Far from the bustling crowd of city life, far from any kind of prying eyes, if you wish to nestle in the deep green foliage of nature, Mon is the right place for you. Those who wish to have a taste of actual life of Konyak headhunters naga tribe and want to meet the last headhunters of nagaland, wake up to the bugle of the tribal village, and get soaked into the real ethnic lifestyle that they continue even today in the 21st century. Visiting the untouched edges of Nagaland is surely an eye-opener.
Driving from Dimapur airport, towards the hilly and forest-lined district of Mon itself will be a journey that would take you deep, deeper, and even deepest into the hub of Konyak Nagas. The district of Mon is intriguing and the rich tribal culture of Konyak tribes and their traditional practices are very awe-inspiring to many from other parts of the world.
Mon District has been named one of the most backward districts in the country and the town of Mon is the district headquarters. The district of Tuensang is bordering the district of Mon in the south, and has the scenic Arunachal Pradesh in the north, and Assam in the west. The country Myanmar falls on its east. Mon offers adventure seekers plenty of things to do, and the mountain slopes are quite steep, yet the practically pollution-free forest roads are great to hike and trek. Few people speak in English here due to the work done here by the Christian missionaries. That said the main religion today in Mon is Christianity.
Tribal culture in Mon and specilly villages of Longwa village has ensured that practices of head hunting, which was once quite prevalent in these parts, exists and no eyebrows are raised too. The fearless Konyak warriors with their tattoos signifying the number of heads they had hunted still sport these tattoos as proudly as trophies proving their bravery. Do not get shocked to see horns, elephant tusks and hornbill beaks or random human skulls put up as decorative trophy in various homes of the tribes. The hereditary chief is called Angh and his house in the Chui village is a place of great interest among tourists visiting this serene district of Mon.
Read more about konyaks headhunters at www.tattooedheadhunters.com
Beaded jewelry, woodcarvings, and headgears made with bright feathers, are the works of local artisans in the tribe. Book a holiday to Mon during Aoling Monyu, their annual festival, when the entire village gets decked up in the brightest tribal clothing and very elaborate headgear and brass jewelry. The villages of Shangnyu, Naganimora, and Chui offer an elaborate view of the pristine preview of life and art, in these parts.Visiting tribal villages to witness the home decoration done with horns, buffalo Skulls, elephant tusks and hornbill beaks.
Visit Zero Point(Longwa village) to witness the panoramic view of the land of Myanmar.
Trekking to the highest point at Veda Peak to get a grand view of the Chindwin river flowing through Myanmar
If you are planning to stay near the foothills or the parts of lower Assam, then the summers can be quite hot and humid. The higher altitudes of Mon district are a lot more pleasant and suitable for touring.
Rainy season spans from May to October and during this time, rainfall is around 2000 to 3000 mts. The general climate is warm and temperate. This is not really suitable for outdoor sightseeing or photography though.
The cool wintry nights and pleasant days mark the winter season in Mon. This is between November and April and the festivals fall during this span and therefore, this is the most ideal time in the year to pack up, to Mon.
The nearest airport to Mon are Dibrugarh Airport (Mohanbari Airport) and Jorhat Airport in Assam. Distance from both airports are approximately 130 kilometers away and 150 km. The journey by road offers scenic views of the Northeastern landscapes.
The nearest major railway station to Mon is in Dibrugarh, Assam. From Dibrugarh Railway Station, you can continue your journey to Mon by road via taxis or buses. Alternatively you can board any train going towards Dibrugarh from Guwahati(Assam) would stop over at Simulguri junction in Assam. From there you got buses going to Naganimora and then travel further to Mon.
Direct buses are available from Kohima and Dimapur to Mon. If you are visiting Mon from Assam, Jorhat is the nearest town. From Jorhat you would have to take bus to Sonari, go through the scenic 65 km stretch and reach Mon.
Situated at a distance of 46 km from Mon, the beautiful historical town of Digboi is located. Digboi houses one of the oldest oil refineries in the world. It also has the distinction of establishing the first oil museum in India. Another chef d'oeuvre is the 18 hole Golf Course located in Digboi near Upper Dehing range. Digboi also harbour a world war-II Cemetery, which reminds us of the sad truth of the past.
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Sibsagar is the entry point of Mon, if you try to enter Mon from Assam. Sibsagr is located at a distance 150 Km. from Mon. Sibsagar, as the name suggest it meanas ocean of lord Shiva. It is a beautiful town surrounded by tea gardens and was the captiaal of Ahom dynasty in 18th centuary. It is a must visit place for history lovers.
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Majuli the natural & cultural hub of Assam is a most sought after tourist destinations in India. It is honoured as a one of the largest river island in the world. With river Subansiri on the north bank and river Brahmaputra covering most of the areas, Majuli attracts plenty of birds both local & migratory. A trip to Majuli is a memorable one including one hour ferry ride over the mighty Brahmaputra river.
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The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, formerly known as Hollongapar Reserve Forest is situated at a distance of 57 Km from Sivasagar situated at at the foothills of the Patkai mountain range, surrounded by tea garden and human settelments. It houses Indias only ape family Hollock Gibbn and 7 differnt apes specices such as the rare stump tailed macaque, pig tailed macaque and assamese macaque, bengal slow loris as well as capped langurs and a variety of birds and animals.