Sreemangal

Bangladesh's tea capital, surrounded by rolling tea gardens. Visit Lawachara rainforest for gibbons and Baikka Wetland for birdwatching, then try a cup of seven-layer tea.

Sreemangal (also spelled Srimangal) is a small town in Moulvibazar District of Sylhet Division in northeastern Bangladesh, surrounded by rolling hills covered in tea gardens. The country's largest tea-growing region is concentrated here, which is why it is called the 'Tea Capital'. The town itself is small, and the main sights lie within 10–30 km of it. To the east, Lawachara National Park is the best-known rainforest, where you can hike in search of white-browed gibbons. To the southeast, near Kamalganj, tea gardens surround Madhabpur Lake, and Hum Hum Falls takes about half a day's walk to reach. To the northwest, Baikka Wetland attracts flocks of migratory birds in winter. To the southwest, in Habiganj District, are Satchari National Park and the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. In town, you must try the seven-layer tea that originated here. You can also visit the Tea Research Institute and the Tea Museum to learn about the tea industry and the history of tea workers. Nearby are villages of the Khasi, Manipuri and Tripura ethnic groups. The best season is November to March, when it is dry, cool and comfortable for hiking and birdwatching. The monsoon from May to September makes the tea gardens greenest, but the roads are slippery and leeches are common. From Dhaka, it takes about 4–5 hours by train (Parabat Express, Upaban Express and others) to Sreemangal station, or about 4–5 hours by bus. From Sylhet, the bus takes about 2–2.5 hours. In town and the surrounding area, CNG three-wheelers hired for the day are the main form of transport, and you can also rent a bicycle to explore the tea gardens. Allow two to three days. Some sights are near the Indian border, so follow local regulations. Foreign visitors pay higher entrance fees at national parks than local visitors.

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