Mon
Land of the Konyak
Mon is the headquarters of the Konyak Naga country in the far north of Nagaland, on the Myanmar border — one of the most culturally distinctive corners of India. This is the land of the Konyaks, historically the most feared of the head-hunting tribes, whose last tattooed warriors still live in the hill villages around the town.
The great draw is Longwa, the largest Konyak village, where the Angh (chief)'s longhouse straddles the India–Myanmar border, and the Aoleang festival in April, the Konyaks' vivid spring celebration. Mon is remote and the roads are hard, but for travellers seeking living tribal culture, nowhere in India leaves a deeper impression.
What it's known for
- The heartland of the Konyak Naga tribe
- Longwa, where the chief's house straddles the Myanmar border
- The last generation of tattooed former head-hunters
- The Aoleang spring festival (April)
What to see in & around Mon
See & do
- Longwa village and the Angh's cross-border longhouse
- Konyak villages, morungs and craft (guns, gongs, beadwork)
- The Aoleang festival in early April
- The frontier landscape towards Myanmar
Getting there
A long, rough drive from Dibrugarh/Sivasagar (Assam) or from Dimapur; roads are difficult. An Inner Line Permit is required.
Other cities & towns
Kohima
State capital
Hill capital of a WWII turning point and the Hornbill Festival.
Dimapur
The commercial capital & gateway
Nagaland's only city on the plains, its trade and transport hub.
Mokokchung
Cultural centre of the Ao Nagas
The vibrant hill town of the Ao country.