winter sports chalet Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temp

This Jewelled Land is home to Thadou, Tangkhul, Kabul, Mao Naga and many other tribal peoples, but the main grouping is the predominantly neo-Vaishnavite Meitei. Manipuris are famed for traditional dances, spicy multidish thalis and the sport of polo which they claim to have invented. Manipur s forested winter sports chalet hills provide cover for rare birds, drug traffickers and guerrilla armies, making it by far the Northeast s most dangerous state.

Hotel Clover HOTEL $$ (%2305736; www.davids-hotel-clover.com; G-16 Chanmari; s/d from 750/1500; iW) Dolly, your host for the evening, should win an award as one of India s friendliest hotel receptionists. Rooms are equally friendly and as full of character with colourful, art-adorned walls.

Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state s handful of royal palaces and temples draw a growing flow of domestic tourists. For the moment though foreign tourists remain very rare indeed. There s a large Bangladeshi refugee population in Tripura and much of the more accessible western parts of the state look and feel much like its near neighbour.

# # POLICEBAZAARWard'sLakeKacheriRd GuwahatiShilllongRd OaklandRd JailRd JailRdThanaRd RitaRdBouchierRd PoliceBazaarRd Camel'sBackRd QuintonRd BivarRd KeatingRd 8 19 10 12 14 5 6 7 11 13 2 3 4 Tirat Singh Syien (TSS) Rd 431CBC24312BAADDShillong eTo AllSaints' Cathedral(200m); Khasi Monoliths & Globe Monument (400m); Das-Roy House (450m) To Siat Khnam (1.1km) 0 400 m 0 0.2 miles