The North East dream

piran_e · Feb 13th, 2008, 15:47

From May onwards I will be traveling all around North East India for approximately a year. It has been my long time dream to see this remote land and it is finally coming true. But I would like to feel and experience the place and not just see it like a tourist, hence I will be working on ecology/sustainable development projects along the way. So I am looking for suggestions for small and remote places I could visit in Arunachhal, Mizoram , Meghalaya and Nagaland

In May I will go to Lachen in North Sikkim where I will work for around 2-3 months on an eco-tourism project. From there will move to Eagle Nest in Arunachal and volunteer there for some time . In Arunachal want to go to Vijoynagar village and Stellwell road in Changlang, Anjaw and Lohit Valley , Mehao Sanctuary and hopefully to some places in Upper siang. If anybody has been to these places or has idea of other places would appreciate the same.

In Nagaland want to go to Kohima and Mon. I am also looking at going to smaller villages where hopefully some tribal culture in unadulterated form still lives on. If anybody has idea of such places then do let me know. For Meghalaya and Mizoram still have to do more reading , but I want to do some caving and trekking in the Khasi hills .

Does anybody have experience in navigating any of the rivers or tributaries which are abundant in the North East as I would like to do a short trip in a boat. Would really love to see the Gangatic dolphins and stay on the boat for a few days, ever since I’ve read ‘The Hungry Tide’ that bit has caught my imagination.

Would appreciate any tips and suggestions from you guys in this respect.

Jyotinarayan · Feb 16th, 2008, 12:20

hi
i am a traveller and i am from majuli island, assam, north east india.
really the places of northeast is very beautiful.
some places you need ILP. also you can stay in boats in asaam.

machadinha · Feb 16th, 2008, 12:26

There was a recent caution about Nagaland by someone who is from and knows the area quite well I believe: North-East , Bhutan Bike Trip - March/April 08

You could check that member's post history, he has a bunch that are worth reading.

piran_e · Feb 18th, 2008, 11:23

Hi Jyotinarayan,

Would appreciate if you could provide more specific details about Majuli Island and about which places I can stay in boats, cause I am not looking at anything commercial . The idea of this trip is to see and understand the place through the eyes of the locals.

@ Machadinha - have PMed some members .

beesakopie · Feb 21st, 2008, 04:16

Folks,

Sorry about keeping everyone waiting so long - but I am EXTREMELY tied for time. Have just managed to upload some photo's on my recent trip to Mizoram. Am still working on a trip report...Gawd alone knows when I will get the time to complete it...
anyways, please enjoy the pics for the moment...(you can access these on my gallery)

cheers

Beesakopie.

matei · May 13th, 2008, 18:05

Beesakopie,

Hi!!

Nice pics of Mizoram..........

matei · May 13th, 2008, 18:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by piran_e

From May onwards I will be traveling all around North East India for approximately a year. It has been my long time dream to see this remote land and it is finally coming true. But I would like to feel and experience the place and not just see it like a tourist, hence I will be working on ecology/sustainable development projects along the way. So I am looking for suggestions for small and remote places I could visit in Arunachhal, Mizoram , Meghalaya and Nagaland

In May I will go to Lachen in North Sikkim where I will work for around 2-3 months on an eco-tourism project. From there will move to Eagle Nest in Arunachal and volunteer there for some time . In Arunachal want to go to Vijoynagar village and Stellwell road in Changlang, Anjaw and Lohit Valley , Mehao Sanctuary and hopefully to some places in Upper siang. If anybody has been to these places or has idea of other places would appreciate the same.

In Nagaland want to go to Kohima and Mon. I am also looking at going to smaller villages where hopefully some tribal culture in unadulterated form still lives on. If anybody has idea of such places then do let me know. For Meghalaya and Mizoram still have to do more reading , but I want to do some caving and trekking in the Khasi hills .

Does anybody have experience in navigating any of the rivers or tributaries which are abundant in the North East as I would like to do a short trip in a boat. Would really love to see the Gangatic dolphins and stay on the boat for a few days, ever since I’ve read ‘The Hungry Tide’ that bit has caught my imagination.

Would appreciate any tips and suggestions from you guys in this respect.

Piran_e,

You may PM me for suggestions on the sustainable projects you intend to work on in Mizoram.

beesakopie · May 14th, 2008, 02:39

Hey Matei,

Good to hear from you!!! Would you believe that I landed up in Lengpui without a permit!!! Lucky I know some people working in the secretariat who were there to receive me!!! There was this one mainland guy (who I'm quite sure was an undercover IB fellow) who wanted to see my passport and all...When he saw a resident visa for France, he literally blanched...and I was thinking that there surely would be some trouble. Thats when my friends walked in and he calmed down and allowed me to enter MZ!!!

