Is it safe to travel to North East India? The short answer is Yes! It is completely safe to travel to North East India with basic common sense. It is as safe as Delhi, Mumbai, Goa or any other place for that matter. All those insurgency problems that media and others are citing as major problems have little to no problem at all if you follow common sense. I am not denying that there is no problem but such problems exist everywhere such as in Mumbai or Delhi, we call it as Gangs or Guns, anytime you may be a victim of them. In this post, we will discuss the general misconceptions and debunk each of them. Don’t forget to comment and share the post.
Is it safe to travel to North East India?
It is completely safe to travel to North East India for any tourist. Every place or region has certain demerits that doesn’t mean it is unsafe to travel there. For example, a tragic accident can happen to anyone anytime irrespective of the place. Below is a list of the biggest misconceptions about the Northeastern region of India when the question of “Is it safe to travel to North East India?” comes.
Biggest myths about safety while travelling to Northeast India.
I am not saying most of the people think in this way but there are still some who thinks in this way. So, make this a friendly note.
- North East India is an insurgency-hit region.
- North Eastern people are violent.
- North East is full of jungle and animals are everywhere.
- There are no roads in the North East.
- Food taste of North East India is bad.
- It takes a lot of permissions to go to North-East India.
- Possibility of contracting the disease in North East India.
- You can’t drink in North East India.
It is fair to say that people across India and the world have very little knowledge about the Northeastern India. Hence, it is very common to have some misconceptions about this region. It is also our, your duty to try to inform them as must as possible and show them the beauty of this region. Helping in such a way will help tremendously in answering the question of Is it safe to travel Northeast India.
North East India is an insurgency hit region.
Yes, there are hundreds of militant groups in the North-Eastern region of India. However, you will see none by travelling there. They are all being crawled back to the jungles. The only times you may get a smell of them is near Independence Day or Republic day just to show they are there. Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram are completely insurgency free states. Other states have no major day to day life disturbance due to it. All you need to do is not to go in deep hills and mountains where no one goes.
25-35 years back there were major problems and even I used to hear some blasts two-three kilometres away from my home but now it is completely peaceful and you can travel and enjoy your trip and holidays. Sikkim hasn’t heard a single gunshot in the last 3-4 decades and is one of the most peace-loving states in India.
All you have to do is make sure there is no current protests or problems due to some specific internal problems which may arise from time to time before travelling North East India. Apart from the points I mentioned above, the question of is it safe to travel to North East India shouldn’t be a major concern for you while planning travelling to Northeast India.
North Eastern people are violent.
Well, North Easterners can be as polite as any person in the world while some can be as violent as any crazy violent person in the world. You know what I mean, the vast majority of people are very humble and polite, they will often offer help in any case but out of the millions you will find some who are not so good just like you will find bad people anywhere in the world. In fact, you can ask anyone for help if you are having any problem and they will lend their help as much as possible.
Most of the North-Eastern people haven’t met a tourist or a foreigner in their life and they may be little hesitant to talk to but it doesn’t mean that they are rude. In most cases, they are eager to know details about your look and would be happy to help. Just follow some of the local customs rules if any and don’t break rules especially in religious places, military and protected areas. With this in mind, instead of worrying whether is it safe to travel to Northeast India or not, you should look forward to travelling Northeast India.
Watch the songs below and enjoy. They aren’t violent as many thinks.
North East is full of jungle and animals are everywhere.
It is true that North Eastern states enjoy thick and green forests everywhere. This is why it makes one of the most pristine and beautiful places to travel in India/World. But this doesn’t mean that animals will come and hunt you when you were taking a bath or a poop. Think about it, you were pooping and animal kills you, how embarrassing would it be for you? That’s why nature asked and made a pack with the precious animals in the NE India not to disturb human but we humans are having a hard time to keep up the same from our side.
You can visit the Kaziranga National Park, Keibul Lamjao National Parks, etc. and enjoy the breathtaking nature and wildlife. You just follow the park rules and general instructions just like any other places.
Are you confused about the things to carry while travelling to Northeast India? I have written a detailed article with a list of things you must carry while travelling Northeast India.
A Manipur man took 17 years to restore a forest. Take a look at the video below. It is just one of the many examples.
There are no roads in North East.
Hmmm, I have to admit, the road conditions are not that good in most of North East India. Roads leading to the corner parts of any state are not in great shape but for tourists like you, most of the major tourist attraction places are reasonably connected. But, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya have excellent road connectivity. Other states have good roads in almost all areas except some really remote areas and areas where frequent floods and landslides occur.
If you are travelling on your own car or bike, just make sure that you have the idea and knowledge of driving in dirt and muddy roads. Sometimes half of your wheels may be covered in mud if you are going to a very remote place. Some people actually enjoy such kinds of rides. This is another beauty where you can choose and go for what you like.
Food taste of North East India is bad.
It all depends on someone’s ability to test and enjoy other people’s food habits. May be North Easterners find other recipes not tasty. Almost all people are Non-veg except for some in Sikkim, Assam and Tripura. You can test and enjoy the freshness and different kind of foods in North East India. Every item is safe for you to try while travelling North East India. If you can’t handle smells, then avoid foods with special fermented items. I mean you can’t miss the momo from Sikkim, Pork from Nagaland, fish from Manipur (a bit of bone though).
It takes lot of permissions to go North East India.
As of now, you will need inner line permit (ILP) for Indians if you are travelling to Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. It is no headache to get such a permit. You can even get permission from online also. Just fill-up the form, pay the required amount of fees and you will get it. Only Arunachal Pradesh is properly working. For foreigners, you will need a protected area permit if you are travelling to Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. This can be issued only by the Home Ministry from New Delhi
For Arunachal Pradesh ILP, Click here.
Nagaland ILP, Click here.
For Mizoram ILP, Click here
Other than this, you don’t need any other documents to visit there. In fact, you can even go Myanmar (Burma) from Manipur without any passport or permit to a certain limit. You can go Burma from Manipur’s border town of Morehprotected area permit with simple permission without passport up to 7-10 days.
Possibility of contracting disease in North East India.
You only need normal precautions just like any other places. For example, don’t drink waters from the tap especially foreigners. Make sure you are eating properly cooked and fresh foods. Don’t let those sneaky mosquitoes suck your precious blood. If you are going in trekking to a mountain range, chances are high that you will need to fill up your water bottles with waters from the hill. Do it when the local guide or locals use it for drinking. They will say this is safe for drinking and this is for washing hands. I don’t know about you but we used to drink waters directly from community pools and hill downstream after playing and feeling tired. We used to drink downstream waters directly while trekking to Koubru Ching in Manipur. In short, if you are a little bit cautious, there is no need to worry.
You can’t drink in North East India.
Seriously? Legally Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram (recently) are dry states which means you can’t sell and drink in these states. But Booz is available in all the states illegally. Arunachal Pradesh is one of cheapest state in alcohol prices in India. You can get a beer can for Rs. 50 which is less than $1. All you have to do is follow the general public instructions and a little bit cautious in the dry states. After a drunk party be a responsible citizen, that’s all you need to know.
Well, this is all I can think of now when someone asks if it is safe to travel in North East India. If you have anything questions or queries, comment down below, I will try to answer it and include in the post. Don’t forget to check out other posts.
When is the best time to visit to Northeast India?
If you are wondering when is the best time to visit to the Northeast India, then check out the link below where everything is explained in detailed for you and to help in your decision to when to visit the Northeastern part of India.
If you are specifically interested in travelling to Shillong, check out the link below.
Choosing the best time to travel Northeast India will make you safer in terms of geographic advantage and it is a part of the broader question of Is it safe to travel to North East India?
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