6 Amazing Places You Must Visit In Assam

Tea gardens carry a very colonial image in my mind. British guys running the Tea estates, living in huge bungalows within the estate. A tea processing and packaging unit and a whole lot of workers plucking the fresh tea leaves with bamboo baskets on their back. To be an owner of a Tea Estate has always been aspirational for people. I think it still continues to be, though the corporations rather than individuals now own most estates. The north-east part of India, particularly eastern Assam and area around Darjeeling produce more than 20% of the world’s Tea. And it may not be wrong to call them the teaspoon of the world. I had seen some of these gardens earlier during my Kerala and Sri Lanka holidays.

But this is what I studied about Assam in school. In my mind, I had to visit them to know about them. These gardens here provide cups of Tea to the world on one hand. Employment and livelihood to many people on the other hand.

# Assam Tea Gardens

We saw these gardens in Tezpur, around Kaziranga, and in Jorhat. Tezpur was not on our itinerary, but we landed here, as the road to Arunachal was closed. There was no way we would be allowed to go there before the next day. This heritage property located in the midst of a tea estate had bungalows that were more than 100 years old. But maintained as if they have always been inhabited.

# Tea Research Institute, Tocklai, Jorhat

Our tea sojourn could not have been complete without a visit to Tocklai in Jorhat, which is the world’s largest tea research institute. And does research on all aspects of tea, right from the soil that it grows in, to the way it is packaged and sold. It also comes out with new varieties of tea and new systems, methods, and processes for processing the tea. Tocklai campus is beautiful, with some ponds full of lotus and lilies and numerous tall and small trees dotted with seasonal flowers. We could not see the tea museum as it was a holiday, but the campus itself was pleasing.

# Kaziranga National Park

Easily one of the top tourist places to visit in Assam, Kaziranga National Park is a haven of biodiversity that that nature enthusiast in you will fall in love with! Of course, it also caters to the wildlife-loving crowd. Find a range of exotic animals such as Chinese pangolins, one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal foxes, Bengal Tigers, swamp deer and more.

# Majuli Island

Another popular tourist place to visit in Assam is Majuli Island. Recognised as one of the world's prominent riverine islands, you might want to time your visit before reaching the island. Often during monsoons, a significant part of the island submerges underwater. Luckily, the major islands at a better elevation manage to stay put without being affected by the monsoon.

# Orang National Park

Much like the Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park also comes with a gorgeous green setting and an abundance of exotic flora and fauna. We recommend that you carry your cameras along for this fun safari ride as the national park does come with a series of eclectic neighbourhoods that would make for perfect Instagram click! The best part about visiting this place is that you will get to see the River Brahmaputra's shores too.

# Haflong Lake

A very popular tourist destination in Assam, if you haven't jotted down Haflong Lake as part of your travel bucket list for the state, you are certainly missing out on the best that Assam has to offer. The popular lake is well-endowed with exquisite sights of the breathtaking lake and the mountains surrounding the place. There is literally no excuse in the world that would prevent you from visiting this little haven nestled in the lands of Assam. Indulge in some cool activities such as boating, fishing, water sports and more!