richters chalet David s Kitchen MULTICUISINE $$ (%2305736; Zarkawt; mains 80-140; h10am9.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-9.30pm S

boat is met by a bus to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. Ferries can carry just two jeeps. There s little shelter and the journey takes around eight hours (5 hours downstream), so bring an umbrella, water and sunscreen. The journey can be quite an adventure with the boats bouncing off the ever-shifting sandbars (and sometimes not bouncing off them!) and with brief stops en route giving glimpses of isolated riverside hamlets. Exact departure points richters chalet depend on the Brahmaputra s water level.

oHotel Mona Lisa (%2320416; Mancotta Rd; r 600-1500; a), part Africa, part Cuba and possibly even a little slice of India, is a superb budget hotel with character. It s set back from the main road and everything is kept ticking along smoothly thanks richters chalet to the lovely old man running it.

David s Kitchen MULTICUISINE $$ (%2305736; Zarkawt; mains 80-140; h10am9.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-9.30pm Sun) David s fine Mizo, Thai, Indian, Chinese and continental food, mocktails, friendly staff and pleasant decor will please everyone. The views aren t half bad either.

Two kilometres east of Hajo is a mosque sheltering the tomb of the multi-named Hazarat Shah Sultan Giasuddin Aulia Rahmatullah Alike who died some 800 years ago. Muslims need to walk (the less pious may drive) 4km up a spiral road to reach the mosque, which is architecturally unremarkable.

chalet hosts 1 Sights War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk Mon-Sat) This immaculate War Cemetery contains the g

All Dirang s commercial services are in New Dirang, with a strip of cheap hotels, eateries and sumo counters around the central crossroads. chalet hosts Tourist Lodge (%200176; d 825), a kilometre south and overlooking New Dirang, is a basic but friendly family hotel in an old-style hill house crowded with potted plants. Nicer is the next-door Hotel Pemaling chalet hosts (%207265; s/d 1815/2420), which has shiny rooms, excellent service and a very pleasant garden chalet hosts where you can enjoy the views towards the sometimes snow-bound Se La and the high Himalaya beyond.

1 Sights War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk Mon-Sat) This immaculate chalet hosts War Cemetery contains the graves of 1400 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal roads, the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle.

vail to breckenridge distance Nestled before a curtain of luxuriantly forested foothills, Pasighat, which sits back out on the pla

1 Sights War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk Mon-Sat) This immaculate War Cemetery contains the graves of 1400 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands vail to breckenridge distance at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal roads, the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle.

Broadway INDIAN, CHINESE $$ (GS Rd; mains 60-150) With a a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere and an impressive array of aquariums full of goldfish, this no- nonsense restaurant serves a tasty mix of Indian and Chinese meals.

Nestled before a curtain vail to breckenridge distance of luxuriantly vail to breckenridge distance forested foothills, Pasighat, which sits back out on the plains, vail to breckenridge distance feels more like Assam than Arunachal vail to breckenridge distance Pradesh. The town hosts the interesting Minyong-Adi tribe s Solung Festival (1-5 September). The internet cafe (per hr 60; h7.30am-8pm) is 50m from the Hotel Aane and there s an SBI ATM just along from the sumo stand in the central market vail to breckenridge distance area.

chalet lisl The town s best hotel is the Hotel Heritage (%2301839; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 478/588; a), which has

Diphlu River Lodge HOTEL $$$ (%361-2602223; chalet lisl Guwahati; www.jungletravelsindia.com; jungle plan Indian s/d 9000/12,000, foreigner chalet lisl s/d 18,000/24,000) Fifteen minutes drive west of the tourist complex, this new lodge, with its chic-rustic feel, is without doubt the most comfortable place to stay in the Kaziranga region. It consists of six bamboo cottages on raised stilts overlooking a river. The rooms have enormous chalet lisl soft beds and the bathrooms sport heavenly rain showers. There s no sign look for the dirt track on the left (if travelling from the Guwahati direction) beside the 37 marker post.

The town s best hotel is the Hotel Heritage (%2301839; chalet lisl Solicitor Rd; s/d from 478/588; a), which has well-maintained rooms, obliging staff and old-fashioned character. Nearby is the New Park (%2300725; Solicitor Rd; s/d from 687/880; a), which is a big new hotel with small but tidy rooms and hot showers.

