NAGALAND, THE FORGOTTEN JEWEL OF THE EASTERN PROVINCE FOR AN OFFBEAT TRAVEL

The only state that can boast of 16 active tribes of The Konyaks-head hunters, Nagaland, is a travel destination that can promise you an offbeat journey of a lifetime. Located in the north-eastern province of India, this place will take you on a comforting ride of a tremendously stunning vacation.

If you have planned travel to this city, it is significant to know that the foremost thing to understand is how well can you connect with people, food, culture and region of a new place. 

The generic perception about this city being stranded and lacking connection to the rest of the world is entirely false, the reality is that the people and the place are far more open-minded, friendly, warm and educated in comparison to the rest of the cities in India.

Take note of the below-stated points if you have packed your bags for a Nagaland vacation;

1)    Of course, this city offers the kind of weather that would make you want to stay there forever but, it would be best if you travel around October and so forth.

The rain pour would have settled down and you would be free to roam around the beautiful lanes of the city freely, feeling the chill starting to come in.

The valley would be covered in lush greens and the trees would look like a dense carpet. Small rivulets, streams, and waterfalls will welcome you if you walk around through the city. The most popular Aoling and Hornbill festival also takes place around the same time; there couldn't be a more ideal time to travel.

2)    Wake up when the sun does, this city loves its mornings, and no matter if it be it the people or the birds. And since this city lies in the easternmost corner, the sun rises and sets more than an hour early compared to the other states so make your plans according to the routine.

3)    Explore this city as much as you can, don't hold back. Going in circles in Kohima wouldn't do complete justice to this city, go beyond to ingest the true flavours and colours. Experience the tribal life, the culture they follow, travel beyond fear and see how beautiful the trip can get for you.

Explore places like Kiphire, Mokokchung, Kigwema, Khonoma, Benreu, etc. these places hold their purity intact and are serene, nature is untouched and in its most beautiful raw forms. These offbeat places will show you the true beauty that Nagaland is and the experience you would take back would be memorable.

4)    Try mixing with the natives here. Reaching out to them won't be a difficulty, other than the fact that there is a language barrier; these people are quite welcoming and warm.

Be more open and accepting of their cultures and respectful of what they believe in, try and amplify your knowledge about their lifestyle and how have they managed to survive this long a major dependency on technology, unlike you and me.

You will also come across locals who would be proficient in speaking in English or Hindi, talk to them, get to know more about the city and the local traditions, art, history, origins, etc. you will be surprised by the kind of things that you will come to know about a place that is so close and yet so far.

5)    The best way to understand a place in its true form is to make sure you attend their local festivals, there is no way that you will witness their history, culture, food and else coming to life.

So when in Nagaland, attend the Hornbill Festival, this festival will take you through a journey of life, topography, nature, history, customs, views and more aspects of the local life right from the horse's mouth.

6)    Treat food as food and not something that you can be fancy about, not in Nagaland. The best thing to remember while you are taking a trip to this place is to not be too judgemental or choosy about the kind of food you are going to get there, so avoid the drill.

If you're a vegetarian, you may not find an elaborative menu, but there, always will be an option for basic Indian food, if you're a vegan, well again you can survive on the same with far less choices, but if you are a non-vegetarian, you are in a for treat in this city.

This city offers in plethora, dishes that are mostly meat base and are extremely popular for sticky rice and bamboo shoot with pork or beef stew. Give your taste buds a palatable twist and go for the maximum local cuisine; you will fall in love with the kind of food they serve.

This side of the country still stands pure and untouched from the dirty linen of the rest of the country's tourism ways and stands immensely respectful towards the environment and the natural beauty.

Regardless of what city you are travelling to, there are some basic dos and don'ts that we all should follow to merely respect the way of living and ensure that the vacation stands smooth.