Sylhet

Bangladesh's tea capital in the northeast, with rolling hills of tea gardens; the Ratargul Swamp Forest and the clear waters of Jaflong are local favorites.

Sylhet lies in the far northeast of Bangladesh, bordered to the north by the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of India's Meghalaya state, with the Surma River flowing through town. It is the country's tea capital and its most important Sufi pilgrimage center: the city holds the shrines of the saints Shah Jalal and Shah Paran, while tea gardens blanket the surrounding hills. Malnicherra, established in 1854, is one of the oldest commercial tea estates on the Indian subcontinent.

Sightseeing follows three main routes. The city route covers the Shah Jalal shrine, Keane Bridge and the clock tower, and the Lakkatura and Malnicherra tea estates (half a day to a full day). The northern border route takes in rivers and hills: boating in the Ratargul Swamp Forest, the clear river and pebble beaches of Jaflong, the emerald channels of Lalakhal, the white-stone beaches of Bisnakandi and Sada Pathor, and the water lilies of Dibir Haor, each needing half a day to a full day with 1–2 hours of driving. The southern tea-country route heads 65–80 km south to the tea gardens of Sreemangal, the rainforest of Lawachara National Park and Madhabkunda Waterfall, usually with an overnight stay. About 85 km northwest, Tanguar Haor is ideal for an overnight houseboat trip to watch the wetland sunrise and migratory birds.

Seasons: Oct–Mar is dry and sunny, the most comfortable time for tea gardens and the city, and winter brings migratory birds, but northern rivers run low and the water at Bisnakandi and similar spots is less vivid. The Jun–Sep monsoon brings the highest water and the greenest scenery; Ratargul only has enough water for boating in the rainy season (roughly Jul–Oct), but heavy rain makes roads muddy and flash floods are frequent. Getting there: about 45 minutes by air from Dhaka, or 7–8 hours by train and about 5–6 hours by bus. CNG auto-rickshaws are the way to get around town, and hiring a car is recommended for the northern route. Plan on 3–4 days. Note: local customs are conservative; remove your shoes at the shrines, and women should cover their hair. Do not cross the border in frontier areas, and carry your passport in some zones.

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