Sohra (Cherrapunji)

People come to Sohra for the rain, and most leave talking about the quiet.

Sohra sits on the southern edge of the Khasi Hills, where the plateau drops away towards the plains of Bangladesh. Monsoon clouds rising from the south hit this edge first, which is why it is one of the wettest places on earth, and why its waterfalls are so tall. In the dry months the same edge gives you long, clear views and cool, bright days.

Below the cliffs, in the deep valleys, Khasi villages have grown bridges from the roots of rubber fig trees for generations. The most famous, the double-decker at Nongriat, is a walk down; the rest of Sohra you can see from a car.