Who has been to Assam???

mastergrimoire

I know hardly anybody goes there, that's one reason why I want to go. But I am looking for any recent info on Guwahati like decent places to stay. Also I want to know if anybody has ever attended the Ambubachi festival at Kamakhya Temple.

MeCasa

Report on my NE trip 2005

The Most Remote Place In India

ddutta

There are lots of decent places to stay at Guwahati , afterall it is the capital of Assam . I had been there quite a few time though not recently. Had been to Kamakshya Temple too but never during Ambubachi Festival

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torryquine

If your budget isn't too tight, try the Hotel Dynasty ...tel. 2510499. It's very central and rooms start at 1600rps for a single. They have a couple of great restaurants and the standard of service is excellent. Very nice place to stay.

You could also try the Vishwaratna, sorry I don't have their number, which will be cheaper but still pretty good.

Haven't been to the festival, but we were at Kamakya on New Year's Day and it was PACKED. People queued for 3+ hours for Aarti. Certainly worth a visit though.

Check out some of the threads in the Destinations/Other Areas folder for more information on Assam and think about heading up to Shillong and Cherrapungie in Meghalya too.

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rangers

Exploring Assam from Tomorow on way to shillong.Any info on nice places in transit?
Shillong ! am coming
smiles

TimMakins

You don't say what your budget is... My favourite place to stay in Guwahati, as in most of Assam, are the government-run tourist lodges. A single with bath in Guwahati cost me 220rs earlier this year. The staff are friendly, and the food is nice. Note that most other hotels in Guwahati are to be found south of the railway station.

Frequent buses are available from the town centre to the Kamakhya Temple. 'Special entry' (in other words, queue-jumping) is available for an extra charge - it is well worth it, as the queues can be very long, and once inside move slowly due to the extremely small area for final darshan.

http://www.mapability.com/travel/blo..._high_pla.html

Tim in Ireland

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rangers

Nice info Tim.
Thx a lot.

Inanus

Most of Guwahati's hotels are south of the railway station, convenient if you've an arkward train or are headed to Meghlaya. Otherwise there are those hotels mentioned.

If the bellows of incoming trains just feet away is your idea of heaven then there's Silverline at Pan Bazaar, rooms are dark but clean enough & Rs230 for a double with bath & TV (singles cheaper). The staff speak little English but are extremely friendly & eager to help.

LP suggests the Dynasty restaraunt as "something special". The surroundings are fine (though no live music) but the head waiter was pushy, urging me to select the most expensive items (golden fried prawns, etc), the elachi lamb was replaced with skanky goat meat without consultation & the the Kashmiri naan (a stodgy bread with jam being the "Kashmiri" element) wasn't up to much either. Far superior, in my opinion, is the Padma Residency, also near the fly-over. The surroundings aren't as flashy but the food is delicious. The fish dishes number in their dozens & there's a great variety, everything from Assamese to East African.

I've only made a short trip to Kamakhya so far but the location is spectacular (the drive down reminds me of a minature Rio, at least from in the photos) & the animal sacrifices funded by placative Brahmins provide many worthy Kodak moments. The Navabraha Mandir isn't as stunning but you get a panoramic view of the city & the stirring echos of Sanskrit mantras are fittingly in line with the temple's status as a monument to the universe.
Hajo, an hour or so by bus from Guwahati, combines natural beauty with many interesting temples & welcoming locals. Nearby is Sualkuchi, which is renowned for it's golden-coloured silk.
In the afternoon you can cruise the Brahmaputra to watch the fluid orange sun rest behind Kamakhya.
Guwahati is just the entry point to this varied but sorely undervalued region & it's such a shame that many people, not least the local governments remain ignorant of this fact.

holiday

Hotel Siroy lily -manipuri basti--INR 800+tax onwards with breakfast
Hotel Nandan-Paltan Bazar -Rs.1200+tax onwards with breakfast
Hotel Landmark-Dr.B.Boorah Rd-Rs.1850 +tax onwards with breakfast

Staffs understands and speaks descent English and warm and welcoming.
Location is an added advantage due to availibility of public transport

bhaktijananda

The places to stay in Guwahati Hotel Landmak, Hotel Nandan, Hotel Brahmaputra, or Hotel Dynasty. These hotels are very safe as compared to the cheap ones or Siroy Lily or Viswaratna which is in fact not very cheap. The continental food at Dynasty is superb but if you want to try indian food go to Nandan. Believe me as I am form Guwahati only. Kamakhya temple is indeed a temple to see. Nobody leaves Guwahati without seeing the temple. In Assam you can visit Kaziranga and the Manas national parks but it is closed during this season. Other places to see near Guwahati are Shillong and Cherapunjee. A boat cruise in the evening is also a splendid idea. Even I did it a few months back and it was wonderful.

mikewill

Spent almost three weeks in Assam in February / March this year and really liked it. Stayed at the Nova, which is in the middle of Fancy Bazaar a couple of times. Can be noisy, particularly if there's lots of power cuts and the genny's on. Also stayed at the Rituraj on Kedar Road. Bizarre, cavern like restaurant but great food, especially the kebabs. Quiet with pleasant staff - would definitely go back. Both are around Rs1000 for an A/C double room.

We were disappointed with the restaurant at the Nova, which the LP rates. We ate at the Dynasty twice; once for dinner, pretty good but not outstanding and also had breakfast there. It's as much as you can eat, with a huge selection. We did it when we were leaving on a train to Patna and didn't need to eat again that day!

Apart from Kamakhya Mandir we also visited the Umananda Mandir, which is on an island in the middle of the Brahmaputra. One reason for going was to see the golden langurs and they didn't disappoint. They are absolutely beautiful, with tails to die for.

From Guwahati we went on to Kaziranga NP. I've visited quite a few National Parks in India, but was unprepared for the density of large herbivores here. Thank heavens it's in Assam or it would be completely packed with tourists all the time. Only open November to end April. We stayed at Wildgrass, which was also superb. Book early if you want to go, as it's often full with wildlife tours.

Next we went on to Nameri NP, staying at Eco-Camp. Lovely quiet spot with pleasant walks, plus the ability to cross the river and go into the forest on the other side. They also run fairly gentle trips down the Bharaili river in rubber rafts, which is pretty enjoyable.

Finally went on to Manas NP, which is a real contrast to Kaziranga. Ten years of closure and separatist trouble have decimated the wildlife and the park staff are pretty demotivated it seems. We stayed at the Assam Bengal Navigation place just outside the park gates at Bansbari. It's possible to go across the park to Mothanguri (there's a rest house there too) and then to cross the river to Bhutan for a very quick look.

When we returned to Guwahati we went on to Shillong for a few days. Pretty pleasant; stayed in a new pink hotel on Jail Road. Very nice room, shame about the restaurant. Still La Galerie is very good. Took a trip to Cherrapunjee and Mawsmai Cave plus Shillong Peak.

All in all we really enjoyed our time in the North East. We met some lovely people (spent a bit of time at an environmental workshop) and would definitely go back. Also plan to visit other parts of Assam and other NE States.

PM me if you thin I might be able to give any more help.

Mike

flyingstars

Hi, I have stayed in Assam for a few years and have also attended the Ambubachi festival twice at Kamakhya Temple as also travelled Assam and the entire North-east a lot. If you need any information or help, I will be glad to help you. You can read more about the Kamkhya Temple here: http://kalyansuman.blogspot.com/2007...of-divine.html

And also if you require any other kind of information regarding Guwahati or travelling in the North-east, I'm ready to help.


Thanks

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