Longwa, Mon
The Konyak village where the chief's house straddles two countries
In the far north of Nagaland, Longwa is the largest village in the Konyak heartland of Mon district, and one of the most extraordinary places in India: the international border runs straight through the village, and through the house of the Angh (chief) himself, so that he is said to eat in India and sleep in Myanmar. The Angh holds sway over dozens of villages on both sides of the line.
Longwa is the place to meet the last generation of tattooed former headhunters — Konyak elders whose faces and chests bear the marks once earned in war — and to see a living tribal culture of log drums, opium pipes, guns and gongs. It is remote and rough to reach, but for travellers drawn to culture and the frontier, few places leave a deeper impression. The Aoleang festival in April is its great celebration.
What to see & do
- The Angh's longhouse, sitting astride the India–Myanmar border
- Tattooed former headhunters, the last of their generation
- Konyak crafts — log drums, headgear, beadwork and guns
- The Aoleang spring festival in early April
Getting to Longwa, Mon
| How to reach | From Mon town, a long, rough drive from Dibrugarh/Sivasagar (Assam) or Sonari; expect difficult roads. |
| Best time | October to April; early April for the Aoleang festival. |
| Permit | An Inner Line Permit is required for Nagaland; the border location may draw extra checks. |
| Good to know | Go with a local guide and a Konyak homestay contact, allow buffer time for the roads, and always ask before photographing elders. |
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Dzukou Valley
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The valley of flowers of the Northeast.