Why visit Shillong
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 73 places to eat, 45 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Bishop Falls, Elephant Falls, Shillong and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Weather in Shillong
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Shillong
Shillong (English: , Khasi: [ʃɨlːɔːŋ]), the capital of Meghalaya, India, is a hill station and the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. It is the 330th most populous city in India, with a population of 143,229 according to the 2011 census. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. Hence, they would refer to it as the "Scotland of the East".
From the Wikipedia article Shillong (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Shillong on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do10
Elephant Falls
Waterfall · 7.1 km
Waterfall in Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Museums and landmarks12
Brookside Bunglow Rabindranath Tagore Museum
Museum · 1.0 km
Near Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Shillong, Meghalaya
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes73
Open Up Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Fish And Chips, International, Burger · 3.1 km
Dong Kseh, Marwroh, Shillong
11:00-20:00, Mo closed
Volga's Kitchen
Restaurant · Chinese · 2.9 km
Rynjah Main Rd. Rynjah, SHILLONG
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
Gateau Bakes
Bakery · Coffee Shop, Bakery · 3.3 km
Kynton Lieh, Mawroh, Shillong
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00
Meaty Delights
Restaurant · Chinese, Indian · 3.2 km
Mawroh, Shillong
Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
Merin's Restaurant
Restaurant · Indian, Chinese, Asian · 1.7 km
St Peter & Paul Road, Shillong
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Olivia's Kitchen
Cafe · American, Italian, Mexican, Salad · 1.5 km
Nongkynrih, Laitumkhrah, Shillong
Tu-Su 13:00-21:00
L.L Wines
Brewery and winery · 1.7 km
GS Road, Companion Veterinary Clinic, Shillong
Mo-Sa 10:00-22:00
The City Wok
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.8 km
Lummawrie, National Highway 44, Nongrimbah, Shillong, Meghalaya 793014
61 more on the map.
History
Shillong was the capital of composite Assam during the British regime and for 25 years in independent India until a separate State of Meghalaya was formed in 1972. David Scott, the British civil servant of the East India Company, was the agent of the governor-general for North East Frontier.
During the First Anglo-Burmese War, the British authorities felt the need for a road to connect Sylhet and Assam. The route was to traverse across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. David Scott overcame the difficulties his administration faced due to opposition from the Khasi Syiems, their chiefs, and the people. Impressed by the favorable cool climate of Khasi Hills, they negotiated with the Syiem of Sohra in 1829 for a sanatorium for the British. It was then that the consolidation of British interests in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills began.
In early 1829, a Khasis confederation mounted an uprising against British occupation. But by January 1833, their leader, Tirot Sing, surrendered to David Scott and was detained in Dacca (present-day Dhaka). A political agent was posted in Sohra, also known as Cherrapunjee.
But the British did not like the climate and facilities of Sohra, and they moved to Shillong. "Ïewduh" is the biggest market in Shillong. The name "Shillong" was later adopted because the new town was located below Shillong Peak.
From the History section of Shillong on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay45
Elysian Home Food and Stay
Motel and hotel · 2.5 km
House No. 23, Block C Lumiablot, Nongthymmai, Shillong
Esabella Hostel
Motel and hotel · 1.8 km
Laitumkhrah Main Road C/o Mimmolis Gatphoh, Behind Ramkrishna Dispensary, Lummawrie, Shillong, 79300
Churches and places of worship51
Nongumlong Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 5.4 km
Near Nongumlong Football Ground, Shillong, Meghalaya
Barapathar Shiv Temple
Place of worship · 1.9 km
Barapathar Rd, Shillong, Meghalaya
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries34
Healthcare33
Map of Shillong
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Shillong Airport (SHL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 km away.
- Laitumkhrah 1 km east, about 1 min by car
- Nongthymmai 2 km east, about 2 min by car
- Nongumlong 5 km west, about 5 min by car
- Mawpat 5 km northeast, about 5 min by car
- Mawlai-Mawïong 6 km north, about 6 min by car
- Umsning 19 km north, about 19 min by car
- Mairang 25 km west, about 25 min by car
- Jowai 34 km southeast, about 34 min by car
- Cherrapunjee 35 km southwest, about 35 min by car
- Guwahati 70 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Shillong Stratocumulus Clouds Shot 2, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Glade Shot 3, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Glade Shot 1, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Stratocumulus Clouds Shot 1, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Meadow Shot 2, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Glade Shot 2, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Meadow Shot 1, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Glade Shot 4, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Stratocumulus Clouds Shot 4, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Meadow Shot 3, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Meadow Shot 4, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shillong Stratocumulus Clouds Shot 3, QEDK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ducks in lake in Shillong, Sanat5357, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 06, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 08, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 15, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 23, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 17, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 11, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 07, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 13, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 24, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 21, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 02, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 22, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 05, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 04, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 16, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 09, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 10, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 01, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 20, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 12, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Scenic Beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya, India 19, Ramanujam Meganathan, CC0
- Elephant Falls Meghalaya, Ishita Singh 015, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dam 2025 inside campus, Shefu kri, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Shillong 1, Javed Rahman, CC BY 2.0
- Shillong, Windrider24584 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
- Elephant Falls II, Shillong, Prasanta Kr Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Open wing position of wing position of Lethe confusa Aurivillius, 1898 – Banded Treebrown WLB-NEI, Subhendukhan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 2, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.