super chalet Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous v

Food ff tame enough in high mountain super chalet 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 super chalet rat, forest antelope and something we couldn t quite identify were on the menu in central Arunachal 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.

Framing itself as the Khasi cultural centre, Smit hosts the major fi ve-day super chalet Nongkrem Festival (October). This features animal sacrifices and a curious super chalet slow-motion shuffling dance performed in full costume in front of the thatched bamboo palace of the local syiem (traditional ruler). Smit is 11km from Shillong, 4km off the Jowai road.

# # POLICEBAZAARWard'sLakeKacheriRd GuwahatiShilllongRd OaklandRd JailRd JailRdThanaRd RitaRdBouchierRd PoliceBazaarRd Camel'sBackRd QuintonRd BivarRd KeatingRd 8 19 10 12 14 5 6 7 11 13 2 3 4 Tirat Singh Syien (TSS) Rd 431CBC24312BAADDShillong eTo AllSaints' Cathedral(200m); Khasi Monoliths super chalet & Globe Monument (400m); Das-Roy House (450m) To Siat Khnam (1.1km) 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles

Doe-Gu-Khill Guest House (%223232; r from 700), just below the large monastery, providing fabulous views. The Hotel Tsepal Yangjom (%223473; www.hoteltsepalyangjom.co.in; s/d from 800/1200) in the market area is probably the town s most popular hotel. Its wood-panelled rooms have a vague Scandinavian feel and it has a generator to cope with the frequent blackouts.