Caution
Mawsynram in May
Meghalaya, India
May marks serious rainfall onset — 500mm+. The village starts living up to its reputation.
The May story
May is for monsoon enthusiasts only. Road from Shillong can be affected. Carry everything you need.
Why May scores 2/5
Weather
Monsoon building. 12-22°C. Heavy rain.
Roads & Access
self drive: Doable with SUV.. road condition: Decent from Shillong, last stretch rough.. public transport: Very rare shared taxis. Best to hire car from Shillong.. from nearest city: Shillong — 65km, 2.5hr.. last km difficulty: moderate — rough road last 10km
Safety & Emergency
Safety: 2/5. rescue: SDMA Meghalaya. helpline: 100, 108. ambulance: 108 — 1hr+ response. police station: Nearest at Mawkyrwat — 25km. nearest hospital: PHC Mawkyrwat — 25km. Civil Hospital Shillong 65km
Network
VI: No, JIO: No, BSNL: Yes, NOTE: Yes, AIRTEL: No. BSNL intermittent. Essentially no signal. Completely offline.
Kids
Not ideal for kids — Educational — wettest place on Earth
Elevation
1,400m — Low altitude, no issues
Who should go
- ✓First-time travelers
- ✓Senior citizens
Who should think twice
- ✗Families with young children
- ✗Anyone needing constant connectivity
- ✗Those with flexible dates — better months exist
- ✗Very heavy rain, road access difficult
All 12 Months
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3/5 | Driest month. 5-15°C. The wettest place on Earth at its driest — ironic and interesting. |
| February | 3/5 | February continues the dry window. Warming slightly. |
| March | 3/5 | Warming. 8-20°C. Pleasant. Light showers starting. |
| April | 3/5 | Warm. 10-22°C. Rain increasing. Green. |
| Mayviewing | 2/5 | Monsoon building. 12-22°C. Heavy rain. |
| June | 1/5 | Full monsoon. 14-20°C. Extreme rainfall — 2500mm+ this month. |
| July | 1/5 | Peak rainfall. 14-20°C. Wettest month — 3000mm+. |
| August | 1/5 | Heavy monsoon. 14-20°C. Still extreme. |
| September | 2/5 | Monsoon retreating. 12-22°C. Rain decreasing but still heavy. |
| October | 4/5 | Post-monsoon. 10-22°C. Dry spells return. Green landscape. |
| November | 4/5 | Dry. 8-20°C. Clear. Pleasant. |
| December | 3/5 | Dry. 5-18°C. Cold but clear. |
Practical Details
How to reach
Shillong — 65km, 2.5hr.. Roads: Decent from Shillong, last stretch rough.. Self-drive: Doable with SUV.. Public transport: Very rare shared taxis. Best to hire car from Shillong.. Last stretch: moderate — rough road last 10km
Elevation
1,400m
Difficulty
easy
Budget tier
budget
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