The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places


Manipur is known for its rich culture, beautiful hill stations, and extraordinary flora and fauna. As this state is located in the far east of the country, not many tourists know a lot about Manipur. However, given the offbeat nature of this state, this state is free from the relentless crowd of tourists. So, if you want to spend your vacation away from crowded hill stations, you should definitely visit Manipur. 

 

Now that you know the uniqueness of Manipur, let’s learn about how to reach Manipur.

By Air: Manipur is well-connected with the rest of the country, with the airport located at the state capital in Imphal. You can travel from major metropolitan cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Bangalore to Manipur via the airport at Imphal. 

By Train: Reaching Manipur directly via railway is not possible. However, the nearest railway station is located at a distance of 200 kms in Dimapur, Nagaland. This station, along with another station at Guwahati, is connected with all the major cities in India, and you can easily travel by train and take a bus to Manipur. 

By Road: Manipur has a well-constructed road network that makes it easier to travel for you through state-run and private buses that will take you Manipur. Especially if you live in the northeastern states, taking a bus en route to Manipur might be the best option for you to travel as the sightseeing you’ll be able to do while travelling through the bus route would be hard to forget. 

 

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

Manipur is one of the best tourist destinations that many tourists don’t know. Because of its offbeat nature, your trip to Manipur can be very peaceful and quiet, which is ideal when you are trying to unwind. Manipur also has layers of incredible human architecture combined with majestic natural views. 

Overall, your experience of visiting Manipur can be very unique based on how you plan your trip. As you are visiting one of the easternmost states of India, planning is essential in ensuring the best experience on your journey. So, make sure you follow this guide to learn about and plan your trip accordingly to have the best trip to Manipur possible.

 

Here are the best Manipur tourist places that you can visit to make the most out of your trip.

Imphal

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

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Imphal is the capital of Manipur, and it’s an incredible amalgamation of artificial architecture and nature. Located at an altitude of over 700m above sea level, this city will awe you with its urban and natural beauty. The name Imphal comes from the Imphal river that flows near the city. 

As the capital city of Manipur, Imphal hosts the rich history of local rulers and tribes that resided over the city and Manipur in general over the years. You can visit Imphal and experience all the history of the city at the Kangla Fort and the Manipur State Museum. 

Other than the history, the best thing to do at Imphal is to just sit back, relax and enjoy the incredible sceneries available in front of your eyes. With the greenery all around you combined with beautiful hills and clouds, you are surely going to breathe better at Imphal, Manipur. 

When you breathe better, it will help your body and mind heal from the pressures of everyday life. 

Imphal is located at the heart of Manipur. When you are visiting the state, it’s most likely you will be dropped off at Imphal. You can easily navigate yourself from Imphal to other parts of Manipur using public transport such as taxis and buses, wherever available.

Chandel

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

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Chandel, which is one of the nine districts of Manipur, is tiny, but you know what’s better? It’s one of the most sparsely populated districts in Manipur. You can enjoy your trip to Chandel in complete solace away from the world. Chandel is also known as the gateway to Myanmar as it shares the international border between India and Myanmar. 

Chandel is also home to over 20 local tribes that reside in this district. You can interact and learn about these tribes with feature presentations on their music, artform, and dance. This is one of the best tourist attractions in Chandel. 

If you want to experience and explore the scenic vistas all around you, you can visit Tengnoupal, which is the highest point between the Indian and Myanmar borders. You can experience incredible views from this point with a good view of Chandel and some of its surrounding parts.

Chandel is located 71 km away from Imphal. No matter if you plan on staying at Chandel or not, you will find easy transportation to and from Imphal to Chandel, such as cabs and buses. However, you should try and travel during the day as transportation is not easily available at night.

Thoubal

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

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Once you have got the chance to experience the breathtaking views around you, it’s time to enjoy your holiday with some activities. The best place in Manipur, where you can live in comfort and enjoy tons of fun activities, is Thoubal. Being one of the larger districts in Manipur, Thoubal features a variety of activities, adventure sports, and other fun, leisurely activities. 

