Bandarban for the first time: hills, waterfalls and getting around
Destinations · · 2 min read
Bandarban is where Bangladesh stops being flat. The hills are modest by Himalayan standards and completely unlike the rest of the country, which is the point.
Getting there
There is no airport in Bandarban. Every route goes through Chittagong:
- Fly or take the train to Chittagong, then two to three hours by road.
- Or take a direct night coach from Dhaka, around ten hours.
The hill road is slower than the distance suggests. A plan that assumes highway speeds for the last stretch will be wrong by hours - ours adds the extra time deliberately.
What to see without a trek
- Buddha Dhatu Jadi, the golden temple above Balaghata, is the image most people have of Bandarban.
- Nilachal, twenty minutes from town, for the view at sunrise before the haze builds.
- Chimbuk and Nilgiri along the ridge road, best as a half-day drive with stops.
- Meghla and Shailapropat for an easy morning close to town.
If you want to go further
Keokradong, Boga Lake and Nafakhum need guides, permits and time - usually three days minimum from Bandarban town, and the rules change. Arrange it locally rather than online.
Practical notes
Foreign nationals face restrictions in parts of the Hill Tracts and may need permission; check before travelling. Phone coverage disappears in the valleys. Roads after heavy rain can close without warning, so keep a spare day in the monsoon.
How long
Two nights covers the temple, Nilachal and the ridge road at a civilised pace. Three lets you add Ruma or a waterfall without spending the whole trip in a jeep.