Superlatives of the World in Northeast India

Located in Meghalaya, the town of Mawsynram receives the highest amount of rainfall in the world. It is also called one of the wettest places on earth and receives annual precipitation of 11,872 millimeters. Mawsynram is a perfect visit for tourists coming from arid areas

Meghalaya is also home to Krem Puri - the world’s longest sandstone cave. The trip to the cave is an exciting one; visitors are usually required to descend with gear (and guides) to explore the cave- great for those inquisitive travelers who might be interested in fossils and paleontology!

The most interesting part of Meghalaya however, apart from all the scenic ventures is the matrilineal system of society. In the patriarchal society of India, Meghalaya follows the system of matriarchy being the largest form of it. The line of heritage is traced through the women and the youngest daughter inherits all the wealth and takes care of the parents. The emerald green forests, the climate, and the inducing rains of Meghalaya made the British feel they were close to home and hence very dearly called this heaven on earth, “Scotland of the east”.

Digboi city in Assam is home to the world’s oldest oil refinery. According to some, the city got its name after the phrase “dig boy dig” which was often said by British to the workforce in search of crude oil.

Located on the river Brahmaputra in Assam, Majuli is not only the largest river island in the world but also India's first potential carbon neutral district. Majuli is extremely popular among spiritual tourists owing to its satras, the monasteries dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is also known for promoting ‘sustainable tourism development by providing bicycle tours. The region’s local rice beer and handicrafts too are factors that set it apart from other places.

Located in the beautiful state of Nagaland, the khonoma village is a perfect place to connect with nature and locals. Being Asia's first green village, khonoma provides tourists with a unique ecological perspective. To get a firsthand experience of how the local Angami tribe functions to create a sustainable lifestyle, tourists are encouraged to stay in locally run home stays. The village is also home to multiple memorials from the British era. They depict things about native soldiers and stories about the naga tribe.

Being the largest tea-growing region in the world, Assam can be a unique destination for tea tourism. Apart from allowing tea enthusiasts to learn and experience more, tea tourism also gives them an excellent opportunity to spend some time in beautiful tea gardens and witness some scenic spots. Much like wine and cheese tasting in Europe, tea tourism is very specific to Assam. After all, what better place to experience everything about tea, than in Assam!

A visit to the Tocklai tea research institute can give tourists a lot of insight into not only the history but also the science behind cultivating tea. The Monabarie tea estate is also a great visit to spot red-colored tea leaves and click some amazing pictures.

To go for something more magical, tourists can also visit Mayong- India's black magic capital. Located in the Morigaon district, this village has been passed down with years and years of knowledge of black magic, witchcraft, and sorcery. To gain some more insight, visitors can tour the Mayong central museum and emporium. Chatting with locals should be interesting too, as most of them will be able to give first-hand accounts of their culture and traditions.

Kaziranga national park is home to the largest population of one-horned rhinoceros. It is a great place to rejuvenate and connect with nature. It is another great place to continue your tea tourism or go on hikes, treks, and safaris. There are multiple ways in which visitors can explore the wildlife of the park. Some interesting species include rhinoceros, leopards, and waterfowls during winters.

Also known as the ‘Manchester of the East,’ Sualkuchi in Assam is a must-visit for handicraft enthusiasts. It is mainly known for producing two main types of silks, muga and pat silk and also creating the famous ‘Mekhela Chador.’

Tawang, best known for its exquisite scenic beauty, houses the largest Buddhist monastery in India and the second-largest in the world, after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

Loktaklake, the only floating lake in the world and the largest freshwater lake in the northeast, India are located near Moriang in Manipur. The lake is covered in a heterogeneous mass of vegetation and organic mass known as plasmids.

The Loktak Lake houses keibullamjao- the only floating national park in the world. It measures around 40 km sq (approx) and is only home to the brow-antlered deer or sangai, also known as the dancing deer.

Meghalaya is the only state in the world to have living root tree bridges. These are hand-made from aerial roots of rubber trees by the Khasi people. Sticks, stones, and other objects are used to stabilize the bridge. The lifespan of a living root bridge is uncertain, but under ideal conditions, they last for hundreds of years.

Located at the Biswanath Chariali district of Assam, this is the largest tea estate in Assam and all over Asia. This tea estate is also ranked as the world's largest tea garden

The Brahmaputra, also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Siang / Dihang River in Arunachal Pradesh, and Luit, Dilao in Assam, is a transboundary river that flows through Tibet, India, and Bangladesh. It is the widest river in India. It is the 9th largest river in the world by discharge and the 15th longest.

Inaugurated on 29th October 2012, Margherita in Assam is Asia's only coal museum. The museum contains relics of the likes of the locomotives manufactured by W G Bagnall, Stafford, England, memoirs of the Second World War and a rare collection of stamps from all over the world, etc. But the central attraction of this museum is the practice of coal mining depicted in the form of real-time models, a demo structure of an underground coal mine, necessities to be carried by the underground workers, etc.

Rang Ghar, constructed by the Ahom king’s Swargadeo Pramatta Singha, is the oldest amphitheatre in the whole of Asia and has often been referred to as the 'colosseum of the east.

The dhola–sadiya bridge, also referred to as the Bhupen Hazarika setu, is a beam bridge in India, connecting the northeast states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge spans the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, from the village of Dholain to the south to Sadiya to the north. The bridge is the first permanent road connection between northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

Neermahal, in Agartala of Tripura is the only lake palace in northeast India.

These fascinating birds pass through the state of Nagaland while starting their journey to South Africa and hence are known as the falcon capital of the world.

Although almost all the states of the northeast have very high literacy, Mizoram has the third highest literacy according to the 2011 census, (91.58) %.

The Singshore suspension bridge is the highest bridge in Sikkim and the second highest bridge in the Asian subcontinent with over 100 meters in height. The view from the bridge is overwhelming with the sight of beautiful waterfalls and breathtaking views of green hillsides.