SLC31-W1" // Steem Expedition, Hidden Gems and Local Secrets: My Secret Shelter
I am pleased to participate in 1st week of Steemit challenge season 31. This week, I will be sharing my favourite Hidden Gems and Local Secrets: My Secret Shelter. So Let's start,
Details of how to get to the Sonargaon Lake, Narayanganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sonargaon Lake is located in Sonargaon, Narayanganj district of Dhaka division. It is very easy to reach here from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. If you take a bus from Gulistan or Jatrabari in Dhaka to Sonargaon, you can reach it in about 1–1.5 hours. You can also go very easily by sharing a motorbike ride. If you take the bus, the total cost will be 100 BDT or about 15 Steem per person. If you share a bike ride, the cost will be slightly higher. I currently live near this place. It took me about 20 minutes to get here and it cost 50 BDT or about 7 Steem.
1 Steem= 7 BDT (current value)
Entry Fee and Timings
It is a very popular place and is almost always crowded. You have to buy a ticket to enter the lake. The ticket price is 50 BDT or about 7 steem. The entrance fee is lower for students. The ticket price for students is 30 BDT or about 4 steem.
The lake is open to the public six days a week, except on Thursdays. There are specific entry and exit times. Visitors can stay here from 10 am to 6 pm.
General description of the place, facilities, entrance fees, regulations, atmosphere, if there is any product for sale detail costs and payment methods
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Sonargaon Lake is a wonderful gift of nature. Surrounded by greenery, in the middle is a calm expanse of water. It is a silent refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. I like the peaceful environment here the most. No outside noise can penetrate it, so you can enjoy your time sitting by the calm waters of this lake the most. Talking about the environment here, as soon as you enter, you will see a beauty that will burn your eyes. As soon as you enter, a cool, fresh breeze hits your face. The green leaves of the big trees will captivate you. The sound of birds, the waves of water, the secluded environment, the big green grass-filled fields are all a heavenly feeling.
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Discussing the advantages of this place, I can say several points, one of which I liked the most. The flowers were falling from the big trees all over the place and the scent of these flowers is great, especially the smell of Bakul flowers. I had picked some flowers from the ground and brought them.
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There are some branches made of bamboo to sit on. Although I prefer to sit near the greenery rather than sitting on the bench.There are boat rides and open walks and the roads are so clean that you will love it. One thing I really like here is that there is a small bamboo grove here which is not seen at all in the city environment. Even though this bus is small, it has a rural vibe.
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There are rural rides arranged here for children to play which are seen in traditional fairs. There is ferry wheel or "Nagardola" in the local language for children's pleasure.
Then the facility that we all need here is a food shop. There is a small food shop next to the lake. Here you can get tea, jhalmuri, fuchka etc. Although I did not eat anything here because I was there for a short time. The price of food here is not high. You can get tea for 10–20 BDT or 1-3 steem. Jhalmuri you can get 20–30 BDT or 3-4 steem.
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However, the payment methods here are very limited. The payment method is mainly cash, but some shops also accept mobile banking payment ( bKash/Nagad.).
Even though you can spend your free time at this lake, you must follow some rules here. Notable among them are.
- It is prohibited to throw garbage anywhere because there are specific bins for throwing garbage.
- Playing loud music is discouraged and there are strict penalties for disturbing other visitors.
I would like to share my personal experience that the first time I went to Sonargaon Lake, I felt like I had entered another world. The hustle and bustle of the city, the noise, everything disappeared in an instant. Also, the path to get here was very green. I sat by the lake and just looked at the water and the sky. I did not take a boat. You can take a boat to the edge of the lake where you can sit and spend time. Since this place is very big, there is enough space even though there are many people. One thing I liked a lot was that three tiger statues have been made in a small forest in the middle of the lake, which the children enjoy seeing. From a distance, you will feel like the tigers are roaring at you. Although there is water around it during the rainy season, when it is not rainy season, it is dry around it and it looks like an isolated island.
How did you discover this place, and what is the first thing you do when you arrive?
I had originally heard about this place from my husband and went to this place for the first time with him.
Upon reaching there, I was first captivated by the green landscape, calm water and some decorations. It felt like the smell of nature was embracing me. Then I slowly walked towards the lake and had a great experience. I was a little scared to cross the bridge made of bamboo but it was also a great feeling. The first time I went here, after going there, I stood under a flower tree and collected the flowers that were falling down. Then there was a sculpture showing two cows fighting with horns, one cow is red and the other is white. Then I sat on a bench there and enjoyed the natural beauty.
What sounds or aromas define this refuge?
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The most heard here are the calls of birds and the gentle sound of water waves. And when it comes to the smell/aromas, since I smelled the aroma of the Bakul flower after going there for the first time, I will talk about that aroma, but I also want to say that you will smell the wet earth there, especially after a rain, you will not want to go back. Among the other aromas, I want to say that you will be able to feel a kind of freshness of the leaves of the trees. All this together makes the place absolutely alive.
What time of day do you prefer to visit it and why?
Afternoon is my favorite time. When the sun slowly sets, the red-orange reflections on the lake water are simply beautiful. Although you can't enjoy this view for long because you have to leave the lake at that moment. This time gives a calm, cool and romantic feeling. So I prefer this time more.
If this place could talk, what secret would it tell about you?
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Maybe this place would say
“If you are looking for peace. If you love spending time with yourself, but forget about it in the hustle and bustle of life, then come to me.”Sonargaon Lake seems to bring me back to myself. Whenever I get a chance, I come here with my acquaintances, enjoy the place and introduce new people to this place.
Ratings and Recommendation
The experience of visiting there my last time so good as I expected. There was less crowed.
Environment : 4.9/5
Costs: 5/5
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
| Name | Sonargaon Lake |
|---|---|
| Hotline | 01957-715068 |
| Google Map | https://maps.app.goo.gl/b1BG6Nxvh4PBnvfU7 |
| Google plus code | 7MMGMJ22+5R |
| Steem-atlas location | [//]:# (!steematlas 23.6504375 lat 90.6020625 long Sonargaon Lake d3scr) |
| Selfie as a proof |  |
I am inviting my friends @solaymann
@m-fdo @mueenislam to participate in this SLC.
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