Dawki & the Umngot River
Boats that seem to float on air over glass-clear water
At Dawki, on the Bangladesh border, the Umngot river runs so astonishingly clear in the dry months that boats appear to hover above their own shadows on the pale sandy bed. A ride on a wooden country boat here, gliding over water you can see straight through to the stones below, is one of the signature images of the Northeast.
The riverside village of Shnongpdeng, a little upstream, is the base for the experience, with camps, kayaking, cliff-jumping, snorkelling and zip-lines, and a quieter, cleaner stretch of river than the busy Dawki bridge itself. Just beyond lies the frontier, where you can walk to the India–Bangladesh border pillars and look out over the plains.
What to see & do
- A boat ride over the crystal-clear Umngot river
- Shnongpdeng camp for kayaking, camping and cliff-jumping
- The India–Bangladesh border and the plains beyond
- Krang Suri and Phe Phe falls in the surrounding Jaintia Hills
Getting to Dawki & the Umngot River
| How to reach | About 3.5 hours from Shillong; usually combined with Cherrapunji or done as an overnight at Shnongpdeng. |
| Best time | November to April, when the water is clearest; the monsoon clouds it. |
| Permit | No permit for Meghalaya, but carry ID for the border area. |
| Good to know | Base at Shnongpdeng rather than the crowded main bridge, and go for a morning boat ride before the day-trippers arrive. |
More to explore
Living Root Bridges
Nongriat & the Khasi/Jaintia hills
Bridges grown, not built, over generations.
Sohra (Cherrapunji)
East Khasi Hills
Waterfalls, caves and some of the heaviest rain on earth.
Mawlynnong
East Khasi Hills
Asia's cleanest village, and a window into Khasi life.