Travel to Imphal

Imphal, capital of Manipur lies at an elevation of 790 metres above sea level and is surrounded by the ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Surrounded by hills, Imphal is considered one of the oldest cities in India and was ruled by the Royal family of Manipur. Although later the city was captured by the British in 1826.

Imphal is named "Yumphal", which means "land of many villages." The city is inhabited by persons belonging to various tribes like Kuki, Paite, Tangkhul, Lucy and Mao.

Imphal, also famous for Raslila, a classical dance form that is inspired by Lord Krishna and Radha.

Best Time to Visit Imphal

The best time to visit Imphal is from September to April.

How to Reach Imphal

Being the capital of Manipur, Imphal is an important town and is well connected to other parts of the country. Here is how to reach Imphal.

By Train

Imphal does not have its own railway station and the nearest railhead is at Dimapur (Nagaland), which is located at a distance of 215 km. From Dimapur one can hire a bus to reach Imphal, which would take approximately eight hours. The other railhead is at Guwahati (Assam), which is at a distance of 414 km from Imphal.

By Road

Imphal is well connected by road to cities in neighbouring states. Manipur state buses have regular bus services to cities like Dimpaur, Kohima, Aizwal, Itanagar, Agartala and Shillong.

By Air

The Imphal airport is located 8km from the city and is well connected by air to cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.

Places to See in Imphal

Imphal has many interesting tourist destinations; here are a few of them:

Kangla Fort

Located near the Imphal River, right in the centre of the city, Kangla was the royal palace of the king of Manipur.

The fort is now open for the public and commands a lot of religious, archeological and historic importance.

Manipur State Museum
The Manipur State Museum in Imphal is home to a display on the culture, nature and history of Manipur. There is also a special gallery for children to make the visit interesting for them.

Apart from this, the museum also undertakes campaigns such as cultural appreciation courses and science fairs.

Khwairamband Bazaar
The largest market in the north east, this all women's market is Manipur's most fascinating tourist attraction.

Run by over 300 women, this market stocks almost everything, right from vegetables, fish and fruit, to household items, cloth and pottery items.

War Cemetery
The War Cemetery in Manipur is managed by the Commonwealth Graves Commission and is an effort to preserve the memory of the Indian and British soldiers who lost their lives during the Second World War.

The cemetery has been beautifully maintained and each grave has been marked with bronze plaques recording the sacrifice of these fearless warriors.

Manipur Zoological Gardens
Located 5 km away from Imphal, this garden is known for preserving and breeding rare and protected species of animals.

One such rare species (not only in India, but in the world), the Brow-Antelered Thaimin Deer can be found here. The zoological gardens are surrounded by beautiful green hillocks and the atmosphere here is calm and peaceful.

Shri Govindjee Temple
Situated in the same complex as the Kangla Fort, this temple was the chosen place for any cultural activity during the time of the kings.

The temple houses many idols of Hindu Gods such as Krishna, Balaram, Jagannath and Subdhara etc. The atmosphere in this temple is very vibrant and one can constantly hear chants and religious mantras being sung.

Loktak Lake
The Loktak Lake is a large freshwater lake in Imphal and is also known as the Floating Lake, because of various decomposed organic matter floating on the lake's surface.

The Loktak Lake is an important source of livelihood for many fishermen and is also frequented by many tourists. A new resort by the name of Phubala has been opened near the lake and provides water sport and other adventure sport activities to visitors.

Shopping in Imphal

Shopping in Imphal is a delightful experience. One can purchase items made of cane, papier mache and ivory. Apart from that, one can also purchase some interesting jewellery items as well, but make sure you bargain hard to get a good deal.

One can also visit fixed priced shops such as the Manipur Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporation in Paona Bazaar. Kangla Emporium and Eastern Handlooms and Handicrafts are a good place to buy textiles.

The Khwairamband Bazaar is a good place to buy Manipuri handicrafts, shawls and jewellery items. Nagalmpal Market is a good option if you're looking for accessories, footwear or spices. Head to Tera Bazaar if handlooms are what you're looking for. Malom Bazaar stocks fresh fruits and vegetables and Moreh Market, which is located three hours from Imphal is famous for stocking local and imported goods, such as shawls, Haupee and the Tangkhul Scarf and many more interesting items. 

Imphal Cuisine

Manipuri cuisine primarily comprises of rice, fish and green leafy vegetables. The vegetables consumed by Manipuris are grown in kitchen gardens at home and the fish eaten is reared in a small pond nearby. 

 Hence, food consumed by Manipuri people is organic and healthy. Fish eaten in Manipuri cuisine is fermented and along with chillies, a lot of herbs are used while preparing the food. 

Hotels in Imphal

Budget Hotels

Hotel Anand Continental Address : Khoyathong Road, Majorkhul, Thangal Bazar City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2449422, 2449433 Fax No. : 0385-2405492 Email ID : hotel_anand@rediffmail.com Type : Budget Rooms in Hotel : 30 Maximum Room Rate : INR 1500 Minimum Room Rate : INR 600	Hotel Prince Address : Thangal Bazar City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2220587 Type : Budget Rooms in Hotel : 22 Maximum Room Rate : INR 1000 Minimum Room Rate : INR 500
Hotel Kristina Address : Pologround Road, Paona Bazar City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2445255, 2242093 Type : Budget Rooms in Hotel : 20 Maximum Room Rate : INR 1000 Minimum Room Rate : INR 600

2 Star Hotels

Hotel Nirmala Address : Behind City Police Station, MG Avenue, Thangal Bazaar City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2229014, 2224354 Type : 2 Star Rooms in Hotel : 23 Maximum Room Rate : INR 2000 Minimum Room Rate : INR 600	Hotel Bheigo Address : Keisampat Thokchom Leikai, Wahengbam Leikai Road City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2445845, 2445845 Email ID : info@hotelbheigo.in Website : www.hotelbheigo.in Type : 2 Star Rooms in Hotel : 28 Maximum Room Rate : INR 2400 Minimum Room Rate : INR 600
Hotel Imphal Address : North AOC Point, Imphal Dimapur Road City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2423344, 2423372 Fax No. : 0385-2421373 Email ID : hotelimphal@yahoo.co.in Type : 2 Star Maximum Room Rate : INR 4000 Minimum Room Rate : INR 500

3 Star Hotels

The Classic Hotel Address : North A.O.C City : Imphal State : Manipur Pin Code : 795001 Phone No. : 0385-2443967/69, 2445162 Email ID : contact@theclassichotel.in Website : www.theclassichotel.in Type : 3 Star Rooms in Hotel : 59 Maximum Room Rate : INR 7800 Minimum Room Rate : INR 1800

Tourist Map of Imphal