Ri Kynjai – the Perfect Stopover

Our car left Guwahati airport and started a slow journey, negotiating the congested city traffic, towards Meghalaya. It was only after we turned south onto NH-6 from NH-27, that our car found some swiftness and speed. Our destination, Shillong, was still a couple of hours away. But at that time, we were eager for our lunch at a special place.

25 km before Shillong, the picturesque Umaim lake comes into view. But instead of making a brief stop at the viewpoint before proceeding towards the city, we took a detour and followed the road which took us the western side of the lake. A few minutes later stepped into the “Sao Aiom” restaurant of “Ri Kynjai” resort. The beautiful resort of “Ri Kynjai” sits by the bank of Umaim lake amidst undisturbed nature. The name itself means serenity by the lake – and the place is true to its name. It is the perfect place to rejuvenate while doing nothing but taking in the spectacular views. We thoroughly enjoyed the view, but instead of doing nothing, ate a hearty lunch of delicious north-eastern cuisine. The view, the food, the silence uplifted our sensory organs. The chicken with bamboo shoots deserve special mention.

The delicately decorated restaurant with wooden floor and a beautiful porch, providing mesmerizing views and ambience is truly a perfect stopover between Guwahati and Shillong. We decided over lunch that the next time we visit Shillong, we will spend at least one night here to soak in the serenity and tranquillity.