Sikkim the Shangri-La

Places to Stay

Martam Village Resort

Fringed by a colorful tangle of flowering plants, the 14 thatched cottages in east Sikkim’s Martam Village Resort feature large picture windows that overlook the terraced valley and the sweep of the forested mountains. Rooms are airy with bamboo furnishings and tiled floors. Cosy restaurant and bar.

Martam is 5 Kms from Rumtek; about an hour’s drive from Gangtok.

Tel (03592) 203 314

Sonam Palgey

The best hotel in Lachung valley, primarily because of its dramatic location by a waterfall overlooking the valley. It offers 10 basic but pleasant and comfortable rooms, and the restaurant serves tasty local food.

www.Sonampalgey.com

Bamboo Resort

Set on 3 acres of paddy fields in the farming village of Sajong, just half hour from Gangtok. All 10 rooms are color themed according to the Feng Shui principles. And afford panoramic views of the Himalayas. The resort prides itself on its eco friendly policies, and the restaurant serves organic vegetables (including preparations containing orchids, ferns and nettles ). Or you coul tuck into ppizza from a wood –fired oven. Relax in the meditation room, rejuvenate yourself with a herbal bath or go biking or hiking.

www.bambooresort.com

Eats and Drinks

Chhang

No visit is complete without a tumbler of chhang, the popular local eer made of fermented millet. The potent brew is traditionally sipped through a bamboo pipe from a long bamboo container called TONGBA. Although chhang is the unofficial national drink, it is not “officially available”. Ask around discretely though, and you will find that every second stall stocks it.

Ningro

A fern that grows in the mountains, its tendrils are delicious when sautéed with chhurpi. A household staple, ningro chhurpi is not widely available in restaurants, but if you choose a home stay you can usually sample it.

Liqueurs

The liqueurs produced by the Sikkim Distilleries are delicious and make great gifts. Go for old favourites like Crème De Menthe, or try spicy innovations like Ginger and Cardamom.

Available at most large Liquor Stores.

Flower and Nettle Specialities

When spring comes to the hills and the flowers are in full bloom, Sikkimese cooks throw then in soup pots, stir fry them in woks or preserve them in pickle jars. Try the soup made of nettles, bamboo shoots and mushrooms, or go for soucha, a nettle dish, in which the leaves are minced with meat. To experience a bouquet of flowers, ask for barhey, a concoction of rice and pickled rhododendrons or orchids. For such dishes, best look at the small stalls in rural areas, such as the ones near Khecheolpari Lake in Yuksom. In Gangtok, the restaurant at the family run Hotel Netuk House is a good bet.

Hotel Netuk House, Tibet Road, Gangtok.

Tel (03592) 22374.

Blue Sheep Restaurant

MG Marg has a bunch of restaurants serving popular Sikkimese dishes. One of the best eateries here is the Blue Sheep, which serves Chinese style Sikkimese specialties. Start with the GYAKHO, a nutritious soup that, at its most royal can use up to 108 ingredients. Follow up with some crisp chili beef fry.

On MG Marg, above the Sikkim Tourist Information Centre.

Tel (03592) 229 028

Momos and Noodles

Of the countless places all over; the steaming momos and the convenient one dish meal thupka are irresistible and yummy.

Must Do Activities

Sikkim from the Air

Rise above the snowy peaks and find a vantage point in the sky. Thanks to Sikkim’s helicopter service, you can enjoy the spectacle of clouds floating in and out of trails, waterfalls plunging into bottomless valleys and close up views of the tallest mountains. Choose from circuits such as the 20 minutes flight over Gangtok, the 90 minute K2 Special and an hour long sweep over Western Sikkim.

Book thorugh the Sikkim Tourist Information Centre, Gangtok.

Tel (03592) 221 634.