Take a trip to the land of festivals and the land of warriors -- Nagaland

India is a mix of unique cultures and traditions, however, there is nothing quite like Nagaland, a small state in the northeastern region of the country. A state fighting for their freedom and separate state from India before India even attained freedom from the British rule, this place is unlike you have ever seen anywhere!

Want to go away on a vacation far away from the normal norms of the Indian towns and cities? Visit Nagaland, a place in India which looks and feel nothing like India. For those who have no idea of the head or tail of this place and culture, Nagaland is a state in the far northeastern region of India known for its ethnicity and unique culture. Everything from the cultures, facial features and the traditions of the local people will be a complete culture shock to you. Tourism is a booming industry in this state. Nagaland is easily accessible by roads, railways, and flights. You can catch a train from any part of India to visit the state. Book your tickets and check the IRCTC train enquiry in case you need to see the status of your ticket.

Although the capital of the state Kohima, the main commercial area in Nagaland is Dimapur. Dimapur is the main town and lifeline of Nagaland, and even for surrounding states as this is the place with access to transport. Dimapur has a railway station and airport of its own which caters to flights and trains to any part of India, and this will be the first place you land or arrive to for your Nagaland tour. Once in Dimapur, you can check into any of the 3-star hotels or even make your stay in one of the resorts. Dimapur is packed with places to hang out. Although Nagaland is a dry state, you will see pubs and nightclubs in almost every part of the main town. Restaurants are all over the place serving both authentic naga cuisine and national/international cuisine. Going for the KFC and Pizza hut outlet on your trip to Dimapur is the biggest mistake you can make, not because they serve bad food, but because you should not miss out a single chance to take a dig at their unique and elaborate cuisine! You can go for long rides during the day, visit beautiful resorts which have small islands floating on top of artificial rivers, go for some paintballing and go-karting. Be cautioned while paintballing with the locals there! Naga men are agile and fit due to their background and lifestyle. You will be shot multiple times if you do not take proper cover! You should also visit the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre in 7th-mile area. Everything in this place is made of bamboo and cane.

After Dimapur, you can take a long drive up to Kohima, which will take you about 2 and half hours. Although the two places share a distance of just 72 km, the neverending bends of roads stretch the travel time. The highway roads are basically just cut out from the hills and you are literally just driving around hill after hill! There will not be a single instance on the course of your journey that you do not see the scenic view outside your car window. The majestic hills covered with thick fog and the view of the step cultivation paddy fields along the way is guaranteed to leave you flabbergasted. The breeze starts getting cooler as you approach Kohima from Dimapur. On reaching Kohima, you can go about your sightseeing and visit places like Kohima War Cemetery (World war II memorial), the Secretariat and so on. Kisama, the venue for the world famous Hornbill Festival is also not very far from Kohima. You can buy a couple of beers and head on over to the venue and sip on some beer while you have the entire landscape of the beautiful surrounding laid out right before you.

Naga people are known for their warm and hospitable nature. Although tourism is a booming industry, the thousands of visitors it sees each year are mainly tourists and the state is yet to see a consistent flow of domestic travellers from the country. So next time you meet someone from Nagaland, befriend them and tell them to guide you on a holiday back in his/her hometown. They will happily agree to it! All you have to do is your train ticket booking and they give you a royal treatment back home!