The northeast - guidelines for Indian tourists

The northeast - Its always been a land which has remained out of the national consciousness. When I started this motorcycle trip I wasn't really sure whether I would have the motivation to continue till this point. But I knew if I made it till these parts, I would be spending a lot of time in these parts. Frankly I don't like to use the term North east to club everyone under a single shade as this is a region with a lot of diversity. I won't be surprised if someone were to tell me the demographic diversity in these parts would be more than that of what you would find in the rest of India combined. Anyway these are beautiful parts and should you decide to travel to these parts I hope this post could be of some help. Before I go state by state these are a few points in general you should consider

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1. The roads aren't exactly the best in the country and if you plan a elaborate tour keep some spare days as buffer. 
2. It is safe. No matter whatever you tend to hear in the media, militant groups are active in only one state (Manipur and possibly some small parts in Assam - Nagaland has been in a ceasefire for a long time). Even there, as a tourist you should not be targeted unless you have the uncanny ability to be in the wrong place at the right time.
3. Bandhs for various reasons (separate statehood demands, anti incumbency bandhs by the opposition, implementation of inner line permits demands) have upset my itinerary in  these parts and these are things you might wanna check up on before planning a trip.
4. Traveling in the night is not permitted in some routes. I know of  two such routes - one is the Imphal Silchar highway and then there is a stretch before Agartala. There would be more I believe. Check on them but a simpler option is to travel during daytime only
5. Inner line permits are required to enter three states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland & Mizoram. Manipur no longer requires one for Indian citizens.
6. But check on them as there are protests in Manipur and even Meghalaya to implement the inner line permit system. 
7. Nagaland, Manipur & Mizoram are dry states. Although in Mizoram you get local alcohol in the shops and a local grape wine manufactured in the state. In the remaining four states the price of alcohol is either cheap or cheaper.
8. I traveled alone on a motorcycle all across India for 7 months and when someone asks I tell them India is a safe place and as a man you need not worry a lot about it. But I am skeptical telling the same thing to a woman. But this is one part of the country where I would be more confident telling a woman the same thing.

Assam 

Somewhere near Jorhat, Assam

1. The roads here are the best you would find in the whole area
2. No permits required for Assam
3. I have been a bit unfair in my travel to Assam as these are plains and on a bike I generally prefer the mountains as the weather is more conducive. 
4. I like animals cooked or caged, preferably cooked. So I never made an effort to go to Kaziranga. Everyone talks so much about it and this should not be a place to be missed. 
5. Majoli - the largest river island is a place you should try out. Specially the nearly 2 hour ferry ride from Majoli to Jorhat on the Brahmaputra is a treat. The Brahmaputra is a huge river - its almost like a sea.
6. Do try out the locally made rice beer in the tribal areas. Its cheap and really tasty.
7. If you are travelling alone on a bike be ready to answer questions on your marital status. Its a question that comes up in every part of India to be fair but in Assam it generally comes in the first 5 questions. In other parts it generally comes after 12 to 15 questions.
8. Blenders pride quarter is priced Rs 130 and a full bottle costs Rs 500. Make calculations accordingly for your brand of alcohol. (Prices as on Aug - Sep 2013)

Arunachal Pradesh 

Tawang city, Arunachal Pradesh

1. Permits are required to enter Arunachal Pradesh
2. Tourism is very restricted in Arunachal Pradesh and there are about 6 to 8 routes which are allowed for tourists. You need to take a permit separately for each of the routes. I took permits for the Tawang route and the Itanagar one
3. It is said there still are man eater tribes in these regions and that is the reason tourism is a lot restricted. I can't vouch for the veracity of these claims but I don't want to be the one to test it out.
4. Each permit costs Rs 20 each and two passport size photographs and a photocopy of some address proof. More information here http://arunachalpradesh.nic.in/enter_ap.htm
5. I got in 20 min on my way in Tezpur but like any government offices these things can take some time. So its never a bad idea to get them in advance. I go in these offices wearing a riding gear all sweaty and people generally are keen to help out a rider or they just want to avoid the sight of a man with all dirty clothes standing in the office. Whatever the reason it gets the job done quickly
6. There would be a provision to get the permits on a weekend also but ideally try to do it on a weekday. Arunachal was a weekday but I had to face some issues trying to get a permit for Mizoram on a Saturday - more on it later.
7. The roads to Tawang are one where your luck determines your passage through some stretches unscathed rather than your riding skills more so in the months when it rains.
8. In spite of all that Tawang is one city that is worth all the trouble. I do have a thing for Buddhist towns
9. How do I describe the roads in Arunachal. Well lets just say a person from Arunachal Pradesh residing in any other part of the country may complain about the weather, the pollution and a host of other things but I doubt he will ever complain about the roads.
10. Most importantly a blenders pride quarter costs Rs 100 and a full bottle costs some Rs 400 

Nagaland

War memorial, Kohima - Nagaland

1. Nagaland requires Indian tourists to obtain inner line permits. More info here http://tourismnagaland.com/Queries/EntryForma.html
2. If you are riding you can ride into Dimapur DC office and get a permit. 
3. It costs some Rs 150 for the permit along with 2 passport size photographs.
4. Nagaland is a very friendly place for bikers. Policemen invite me for a cup of tea in checkposts, everyone says ""have a safe trip sir" when I ask them for directions and they are done with it and on the Dimapur Kohima stretch when the hills start a roadside fruit vendor refused money for two big pineapple slices I had. Someone I just met on the street in Kohima arranged a guest house for me for free for a night. 
5. I could go on and on but let me just leave it here
6. The battle of Kohima as a friend told me was voted as the one of the most difficult battle for the British troops during World war 2. The war memorial and the war museum have great accounts of the battle
7. Hornbill festival in December is a major attraction and I do hope to attend that sometime.
8. Sadly this is a dry state. That just means you need to pay a higher amount to the hotel waiter to get alcohol but if you are used to buying liquor in Bangalore, Mumbai or Madhya Pradesh it doesn't really pinch you
9. And yes the Kohima city closes by 6 pm due to security reasons. Anyway in a dry state why the hell would you even want to go out after dark

