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

Once you leave the outskirts of Shillong the road to Cherrapunjee passes through pretty scenery that becomes dramatic at Dympep viewpoint, where a photogenic V-shape valley slits deeply into the plateau.

Mizoram s pretty, green hills get higher as you head east. Champhai is widely considered the most attractive district and is where you ll find the Murlen National Park, known for its hoolock gibbons. donovaly accommodation The small town of Saitual is a good stopover on the road to Champhai. Very close to Champhai is pretty Tamdil Lake, ringed by lush mountains. Further donovaly accommodation afield is the stunning Blue Mountain (Phawngpui), donovaly accommodation which at 2147m is the highest peak in Mizoram. It s considered by Mizos to be the abode of the Gods, but its slopes are said to be haunted by ghosts. Three Dimension donovaly accommodation can organise trekking trips here. For a more accessible taste of the Mizoram hinterland visit the Vantawng waterfalls, 95km from Aizawl.

GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten donovaly accommodation 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 donovaly accommodation to visit from Guwahati than from Shillong. Sprawling Tura is the western Garo Hills regional centre and an unhurried donovaly accommodation 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 donovaly accommodation 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.

Bustling Jorhat is the junction for Majuli Island. Gar-Ali, Jorhat s commercial street, meets the main east west thoroughfare Assam Trunk (AT) Rd (NH37) in front of a lively central market area. AT Road is also home to an SBI ATM and the Netizen Cyberspace ( 20 per hr; h9am-8pm)