Anyways, I had an absolutely GREAT time there. We were put up in the State Guest House...did a picnic at Coconut Grove where we got to taste authentic Mizo food. Zongthra, Bai etc Even the Mizo chutney was EXCELLENT. We picked up tinned bamboo shoots from the MIFCO set up...

The highpoint was a trip to Reiek where we got to see the traditional mizo village...We saw the cave where the MNF people used to hide and I even went right up to the tip of the cliff overlooking the chasm 1000 Metres below..

It was nice to see that Aizawl is developing a little. Great to see the Adidas shop (We met the owner, who is part of my extended friend circle)...the millenium Mall...We bought a mizo shawl, a puanchei for my wife, mizo hats etc etc. Saw a lot of horticulture, Zarkawt was great...

I will definitely be visiting again...and this time its going to be for a much longer trip. Probably Lunglei / Palak Lake / Dampa etc etc Am really really looking forward to it.

PS: Hopefully Cyclone Nargis did not touch you all...

Sorry folks, I've not been able to write that road trip despite my best efforts...perhaps later

suman · May 19th, 2008, 14:34

I am from Panitola near Tinsukia... Amazing place this north east.

beesakopie · May 21st, 2008, 00:07

I remember playing golf at the Kanjikhowa Golf Club...we used to live in the tea estates near Doom Dooma...Excellent and very happy memories of childhood...

flyingstars · Jun 8th, 2008, 12:12

North-east indeed is a dream and a virgin paradise. It is very difficult to describe the unique beauty and the customs of the place in a few words. You can visit my blog to have some glimpse of the beauty of the places, cultures, customs & the traditions here.

piran_e · Jun 8th, 2008, 14:39

Browsed through your blog and it sure is very interesting, but my main interest is not only to travel . I am more intersted in working with local communities, staying with them and developing them and seeing the world through their eyes. And that is what I am exactly doing right now in Sikkim . Will stay here for a few months before moving to theremore eastern districts of Arunachal to work over there.

Am trying to maintain my own blog on the same:
http://piran.wordpress.com

landoormama · Jun 8th, 2008, 14:52

I travelled in the North East in 2005 , amzingly nice & friendly people .
I started in Bhutan & then to Sikkkim ( Lachen ) in May ..Meghalaya I went to the Khasi Hills & was a guest with a Local .
Avoid travelling on a Sunday in Meghalaya , Mizoram ..( Church Holiday & the Church is very influential ).
Just to tell Alcohol is banned in Mizoram.
I trekked in the Dirang Valley in Arunachal ..amzingly beautiful..had plenty of Chang .... Keep Drinking .
This year I Trekked in the Blue Mounatins ..trekked the Phwangpui peak ( extremely friendly people).I went To Palak Dil Lake which borders Mayanamar ..wonderful xpereinece ..still very very Virgin and nice

There is a lady in Aizwal who arranges for Home Stays in her Farm in Aizwal . .You need permits for Mizoram though .
Cheers & Have Fun

Feb 13th, 2008, 15:47	#1
piran_e Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 54	The North East dream From May onwards I will be traveling all around North East India for approximately a year. It has been my long time dream to see this remote land and it is finally coming true. But I would like to feel and experience the place and not just see it like a tourist, hence I will be working on ecology/sustainable development projects along the way. So I am looking for suggestions for small and remote places I could visit in Arunachhal, Mizoram , Meghalaya and Nagaland In May I will go to Lachen in North Sikkim where I will work for around 2-3 months on an eco-tourism project. From there will move to Eagle Nest in Arunachal and volunteer there for some time . In Arunachal want to go to Vijoynagar village and Stellwell road in Changlang, Anjaw and Lohit Valley , Mehao Sanctuary and hopefully to some places in Upper siang. If anybody has been to these places or has idea of other places would appreciate the same. In Nagaland want to go to Kohima and Mon. I am also looking at going to smaller villages where hopefully some tribal culture in unadulterated form still lives on. If anybody has idea of such places then do let me know. For Meghalaya and Mizoram still have to do more reading , but I want to do some caving and trekking in the Khasi hills . Does anybody have experience in navigating any of the rivers or tributaries which are abundant in the North East as I would like to do a short trip in a boat. Would really love to see the Gangatic dolphins and stay on the boat for a few days, ever since I’ve read ‘The Hungry Tide’ that bit has caught my imagination. Would appreciate any tips and suggestions from you guys in this respect.

