Umngot River, Dawki

Umngot River at Dawki in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, is renowned for its exceptionally clear, emerald-green water that allows boats to appear as if floating on air. Flowing near the India-Bangladesh border, the river is spanned by the historic 1932 Dawki suspension bridge. Surrounded by forested hills and boulders, it is a major natural attraction for boating, photography and sightseeing, especially during the dry winter months when visibility is highest.

Visitors can expect an exceptionally clear river with visible riverbed, pebbles and boulders beneath transparent green-blue water. The setting includes forested hills, rocky banks and the steel suspension Dawki Bridge. Visitors can take shared or private wooden boats rowed by local boatmen, enjoy sightseeing and photography from the water and riverbanks, view the nearby border area, and explore small food stalls and viewpoints along the shore. Boating is conducted during daylight hours.

The river is spanned by the Dawki Suspension Bridge, a steel suspension bridge constructed in 1932 during British rule to connect Meghalaya with present-day Bangladesh. The bridge remains in use and is a notable engineering landmark over the Umngot River.

The river, known locally as Wah Umngot, is central to the life of the local Jaintia community for fishing and daily use, and is a focal point for tourism and cross-border trade activity at Dawki. It is celebrated for its natural purity and is an important symbol of Meghalaya's natural heritage.