Bandarban Travel Guide: Nilgiri, the Golden Temple, Boga Lake, Nafakhum and Costs
The district of hills above the clouds, the Sangu river and waterfalls. How to get to Bandarban from Dhaka, chander gari fares, an easy 2-day plan around town, the Boga Lake–Keokradong and Nafakhum treks, guide and registration rules, and a budget.
- From Dhaka
- About 330 km, 7–8 hours by bus
- From Chattogram
- About 2.5 hours by bus
- How long
- Town and Nilgiri 2 days; treks 3–4 days
- Cost
- ৳2,000–4,500 per person per day
- Best time
- October–February; clouds and waterfalls in the monsoon
Trip ticket
Stand on a Bandarban hilltop at dawn and you feel you're floating above a sea of clouds. The country's highest hills are in this district, and in their folds lie the Sangu river, waterfalls, gorges and Mro, Marma and Bawm villages. Nilachal and the Golden Temple are near town, cloud-wrapped Nilgiri a little further, and deeper in are trekking spots like Boga Lake, Keokradong and Nafakhum. This guide has plans for both an easy trip and a trek, with transport, costs and the rules you need to know.
How to get from Dhaka to Bandarban
Shyamoli, Hanif, S. Alam, Saint Martin Paribahan and a few other companies run direct buses from Sayedabad and Kalabagan to Bandarban, taking 7–8 hours.
| Mode | Approximate fare and time |
|---|---|
| Non-AC bus from Dhaka | ৳850–1,000 |
| AC bus from Dhaka | ৳1,500–2,000 |
| Bus from Bahaddarhat, Chattogram | ৳200–300, about 2.5 hours |
Taking the train or a flight to Chattogram and a bus on to Bandarban is a comfortable alternative.
Getting around Bandarban: the chander gari
On hill roads, Bandarban's main transport is the chander gari, an open jeep that seats 10–15. CNGs run to places near town.
| Route | Chander gari (whole vehicle, return, approximate) |
|---|---|
| Town to Nilachal, Meghla and the Golden Temple | ৳1,500–2,500 |
| Town to Shoilo Propat, Chimbuk and Nilgiri | ৳3,500–5,500 |
| Town to Thanchi (one way) | ৳4,000–6,000 |
| Town to Ruma (one way) | ৳2,500–4,000 |
Sights near town
Nilachal
About 6 km from town, a hilltop with seats and viewpoints. Ranges of hills all round and the town in the distance; the easiest place in Bandarban for a sunset.
The Golden Temple (Buddha Dhatu Jadi)
A golden Theravada Buddhist temple on a hilltop at Balaghata, about 4 km from town, built in Myanmar style. It's a religious site: dress modestly, take your shoes off to go up and visit during the set hours.
Meghla Parjatan Complex
A family spot with a lake, a hanging bridge and a cable car, about 4 km from town.
Shoilo Propat
A small roadside waterfall on the Bandarban–Thanchi road, about 8 km from town. Bawm women sell handwoven cloth and crafts beside it.
Chimbuk and Nilgiri
On the road to Thanchi, about 26 km from town, is Chimbuk hill, and further on, about 45 km out, Nilgiri. Nilgiri stands about 2,200 ft high; at dawn and in the monsoon the clouds drift below your feet. Stay overnight at the army-run Nilgiri Resort for both sunrise and clouds, but book well ahead.
Treks into the interior
These places require a registered guide, and you register your name at army camps and police stations along the way. Carry several copies of your national ID.
Boga Lake and Keokradong
Boga Lake is a natural lake about 1,200 ft up, ringed by hills and a Bawm village. You reach it from Ruma Bazar by chander gari or on foot. Stay in a lakeside cottage, then trek 3–4 hours with your guide the next day to Keokradong, one of the highest peaks in the country.
| Leg | Time |
|---|---|
| Bandarban town to Ruma Bazar | 2–3 hours by chander gari |
| Ruma to Boga Lake | 1.5–2 hours by chander gari, with a final walk |
| Boga Lake to Keokradong | 3–4 hours on foot |
Nafakhum
One of the country's biggest waterfalls, on the Sangu river. Take a boat up the Sangu from Thanchi to Remakri, then walk 2–3 hours to Nafakhum, passing places like Tindu and Raja Pathor on the way. You usually spend a night at Thanchi or Remakri.
