snowcrest lodge Hotel Prag Continental HOTEL $$ (%2540850; www.hotelpragcontinental.com; MN Rd; s/d from 1180/1725;

571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL Nagaland s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill snowcrest lodge Festival (1-7 December) is celebrated snowcrest lodge at Kisama Heritage Village (see below) with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Of all the festivals in the northeast this is the most spectacular and photogenic. Simultaneously, Kohima also hosts a rock festival (www.hornbillmusic.com). has simple yet immaculate snowcrest lodge rooms. It s the little touches that set it apart from the competition, such as cups of tea brought to you in bed in the morning. There are great views over the town from the garden, friendly and helpful staff and a superb restaurant.

Hotel Prag Continental HOTEL $$ (%2540850; www.hotelpragcontinental.com; MN Rd; s/d from 1180/1725; a) The spacious and well-furnished rooms with wooden floors on offer at this hotel are as spotless as the aquarium full of brightly painted fi sh that sits in the reception. The staff are attentive and discounts easy to come by. It s on a quieter side street and has a good restaurant.

stonehame lodge and chalets The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The mo

Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley stonehame lodge and chalets s villages; its setting is more beautiful than the town itself. Nonetheless, colourful prayer stonehame lodge and chalets wheels add interest to the central old market area. These are turned by apple-cheeked Monpa pilgrims, many of whom sport traditional black yak- wool gurdam (skullcaps that look like giant Rastafarian spiders). In the market area is M/S Cyber (per hr 30; h9am-6pm), which has internet sometimes. There s an SBI Bank with an ATM just past the market on the road to the monastery. stonehame lodge and chalets

The two main villages are Kamalabari, 3km from the ferry port and Garamur, 5km further north. The most interesting, accessible satras are the large, beautifully peaceful Uttar Kamalabari stonehame lodge and chalets (1km north, then 600m east of Kamalabari) and Auniati (5km west of Kamalabari), where monks are keen to show you their little museum (Indian/ foreigner/camera/video 5/50/50/200; h9.3011am & 12-4pm) of Ahom royal artefacts. stonehame lodge and chalets The best chances of observing chanting, dances or drama recitations are around dawn and dusk or during the big Ras Mahotsav Festival (third stonehame lodge and chalets week of November).

Many private buses have ticket counters on nearby stonehame lodge and chalets AT Rd. For Kareng Ghar, use a tempo ( 10, 45 minutes), stonehame lodge and chalets which depart from an unmarked stop on Bhuban stonehame lodge and chalets Gogoi (BG) Rd, 300m north up AT Rd, then 50m right.

the mountainside at silver creek The best accommodation option here is Aagaam Hotel (%223640; Nehru Chowk; s/d from 400-500), which h

Out of town, and by far the best place to stay, is the new Ziro Valley Resort (%9856910173; Biiri village; r in old wing 1000, tw/d 1200/1500), which has rainbow-coloured rooms in a faux colonial style building. It s halfway between Old and New Ziro and is surrounded the mountainside at silver creek by sunburnt fields. It s also known as the Village Tourist Lodge. At the time of research another midrange resort style place was under construction near the Ziro Valley Resort.

The best accommodation option here is Aagaam Hotel (%223640; Nehru Chowk; the mountainside at silver creek s/d from 400-500), which has rooms that could almost be called plush. The attached restaurant, Pizza Coffee Day (mains 80-100, the mountainside at silver creek pizzas 80-150) is the best place in town to eat and yes, it really does sell pizzas of a sort. Another option is the Hotel Holiday Cottage (%222463; Hospital Hill; r 400-600) southwest of the helipad. However, it s not a cottage and nor is it the sort of place you d really

vail peaks program Around 500m from Shivadol a gaggle of hotels line AT Rd, the most appealing of which is the surprisi

Khwairamband Bazaar MARKET (Ima Market; h7am-5pm) This vast all-women s market (well, we saw one male vendor vail peaks program perhaps appropriately he was selling headphones!) is run by some 3000 ima (mothers). Divided by a road, one side sells vegetables, fruit, fish and groceries while the other deals in household items, fabrics and pottery. It s easily one of the largest markets in the northeast.

