The unexpected Covid-19 outburst since March 2020 altered our psyche and lifestyles... bit by bit.
First it took us by surprise, then it brought our bustling cities to a standstill, took away our loved ones and the livelihoods of millions around the world, splintered our egos and crushed our spirits.
The good thing is, businesses are engineered to think out of the box, and more and more companies are opening up remote working options.
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| WORK . LIVE . TRAVEL in Northeast India
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If you love Exploring Places and Enjoy your Job- It's the perfect opportunity to combine both. Setting up a base will reduce both travel hours and unnecessary interaction with people. In addition to saving money and reducing planning stress, a slow and immersive Work Live Travel experience is a great way to unwind.
Top 6 Work Live Travel Places in Northeast India*.
*States covered: West Bengal, Sikkim, Nepal, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
States not covered: Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh & Bhutan. (underlined countries in same region)
Table of Content
1- Siliguri, West Bengal
Known as the chicken's neck due to it's vulnerability from a socio-political viewpoint, it is the first gateway to Northeast India.
What should someone know who's considering moving to Siliguri?
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Remote working in Northeast India
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TRAVEL CONNECTIVITY
New Jalpaiguri Jn and Siliguri Jn are well-connected to all major cities and towns in India. Which means setting your base in Siliguri will give you the advantage of getting convenient connections to explore places in the Northeast and also reaching home faster whenever you wish to.
STANDARD OF LIVING
Traffic is reasonable. Public transport like share auto, sumo and buses are easily available. Internet speed depends on your network provider.
The cost of basic essentials is similar to other places. Siliguri has 1 or 2 popular markets for grocery shopping to stock up on your favorite foodstuff. Looking for a place to stay, is always the challenging part. However, rental homes, hostels, and homestays are available. Do look up in Facebook groups and online. In all cases carefully review the policies, rent and facilities provided by them.
THINGS TO DO AROUND SILIGURI
Another West Bengal city famous for its seafood. There are numerous food stalls that serve inexpensive fish thali.
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| Fish thali at Siliguri |
🎥 A few malls and cinemas on Darjeeling road are adequate for an outing.
Get some outdoors
My Top 2 places to see around Siliguri are India-Bangladesh border at Fulbari. Do catch the Beating Retreat ceremony from 5 pm (entry timing- 4.30 pm & valid photo id). This is similar to the Wagah border ceremony in Amritsar.
1 Day trip to Mirik is a curvy uphill drive on the Darjeeling road. Definitely worth experiencing the pleasant climate. This route is frequented by locals, so plenty of share sumos and govt. buses are available.
Staying overnight is an option that will cost an average Rs.1000/ night which I didn't think was worth. After spending a couple of hours taking photos and some refreshments, I was able to get back by evening.
2- Gangtok, Sikkim
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Gangtok, Sikkim at the break of dawn
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The state capital of Sikkim; Gangtok lies on the historic Silk route that connects India to Lhasa via the Jelepla pass. Nestled in the eastern reaches of the Himalayas, while also sharing its borders with Tibet- this city is as mystical as it is remote.
What should someone know who's considering moving to Gangtok?
TRAVEL CONNECTIVITY
🌄The 112 km road from Siliguri via Kalimpong is mountainous and prone to landslides especially during rainy season, so plan well! There are several govt buses and shared vehicles that ply from Siliguri to Gangtok. Pakyong airport since 2018 has improved connectivity in this region.
CLIMATE
July to Dec is a good time incase you find the cold unbearable. Winters are from Jan to April, with snowfall in high altitudes. July is the wettest month in most places.
STANDARD OF LIVING
Gangtok is a city, much sparsely populated than even smaller towns of India. The terrain is hilly no doubt, but the narrow roads are good. Ola / Uber are not operational in Gangtok. Share cabs, sumos and govt buses are easily available. Internet speed is average.
Sikkim is the first 100% organic state of India- fresh fruits and vegetables as also other basic essentials are easily available, and if it matters to you well-know liquor brands and Scotch is cheaper.
THINGS TO DO IN GANGTOK
There are 3 amazing travel experience I have had so far, please check the links below~
Gangtok to Nathula pass
Glimpses of the magnificent Kanchenjunga...
