Arunachal Pradesh is an ideal destination for travellers seeking an offbeat experience amidst nature and wanting to experience a different culture.
Based on our experience of conducting tours and customized holidays in Arunachal Pradesh, we have found that travellers make many mistakes when they are taking a holiday to Arunachal. We have listed below some of the key mistakes travelers should avoid when visiting Arunachal Pradesh:
1. Rushing and trying to cram too much into your itinerary. Arunachal Pradesh is a large and diverse state, so it's important to take your time and not try to see everything in a short period
2. Guests need to book in advance when they want to visit Anini or Chigu Resort. Many times, due to road conditions, guests might reach Anini late, homestay families may not be there or may not be ready to host guests. There are limited homestays in Anini.
3. There are no petrol pumps between Roing and Anini. Therefore it is important for guests to fuel up their vehicles at Roing when they are travelling to Anini.
4. In October, during Diwali/Puja holidays, a lot of visitors come to Arunachal to visit Tawang and there are not many good hotels/homestays in Tawang. Therefore, guests should book well in advance when they are visiting Tawang in the holiday season
5. When guests are traveling to Tawang, it is more convenient for them to fly to Itanagar (Donyi Polo Airport) as it takes about 7 hours by road from Itanagar to Dirang as opposed to Guwahati, from where it takes about 11 hours to reach Dirang. Also guests will probably enjoy staying in Itanagar more than staying in Guwahati.
6. During winters Tawang can be inaccessible due to too much snow.
7. Underestimating the weather - Many travelers, like the one in the first result, fail to research the cold and chilly weather in Tawang and the Himalayas, and don't pack appropriate winter clothing. This can lead to getting sick and being unable to fully enjoy the trip
8. Roads to Mechuka are not good and Highway cutting construction is going on, hence it is important to leave early in the morning when traveling to Mechuka.
9 .Not obtaining the required Inner Line Permit - Travelers must obtain an Inner Line Permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh, and trying to enter without one can get them into trouble.
10. For foreign travelers, PAP (protected area permit) is required. PAP is normally issued for 10 days and has an option of a 7 days extension.
11. We suggest that travelers check IMD reports and alerts before traveling to Arunachal Pradesh.
12. Travelers should always carry Airtel and Bsnl sim for visiting Arunachal Pradesh.
13. It is advisable to always book properties in advance for traveling to Anini, Dong valley and Tawang.
14. Before Visiting Namdapha National park, always check with authority as the park is open for a particular season only (October to April)
15. As mentioned in point no. 5, when guests are travelling to Western Arunachal (Tawang) they should fly to Donyi Polo Airport near Itanagar. When they are travelling to Eastern Arunachal (Ziro, Anini, Mechuka), they should fly to Dibrugarh Airport.
16. Eastern Arunachal is quite vast and tourism has not really developed to a large scale out there. Therefore there aren’t many places to eat when you are travelling from one location to another. It is advisable to have a heavy meal at your homestay/hotels when travelling.
17. Avoid booking taxis from a random stand, as they mostly charge higher fares. Always refer to your respective travel agency or any local help.
There are 26 major tribes and 110 sub-tribes in Arunachal Pradesh. So people should not expect that everyone in Arunachal will be looking like Apatani people (Ziro) or eating Tibetan dishes (Monpa tribe). Arunachal is a very big state with Eastern Arunachal having a very different culture to Western Arunachal.
Written by Omanso Tayang
Omanso, an avid backpacker with an engineering background from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, returned to his home state after completing his education in Chennai & NERIST. Passionate about promoting the lesser-known destinations, Oman has traveled across most parts of Arunachal to find unique locations like Anini, Dong Valley, Namsai etc. When not exploring, Oman enjoys camping, trekking, dancing and going on culinary adventures. (62 words)
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