Shillong sits at about 1,500 metres in the East Khasi Hills and is where nearly every Meghalaya trip begins and ends. The British nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East"; today it is better known as one of India's rock-music capitals — a compact, hilly city of pine-lined roads, colonial-era churches and busy markets.
Most of the city's sights are a short drive from Police Bazaar: Ward's Lake and the Botanical Garden, the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, the Don Bosco Museum of indigenous cultures, and Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak on the edge of town. Bara Bazaar, one of the oldest traditional markets in the North East, is where Khasi traders sell everything from betel nut to bamboo baskets.
Plan at least one full day for the city itself and use it as a base for day trips to Umiam Lake, Laitlum Canyons and Mawphlang. Evenings belong to Laitumkhrah's cafés and the live-music venues that give Shillong its reputation.
