Located on the edge of a tea estate, Mancotta Chang is a 157-year-old bungalow situated just outside the town of Dibrugarh. The bungalow, owned by Manoj and Vineeta Jalan through their company Purvi Discovery, was built by the British, offers visitors a taste of a bygone era of the British Raj. It has a rather nostalgic setting with all six rooms named after the famous tributaries of the Brahmaputra. The rooms are spacious and come with dressing area, a bathroom-toilet (western style), two large sunrooms, a sitting room, dining room and a balcony. A tip: ask for the master bedroom on the first floor, it is simply breathtaking. In the evenings, visitors can sip the famous Assamese tea as they watch the sun go down.

As a retreat, Mancotta Chang is perfect for those looking to explore the heritage and culture of Assam. For instance, the bungalow is built in true Assamese style and raised on stilts. Why stilts? Because that it makes it easier to mount your elephant - the traditional and perhaps most efficient mode of transport here. What else? Visitors can go exploring the nearby tea gardens and villages, where they can interact with the locals, and experience an India of a bygone era.

The place does offer some basic amenities like laundry, shoe shining, and a complimentary newspaper. The cuisine which varies from Indian to Continental to Oriental is simple but flavourful. Only don’t go looking for the traditional hotel frills here, as the place is retreat and should be treated as such. Enjoy Mancotta Chang for what it is and you will have a wonderful holiday.

Location: 4 kms away from Dibrugarh railway station; 20 kms from Dibrugarh airport.

Accommodation: 4 AC rooms in the main bungalow; 2 Single Non AC rooms in the annexure building

Enjoy: Elephant rides as the bungalow is on stilts

Facilities: Laundry, shoe shining, complimentary newspaper.

Meals: Are offered onsite

Further information: www.assamteatourism.com