Aizawl travel guide

The road from Silchar comes upon the isolated capital Aizawl (pronounced Eye-jull), built along a central ridge and several surrounding spurs. White-painted churches stand out above the residential buildings that cling precariously to the hillsides.

Bara Bazar, the main shopping centre, is on the other side of the central ridge. The steep Zion Street is lined with stalls selling garments and Mizo CDs. In the main market people gather in their traditional costumes to sell produce from farms and homesteads including river crab in little wicker baskets.

At the Weaving Centre you can watch women at their looms weaving traditional shawls which are for sale. Luangmual Handicrafts Centre, 7 km away, has a khumbeu ceremonial bamboo hat made using waterproof wild hnahthial leaves.