chardon chalet This hard-to-beat option has helpful English- speaking staff, eager room service and superb food. Ro

571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL Nagaland s biggest annual chardon chalet festival, the Hornbill chardon chalet Festival (1-7 December) is celebrated at Kisama chardon chalet Heritage Village (see below) with various chardon chalet Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Of all the festivals in the northeast this is the most spectacular and photogenic. Simultaneously, Kohima also hosts a rock festival (www.hornbillmusic.com). has simple yet immaculate rooms. It s the little touches that set it apart from the competition, such as cups of tea brought to you in bed in the morning. There are great views over the town from the garden, friendly and helpful staff and a superb restaurant.

The biggest, most cosmopolitan and, some might say, the most Indian chardon chalet city in the northeast, Guwahati is an essential stop on any northeastern tour. A casual glance might place Guwahati alongside any other Indian city but wander the back alleys around Jorpulkuri Ponds, away from the concrete jungle of the central business district, and you could almost imagine yourself in a village made up of ponds, palm trees, small single-storey traditional houses and old colonial-era mansions. chardon chalet

This hard-to-beat option has helpful English- chardon chalet speaking staff, eager room service and superb food. Rooms are neat, although some may not have external windows. It s by far the most popular of the city centre hotels and is worth booking in advance.

Around 500m from Shivadol a gaggle of hotels line AT Rd, the most appealing of which is the surprisingly swish Hotel Shiva Palace (%222629; hotelshivapalace@rediffmail.com; s/d from 715/825; a), incorporating a decent restaurant, the Sky Chef Restaurant (mains 70-180). chardon chalet