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Home » Imphal, Manipur » Travel to Imphal

Travel to Imphal


Imphal Tourism

Imphal, the capital of Manipur sits at an altitude of 790 meters above sea level and is surrounded by the ruins of the old palace of Kangla. Surrounded by hills, Imphal is believed to be one of the oldest towns in India and was ruled by the Manipur royal family. Though later the town was captured by the British in 1826.

Imphal gets its name from "Yumphal", which means "Land of many villages". The town is inhabited by people belonging to various tribes, such as the Kuki, Tangkhul, Hmar, Paite and Mao. Imphal also famous for Raslila, a classical dance form which is inspired from 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.

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.

Tourist Attractions in Imphal