Feb 16th, 2008, 12:20	#2
Jyotinarayan Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: majuli island, assam. Posts: 3	hello hi i am a traveller and i am from majuli island, assam, north east india. really the places of northeast is very beautiful. some places you need ILP. also you can stay in boats in asaam. Last edited by machadinha : Feb 16th, 2008 at 12:24. Reason: removed full quote

Feb 16th, 2008, 12:26	#3
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 9,431	There was a recent caution about Nagaland by someone who is from and knows the area quite well I believe: North-East , Bhutan Bike Trip - March/April 08 You could check that member's post history, he has a bunch that are worth reading. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jun 8th, 2008, 12:12	#11
flyingstars Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: India Posts: 8	North-east indeed is a dream and a virgin paradise. It is very difficult to describe the unique beauty and the customs of the place in a few words. You can visit my blog to have some glimpse of the beauty of the places, cultures, customs & the traditions here. Last edited by capt_mahajan : Jun 8th, 2008 at 14:47. Reason: too many urls

Jun 8th, 2008, 14:52	#13
landoormama Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nepal Posts: 133	North East I travelled in the North East in 2005 , amzingly nice & friendly people . I started in Bhutan & then to Sikkkim ( Lachen ) in May ..Meghalaya I went to the Khasi Hills & was a guest with a Local . Avoid travelling on a Sunday in Meghalaya , Mizoram ..( Church Holiday & the Church is very influential ). Just to tell Alcohol is banned in Mizoram. I trekked in the Dirang Valley in Arunachal ..amzingly beautiful..had plenty of Chang .... Keep Drinking . This year I Trekked in the Blue Mounatins ..trekked the Phwangpui peak ( extremely friendly people).I went To Palak Dil Lake which borders Mayanamar ..wonderful xpereinece ..still very very Virgin and nice There is a lady in Aizwal who arranges for Home Stays in her Farm in Aizwal . .You need permits for Mizoram though . Cheers & Have Fun

Feb 18th, 2008, 11:23	#4
piran_e Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 54	Hi Jyotinarayan, Would appreciate if you could provide more specific details about Majuli Island and about which places I can stay in boats, cause I am not looking at anything commercial . The idea of this trip is to see and understand the place through the eyes of the locals. @ Machadinha - have PMed some members .

Feb 21st, 2008, 04:16	#5
beesakopie Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wallis and Futuna (Republique Francaise) Posts: 82	Folks, Sorry about keeping everyone waiting so long - but I am EXTREMELY tied for time. Have just managed to upload some photo's on my recent trip to Mizoram. Am still working on a trip report...Gawd alone knows when I will get the time to complete it... anyways, please enjoy the pics for the moment...(you can access these on my gallery) cheers Beesakopie.

May 13th, 2008, 18:05	#6
matei Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: MIZORAM Posts: 11	Beesakopie, Hi!! Nice pics of Mizoram..........

May 14th, 2008, 02:39	#8
beesakopie Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wallis and Futuna (Republique Francaise) Posts: 82	Hey Matei, Good to hear from you!!! Would you believe that I landed up in Lengpui without a permit!!! Lucky I know some people working in the secretariat who were there to receive me!!! There was this one mainland guy (who I'm quite sure was an undercover IB fellow) who wanted to see my passport and all...When he saw a resident visa for France, he literally blanched...and I was thinking that there surely would be some trouble. Thats when my friends walked in and he calmed down and allowed me to enter MZ!!! Anyways, I had an absolutely GREAT time there. We were put up in the State Guest House...did a picnic at Coconut Grove where we got to taste authentic Mizo food. Zongthra, Bai etc Even the Mizo chutney was EXCELLENT. We picked up tinned bamboo shoots from the MIFCO set up... The highpoint was a trip to Reiek where we got to see the traditional mizo village...We saw the cave where the MNF people used to hide and I even went right up to the tip of the cliff overlooking the chasm 1000 Metres below.. It was nice to see that Aizawl is developing a little. Great to see the Adidas shop (We met the owner, who is part of my extended friend circle)...the millenium Mall...We bought a mizo shawl, a puanchei for my wife, mizo hats etc etc. Saw a lot of horticulture, Zarkawt was great... I will definitely be visiting again...and this time its going to be for a much longer trip. Probably Lunglei / Palak Lake / Dampa etc etc Am really really looking forward to it. PS: Hopefully Cyclone Nargis did not touch you all... Sorry folks, I've not been able to write that road trip despite my best efforts...perhaps later

May 19th, 2008, 14:34	#9
suman The Vagabond Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kolkata Posts: 7	I am from Panitola near Tinsukia... Amazing place this north east.

May 21st, 2008, 00:07	#10
beesakopie Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wallis and Futuna (Republique Francaise) Posts: 82	I remember playing golf at the Kanjikhowa Golf Club...we used to live in the tea estates near Doom Dooma...Excellent and very happy memories of childhood...

Jun 8th, 2008, 14:39	#12
piran_e Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 54	Browsed through your blog and it sure is very interesting, but my main interest is not only to travel . I am more intersted in working with local communities, staying with them and developing them and seeing the world through their eyes. And that is what I am exactly doing right now in Sikkim . Will stay here for a few months before moving to theremore eastern districts of Arunachal to work over there. Am trying to maintain my own blog on the same: http://piran.wordpress.com

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