Meghalaya : Tour Mawlynnong, India’s cleanest village

Meghalaya : Tour Mawlynnong, India’s cleanest village

Located in the Indo-Bangladeshi border, this village gained great popularity when it was adjudged the cleanest village in India in 2005 and cleanest village in Asia in 2003. Attracting tourists from all over the world, it deserves a blog post.

God’s own garden

Also known as ‘God’s own garden’, the Khasi community who reside in this village practice an eco-tourism initiative. The village is located 90 kilometers south of Shillong and offer natural beauty and a phenomenal view of the plains of Bangladesh. The village is known for its cleanliness and it is quite common to see bamboo bins outside every house. The locals have adopted the habit of picking up garbage, dead leaves and cleaning roads which has made the village look beautiful. The village also boasts of 100% literacy rate with most of the locals fluent in English.

Traditional Broomsticks drying in Mawlynnong, Meghalaya, Northeast India
Traditional Broomsticks drying in Mawlynnong, Meghalaya, Northeast India

Shillong nights

You can cover most of the tourist points in one day and head back to Shillong by night. However, a night stay in a local guesthouse is worth the experience. The guesthouses are usually made of bamboo and are raised on stilts. Surrounded by greenery and with the sound of the waterfalls, it is simply calming to sit back and relax with a cup of tea.

Root connection

The living root bridges of the Khasi community are unique to Meghalaya and every tourist would like to walk on one. The roots of ficus trees are manually directed by the villagers to cross over streams as a bridge. A root bridge takes years before it is strong enough to carry a man across. Mawlynnong boasts of one such living root bridges.

Sky View at Mawlynnong

Another popular tourist spot is called the ‘Sky View’. These are 80 to 85 feet tall bamboo structures that look like a tower. When you climb to the top of the tower, you can have a panoramic view of Bangladesh. It is simply breathtaking. There are several towers in the village and you can climb it by paying a small fee.

A lepidopterist’s dream

In the monsoon, the village is green and lush with orchids, cosmos and hibiscus. And of course, these have managed to attract a number of butterflies. So you can lookout for PapilioHelenus and other species in large and beautiful colors. A lepidopterist’s interest sure rises when you see these magnificent creatures.

Reaching Mawlynnong

Guwahati is the nearest airport which is 190 kilometers from Mawlynnong. The more prevalent route taken by visitors is via Shillong which is only 90 kilometers away. There are buses that regularly go to the village. You can also hire a cab for the day and visit the village.

When to enjoy Mawlynnong?

Mawlynnong can be visited any time throughout the year. But, contrary to what we usually say for other locations, the best time recommended is during the rainy season. The monsoon brings out the color and picturesque beauty of the village, as well as turning the falls really impressive. For accommodation, Mawlynnong is now dotted with bamboo guesthouses as tourism has risen the past decade. A night stay is not only affordable in this village, but worth your while.

Flutter in Mawlynnong and stay clean !

Travel Itineraries

We designed 2 travel itineraries which you can have a look if you are planning to visit Mawlynnong :

  • Abode of the Clouds is meant for a Short Stay in which you will visit the village on the road from Dawki to Shillong,
  • Walk in the Clouds takes you much deeper towards the hidden gems which makes this place the paradise it holds for name.

Useful link : Mawlynnong Village on WikiTravel

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