Bangladesh is the land of six magnificent seasons.
The diversity in weather has created unique opportunities for travel in the country.
Each season brings a new look to different parts of Bangladesh.
Summer is for traveling to the beach while winter is more suitable for exploring the hilly regions.
The rainy season is when Sylhet, the land of tea gardens and lush green hills, comes to life.
A particular destination in Sylhet division that has garnered much attention over the years is Tanguar Haor.
The truly unique wetlands of Tanguar Haor encompass an area of almost 100 sq kilometers.
Tourism in the area has seen exponential improvement over the recent years.
Once only a destination for adventure hungry youngsters, Tanguar Haor now boasts a fleet of more than 65 modern houseboats and “Bajra” boats.
The boats are fully equipped with modern furnishings, washrooms and sometimes even air conditioning.
Some luxury houseboats are often equipped with bathtubs and jacuzzis for travelers.
While the comfort of traveling through Tanguar Haor has undoubtedly increased, the feelings remain the same.
Most of the activities available around the haor also remain similar.
Today we discuss the top 5 things one must do if they travel to Tanguar Haor.
1. Swim in the clean water of Tanguar haor
Undoubtedly, swimming in the waters of Tanguar Haor is a binding part of the entire experience. Recent tours designed surrounding houseboats in Tanguar haor incorporate this element beautifully. Travelers are given the opportunity to swim in the clear waters near Tanguar Haor Watch Tower to fully immerse themselves in the Tanguar haor experience.
2. Eat fresh fish
One of the main charms of the haor is the abundance of fresh fish and vegetables in the rural setting. From the beginning of Tanguar haor tourism, fresh fish has been a staple in the food menu. Even a few years earlier, fishermen used to catch the fish themselves to cook for hungry tourists on boats. But times have evolved a lot since then. The current houseboat experiences don't consist of toiling to catch live fish. But fresh fish are still reserved and served during almost every meal, making the culinary journey worthwhile along with the visual one.
3. Visit Lakma Chora - a mini Jaflong
A lesser known attraction of Sunamganj is “Lakma Chora”. Lakma Chora provides similar natural elements to Bichanakandi or Jaflong. However, the area is much less crowded, making it an ideal spot to appreciate the beauty of Northeastern Bangladesh. Nestled among the hills of Meghalaya, Lakma Chora boasts unique natural beauty. During the monsoon, one can experience the uniqueness of the location in full bloom.
4. See Shimul trees in full bloom
The garden of Shimul trees is another integral part of visiting Tanguar Haor. However, seeing the trees in full bloom can cause a dilemma. The Tanguar haor journey itself is best enjoyed during the seasons of monsoon and autumn. However, the garden full of red Shimul flowers can only be seen during winter. But the green gardens during monsoon are a thing of beauty on their own.
The Shimul forest is known to have horses which are open for riding by tourists. The overall experience is similar to exploring the hills of Gulmarg or Ladakh in Kashmir.
5. Travel through Niladri Lake
Niladri lake is another astonishing sight near Tanguar Haor. Surrounded by the hills of Meghalaya, the magical scenery of the lake is unmatched. Originally named Shaheed Siraj Lake, the area is quiet and lacks heavy tourist crowds. There are no established shops in the area and only a handful of vendors sit with coconuts and other fruits for occasional travelers to enjoy. While traveling through Tanguar haor, a detour to Niladri Lake is a must.
The evolution of travel has spread its wings across the Bangladeshi travel scene.
Rapid growth is being seen across many popular tourist spots in the country, making travel more accessible for all.
Online travel services have also flourished during this time to bring utmost convenience in travel booking experiences.
One of these services is GoZayaan.
Choosing the perfect houseboat for yourself can often prove to be a confusing task.
To simplify the process of planning a tour to Tanguar Haor, one can look through the website or app.
The costing, food menu, itinerary - everything is listed on the website, making the decision process much simpler.
Wherever you're planning to visit on your next holiday - GoZayaan can be your one stop solution.
This monsoon is the perfect season to savor the beauty of Tanguar haor.
Start planning your vacation to the unique destination now.
This article has been published in partnership with GoZayaan