Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Asia's Cleanest Village Closes to Tourists on Sundays
Mawlynnong, a village in India known as Asia's cleanest, has decided to close its doors to tourists on Sundays.
This means that people who want to visit the village for just one day will not be allowed to enter on Sundays.
The village council made this decision because most residents attend church services all day on Sundays and wouldn't be able to provide services or hospitality to visitors.
This could have made the visit unpleasant for tourists, especially elderly ones.
However, people who stay overnight in the village during the week and want to extend their stay until Sunday are still welcome.
Also, those who book rooms for Sunday nights can check in as usual.
The village is about 75 kilometers from the capital city of Shillong and has around 560 residents.
It's a popular tourist spot, with about 500 visitors each day.
Mawlynnong, Asia's cleanest village in Meghalaya, will be closed to one-day tourists on Sundays.
The decision was made by the local council to allow residents to attend religious services without interruption.
All tourist-related services, including restaurants and shops, will be closed on Sundays.
Overnight visitors and those booking rooms for Sunday nights are exempt from this rule.
The village has an average daily footfall of 500 tourists and a population of around 560 people.
- Who
- The Dorbar Shnong Mawlynnong (local council) of Mawlynnong village
- What
- Decided to close the village to one-day tourists on Sundays
- When
- Effective immediately
- Where
- Mawlynnong, Meghalaya, India
- Why
- To allow residents to attend religious services and to prevent inconvenience to visitors
- Location
- Mawlynnong, Meghalaya, India
- Distance from Shillong
- 75 km
- Population
- 560 (112 households)
- Average Daily Footfall
- 500 tourists
- Decision Maker
- Dorbar Shnong Mawlynnong (local council)
- Exemptions
- Overnight visitors and Sunday night bookings