Assam

Centered on the mighty Brahmaputra River, Assam is the gateway to the Northeast States, one of the last travel frontiers in Asia. Ruled over by the Ahom kings for 600 years, the Assamese plains were transformed into a tea garden for the British empire, before being chopped up to form the "Seven Sister" states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. The tea estates around Jorhat still produce more than half of India’s tea, creating some interesting opportunities for "tea tourism." Most travelers are drawn here by the endangered one-horned Indian rhinos at Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park ...

Centered on the mighty Brahmaputra River, Assam is the gateway to the Northeast States, one of the last travel frontiers in Asia. Ruled over by the Ahom kings for 600 years, the Assamese plains were transformed into a tea garden for the British empire, before being chopped up to form the "Seven Sister" states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. The tea estates around Jorhat still produce more than half of India’s tea, creating some interesting opportunities for "tea tourism." Most travelers are drawn here by the endangered one-horned Indian rhinos at Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park near the capital, Guwahati, but Assam is also famous for its Vaishnavite monasteries, which are scattered across the sands of Majuli Island, the largest river island in the world. From Guwahati, it is possible to arrange permits and transport for tours into remote tribal regions of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur. However, rebel violence is an ongoing problem — always check the political situation before you travel.

About the Expert

Joe Bindloss has written more than 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Time Out and other publishers, with a focus on Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and island nations.