Kaptai Lake, Rangamati
Photo: Josephite 25 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rangamati District · Chattogram Division · কাপ্তাই লেক

Kaptai Lake travel guide

The country's largest man-made lake, ringed by hills; you can spend a whole day on a boat.

🗓️ Best time to visitJuly–December (the lake is full in the monsoon and autumn)
⏱ How long it takesFull day
💰 Estimated costReserved boat ৳1,500–3,500 a day (depending on size)

At a glance

Area
About 700 sq km (in the monsoon)
Made
Kaptai Dam, completed in 1962
Purpose
Karnaphuli hydropower station
Distinction
The country's largest man-made lake

History and details

Work on the Kaptai Dam on the Karnaphuli River began in 1956 and finished in 1962, starting the Karnaphuli hydropower station, still the country's only large hydropower station. Water building up behind the dam formed the huge Kaptai Lake.

Under the lake lie the old town of Rangamati, the Chakma Raja's palace and about 54,000 acres of farmland; around 100,000 people, most of them Chakma, were displaced. This history has had a long effect on society and politics in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Today the lake is the heart of Rangamati's tourism. By boat among the hills you can see places like Shuvolong Waterfall, Rajban Vihara, Peda Ting Ting and Tuk Tuk Eco Village. Fish from the lake are a mainstay of the local market.

Things to do

  • Reserve a boat for the day and go as far as Shuvolong
  • Eat bamboo chicken at a restaurant in the middle of the lake
  • See the lake from near the hanging bridge at sunset
  • Visit Rajban Vihara

How to get to Kaptai Lake

Hire a boat from Reserve Bazar or the Parjatan ghat.

Rangamati is about 310 km from Dhaka; the journey takes 7–8 hours.

  • 🚌 By bus: Shyamoli, Hanif, S. Alam from Sayedabad/Kalabagan; non-AC ৳800–950, AC ৳1,300–1,800.
  • 🚗 By road: For Sajek, chander gari from Khagrachhari town (via Dighinala, with an army escort).

Where to stay

  • Parjatan Motel Rangamati (by the lake)
  • Runmoy Resort and many cottages at Sajek (৳2,000–6,000)
  • Mid-range hotels in Rangamati town

What to eat

Bamboo chicken, Kaptai Lake fish, food at hill restaurants

Good to know

  • Shuvolong, Rajban Vihara and Peda Ting Ting can be done together by boat
  • Keep a life jacket with you
  • Try hill food at a restaurant in the middle of the lake

More to see nearby

  • Hanging Bridge
  • Shuvolong Waterfall (1.5 hours by boat)
  • Rajban Vihara
  • Kaptai National Park (by road)

More places to visit in Rangamati district

  • Hanging Bridge — The hanging bridge over the lake, Rangamati's symbol.
  • Sajek Valley — A valley of clouds about 1,800 ft up; Ruilui Para, sunrise on Konglak Hill.
  • Shuvolong Waterfall — A waterfall dropping from the hills beside Kaptai Lake; loveliest in the monsoon.
  • Rajban Vihara — A large Buddhist monastery by the lake, built with the Chakma Raja's support.
  • Kaptai National Park — Hill forest, the Karnaphuli River and the Kaptai Dam.

Location on the map