Asia's Cleanest Village Bans Tourists on Sundays to Reclaim Real Life
‘Asia's cleanest village’ bans tourists on Sundays
I visited Mawlynnong, India, where residents recently banned day-trippers on Sundays to reclaim their community life and attend church. While tourism transformed the village from an isolated settlement into a modern destination, the constant influx of visitors threatened local hygiene standards and cultural identity. By closing the gates one day a week, the community prioritizes its traditions and rest over immediate income, proving that even a global attraction needs boundaries to survive.
We have to have a break. If we close one day from the tourists, then we can have real village life.
- quadrifoliate
As someone born and brought up in India, I'm a little conflicted about this.
Of course it is true that a lot of Indians have no civic sense, and will spit, litter, and generally make a noisy nuisance of themselves in this quiet village. On the surface it seems to be a great story about that nuisance being kicked out one day of the week.
At the same time, this is part of...India. It seems questionable legally, and also morally, to just kick out people from the rest of the country and even the state on a a specific day. Your village benefits to some degree from their taxes. How would it be if the villagers were locked into their village for that day and not allowed to travel outside?
Is the solution to a lack of civic sense really just to make more and more of these clean enclaves? Will they finally end up expanding and covering more of the country? I would honestly feel better about this if the entire state of Meghalaya had some kind of cleanliness drive and a tourist tax.
I don't have any easy solutions. If I did, they would have occurred to someone in India and it would be a lot cleaner by now.
- doublerabbit
> Do not spit" signs
> Some tourists have complained about the ban, saying it should have been implemented on a weekday instead
These should not be a thing. What is it that makes folk feel so entitled?
"Lack of litter bins"; isn't an excuse. I've seen folk stand next to a litter bin, light up and then throw the cigarettes end to the ground.
You're literally standing next to a litter bin!
It should be common sense not to spit nor to litter. Spitting is the worse and I see it all the time here in the UK.
- rayiner
> In a country known for its lack of sanitation, this is no small feat. But in Mawlynnong, children are taught to tidy up from a young age, with many taking to the streets each morning before school to sweep the town of dead leaves and empty rubbish bins. Villagers see to the disposal of biodegradables and take pride in public landscaping.
Culture is real.
- skeledrew
> But in Mawlynnong, children are taught to tidy up from a young age
This needs to be a thing everywhere. Education works to resolve most - if not all - social issues.
- angry_octet
It should be clear that this is about the stress that visiting Indians bring. And their trash.
But it also highlights how you need to restrict access to move up the value chain. Hordes of bus tourists who eat elsewhere or bring take away contribute little economically, you can sell some trinkets. People with a hotel booking are also likely to eat locally.
Venice faces a similar situation with cruise ships and Airbnbs raising the price of housing. They should be capping cruise ship numbers, and a weekend break would be good too.
- nelox
Ah the age old story of something being loved to death.
- kristopolous
Cleaner than Japan? That's something...
- fouc
bans only 1 day? man, I'd expand that to include mondays and tuesdays