Shopping in Shillong
Take back some memories from Meghalaya by scouting Shillong’s popular market areas. Hit the best stores for authentic handicrafts and traditional garments, get lost in the maze of a traditional bazaar, pick up local fruits, honey, forest products and fresh produce, and search the famous apparel markets for trendy streetwear and more surprises.

Khyndailad
Themes – Fashion, Streetfood, Dining, Nightlife
Bargains? Check. Street food? Check. Popular brands? Check. Cafes and restaurants? Check. Clubs and watering holes? Check.
Whether you want to sip on a cocktail with a view or you are ready to explore some interesting local handicraft, Khyndailad and the surrounding market zone (Police Bazaar or referred to by locals as PB) is a place that throws up many surprises.
We would recommend an evening visit – the place is perpetually crowded but this is the time it comes alive as a sea of blinking colours – marked by shuffling cabs, busy pedestrians, scrambling two-wheelers, and leviathan buses negotiating the streets around a prominent roundabout. Khyndailad is always in the thick of the action – it is, after all, Shillong’s commercial hub. So you can expect to find a lot of shops selling souvenirs and knick-knacks that would be wonderful gifts or home décor additions.
Apart from fine local cuisine, you will also enjoy a choice of Indian and global cuisines in the countless restaurants that line up the surrounding Police Bazaar and Jail Road. Check out the multitudes of apparel stores and complexes dedicated to clothing and accessories – this is where Shillong’s hip street style comes from. Some of the famous ones are Glory’s Plaza and New Bhutia Market.
As the shutters of the main stores come down, the Khyndailad area opens up to street snack vendors – you can sample jadoh, local curries, noodles, grilled meat, and more – or maybe just rejuvenate yourself with a chai after all the shopping you have done.

Iewduh
Themes – Traditional Bazaar, Local Products, Culture, Daily Routines
Iewduh is a maze of humanity, a hub of trade and exchange that will leave you amazed! The lanes snake around forever, crisscrossing each other around an area populated by clusters of buildings and covered platforms. The stalls here sell everything from local fruits, spices, meat and vegetables to electronics, apparel, and wholesale goods – with specific sections. Photographers will revel in the organized chaos and the explosion of colours – this is after all the largest traditional market place, or indigenous bazaar, in the entire North-Eastern region.
Iewduh is a place where producers from all over the Khasi Hills and beyond converge – you will see the blue, wooden-top buses stacked with conical baskets containing goods, old resilient taxis filled with an impossible number of people, snack vendors vying for your attraction, and here and there – a restaurant filled with grinning, boisterous folks serving a bit more than just food. Be ready for whistling porters dashing up and down the steps like ninjas carrying impossible loads. Iewduh also has a thriving early morning flea market.
Visit Iewduh during the day. It is not a place for those who seek space and solitude but if you want to see the faces of Meghalaya share a single platform, there is where the action is. Expect a bit of walking and be ready for all sorts of aromas – from dried fish to tobacco leaves. We suggest some sturdy walking shoes so you can soak in all the vibes and stay comfortable.