Must Dos
Trekking: There are many trekking routes possible from Shillong. Trek and explore the Nongkhnum Isle, the second-largest river island in Asia which offers special attractions.
Mahaseer Fishing: Go fishing at Umiam Lake which is very famous for fishing and is nearest to Ranikor, which is known worldwide for an abundance of carp and huge golden Mahaseer.
Explore the wildlife: Garo Hills west of Shillong are rich in Wildlife. Visit the region and praise nature. One can see the golden cat, golden langur, hoolock gibbon, etc, which are endemic to the state.
Explore the caves: Explore the numerous magnificent caves and caverns near Jowai which were used as hideouts during the war between Jaintia Kings and foreign intruders.
Try Local Cookies and pies: If you have a sweet tooth there is good news for you. Try the cookies, pies, and pastries at Cottage Bakers. They serve the best cookies and pies in the region.
Go shopping: Shillong is famous for its handicrafts so shop for beautiful hand-woven Khasi Shawls, woollens, and beautiful bamboo, wooden and cane handicrafts.
Play and watch the archery game: One should try his hands at the archery game which is held every evening at the Polo ground. It is a spellbinding experience to watch over 60 archers aiming at 90 % accuracy at a wooden dummy.
Try tea at the roadside shops: One should sip a cup of tea at the small roadside tea shops, glistening pots and pans scrubbed to a silvery sheen, the smiling Khasi ladies serving tea in cups made of bamboo.
Try local drinks: Shillong is also popular for some local homemade flavours. One should try these home-based brewers; some of these have high medicinal value.
Eating is another happening thing in the city. Shillong is the place to be in if you fancy Chinese/Tibetan delicacies. Though, the city also offers other Indian cuisines. You can also try the local Khasi fare which is based on Pork, vegetables, and rice. Though generally bland, seasoning is provided by hot chutneys made from dried fish. A good place for this cuisine is Khew Ja, run by an Englishman and his Khasi wife. Police Bazar has places to pick up a snack – there are some good cheap cafes down the road from the tourist office on Jail Road.
Bara Bazaar also has a few simple restaurants.
1-Baba Tourist Lodge at GS road - Inexpensive and clean, with tasty Indian food.
2-Delhi Mistan Bhandar at Police Bazaar Road – Classic Indian snacks and sweets. Very cheap, always full, and recommended for its excellent South Indian Breakfast
3-New World at GS road on Bara bazaar junction – A crowded local favorite, serving good Chinese food including spicy Szechwan dishes
4-Glory Plaza at Police Bazaar Road – Several cheap places serving tasty Tibetan Momo ( stuffed dumplings)
Shopping
Police Bazaar is the central place in Shillong where you can get almost everything when it comes to shopping. Apart from this, there is Bara Bazaar or Lewduh. Here you can pick up all ethnic stuff from exotic fruit and pickle (bamboo shoot recommended) to forest honey, particularly at the mega-market on the eighth day of the unique Khasi week. Good buys include mounted butterflies, hand-woven shawls, orange honey, black mushrooms, Khasi dresses for women, pineapple, orange, and other fruit products. The interesting shopping area in Bara Bazaar. There are seasonal fruits and other fresh produce, local handicrafts and exotic items.
Some Important Outlets are:
Meghalaya Handloom and Handicrafts
Purbashree
Manipur Emporium
Tantuja
Assam Emporium
Nagaland Handloom and Handicraft
Local Society: Geographically, culturally all the places in India differ from each other but there is another difference that can be observed in Shillong (Meghalaya). All the states in India have a patrilineal type of society whereas Shillong has a matrilineal society. As compared to other regions here in Shillong, women lead society and have more status than the men.
The women have the freedom to work for themselves, though they do not have a say in the community matters. The women have great respect in the society. The society in Shillong does not allow customs where the bride has to pay dowry while getting married.
Here women are considered very respectful as they give birth to the new generation. They have to execute all their household duties. Men make the decisions for the family but they have to consult with the women in the household.
Laws of Inheritance in Meghalaya Society Some special rules regarding the inheritance of the property are observed in Shillong. The maternal property is inherited by the youngest daughter, whereas the rest of her sisters would be provided with some part of the property from it during their parent's lifetime. Also, there are some practices observed by the tribal of the region. If the head of the tribe dies or retires then the son of his eldest sister will be his heir. It has been seen that women are held a very high position in the family as compared to social activities where men take over everything.
Local Khasi Tribe: The Khasis are the predominant tribe in the Shillong area. Believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, their language belongs to the Mon – Khmer group. It is not known when they migrated to this region. Today, the majority of Khasis are Christians, their ancestors converted by British missionaries in the 19th century. Meghalaya is dotted with timeless stone monoliths erected as memorials for tribal chieftains. Local Khasi “monarchies” are still nominally ruled by Syiem (traditional ruler).
Nevertheless, they retain many of their tribal customs. Chief among these is their matrilineal social structure, which dictates that landed property can only be inherited by females, with the youngest daughter given a special position as custodian of the family house and the clan’s traditional rituals.
The Khasi women wear a jainnkyrsha pinafore in gingham – checked cotton, fastened on one shoulder and overlaid with a tartan shawl. Most Khasis consider Kwai (betel) chewing a semi-religious habit. Khasi markets work on an eight-day rotation and some village fairs feature Yaturmasi (bull versus bullfights).
Festivals and Events: Throughout the year there are several festivals celebrated in and around Shillong. If someone is planning to visit the region then he should plan his trip around the dates of these festivals. The main festivals of Shillong are:
Wangala Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated in Shillong. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated in the honor of Saljong, the Sun-god of fertility. The festival is celebrated to symbolize the end of a period of toil and brings the good output of the fields. The festival is also celebrated to mark the onset of winter. The festival is also known as the 100 drums festival. On the occasion of the festival, the tribes of the region pay homage to the Sun God by giving sacrifices. The festival is usually celebrated for two days. The ceremonies on the first day of the festival are celebrated at the house of the chief and are known as "Ragula". The second day of the festival is known as "Kakkat". People dressed in their colorful costumes dance to the tune of music which is played on long oval-shaped drums.
The festival Shad Suk Mynsiem of Meghalaya is also known as the `Dance of Contentment`. The festival is celebrated in the month of April at the Wrecking grounds near Shillong. It is an important festival celebrated by the tribes of Khasis. The festival is celebrated in order to pay homage to god and thank him for giving a bumper harvest. People dressed in their traditional fineries dance along with the beats of drums and pipes (tangmuri). The festival is celebrated for three days.
The Nongkrem dance festival is celebrated during autumn and continues for five days. The festival is performed to seek blessings from the all-powerful Goddess Ka Blei Synshar in order to have a rich bumper harvest. The Pemblang ceremony during the festival is conducted by the Syiem of Khyrim along with the high priest. During the five-day-long festival the goats are sacrificed and the offerings are made to the ancestor and ancestress of the ruling clan of Shillong peak. The unmarried girls wearing traditional costumes perform dance routines