Things to do in Dimapur
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Dimapur
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best window: post monsoon green, full falls, Hornbill and Christmas in December, and the only reliably cool weather.
Workable but hot and increasingly humid, so sightseeing becomes a morning sport and Triple Falls thins.
Worst window: heavy monsoon rain, local flooding, slippery falls trails and landslide delays on the Kohima road.
What's on
- Hornbill Festival 1-10 December
All major Naga tribes at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, with Dimapur as the arrival gateway and overflow base.
- Christmas 25 December
The city's own festival in a deeply Christian state, with full churches and commercial closures around it.
- Bishu late January
The Dimasa Kachari New Year harvest festival in the Dimapur area, the most Dimapur specific date in the year.
Best things to do in Dimapur
Kachari Ruins
Giant mushroom domed stone monoliths of the Dimasa Kachari kingdom in a city garden, and Dimapur's one real archaeological sight.
Diezephe Craft Village
A working village of woodcarvers, cane artisans and loin loom weavers where you buy Naga craft from the maker.
Nagaland Zoological Park
A 176 hectare forest zoo holding hornbill, hoolock gibbon, clouded leopard and mithun in open moated enclosures.
Hong Kong Market
Dimapur's famous bazaar of imported fashion, footwear and electronics that has dressed the Northeast since the 1980s.
New Market
The daily fresh market for smoked fish, fermented bamboo shoot and fiery Raja Mircha king chillies to take home.
Green Park
The city's green lung with lawns, a boating pond and seasonal fairs, best in the late afternoon.
Nagaland Science Centre
A hands on science centre with interactive exhibits that is Dimapur's best indoor option for children.
Dimapur Ao Baptist Church
One of Asia's largest Baptist churches, seating several thousand, and the clearest window into Naga Christian life.
Where to stay in Dimapur
Chumoukedima / 7th Mile, NH-29 corridor
best overall, stays over one night
Greener, quieter and higher than the city floor, near the airport and on the Kohima road, with both resorts.
Central Dimapur: Circular Road / Nyamo Lotha Road / Midland-Duncan Basti
food, markets and a one night stop
The walkable commercial heart, with bazaars, the best independent restaurants and cafes, and the big church nearby.
Station and Golaghat Road strip
transit only
Maximum convenience for an early train or late arrival, with clean budget hotels and minimum charm.
Think twice about
- Dimapur Railway Station / Hazi Park perimeter
Noise, congestion and crowds by day and deserted, poorly lit lanes at night. Use it for trains and Hong Kong Market, sleep elsewhere.
- Purana Bazaar / Burma Camp industrial east side
Truck traffic and distance from every sight, restaurant and hotel, with the least pleasant walking in the city.
Best restaurants in Dimapur
Bazaar
The Niathu resort restaurant is Dimapur's most polished dining room and its honest local splurge.
Ethnic Table Restaurant
Smoked pork, ribs and smoked chicken in a pretty room, and the best first Naga dinner in Dimapur.
The King Chilli
A Naga restaurant where the owner talks tribes and food traditions at your table over a full tribal meal.
Bambusa
A long running, elegant room mixing Naga staples with Chinese and pan Asian dishes for a relaxed group dinner.
Herbs & Spices
The central all rounder for Indian, Chinese and continental plates when a group cannot agree on a cuisine.
Bangkok Cafe & Cuisine
Dimapur's Thai table, a relaxed cafe restaurant that is a welcome change after days of pork and bamboo shoot.
Korean Uncle's Cafe
Korean plates and cafe drinks at the best evidenced address for Dimapur's genuine Korean food subculture.
Naga Bowl Express
Smoked pork, Naga thali and pork trotters at market prices, and the best cheap Naga lunch in the centre.
Outdoor things to do in Dimapur
Triple Falls
Three streams drop 280 feet into a natural rock pool in the Chumoukedima foothills, reached by a short trek.
Ntangki National Park
Nagaland's only national park, 202 sq km of evergreen forest with gibbon, golden langur and elephant.
Kisama Heritage Village
The Hornbill Festival ground above Kohima, worth the 74 km climb from Dimapur as a day trip or overnight.
Chumoukedima
The old British headquarters hill above the plain, with the definitive panorama over Dimapur and cooler air.
Rangapahar Reserve Forest
Sal and bamboo reserve forest around the zoo, best walked early for hornbills and gibbon calls.
Medziphema
Dimapur's pineapple belt, a rural half day drive of farm gates and roadside stalls selling fruit cut on the spot.
Best hotels in Dimapur
Zone Niathu Dimapur by The Park
The city's flagship 50 acre resort on the Chathe riverbank, with pool, spa, lawns and the warmest service reviews.
Noune Resort
A quiet lakeside resort at the foot of the hills, and the priciest, most retreat like stay in Dimapur.
Hotel Lake Shilloi
A central hotel with a rare rooftop pool and spa, putting markets and restaurants at your feet.
Hotel Acacia
The reliable business default near the station, with free breakfast, a rooftop restaurant and friendly staff.
Hotel Tragopan
A small, clean, well run budget hotel near the ruins and science centre, with breakfast included.
Hotel Europa Inn
A streamlined budget hotel for station and road travellers who want clean and cheap over character.
Is Dimapur expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₹1,800 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₹4,500 a person |
| Splurge | ₹11,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Ntangki National Park: a few days ahead
- Kisama Heritage Village: weeks ahead
- Zone Niathu Dimapur by The Park: weeks ahead
- Noune Resort: weeks ahead
- Bazaar: a few days ahead
- Book Hornbill season hotels, Kohima cabs and Dimapur flights months ahead, as the city sells out in December.
- Apply for the Inner Line Permit online days ahead, and foreign visitors must start the Protected Area Permit earlier still.
- Confirm Intanki entry through the Forest Department or your hotel the day before.
- Ethnic Table is closed Thursdays and most Naga restaurants close Sundays.
Is Dimapur safe?
- Emergency number in India is 112.
- After dark, stay in lit central and Chumoukedima hotel corridors and use a known cab rather than walking industrial or riverside areas.
- In monsoon, low lying ground by the Dhansiri and Chathe rivers waterlogs and floods locally.
- Taste Raja Mircha chilli rather than competing with it, and carry mosquito protection in wet months.
Dimapur travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Assume Hong Kong Market branded goods are copies, price accordingly and test electronics before leaving the stall.
- Do not pay premium package prices for a Dimapur city tour, as the sights are compact and cheap by cab.
- Never schedule a flight out on the same evening as a Kohima day trip.
- Anyone offering drinks or a permit free shortcut into the hills is offering something illegal.
Getting around Dimapur: public transport and more
- Fly into Dimapur Airport or arrive at Dimapur Railway Station, then use auto rickshaws in town with the fare agreed first.
- Shared Sumo taxis run to Kohima through the day for roughly 300 to 500 rupees a seat, taking 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
- Hotel arranged cars are the reliable option for Intanki, Diezephe and Triple Falls day trips.
- Carry cash alongside UPI, as connectivity at Kisama and in the hills is patchy.
Who Dimapur suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | OK |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Dimapur your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App Store