10 Most Breathtaking Places in Bangladesh

Who amongst us doesn’t like to travel? For many, traveling is just another way to spend free time. But for others, traveling means leaving behind their busy life and breathing the air of freedom. It is the perfect way to recharge oneself when the responsibilities of daily life have bogged you down. We gain a renewed enthusiasm to tackle life head-on. There are several places in and around Dhaka that you can pay a visit to. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of tourist spots in  Bangladesh, spread all over the place. Today’s article is on such places. So let’s take a look at 10 amazing tourist spots in Bangladesh.

Ratargul

Not just in Bangladesh, Ratargul is one of the only few freshwater swamp forests in Bangladesh. Swamp forests are usually either waterlogged the entire year or most of the year. This astounding place located near Sylhet city was hidden away from people for a long time. But once discovered, it quickly became one of the most popular tourist spots in Bangladesh. This place in Gowainghat Upazila is connected with the Gowain River and the Chengerkhal canal, and small boats are the preferred mode of transportation. There’s nothing really special about traveling on a boat, many already do so every day. But to experience a boat ride under trees, branches, and leaves, you need to visit Ratargul. And that visit should be during the rainy season because the water dries up entirely during the dry seasons.

Pantumai/Borohil Waterfall

The next destination in our list after Ratargul is also from the Gowainghat Upazila. However, this tourist spot is located right on the Bangladesh-India border in Pantumai Village. You can get the best view of the Borohil Waterfall in the Indian state of Meghalaya from here! While getting close to the waterfall might not be possible due to border restrictions, there are few things that need to be viewed from afar to properly comprehend their beauty! The incredible people of the village will welcome you with open arms and provide you the opportunity to play in the frosty ice-melted waters of the waterfall. Next to the spot is a large field with two goalposts; calling you to play some football! And if nothing else, you can just spend hour after hour looking at the waterfall sitting on the grass.

Bichnakandi

Like we said, sometimes you need to look from afar to properly understand the significance and beauty of something. Bichnakandi of Sylhet is one such place. The high ‘Seven Sisters’ of Meghalaya came down from the heavens to kiss these lands. And from the middle of this mountain range, a large stream of water has made its way to form an equally big waterfall. The waterfall is so tall that you can even sometimes see clouds pass by under it. You can witness this enchanting sight from Bichnakandi. All your life’s successes & failures and wins & losses lose meaning for a moment when you lie neck deep in the icy-cold water coming down from the mountains! Most of the tourist spots in Sylhet come to bloom during monsoon, and Bichnakandi is no different. You need to cross a bit of road and a bit of river to reach this heavenly place.

Red Water Lilies of Dibir Haor

Before travel-thirsty people started coming to Bichnakandi, Ratargul or Pantumai, Jaflong was the main destination when visiting Sylhet. Unfortunately, the tourist spots of Jaflong have lost their old glamour with time and an excess number of tourists. There are, however, a number of wonderful tourist spots along the Jaflong road. One of the places that recently came under limelight is the Dibir Haor. Even though it is referred to as a haor, it is actually a marshland. People from all over the place visit Dibir Haor to see the incredible red water lilies that bloom there. Some sit on the ground and view the water lilies from afar while others take small boats to touch these beautiful wonders. The area is nestled between borders of two countries; with a soil road in the middle of the vast body of water, leading to the mountains. You’ll find this road along the Sylhet-Tamabil road, one-two kilometers from Jointa Bazar and to your right. This Water Lily marsh is a bit different from the other tourist spots in Sylhet where you’ll find pleasant water lilies in winter!

Tanguar Haor

We’ve all heard of the famous Tanguar Haor of Sunamganj. This haor, which spreads throughout the many regions of greater Sunamganj and Mymensingh, is considered one of the most beautiful haors of the country. It is not possible to describe its beauty in just a few words. Taking a large boat and spending a night in the middle of the haor watching the stars in the sky can be one of the greatest experiences of your life. And if you can eat some fresh fish with the fishermen there, it’s just the cherry on top! Also, if it’s a budget trip, you can also add a quick visit to the Jadukata River, Tahirpur, Sahid Siraj Lake, Barikka Tila, and many other places.

Various Trails in Bandarban

Let’s leave the Sylhet division for now and head over to the other end of the country. When there’s talk of traveling within the country, the name of Bandarban is sure to come up a few times. There is an uncountable number of trails along the mountainous roads of Alikadam, Ruma and Thanchi Upazila. Boga Lake, Keokradong, Remakri, Tindamukh, Nafakhum, Amiakum, Satvaikum, Jadipai – none of them less than the other! Your body might get tired walking along these trails, but all your mind’s tiredness will wash away rapidly.

Nafakum

Remakrimukh is an excellent place to see. It also has quite a few cottages where you can stay. But there are a lot of people who don’t go to Bandarban to relax. For them, the primary address is Nafakum. Anyone can reach the unbelievably beautiful Nafakum from Remakri by trekking an hour or two. According to the local language, the ‘Nafa’ means fish and the word ‘Kum’ means deep. So you can guess the deepness of the place from its name. And if you want to behold its beauty, you need to endure a bit of difficulty.

Jadipai Waterfall

Even from the pictures, you can see the Jadipai waterfall is one of the widest in the country. It is also one of the best tourist spots in Bangladesh. You need to walk for two hours from Keokradong, passing Pashingpara, in order to reach the waterfall in Jadipaipara. The entire path is downhill, so take caution. However, every adventurer boldly moves forward to see the beauty of the Jadipai waterfall. The waterfall takes on a terribly beautiful look.

Kaptai Lake

Rangamati is also a hilly district similar to Bandarban. Within the Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati lies a bewitching lake known as Kaptai Lake. This is the biggest man-made freshwater lake in not just Bangladesh, but also in the entirety of South-East Asia. The lake was made by building a dam in the Karnaphuli River and spread throughout seven Upazilas. There are quite a few tourist spots around here. Many people from Chattogram come to visit. If you can get the permission, you can go kayaking, fishing, or just take a boat ride.

While a lot of people want to go abroad for their summer gateways, there’s still an abundance of places to visit in this small country of ours. And the places we mentioned above were picked from our favorite collection of tourist spots in Bangladesh. Did you visit any of the places? If you haven’t, which one do you want to visit someday? Let us know in the comments section!

And always keep in mind; it is all our duty to take care of this little country of ours. So whenever you visit any of the tourist spots in Bangladesh, be careful not to damage anything or leave behind any garbage or plastic. Hope your travels seeing the country be enjoyable!

Special thanks for the photos to

• Pantumai, Bichnakandi, and Tanguar Haor – Al-Amin Abu Ashraf Dolon
• Nafakum and Jadipai Waterfall – Ruhul Amin Sumon