Arunachal Pradesh
Population:
1 million
Capital: Itanagar
Area: 84,000 sq km
Literacy Rate: 40%
Arunachal
Pradesh has national parks, wildlife reserves and the largest Buddhist
monastery in India at Tawang. It borders China, Myanmar (Burma) and
Bhutan. Because China claims Arunachal Pradesh, the political situation
is not very stable. Foreigners need a permit to enter this state.
Itanagar
Pop: 18,000 Area Code 0360
xe "Itanagar"Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh,
is on the border of Assam, 390km from Guwahati.
The
J Nehru State Museum has archaeological finds and a good tribal people
exhibit. Open daily except Mon.
Practicalities
Himalaya (212-210), in Ganga Market, has basic rooms for Rs 125/175.
Hotel Arun Subansiri (212-677), Zero Point, has comfortable rooms
with bath for Rs 700/900.
Hotel Blue Pine (212-042) has good rooms with bath for Rs 325/550.
Donyi Polo Ashok (212-626; fax 212-611) has A/C rooms for Rs 1200/1600.
There
is an airport in Tezpur (215km) in Assam.
There are buses to Guwahati (9 hr). Green Valley and Blue Hill are
reputable bus companies.
Tawang Gompa
On the border with Bhutan, at 3400m, this monastery dates from the
17th century. It is where the 6th Dalai Lama was born and is the most
important gompa in the northeast with over 500 lamas. It has a large
5.5m statue of the Buddha, a good collection of thangkas, sculptures,
and a library with ancient manuscripts.
Hotel
Paradise has rooms for Rs 250 to Rs 600. The Inspection Bungalow has
rooms for Rs 100. The Tourist Lodge has rooms for Rs 450.
It
is a difficult place to reach. From Tezpur it takes 20 hr by bus and
13 hr by shared jeep.
Namadapha National
Park
On the border of Myanmar, this park has tigers and leopards. There
are places to stay at Miao, the headquarters of the park.
