Imphal, India: travel guide
Valley city of Manipur — the floating Loktak Lake with its phumdis, Kangla Fort, the women-run Ima Keithel market, and the sacred Shree Govindajee temple.
- Country
- India
- Currency
- INR
- Time zone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Nearest airport
- IMF
Top places to visit in Imphal
Shree Govindajee Temple
Temple · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h
A historic twin-domed Vaishnavite temple beside the old palace, the principal centre of Manipuri Vaishnavism and the famed Ras Lila dance traditions.
Imphal War Cemetery
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h
A serene, immaculately kept cemetery honouring Commonwealth soldiers who died in the 1944 Imphal-Kohima campaign, with rows of bronze plaques on green lawns.
Manipur State Museum
Museum · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · entry 100
A museum of Manipuri heritage — tribal costumes, royal artefacts, the polo (sagol kangjei) legacy, manuscripts and natural history.
Loktak Lake
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 2 h
The largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, famed for its floating phumdis (heterogeneous masses of vegetation), fishing huts and a mesmerising patchwork of green rings.
Kangla Fort
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · entry 50
The ancient walled capital of the Manipuri kings on the Imphal river — temples, ceremonial halls, the Kangla Sha dragons and moats, the spiritual heart of Manipur.
Ima Keithel (Mothers' Market)
Market · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h
A unique centuries-old market run entirely by thousands of women, selling textiles, handicrafts, vegetables and fish — a living symbol of Manipuri matriarchy.
Sendra Island
Viewpoint · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · entry 50
A scenic island-hill rising from Loktak with a tourist resort and viewpoint, offering the iconic panorama of the lake's floating phumdi rings.
INA Memorial Moirang
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 1 h · entry 50
The site where the Indian National Army first hoisted the tricolour in 1944, with a museum honouring Netaji and the INA's freedom struggle.
Keibul Lamjao National Park
Wildlife · 4.4 rating · about 3 h · entry 500
The world's only floating national park, set on Loktak's phumdis and the last refuge of the endangered sangai (Manipur brow-antlered deer).
Khongampat Orchidarium
Nature · 4.1 rating · about 1 h · entry 50
A government orchid sanctuary on the city outskirts conserving over a hundred Manipuri orchid species, glorious when in bloom (April-May).
Things to do
- Loktak Lake Boat Tour Nature · 2 h · from INR 800 per person
- Kangla Fort Heritage Walk Cultural · 2 h · from INR 600 per person
- Keibul Lamjao Sangai Safari Nature · 3 h · from INR 1,000 per person
- Imphal Markets & War History Tour Cultural · 5 h · from INR 1,200 per person
Day trips and tours
- Loktak Lake & Moirang Day 9 h · from INR 2,200
- Imphal Heritage & Markets Day 7 h · from INR 1,800
- Keibul Lamjao Sangai Safari Day 8 h · from INR 2,000
Where to stay in Imphal
- City Center about INR 2,000 per night
Main commercial area with mid-range hotels
Hotels
- Classic Grande Imphal 4-star · INR 5,000 to INR 9,000 per night
- The Classic Hotel 3-star · INR 3,500 to INR 6,500 per night
- Loktak Homestay Moirang 2-star · INR 1,500 to INR 3,200 per night
- Sendra Tourist Home (MTDC) 2-star · INR 2,500 to INR 4,500 per night
- Sangai Continental Hotel 3-star · INR 2,800 to INR 5,000 per night
- Hotel Imphal (MTDC) 3-star · INR 3,000 to INR 5,500 per night
Where to eat
- Luangamba Restaurant Manipuri, Northeastern · about INR 350 per person
- Classic Hotel Restaurant Manipuri, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 400 per person
- Paona Bazaar Food Street Street Food, Tibetan, Chinese · about INR 150 per person
- Sangai Continental North Indian, Chinese, Continental · about INR 400 per person
- The Marrow Cafe Cafe, Continental, Tibetan · about INR 250 per person
- Hotel Imphal Restaurant Manipuri, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 450 per person
- Sendra Park Restaurant Manipuri, North Indian, Chinese · about INR 400 per person
- Nirvana Restaurant North Indian, Chinese, Tandoor · about INR 350 per person
Getting around
- Auto Rickshaw main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Shared Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.