Manipur

Near Imphal, Manipur

1. Earlier Indian tourists required inner line permits to enter. Now its no longer the case. However there are efforts to reintroduce it. So check up before traveling.
2. This is an area which has a lot of millitant groups active.
3. But as a tourist it should not be bothering you much
4. One interesting thing I saw there were some women wearing long bindi's on their nose rather than their foreheads. 
5. I wanted to photograph them but I have the courage of a mouse when there are pretty women in front of me. So I could never request them for it.
6. If you happen to be there do let me know if its actually a custom or something like that.
7. I was not drunk. I did see those women wearing bindi's on their nose. Trust me on this.
8. But the ride in Manipur has seen me bestowed with a lot of kindness. When I was in a border town with very little money and no ATM machines around someone gave me Rs 1000, when I was stuck in the middle of nowhere in a small village called Barak one lady gave me a place to sleep in her shop, my bike breaks down - truck guys truck my bike some 80 odd Kms to the next town for free.
9. And most importantly in a dry state I got Teachers whisky half bottle for Rs 600 in the black market. This is one act of kindness I would never forget 
10. Imphal also closes by 6pm for security reasons.

Mizoram

Football ground - Aizawl, Mizoram

1. You would need permits to enter Mizoram. More info here http://mizoram.nic.in/more/ilp.htm
2. The website might say different applications for different districts but you can get permits for all districts of Mizoram in one application.
3. Costs you around Rs 150 in total and 2 to 3 passport photographs
4. I did it on my way to Mizoram in Silchar and I did it on a Saturday but try to do it on a weekday.
5. The DC office was closed on Saturday. I had to talk to the DC, the people sitting in the office trying to convince them for over 2 hrs. I was polite, courteous, respectful - basically I sucked up. But then I got the permit
6. A fair amount of people do not speak English or Hindi. This makes them reply in very brief words or sentences and they tend to avoid eye contact so as to not prolong the conversation. Do not consider it rude.
7. If you are thinking I was treated this way because I was trying to hit on them you are totally wrong. Ok maybe you are right for 5% of the cases.
8. The number of snakes dead and alive I saw in Mizoram while riding in the interiors is way more than what I have seen in my whole trip. Be a little careful if you plan to camp on the side of the road
9. Also brush up on your dumb charades skills in case you are travelling into the interiors of Mizoram. It will help you overcome the language barriers and communicate
10. It is a dry state and Royal Stag bottle costs Rs 1000. But thankfully local alcohol and a locally manufactured wine are available in the market.
11. 'Zawlaidi' is the locally manufactured wine. Its a decent wine. If not for the taste try it for the name. Zawlaidi means 'love potion' in Mizo language.
12. Apart from the high the wine did not really live up to its name for me but then you might be luckier.

Tripura 

Sundari Temple in Udaipur - Tripura

1. You do not need permits to enter Tripura
2. Night traffic is not allowed on a stretch before Agartala so I had to stay over for the night at a lodge in Panisagar.
3. Two men on a bike helped me reach the highway at Panisagar and then invited me over for dinner and drinks. First impressions matter and I loved Tripura from the moment I entered
4. When I look back I did not know anyone in Tripura beforehand but I realize that the two days I stayed there I never had to pay for my food or alcohol. I love Tripura even more now
5. I just went to Agartala & Udaipur. Decent places to visit.
6. Oh by the way S.D. Burman is from Tripura. I had no idea.
7. Although I never had to buy alcohol but I am guessing a Blenders Pride bottle will cost you some Rs 400 to 450
8. Yes there is a place called Udaipur in Tripura

Meghalaya

Sunset in Shillong -Meghalaya

1. No permits required to enter Meghalaya.
2. But then there was a bandh when I was in Shillong precisely for this reason. Although unlikely to be implemented do check on it before you travel
3. On a bike ride looking clean is the least of my priorities. In fact a dirty look adds to the image. But Meghalaya is a matriarchal society and they judge you on your cleanliness. So try to look clean in these parts
4. Shillong is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in the country.
5. Cherrapunji (Sohra as it is called there) is a beautiful place some 60 Kms away. Do ride if possible.
6. When I went to Sohra I did not get even one drop of rain. I don't know whether I should consider myself lucky or unlucky for this fact.
7. Do travel to Meghalaya. I do not know how to describe it exactly but the terrain is quite unlike what you would find in the rest of the country
8. I was offered a locally made pineapple wine in Cherrapunji at a restaurant. Brilliant wine. I could not get hold of it in Shillong. If you are travelling there and you feel generous do get me a bottle of that wine.
9. A quarter of Blenders pride costs Rs 115 and a full bottle costs Rs 450
10. Guwahati is just 100 Kms away. If you are going to Guwahati do keep 2 or 3 days to travel to Shillong and Cherrapunji also.

About Me:

I was working in an advertising agency when I decided to do a solo all-India motorcycle trip. I like to believe it's my spirit of adventure that made me go solo all across India but my friends (the few I have) believe nobody wanted to accompany me. My motorcycle ride took me to every state in India, parts of Nepal and Bhutan and one town in Burma. 

At the moment, I sit at home trying to write a book based on my experiences and coming up with ingenious excuses to not get married.

You can find more dope on my Facebook page and Instagram account