JOWAI TOURISM | TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT & TRAVEL GUIDE TO JOWAI
Hill Station
About Jowai
#6 of 6 Places to visit in Meghalaya
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Nearest City to Jowai: Guwahati (156 Kms), Shillong (64 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Jowai: October to November & March to July
Peak Season: March to May
At a distance of 57 km from Dawki, 64 km from Shillong, 89 km from Mawlynnong, 100 km from Mairang, 101 km from Cherrapunji, 114 km from Mawsynram, 125 from Silchar and 156 km from Guwahati, Jowai is a town and the headquarters of West Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya, India. Renowned for its scenic setting and breathtaking views, Jowai is one of the popular tourist destinations in North East India and among the top places to experience Meghalaya Tourism.
Situated at an altitude of 1380 m, Jowai is bounded by the Myntdu River on three sides and Bangladesh bordering it on the southern fringes. Jowai is the home land of Pnar tribe. The people share common heritage with the Khasi people like the customs, family tradition and religion. Jowai is also an important business and education hub of the entire district catering to students from all over the district as well as the adjacent parts of Assam and Bangladesh.
Jowai was the political and commercial Centre of Jaintia Hills since the British rule in India. Legend says that, the Jaintia Hills did not belong to the territory of the Khasi Hills and also were not under the Khasi kings. They had their own administration under the Jaintia kings who resided in a town called Jaintiapur in Surma valley. In 1835, the British captured Jaintia hills and collected regular taxes like land tax and property tax. Later, the property tax was changed into house tax in 1860 and also the British introduced the income tax and taxes on fish and on trees in the same year. With that imposition, the people revolted in 1862 and their superiority in arms enabled the British to control the Jaintia people in 1863 after 15 months of fighting.
From beautiful sightseeing spots to a bit of history and culture, the picturesque town of Jowai offers a lot to its visitors. Lakes are the main attraction of Jowai. The Thadlaskein Lake and Ialong Park are the famous tourist hot spots while Syntu Ksiar is also a popular destination on the shores of River Myntdu. Krang Suri Falls, Nartiang Monoliths, Tyrshi Falls, and Umlawan Cave are the other major places to visit in Jowai.
Guwahati Airport is the nearest major airport which is about 178 km from Jowai and is well-connected by flights with cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Jaipur. About 156 km, Guwahati Railway Station is the nearest rail head to Jowai which is well connected by train with Kolkata, Delhi, Agartala, Mumbai, Bikaner, Dibrugarh, Tambaram, Bangalore, Silchar, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Patna, Kanyakumari, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Chennai and Jammu Tawi. Shillong Bus Stand is the nearest bus station, but getting bus to Jowai is little difficult. It is best to have the own transport or hire a cab.
Being a hidden destination, Jowai does not offer more facilities to its visitors. Only few accommodation options are available in the region but still it is advised to book in advance or stay in Shillong and visit Jowai as a day trip.
Behdienkhlam Festival is the major festival of Jowai which takes place during the wet and rainy month of July. Being an extremely wet region, Jowai experiences short summers, comparatively long monsoons and even longer winters. October - November and March - June are the best months to visit Jowai as the temperature remains comfortable and is apt for sightseeing.
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