It’s also a well-developed city with all modern amenities and services available for you to explore. If you are visiting Manipur for a holiday, Thoubal is perhaps going to be the best place for you to stay if you want to be connected to the world on your holiday. 

Last but not least, do you know the best part about Thoubal? It’s the climate! The beautifully pleasant weather of Thoubal is the best reason for you to visit and stay in this city, so make sure you put it on your must-visit list for your next Manipur trip.

Thoubal is located just 24 km from Imphal, you can easily get to and from Thoubal to Imphal using public transport such as cabs and buses. If you are not interested in staying at Thoubal, you can easily plan a day trip and get back to Imphal by night, thanks to the short distance and public transport.

Ikop Lake

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

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Manipur is home to various incredible lakes that are beautiful and very peaceful. The Ikop lake, located in the Thoubal district, is one of the most beautiful lakes you will come across. The Ikop lake is not just a lake for the locals; it has profound relevance to the folklore of Manipur as it was featured in the Meithei epic Khamba Thoibi. 

You can take your time and learn about the epic poem of Khamba Thoibi when you visit the lake to learn about its relevance to the local folklore. Spoiler alert, Ikop Lake is where Khamba captured a wild bull single-handedly. The lake is also known for fishing among locals, so you can enjoy that too if you are interested. Overall, Ikop Lake or Ikop Pat, as it is known locally, is an excellent location for a small picnic or just a day’s outing on your Manipur trip.

The distance between Imphal and Ikop lake is just 34 km by road. On a good day, it takes around 1 to 1.5 hours for you to complete that journey. You can travel along NH102 to get there by yourself if you have a personal vehicle. Or you can avail of public transport such as cabs and buses to get to and from the lake.

Loktak Lake

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

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Loktak lake is the premier tourist destination in Manipur. It is the largest freshwater lake in India, which was also known to be an ancient super volcanic caldera. The most unique feature other than the ethereal beauty of Loktak lake is the circular swamps known as Phumids in the local language. These Phumids float on the surface because of the decay from the bottom. The lake has a unique ecosystem of its own that is still largely unaffected by human intervention. 

The Loktak lake is also one of the listed Ramsar sites in India. The Loktak lake supports the local population in various ways; from generating hydroelectricity to fishing, the lake is an integral part of the lives of the local population. It also has great relevance in the local folklore, which you can learn about from locals when you visit this incredibly beautiful lake on your trip to Manipur.

The Loktak lake is located 31 km from Imphal. You can easily get to and from the lake using public transport such as cabs and buses.

Moirang

The 6 Best Manipur Tourist Places

Source: Pinterest

Moirang is the district of Manipur where the Loktak lake is located; apart from the incredible lake, this district has other incredible tourist attractions as well. For starters, Moirang is the place where for the first time, the Indian tricolour was hosted in 1944, which, as you can imagine, is pre-independence. It was done by the then Indian National Army led by Colonel Shaukat Malik. 

Other than this tidbit of history, you will find many other incredible places of great relevance in Moirang, both historically and culturally. The natural beauty of this hill station is also unbelievable, with exotic views all around you wherever you look. Overall, Moirang is one of the first places in Manipur you should visit as it hosts some of the best tourist attractions in Manipur. You can also enjoy various activities in Moirang to make your visit/stay even better.

Moirang and Imphal are separated by a distance of only 45 km. You can easily get across this distance using public transport like cabs and buses within an hour.

FAQs

What is the best time to visit Manipur?

You’ll be able to make the best out of your Manipur vacation if you visit in the winter season from the month of October till the end of March.

What is the language spoken in the state of Manipur?

Manipuri, a Tibeto-Burman language, is mostly spoken in the state of Manipur.

What is the recommended trip length for a vacation in Manipur?

A week or a 7 days 6 nights trip is a good way to visit all the best places in Manipur.

 

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Mike McNamara

Mike McNamara

A Las Vegas Realtor since 2008. Mike has a wide range of knowledge around all things Las Vegas.

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