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| The Kanchenjuna at sunrise, Gangtok |
Feel the buzz at MG Marg- is a non-vehicular street in the heart of Gangtok. It's a great place to hangout in the evenings with a variety of restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops.
3- Pokhara, Nepal
Why Pokhara?
While Kathmandu is polluted and traffic-congested Pokhara evokes peace and a sense of relaxation.
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| A cozy sit-out- Phewa lake, Pokhara
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What should someone know who's considering moving to Pokhara?
TRAVEL CONNECTIVITY
Entering Nepal; seemed like any other Indian state border. The authorities asked me "Indian?" I answered "yes" and they told me to go without checking any documents whatsoever. There is a continuous flow of people from both sides of the border throughout the day. Do however keep your Aadhar/ DL with you.
You will also need Aadhar card to buy a sim (Ncell) and also change currency upon reaching the border, although I was able to use INR a lot. Internet speed is average.
STANDARD OF LIVING
Pokhara is tourist-friendly with plenty of backpackers hostels and guesthouses. Being a budget traveler, I stayed at Tranquil Water Guest house INR 376/dorm (Booking.com) at Sedi bazar lakeside, Pokhara. I'm sure you can work out a monthly rental plan with a hostel or guesthouse. Since this was my first trip (solo), I was concerned about cash withdrawal atm charges etc. Do some more research and plan well as Nepal is far cheaper than most Indian cities.
Frequent local bus services are available for commuting.
There were a few instances when I sensed bad vibes from locals, I have wondered why that may have been? If as an Indian, you have been to Nepal and experienced bad vibes from locals- do let me know in the comments below.
THINGS TO DO IN POKHARA
Walks along main Pokhara road parallel to lake Phewa. It is lively with a touristy feel to it, lots of cafes and restaurants. During my early morning walks, I often spotted vendors with a basket full of fresh bakes; like croissants, apple strudel- warm and delicious.
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| The best warm apple pie- goes well with piping hot tea! |
Relaxing walks along lake Phewa- There are benches where you can sit and read a book. Take a stroll, do yoga. Hike to Japanese pagoda.
4- Guwahati, Assam
Home to Ma Kamakhya, by the banks of the Brahmaputra lies Guwahati- underrated and ignored, but nevertheless endearing.
What should someone know who's considering moving to Guwahati?
TRAVEL CONNECTIVITY
Guwahati is an ideal nodal point to travel further east. It is well-connected by air, rail and road to most places in India. The most convenient and cheap way to reach Guwahati is by train.
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| Brahmaputra river, Guwahati |
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Hoardings for womens hostels at Guwahati
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STANDARD OF LIVING
Commuting in the city is a pleasure- ola/ uber autos/ cabs and bikes are extremely smooth and efficient. Besides also share auto, e-autos. Local buses are easily available and cost much less. Pink buses offering free transport service to women is another feather in the cap. There are many P.G, hostels, homestays available to make your stay comfortable.
Guwahati has all the trappings of a major city- like luxurious malls, cinemas, hyper markets etc., but still less crowded making it by far the most livable city. Internet speed is good. I found an amazing, positive vibe here during my 3 weeks of stay, and that's awesome!
THINGS TO DO IN GUWAHATI
Head to Nehru park and admire the beautiful homes around Judges enclave, board the passenger ropeway over the river Brahmaputra to the north bank and back, get tickets for a superb show at the planetarium... and the list goes on.
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| A sunset scene at Nehru Park area, Guwahati |
5- Shillong, Meghalaya
TRAVEL CONNECTIVITY
Shillong is just a 3 hour drive smooth drive from Guwahati. Share cab/sumos are easily available from Paltan bazar bus stand Rs.350-500 pp.
What should someone know who's considering moving to Shillong?
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| My kind hostess in Shillong, who also bakes |
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My stay at Shillong, Meghalaya
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THINGS TO DO IN SHILLONG
Shillong is a sought after tourist destination in the Northeast. There are places to see and things to do, both within Shillong and other places in Meghalaya; like Cherrapunji and Dawki.
A 10 day Meghalaya tour is do-able & can be split into:
6- Dimapur, Nagaland
So friends, I do hope you enjoyed this blog. Do let me know what you think in the comments below...
There's more to come! So consider subscribing to get an update.... Bye for now!
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