Dawki

Dawki is a town in Meghalaya near the India-Bangladesh border. It is not a very big town but famous because of the river Dawki that flows here. There are many hotels, guest houses and homestays that have come up in this place in recent times and more may come up in the future. This place mostly acts as the halting place for people coming from Cherrapunji. Mawlynnong to Dawki takes about 1.5 hours with majority of the road bordering Bangladesh. There are high barricades and sharp fencing all across the length of the border and you cannot peep on to the other side. Due to construction and traffic, this journey may become 3 hours or more. We took about 2.5-3 hours to arrive at Dawki from Mawlynnong. We were so tired that we just had dinner and slept.

Umngot/ Dawki river boating

This is the main attraction of Dawki. There are several names of the same river- Umngot, Dawki or Shongpdeng. This is the same clear water river made popular by Instagram and youtube photos and videos. Everyone has to come to Dawki for that boat ride picture in the transparent water. So did we!

Near the dawki bridge there is the designated boating area for tourists. When you stand at the boating start point, you can see the river crossing into Bangladesh on your left. Basically, the left side is Bangladesh and right is India. You can take a boat from this point. It will cost you around ₹1000 per boat but that may be higher depending on weather and water clarity.

Yes, the river is not always crystal clear. Mostly from November to Feb the water clears up substantially almost transparent at during December, as we were informed by our boatman. During monsoons or just after that it is wise to skip the boating because the water is muddy. Since 2024, due to the construction work going around, the water did not clear up at all. We also did not find the water all clear at Dawki boating point so we skipped boating here.

Shongpdeng Camping site

Shongpdeng is the area higher up the Dawki river. This is a popular camping and rafting site. When you arrive, you can find plenty of camps on either side of the river. Most of them are on the other side near the forests. If you really have to see crystal clear water you definitely have to drive up to this place. It is not very far from Dawki but due to bad condition of the roads it takes roughly an hour. However, you will be rewarded for your troubles. We did not go for boating at Dawki. Instead, we came all the way up here.

The water was fairly clear when we reached the place. There is a beautiful old suspension bridge that gives you a near perfect view of the surrounding area. The greenish river can be seen cutting through lush hills on both sides with rocky banks and a number of colourful boats lining the banks. It is a view to remember. There are several activities that you can undertake here like ziplining etc. Everything is run by the union with fixed rates. You go up to the booking counter, pay and then a boatman will be allotted to you. You go on his boat for a wonderful one-hour scenic ride of the Dawki. The boat charges are ₹400.

Boating on Dawki/Shongpdeng/Umngot

We had so much fun as our boatman was great. He took us to every nook and corner. Let us click as many pictures and videos as we wanted. He even took us twice to the clearest part of the river. The start point of the river at Shongpdeng is a small waterfall. As the river bed is high here with huge rocks blocking the area. Boats can go no further. Limestone rocks and cliffs surround the river on both sides making it a once in a life boat ride. You can halt your boat and dive from any of the convenient rocks, only if you know swimming, of course.

It was a peaceful satisfying hour spent amidst the nature. No crowd makes the place more attractive. The boat ride at this place is completely worth the money, even more. If you like the services, you may tip the boatman as ₹400 seemed a bit less for such an experience.

Zero Point Bangladesh border

Zero point is the border point of India and Bangladesh. You cannot go near it but you can see the gate marking the borders of the two countries from a distance. The other side of the gate is no different to this side but it still is a separate country. We found many commercial carrier vehicles lined on both sides of the road near this point. It is just a border point nothing at all like the Attari border in Punjab. Do not have high hopes. This is not a tourist spot but falls on the way and if you are inquisitive, you may go to see it.

Phe Phe falls

Phe Phe falls is again a tiered waterfall that comes on the way from Dawki to Jowai. The trek to explore both the tiers is moderate. Definitely not suitable for older people. It is a trek among bamboo trees and slippery trails. You can reach the first viewpoint and return from there as many people do. But there is an upper less explored tier for the enthusiasts. Although different in style, this waterfall stands parallel to the Wei-sawdong waterfall in Cherrapunji for its beauty. Since it requires a little trek, it is also not very crowded.