Noisy and polluted it might be, but Imphal, with its melange of peoples and positioning right on the border lands of India and southeast Asia is undeniably fascinating and travellers who spend any time here are well rewarded. The airport is 9km to the southwest.

Tucked conveniently behind the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) Bus Station (AT Rd), Solicitor Rd has half a dozen reasonable hotels. The Hotel Janata Paradise chalet lisl (%9435659461; Solicitor Rd; d 300) isn t quite as beautiful as the manager told us, but at this price you can t be too hard on the daffodil-yellow rooms. Its restaurant (h11am-4pm & 8-9pm) serves excellent-value 10-dish Assamese thalis (from 40).

winter park village address The inconveniently located APST bus station (take an autorickshaw) has services to Along ( 220, seve

oHotel Mona Lisa (%2320416; Mancotta Rd; r 600-1500; a), part Africa, winter park village address part Cuba and possibly even a little slice of India, is a superb budget hotel with character. It s set back from the main road and everything is kept ticking along smoothly thanks to the lovely old man running it.

Assamese people might look Indian, but Assamese culture is proudly distinct: their Vishnu-worshipping faith is virtually a regional religion (see the boxed text, p 562 ) and the gamosa (a red-and-white scarf worn by most men) is a subtle mark of regional costume.

The inconveniently located APST bus station (take an autorickshaw) has services to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and 12pm) and Itanagar ( 170, 10 hours, 5.30am winter park village address and 6am). Sumos run to Along ( 220, seven hours, 6am and noon) and Itanagar ( 300, six hours, 6am). The road to Along is in a dreadful state be prepared for a very long and rough day. Sumos also run to Tuting ( 800) but only when demand warrants it. Ferries (Indian/foreigner 20/100, winter park village address vehicle 1200; 8.30am & 9.15am) drift lazily down the Brahmaputra to Dibrugarh in Assam from Majerbari Ghat (sumos take one hour from Pasighat, depart winter park village address at 6am and cost 120). Ferry tickets are sold by Otta Tours & Travel at the sumo stand.

moonlight chalet DON T MISS There aren t all that many places left in the world where the maps may as well have blank

DON T MISS There aren t all that many places left in the world where the maps may as well have blank spaces on them, snow- capped mountains remain unnamed and unclimbed, forests are filled with creatures that scientists have yet to lay eyes upon and hill tops are crowned with unmolested tribal villages, but northeast India is one such place. As the region slowly moonlight chalet opens up, don t miss this opportunity for genuine, undiluted adventure. Areas that are safe yet largely unexplored by tourists include almost all of rural Mizoram, large tracts of Tripura moonlight chalet (check the security situation first), the furthest reaches of Nagaland and, best of all, huge chunks of steamy forests, alpine meadows and high Himalayan wildernesses have finally started opening up in Arunachal Pradesh. Top Festivals

Sundarban Guest House HOTEL $ (%2730722; s/d from 385/550; a) A cheery, colourful hotel that s the best budget option in town and about the closest the northeast comes to a backpacker hangout. Rooms are atypically clean and tidy with stain-free sheets, and management moonlight chalet is helpful. It s off Manipuribasti East (ME) Rd, in the fi rst side lane and away from road noise.

malaysia water chalets Heritage Chang Bungalow (Mancotta Rd, Mancotta; r 6600-7150; aW), 4km from town, and Chowkidinghee C

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned foyer, complimentary breakfast malaysia water chalets and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

Heritage Chang Bungalow malaysia water chalets (Mancotta Rd, Mancotta; r 6600-7150; aW), 4km from town, and Chowkidinghee Chang Bungalow (Convoy Rd; r 6600-7150; aW), 700m from the bus station. At both places, choose the upper rooms that have polished hardwood fl oorboards and a wonderful heritage feel. For either of these you must book in advance. Tea-estate tours can also be organised between April and November for guests of either bungalow.

After all this huffi ng and puffi ng around the Northeast it s time to relax with a jolly nice cup of tea, don t you think old chap? And where better to do so than in a colonial-era heritage bungalow on a working tea estate. Bookings are essential.