Guide to Shillong
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Your Stay
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Welcome to ka Shillong - a hill station with genuine cultural depth at 1,496 metres in the Khasi Hills. The music is live, the pork is slow-cooked, and the pine-scented air carries the sound of church bells on Sunday mornings. This is not a place you rush through.
Everything you should know about Shillong
📍 Places to visit
- Ward's Lake
- Don Bosco Museum
- Shillong Peak
- Cathedral + Grotto Church
- Iewduh (Bara Bazar)
- Police Bazaar
- Lady Hydari Park
- Elephant Falls
- Shillong Golf Course
- Mawphlang Sacred Grove
🍴 Dining
- Rynsan
- Trattoria
- Cafe Shillong Heritage
- Cafe Shillong
- Dylan's Cafe
- Cloud 9 (rooftop)
- The Wok
- Lamee
- Madras Cafe (veg)
🥟 Food to try
- Jadoh
- Doh Khlieh
- Doh Neiiong
- Tungrymbai
- Pukhlein
- Pork momos
- Kyat (rice beer)
🪂 Adventure
- Laitlum Canyons descent
- Umiam water sports
- Mawphlang sacred forest walk
- Caving day trips (Sohra)
🥾 Trekking
- Laitlum to Rasong (3,000 steps)
- David Scott Trail (Mawphlang)
- Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trek
- Sweet Falls walk
🌙 Nightlife
- Cloud 9 (Hotel Centre Point)
- Polo Irish Pub
- Platinum lounge
- Deja Vu
- Cafe Shillong (live music Wed)
- Dylan's Cafe (live music Fri)
🛍️ Shopping
- Police Bazaar (handicrafts)
- Iewduh (oldest market, women-run)
- Laitumkhrah boutiques
- Khasi handwoven shawls
Best time to visit: October to April for clear weather. Closing hours: most kitchens shut by 8:30 PM, plan accordingly. Sunday closures: common across the state. Cash: essential for markets and rural attractions.
Eateries
| Eatery | What to Try |
|---|---|
| Rynsan (Laitumkhrah) | Putharo Sliders, Bastenga Ribs, Jadoh, rice beer. Conde Nast Top 50 India (2025). Reserve ahead. Rs 1,200-1,800. |
| Trattoria (Police Bazar) | Jadoh, Doh Khlieh (pork salad with lime), Tungrymbai. Zero pretension, maximum flavor. Closes 7:30 PM. Rs 300-500. |
| Dylan's Cafe (Tripura Castle Road) | Chilli cheese toast, steaks. Live music Fridays with Lou Majaw. Bob Dylan tribute cafe. Rs 800-1,200. |
| Cafe Shillong (Laitumkhrah) | Chicken wings, pork ribs, brownies. Live music Wednesdays. Strong coffee. Rs 600-1,000. |
| Cloud 9 (Hotel Centre Point rooftop) | Cocktails, Pan-Asian small plates. Open-air with city skyline. Live music Wed/Sun. Rs 800-1,500. |
| The Wok (Laitumkhrah) | Garlic chicken, Hakka noodles, prawn fried rice. Best Chinese in Shillong. Rs 600-800. |
| Lamee (G.S. Road) | Pork fried momos, Hunan pork dry. Open until 10 PM. Rs 500-800. |
| Madras Cafe (Police Bazar) | Idli, vada, dosas with stellar chutneys. Best vegetarian in the city. Rs 200-400. |
Vegetarian: Madras Cafe, City Hut Family Dhaba. Street food: Police Bazar evenings - momos, jhalmuri, chow stalls. Iewduh (Bara Bazar) for authentic Jadoh from women-run stalls.
Day 1: The City's Soul
- Ward's Lake - horseshoe-shaped lake, Japanese-style gardens, cobblestone paths. Entry Rs 20. Closed Tuesdays. 45 min.
- Cathedral of Mary Help - built 1913, French stained glass from 1947. Below the main cathedral, find the Grotto Church carved into the hill - most visitors miss it. Free.
- Don Bosco Museum - Asia's largest museum of indigenous cultures. Seven stories, rooftop skywalk. Entry Rs 100 (students Rs 50). Closed Sundays. 90 min minimum.
- Lunch at Trattoria - Jadoh, Doh Khlieh, Tungrymbai. Rs 300 for two.
- Police Bazar - Khasi handicrafts, handwoven shawls, woolen jackets. Carry cash.
- Shillong Golf Course - est. 1898. Highest in Asia (4,750 ft).