Around 500m from Shivadol a gaggle of hotels line AT Rd, the most appealing of which is the surprisingly swish Hotel Shiva Palace (%222629; hotelshivapalace@rediffmail.com; s/d from 715/825; a), incorporating a decent restaurant, the Sky Chef Restaurant (mains 70-180). vail peaks program

gay ski week vail Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian

houses above which rises a steep ridge topped with a timeless gompa. Heading the other way, just north of New Dirang, the valley opens out and its floor becomes a patchwork of rice and crop fields through gay ski week vail which gushes the icy blue river. A fun day could be spent walking along the footpaths between gay ski week vail fields and little hamlets.

Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian s/d 9000/12,000, foreigner s/d 18,000/24,000) Fifteen gay ski week vail minutes drive west of the tourist complex, gay ski week vail this new lodge, with its chic-rustic feel, is without doubt the most comfortable place to stay in the Kaziranga region. It consists of six bamboo cottages on raised stilts overlooking a river. The rooms have enormous soft beds and the bathrooms sport heavenly rain showers. There s no sign look for the dirt track on the left (if travelling from the Guwahati direction) beside the 37 marker post.

Razhu Pru HERITAGE HOTEL $$ (%2290291; Mission Compound, Kohima Village; d from 1800; aW) An old family house that s been lovingly converted into a heritage hotel filled with tribal arts and antiques. We thought the sleek white deluxe rooms ( 2200) offered the best value.

the oak chalet Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (Octob

This historic Angami-Naga village was the site of two major British Angami siege battles in 1847 and 1879. Built on an easily defended ridge (very necessary back in headhunting days), Khonoma looks beautifully traditional.

Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices and a curious slow-motion shuffling dance performed in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional the oak chalet ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

chalet symphony GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten path. The

Like a practice run for Sivasagar, Gaurisagar has an attractive tank and a trio of distinctive 1720s temples Vishnudol, Shivadol and Devidol built by dancing girl queen Phuleswari. The more impressive is Vishnudol, not as tall as Sivasagar s Shivadol but sporting finer, but eroded carvings. Gaurisagar chalet symphony is on the main NH37 at Km501.5.

From a distance Aizawl (pronounced eyezole) seems a painted backdrop to an Italian opera, such is the steepness of the ridge on which it s perched. Backs of homes at road level might be held there with stilts three times higher chalet symphony than their roofs.

GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten path. The towns are not visually distinctive, but most houses in small hamlets remain traditionally fashioned from bamboo-weave matting and neatly cropped palm thatch. The Garo Hills are easier to visit from Guwahati than from Shillong. chalet symphony Sprawling Tura is the western Garo Hills regional centre and an unhurried transport hub. The tourist office (%03651-242394; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) is 4km away towards Nazing Bazaar. Friendly staffoffer brochures and sketchy maps, and arrange guides for anywhere in the Garo Hills, including a three-day hike to Nokrek Biosphere Reserve where it s possible to watch for Hoolock Gibbons from a traditional-style borang (Garo tree house). There are some cheap and not very cheerful places to stay near the market in Tura or, for something a little more comfortable, try the Rikman Continental (%03651-220744; Circular Rd; s/d from 900/1080; ai). Almost on the Bangladesh border, Baghmara is the southern Garo Hills district centre. From Baghmara you can visit the Balpakhram National Park, 45km away, but jeep and guide hire will have to be organised in Tura.

1 Sights Kamakhya Mandir HINDU TEMPLE (admission chalet symphony for no queue/short queue/queue 500/100/free; h8am-1pm & 3pm-dusk) While Sati s disintegrated body parts rained toes on Kolkata (see p443), her yoni fell on Kamakhya Hill. This makes Kamakhya Mandir important for shakti (sensual tantric worship of female spiritual power). Goats, pigeons and the occasional buffalo are ritually beheaded in a gory pavilion and the hot, dark inner womblike sanctum is painted red to signify sacrificial blood. The huge June/ July Ambubachi Mela celebrates chalet symphony the end of the mother goddess menstrual cycle with even more blood.