In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Shillong
Give Shillong 2 nights as a cool base for Meghalaya: one day in the city, one for Cherrapunji or Mawlynnong. Skip it if you only want waterfalls — go straight to Sohra.
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and a hill station at about 1,496 m, the gateway to the Khasi Hills. The city itself is small and walkable around Police Bazar and Laitumkhrah; most travellers use it as a base for day trips to Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and Umiam Lake. Two nights covers the city and one big day out; three nights lets you add a second.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Sep–Nov and Mar–May; the monsoon (Jun–Aug) fills the waterfalls but soaks everything
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug for sightseeing (heavy rain, slippery falls); Dec–Feb nights are cold
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 108
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Momos (steamed dumplings) | ₹60–150 |
| Thali or rice meal in a local eatery | ₹100–250 |
| Coffee or tea in a café | ₹60–150 |
| Shared taxi hop in the city | ₹20–50 |
| Full-day taxi for sightseeing | ₹2,500–3,500 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SHL · Shillong Airport (Umroi)
- About 40 km from the city; limited flights, mainly from Kolkata on some days. Check the schedule.About 25 mi from the city; limited flights, mainly from Kolkata on some days. Check the schedule.
- GAU · Guwahati (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi)
- The practical gateway, about 100 km and 3–4 h by road; shared SUVs and buses run from Paltan Bazar.The practical gateway, about 62 mi and 3–4 h by road; shared SUVs and buses run from Paltan Bazar.
Typical fares
- Shared SUV Guwahati → Shillong
- about ₹300–500, about 3 h (check)
- Bus Guwahati → Shillong
- ₹30–100 by class, about 4 h (check)
- Shared taxi in the city
- ₹20–50
- Full-day taxi for Cherrapunji
- about ₹3,000, fix first (check)
Get around
The centre is walkable: Police Bazar to Ward's Lake is about 15 min on foot. Maroon city buses (SPTS) and black-and-yellow shared taxis cover the rest; shared taxi hops cost roughly ₹20–50. For sightseeing, hire a taxi by the day and fix the fare before you set off — unmetered taxis do not use the meter.
See and do
Known for
- Hill-station climate and pine hills
- Police Bazar and Iewduh market
- Don Bosco Museum
- Gateway to Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cherrapunji (Sohra) | Taxi or shared vehicle from Police Bazar, about 2 h each way on hill roads | About 4–5 h |
| Mawlynnong | Taxi from Shillong, about 2.5–3 h each way | About 6 h |
| Umiam Lake (Barapani) | Shared taxi or bus north on the Guwahati road, about 30–40 min | About 1 h |
| Elephant Falls | Taxi toward Upper Shillong, about 30 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Police Bazar
- City centre: buses, shared taxis, shops and most restaurants within walking distance. Best for a short stay without a car.
- Laitumkhrah
- Quieter, near the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians; cafés and guesthouses, 10–15 min by shared taxi from Police Bazar.
- MG Road / Laban
- Central and close to Ward's Lake; a mix of hotels and guesthouses.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | Namastenuh-mus-tay |
| Thank you | Shukriya / Dhanyabadshook-ree-yaa |
| How much is it? | Kitna hai?kit-naa hai |
| Please take me to this address | Is pate par le chaliyeis pa-tay par lay cha-li-yay |
| Where is the toilet? | Toilet kahan hai?toy-let ka-haan hai |
| I don't want it | Mujhe nahi chahiyemoo-jhay nuh-hee chaa-hi-yay |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads outside the city are rough and slow in the rain; allow more time than the map suggests.
- Shared taxis pick up more passengers en route — that is normal, not a scam.
- Shillong Peak is an Indian Air Force area: declare cameras at the viewpoint and do not photograph radar facilities.
- Sweet Falls has no barricades and slippery rocks; stay back from the edge.
- The Guwahati–Shillong helicopter service has been suspended for maintenance at times — check before relying on it.
Shillong is generally safe for tourists, including solo women, and the city is calm by Indian big-city standards. The real risks are monsoon landslides and rough hill roads, slippery waterfall viewpoints, and unmetered taxis — agree the fare before you ride.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shillong yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hill-station climate and pine hills
- Police Bazar and Iewduh market
- Don Bosco Museum
- Gateway to Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Meghalaya Tourism: www.meghalayatourism.in/
- Wikivoyage: Shillong, revision 5320666 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5320666
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Shillong
Is pate par le chaliye
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Shillong; the US, UK and most others have embassies or high commissions in New Delhi, with consulates in Kolkata and Guwahati for some countries (check).
Shillong is a state capital; carry small rupee notes for shared taxis and markets.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/shillong). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.