Evening Options:
- Cloud 9 for sunset drinks (rooftop, city views)
- Cafe Shillong for coffee and balcony views
- Rynsan for dinner - book ahead. Allow 90 min.
Day 2: Canyons and Sacred Forests
Morning:
- Laitlum Canyons - 21 km south. "End of the hills" in Khasi. Deep gorges, sweeping valley views. For the adventurous: 3,000-step descent to Rasong Village (2-3 hrs round trip). Free. Taxi Rs 1,000-1,200 round trip.
Afternoon:
- Mawphlang Sacred Forest - 25 km from Shillong. Ancient forest protected for centuries. Local guide is mandatory (tribal law). Entry Rs 30 + Rs 350 guide. Do not take anything from the forest - not a leaf, not a stone.
- Late lunch at The Wok or Lamee.
- Iewduh (Bara Bazar) - oldest market in the Khasi Hills, since 1874. Run by women.
Evening:
- Dylan's Cafe - if it's Friday, Lou Majaw often performs. Celebrating Bob Dylan every year since 1972.
Day 3: Peaks, Falls, and the Lake
- Shillong Peak - Meghalaya's highest point (1,965 m). Clear days: see Bangladesh. Bring ID (Air Force area). Entry Rs 30. Closed Wednesdays.
- Elephant Falls - close to Shillong Peak. Three-tiered waterfall. Entry Rs 20.
- Umiam Lake - 15 km north. Entry Rs 50. Speed boats, kayaking, paddleboats (Rs 20-100).
- Lady Hydari Park - Japanese garden, mini zoo, Butterfly Museum. Entry Rs 10. Closed Mondays. Crinoline Falls nearby.
Evening: Police Bazar street food. Dejavu or Polo Irish Pub.
What to Eat
| Dish | Why | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Jadoh | Red rice cooked in pork lard with meat, ginger, turmeric. Classic staple. | Trattoria, Iewduh stalls |
| Doh Khlieh | Cold pork salad with onions, chillies, lime. Meghalaya's ceviche. | Trattoria, Rynsan |
| Doh Neiiong | Pork slow-cooked in black sesame. Rich, earthy, deeply satisfying. | Rynsan, Trattoria |
| Tungrymbai | Fermented soybean with chilli paste. Pungent, umami-rich, addictive. | Any Khasi kitchen |
| Pukhlein | Sweet rice-flour fritters with jaggery. The Khasi doughnut. | Police Bazar, Iewduh |
| Kyat | Herb-infused fermented rice beer. | Rynsan |
| Momos | Pork momos here are among the best in India. | Everywhere |
All Activities
- Ward's Lake + Cathedral + Grotto Church
- Don Bosco Museum + skywalk
- Police Bazar shopping + street food
- Shillong Golf Course
- Cloud 9 sunset drinks
- Rynsan dinner (book ahead)
- Laitlum Canyons + optional 3,000-step descent
- Mawphlang Sacred Forest + guided walk
- Iewduh (Bara Bazar)
- Dylan's Cafe live music (Fridays)
- Shillong Peak + Elephant Falls
- Umiam Lake water sports
- Lady Hydari Park + Crinoline Falls
- Air Force Museum (near Shillong Peak)
- Wah Kaba Falls (on Shillong-Cherrapunji highway)
Cab Operators
| Driver | Route | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Guwahati Airport pickup | Airport transfer | +91 87610 80440 |
| Guwahati (backup) | Airport transfer | +91 76379 63112 |
| Shillong local / day trips | Laitlum, Mawphlang, Cherrapunji | +91 7005651338 |
| Shillong (backup) | Local | +91 9612000781 |
Getting there:
- Fly to Guwahati, then road to Shillong: 99 km, 2.5-3 hrs (NH6).
- Private taxi: Rs 2,500-3,000 (sedan), Rs 3,500-4,500 (Innova/SUV).
- Shared cab: ~Rs 1,000/person from airport.
- Full-day local: Rs 2,000-3,000 (Innova: Rs 4,200-4,500).
Notes
- Peak: Mar-Jun (15-25C, best sightseeing). Shoulder: Oct-Feb (cool, festivals, clear skies). Winter: 2-15C, pack serious woolens.
- Khasi greeting: "Khublei" (thank you). Use it - locals notice and appreciate it.
- Khasi society is matrilineal - property and family names pass through the mother.
- Pork and beef are staples. Vegetarian options exist but are not the default.
- Sunday: many shops close, city is quieter.
- Carry cash - most attractions don't accept cards.
- Please tag @fursat.fun on your photos and stories.
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