Sylhet by water: Ratargul, Bisnakandi, Jaflong and Lalakhal

Sylhet is where Bangladesh meets the hills. Rivers run down from the Meghalaya ranges just across the border, clear and cold, over beds of stone, and the countryside between them is green for most of the year. The four places most people come for, Ratargul, Bisnakandi, Jaflong and Lalakhal, are all water journeys of one kind or another, and each one changes completely with the season.

Ratargul: a forest that stands in water

Ratargul is a freshwater swamp forest, rare in this part of the world. In the monsoon the water rises around the trunks and you glide between the trees in a small wooden boat, with branches closing overhead and kingfishers darting past. It is quiet, shaded and unlike anywhere else in the country.

Come in the dry months and much of the water has gone, so the experience is very different. If Ratargul is high on your list, plan your trip for the rainy season or just after it. Keep your voice low and your snacks wrapped; this is a fragile place and the boatmen depend on it staying beautiful.

Bisnakandi and Jaflong: stones, rivers and the border hills

At Bisnakandi several streams come down from the hills and spread across a wide bed of stones, with layers of mountains behind. You usually reach it by local boat, and the ride itself is half the pleasure. It is at its fullest in the monsoon and the months after, when the hills are green and the water is moving.

Jaflong sits on the Piyain River with the hills of India rising right behind it and the Dauki bridge visible upstream. You can take a boat across the river, walk among the stones, and visit the Khasi villages and betel leaf gardens nearby. Remember that this is a border area: stay on the Bangladesh side, follow any instructions from the authorities, and do not wander towards the boundary.

Lalakhal: the blue-green river

Lalakhal is famous for the colour of its water, a deep blue-green that looks almost unreal on a bright day. A boat trip along the river takes you past sandbanks and tea gardens with the hills in the distance. Many travellers find Lalakhal at its clearest and calmest in winter, which makes it the best pick if you are visiting in the dry season.

Monsoon or winter: which to choose

There is no single best time; it depends on what you want to see.

• Monsoon and the months after it: Ratargul is flooded, Bisnakandi and Jaflong are full and dramatic, waterfalls run, and everything is green. Expect rain, mud and sometimes rough water.
• Winter: clear skies, cooler days and calmer, clearer rivers. Lalakhal is lovely, travel is easier, and it suits families and older travellers, but Ratargul has little water.

Many people combine the hills with Sylhet city, including a visit to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal, and then head south to the tea gardens. Our Sylhet and Sreemangal package does exactly that.

Boats and safety in fast water

The rivers here look gentle, but in the rainy season the current can be strong and the water deeper than it seems, and people have drowned at these spots. Treat the water with respect:

• Ask for a life jacket on every boat, and make sure children wear one the whole time.
• Do not swim where the water is moving fast or where locals tell you not to.
• Be careful on wet stones; they are slippery, so wear sandals with grip.
• If heavy rain is forecast or the water is rising, change the plan. The hills will still be there tomorrow.
• Agree the route and the time with your boatman before you set off.

Take your rubbish back with you, keep music off on the boats, and ask before you photograph people in the villages.

If you would like your boats, transport and hotels sorted in the right order for the season, our Sylhet package is a good starting point, and Softway Travels can plan or book the whole trip for you.