“Mawlynnong” – Gods own garden
So what was special about Mawlynnong village in Meghalaya?
I had not expected much from the place before my fellow travelers urged me to go ahead and take a trip to the village. So, from Shillong, we began our 100-kilometer long road drive to Mawlynnong. As we were entering the village; we were mesmerized by the beauty of the village, winding lanes and colourful flowers. We found several huts in the true Khasi traditions, clean and welcoming. We then realized the reason this small hamlet made it to become the cleanest. The entire village believed ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ and that is why there is a really enjoyable serenity in the village. Every house has placed trashcans outside their homes made of bamboo just so that no outsider litters their pretty village. This cumulative effort to keep the village picturesque and clean is what shows evidently, as you stroll past the village. The gardens big and small and the friendliness of East Khasi people is sure to make your stay there happily.
Where to eat in Mawlynnong village?
There are several places available for lunch and breakfast at Mawlynnong village. We decided to have our lunch at HA-LA-TYNGKONG homestay and enjoyed authentic simple delicious Khasi food.
Places to visit in and around Mawlynnong
On reaching the village and on freshening up, we all decided to visit the neighboring village of Rewai, which happens to have some scenic spots. Of course, we knew that the famous Living Roots Bridge or the Jingmaham Living Roots Bridge was here and all the more reason for us to take very little time in getting over to the bridge. This bridge was hardly like anything we had ever set our eyes on. We found the roots of the trees growing to form a bridge across streams and rapids. The East Khasi people know the art of growing these trees, and nurturing the roots so that the bridge remains in top shape is something that the entire village takes pride in.
Yes, we reached the magnificent living root bridge.
Yet another place that is worth your visit to Mawlynnong is the Balancing Rock or the Maw-Ryngkew Sharatia. This is of a small stone, which is balancing a boulder precariously for years that shall appease the child in you, of this natural phenomenon.
Experiencing the Skywalk
Now that we are in Mawlynnong, we would also know we are very close to the India-Bangladesh border and wish to spot Bangladesh aerially, then become a little adventurous and step up the Skywalk. The entry fee is just Rs. 10 for you to go up 85 feet high and have a good view of the sprawling plains of Bangladesh from here.
It also houses a small village church and a playground for children. We did not miss the chance to enter into the church and take some beautiful snaps.
You may also like places you don’t want to miss in your trip in Cherrapunji
Where to stay in Mawlynnong village?
There are quite a few accommodations and home stays, which offer to accept guests in their homes and treat them well during their stay. The tourists shall get basically clean rooms, spotless beds, hot meals and plenty of good hospitality on their stay here. We stayed at Steam side guest house, which situated just before reaching the village car parking. Stays in Mawlynnong village are very basic, away from luxury amenities. It is difficult to find hotels in this area..
What to Expect
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- Mawlynnong is a clean scenic village set in a beautiful surrounding, every corner of which is filled with pretty colourful flowers.Here one can witness the locals cleaning the environment and making sure that all the garbage is thrown in the bins.
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- Explore this unexplored village and fall in love with its enchanting waterfalls and streams and enjoy the company of beautiful butterflies and moths.
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- Relax in the few of the roadside stalls and small tea shops and also get some souvenirs and gift items from them.
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- Take back memories with you in the form of photos in traditional Khasi dress and costumes.
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- Know the stories of the area by relaxing and having a friendly chat with the villagers by the roadside benches of the roadside stalls in Mawlynnong.
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- Tourism is booming rapidly in this village. You can combine many nearby attractions like Dawki, Shnongpdeng, Mawryngkhang Trek etc for a happening trip to Meghalaya.
- Tourism is booming rapidly in this village. You can combine many nearby attractions like Dawki, Shnongpdeng, Mawryngkhang Trek etc for a happening trip to Meghalaya.
Facts about Mawlynnong
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- There isn’t any ATM or petrol pump available here nor there are any luxury hotels, but You can stay in traditional homestays and experience its ethnicity.
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- This village is also famous for a giant leaving root bridge located in a nearby village.
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- Visit this beautiful village and take back bagful of beautiful memories with you
Getting there
There are ample of shared taxis available from ‘Shillong‘ bus stand to’ Mawlynnong’. That’s likely to cost you INR 300 . You can also hire a taxi from Shillong and Cherrapunji to here, which cost you around INR 3000.
Related Read
Top 10 unexplored places to visit in Meghalaya
Best honeymoon destinations in Northeast India
If you are looking for more information on Mawlynnong village and Meghalaya Tour please check out the page dedicated to Mawlynnong village. You can book one of our best selling tour packages of Meghalaya, or email us on support@nexplore.org to help planning your trip!
