Planning for this trip to the North east took a lot of time and energy because there were not many resources we could refer to. The blogs and travelogues were very old and there was a lot of conflicting information we were getting from people we spoke to. I would have ideally wanted to write a very detailed blog; but it has been 6 months since we came back and I thought of posting whatever I have been able to write till now. Things have been really hectic so I am not able to mention everything in detail. If you are visiting Mizoram or Tripura and would like to know any specific details not covered in this blog; do comment and I will connect with you.

Where exactly is Mizoram?

Mizoram is one of the states in North East India, part of the seven sisters. It has borders with 2 countries (Myanmar and Bangladesh) & 3 Indian states (Assam, Tripura and Manipur). Mizoram has Myanmar to its east and south and Bangladesh to its west. Tripura is in Mizoram’s northwest, Assam in the North and Manipur in the Northeast. The maps below will give you an idea of the location of this tiny and beautiful state.

Best Time to Visit Mizoram

November to May are good seasons to visit Mizoram. Mizoram has 3 seasons: Summer (March to May), Rainy (May to October) and Winter (November to March). Summers arenot too hot because of the altitude (temperature is around 20-25 degrees), winters are cold with temperature between 10-20 degrees but the landscape is absolutely breathtaking. Mizoram gets rain due to the southwest monsoon between May to October. Rainy season is definitely avoidable because movement is restricted and the hilly roads are dangerous to drive.

So to sum it up, Mizoram is a good destination to visit in all months except the rainy season.

What is unique about Mizoram?

We found Mizoram very unique and different from the rest of the Indian states. Mizoram literally means land of the hilly people: Mi (people), Zo (high rise such as hills or mountains) and Ram (land).

Some of the reasons we found it interesting are:

  • Culture and Identity: Mizos are very proud of their culture and identity and rightly so because its very distinct and unique. Its a tribal state and most inhabitants belong to some tribe or the other. There is a very strong connect with Chinese and Burmese culture. The Mizo language has no trace of Sanskrit like most of the Indian languages. Mizos hold their beliefs and values very strongly; which reflects in their day-to-day life and behaviour with others. The art, music & dances, festivals, textiles, and cuisine are all very unique to Mizo.
  • Scenic landscape: Without doubt, Mizoram was one of the most scenic states we have visited in India. It is one of the most unexplored places and its a nature lover’s haven. It has mesmerizing landscapes, dense bamboo jungles and evergreen hills. It is also known as the land of Blue Mountains with cascading waterfalls and rivulets.
  • Cleanliness: This one stood out for me. Aizawl is one of the cleanest cities we have seen in India. And we could see why it was so when we went for a morning walk on a Saturday. Teenagers were out with shovels and brooms cleaning their street. A father was teaching his young son how to pick up some garbage from the roadside. Most village entrances had a board about keeping the village clean. We could see public urinals in most parts of Aizawl being maintained and used by people.
  • Education: Mizoram has one of the highest literacy rates in India, 3rd only after Kerala and Lakshadweep. There are about 2000 schools in the state; which makes its 1 for every 100 kids. Every village in Mizoram has a village education committee.
  • Commitment to protect environment: Mizoram government banned crackers and fireworks in the state in 2009 to protect the environment.
  • Geographical significance: Tropic of cancer passes through 8 states in India, Mizoram being one of them. Other states being Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tripura. We passed the tropic of cancer on our way from Aizawl to Hmuifang.
  • Women Empowerment: Mizoram is a patriarchal society and there is a lot of work that needs to be done for women empowerment and equality. However, compared to the rest of India; women play a significant role in the development of society in this small state. As per some studies done in 2022, Mizoram has the highest 70.9 percent ratio of female-to-male workers among those working as legislators, senior officials and managers. Most of the shops in streets and on the roadside are run by women in Mizoram. Sainik School Chhingchhip in Mizoram was the first to admit girl cadets in 2018. In general, except for driving taxi; we could see women equally participative as men in Mizoram.

Having said all this, we were very disappointed with the smoking and drinking habits of Mizos. Officially, alcohol is banned in Mizoram. But it is very much visible. We had to specify to our cab agency to send a driver who does not smoke and drink. While we were assured he would not smoke in the car, he was free to do that outside once the duty was over. Teenagers could be seen smoking. Both men and women smoke and drink and the state has one of the highest cases of cancer affecting their lung, esophagus & stomach.