"SC-S33/W1-"Explore and Review"- Tourist places and sightseeing areas

Assalamu Alaikum, I am Labiba Sultana. I hope everyone is doing well. By the grace of Allah, I am also good.

The place I am going to talk about today is extremely popular among the people of Bangladesh. Whenever one speaks of the natural beauty of Bangladesh, Sylhet is the first place that comes to mind. Lalakhal is essentially a canal, renowned for its clear, green-and-blue waters. It is located in Jaintiapur, Sylhet. I traveled there from Dhaka by bus, covering 245 kilometers. You can get off at either Kadamtali or Harun Rashid Chattar in Sylhet, depending on your convenience. CNG taxis bound for Lalakhal are available from these locations. Alternatively, if you prefer the bus experience, you can take a bus from the Kadamtali Bus Terminal to Sarighat.

From there, the boat fare is 1,600 Taka; alternatively, you can pay 500 Taka for a CNG ride from Sarighat—which is a bit further inland—to reach the Lalakhal boat terminal. However, the boat ride from that point is quite short. I would recommend boarding at Sarighat instead. Boats usually set off once there are 8 or 9 passengers, though you can also go with a smaller group if you wish; the boats have a capacity of about 7 or 8 people. Since they are engine-powered boats, the noise might be a slight issue, but it is best to overlook that and simply enjoy the beauty of nature. After traveling a short distance by boat, you will see crystal-clear blue-green water contrasting with the deep red soil of the surrounding banks. It takes about one to one-and-a-half hours to travel from Sarighat to the far end of Lalakhal.

At Lalakhal, you can visit tea gardens and a restaurant serving local cuisine; you can also view the hills, including Lakhro Hill, which is actually located across the border in India. If you wish to experience nature up close and enjoy its silence, this is the place for you. The color of the water varies depending on the sunlight; at times, it appears deep blue, while at other moments, it looks like clear green.

I traveled with a group that included an army officer and some foreign nationals. Since the entire area is near the border and serves as a tourist destination, there is army security stationed at regular intervals. I was very excited because I was going on a trip after quite a long time. On my way back from Jaflong, I visited Lalakhal. The distance from Jaflong to Lalakhal is 5–7 kilometers, while the distance from Komtoli to Lalakhal is 30 kilometers. It is a safe place to visit and is suitable for trips with friends, family, and children.

If you are traveling in a large group on a limited budget, try taking the train; however, if the group is even larger, a bus is definitely the better option. Train travel from Dhaka costs around 300–400(3$) Taka per person, whereas the bus fare is approximately 1,000/1500 Taka(8-12$) per person. Try to book a nighttime ticket so the journey feels less tiring. You can travel to Lalakhal from the Kadamtali Bus Terminal by bus for a fare of 70 Taka per person. Moreover, you can hire a CNG from anywhere; the round-trip fare will be 1,500 Taka (12$). I would recommend hiring a boat from Sarighat rather than renting one directly at Lalakhal. The food at the roadside restaurant I stopped at while traveling to Lalakhal wasn't particularly impressive; instead, I would recommend trying the food at 'Panshi' or '5 Bhai' restaurants in Sylhet city.

I would give it an 8/10. The boat fare seemed quite high; it would have been better if it were lower. However, if you enjoy boat rides amidst nature, this is the best choice. I personally prefer quiet places; to be honest, I had become quite weary of the city's hustle and bustle. The experience of seeing such clear water alongside the mountains was truly extraordinary. While everything created by the Almighty is beautiful, some forms of beauty simply cannot be described in words.

If you feel like living in the city has given you 'brain freeze,' you should visit this place. A trip to Sylhet is incomplete without visiting Lalakhal.