in Shillong are:

Shillong Peak: This is the highest point in state of Meghalaya. Towering over the scenic southern limits it stands at an elevation of 6445 feet above sea-level. It is the legendary abode of the Khasi deity the creator and protector of the Kingdom. There is a view-point where one can get breathtaking view of Shillong city and the view during nights is a scene to remember.

A magnificent view of the Himalayas is available to viewers atop these peaks, when the sky is not veiled with dust.

Wards Lake: This is an artificial lake surrounded by a fairly large garden. Boating facility is available in the lake. It celebrated its centenary recently.

Lady Hydari Park: The Park has variety of local flowering plants and orchids. It also has a small zoo within it. It is a famous picnic spot for local population.

Sweet Falls: Located in Happy Valley, it is a very steep fall. Extreme caution is advised as there is no barricade and rocks are nearly always slippery (due to rain or dew).

Bishop & Beadon Falls: Both cascade down the same escarpment into a deep valley, the mass of water dissolving into misty sparks.

Elephant Falls. It is located in Upper Shillong area. The scenic fall is not continuous and more of collection of smaller falls. It has footpath leading to bottom of the fall where it reaches a small lake.

Butterfly Museum: The Butterfly Museum at Riatsamthiah holds a rare collection of butterflies and moths.

Shillong has many churches worth visitiing. The most beautiful church is that of the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians. Directly below the hill is the Grotto Church. The All Saints Church opposite the State Central Library is an attractive structure made out of wood.

The Shillong Golf Course: The Shillong Golf Course is one of India's oldest and largest golf courses (the world's wettest too!) in Asia and the golf course is called "Glen Eagle of the East". It enjoys the rare distinction of being one of the few natural golf courses in Asia.

There are quite a few interesting places to visit nearby Shillong. A few of them are: Cherrapunjee 60 kms away, Umiam water sports complex 20kms away, Sacred Forest (groves), or Mawphlang as called locally 25kms away, Mawsynram-56 kms away and Jakrem-64 kms away from Shillong. The major cities nearby Shillong are: Guwahati-104 kms, Kaziranga -295 kms, Siliguri -578 kms and Darjeeling at 658 kms.

Shillong is a beautiful place to visit for Nature and Peace lovers. It is generally recommended to be visited in a combined tour of NorthEast.