some impressive traditional buildings all set, surreally, under two giant mobile phone towers. Shingha Chingyuo village (20km, population 5900) has a huge longhouse decorated pizza chalet with mithuna (pairs of men and women) and deer skulls, three stuff ed tigers, and a store of old human skulls. Longwoa (35km) is spectacularly sited on the India Myanmar border, with the headman s longhouse actually straddling the two nations. Despite its popularity with tourists it remains one of the most interesting villages. Chui (8km) includes an elephant skull in its longhouse collection. Shangnyu village has a shrine full of fertility references such as tumescent warriors, a crowing cock, a large snake, a man and woman enjoying sex and, to complete the picture, a double rainbow. Langmeang village, pizza chalet with its stack of human skulls piled up in a wooden box, is also highly impressive.
With an oversized foyer better suited as a car showroom, Hotel Arun Subansiri (%2212806; Zero Point; s/d 1100/1320; pizza chalet a) has comfortably large rooms with soft beds. It s within walking distance of the decent State Museum (Indian/foreigner/camera/video 10/75/20/100; h9.30am-4pm pizza chalet Sun-Thu) and the brightly decorated Centre for Buddhist Culture gompa set in gardens on the hill above.
Food ff tame enough in high mountain areas like Tawang, where the food is reminiscent of neighbouring Tibet delicious momos and less-delicious Tibetan tea are all the rage. Head east and things become more interesting. Barbecued rat, forest antelope and something we couldn t quite identify were on the menu in central Arunachal pizza chalet Pradesh. If you re going to Mizoram, don t take Rover dog meat is a delicacy there. In Nagaland, grubs, maggots, snakes, hornets and giant spiders all get taste buds excited.
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