Debotakhum
A deep, cold-water gorge between sheer rock walls that you float into on a bamboo raft. From town go via Rowangchhari to Kachchhaptali, register and take a guide there, then walk an hour to an hour and a half.
Two plans
Easy plan: 2 days (for families or first-timers)
- Day 1, morning: arrive at dawn on the overnight bus, check in, breakfast
- Day 1, midday: Meghla and the Golden Temple
- Day 1, afternoon: sunset at Nilachal
- Day 2, morning: chander gari via Shoilo Propat and Chimbuk to Nilgiri
- Day 2, midday: lunch at Nilgiri and the clouds
- Day 2, evening: back to town for the night bus to Dhaka
Trekking plan: 4 days (Boga Lake and Keokradong)
- Day 1: reach Bandarban at dawn, hire a guide, chander gari to Ruma, register, then on to Boga Lake
- Day 2: trek to Keokradong at dawn, time at the top, back to Boga Lake in the afternoon or stay at Keokradong
- Day 3: back to Bandarban town via Ruma, Nilachal in the afternoon
- Day 4: the Golden Temple and Meghla, then home to Dhaka
To add Nafakhum, allow a separate 2–3 days on the Thanchi route.
Where to stay
- In town: many mid-range hotels such as Hotel Hill View, ৳1,500–3,500.
- Nilgiri Resort: run by the army, a night above the clouds; book well ahead.
- Sairu Hill Resort: a luxury resort on the road from town towards Nilgiri.
- Boga Lake and Thanchi: village cottages and simple rooms; very basic facilities, but a unique experience.
What to eat
Hill cooking means bamboo shoot curry, bamboo chicken, hill chicken, dried fish and vegetables from the jhum fields. Hill oranges in winter and pineapples and bananas in the monsoon are very cheap. The hill-food restaurants in town serve traditional dishes.
Budget
Easy plan, 2 days, per person (group of 10):
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Dhaka–Bandarban bus (return) | ৳1,700–4,000 |
| Chander gari, 2 days (shared) | ৳500–800 |
| One night in a hotel (shared) | ৳600–1,500 |
| Food (2 days) | ৳1,200–2,000 |
| Entry fees and extras | ৳200–400 |
| Total | ৳4,200–8,700 |
The trekking plan adds guide fees (a few hundred to a thousand taka a day, shared across the group), village cottages and extra chander gari trips; budget ৳8,000–14,000 per person in total.
When to go
- October–February: the best time to trek; dry trails, clear skies and long views over the ranges.
- June–September: the best time for clouds and waterfalls, with the hills at their greenest; but trails are slippery, landslides happen and many treks are dangerous.
- March–May: hot, and smoke from burning jhum fields can blur the views.
Rules and safety
- Carry several photocopies of your national ID; checkpoints and army camps ask for them
- Don't trek without a registered guide, and reach your destination before dark
- In the monsoon, water rises suddenly in gorges and waterfalls; listen to locals
- Ask before photographing people in hill villages and respect their customs
- Dress modestly at religious sites
- Bring back any plastic you take in; there's nowhere to dump rubbish in the hills
Every place in Bandarban has its own page, with transport and emergency numbers, in our Bandarban district guide. For more winter ideas, read the best places to visit in winter.
Questions and answers
How many days do you need for Bandarban?
Two days is enough for the sights near town and Nilgiri. Add 2–3 days for the Boga Lake–Keokradong or Nafakhum treks.
How much is a chander gari to Nilgiri?
A whole chander gari from Bandarban town to Nilgiri and back, via Shoilo Propat and Chimbuk, usually costs ৳3,500–5,500 and seats 10–15.
Do I need a guide for Boga Lake or Nafakhum?
Yes, a registered guide is compulsory, and you register at army camps and police stations on the way. For security reasons these areas are sometimes closed.
Is it safe to visit Bandarban now?
Tourists visit places like the town, Nilachal, the Golden Temple and Nilgiri regularly. Before heading towards Ruma, Thanchi or Rowangchhari, check the district administration's latest instructions.
Can you stay overnight at Nilgiri?
Yes, at the army-run Nilgiri Resort, but rooms are few and demand is high, so book well ahead.
See it on the map, plan your trip
Look up the places, routes and costs, then put your own trip together.
