Jaflong
Jaflong is a wonderful natural place in Sylhet; Hills, stones, a river, waterfalls, a betel nut garden, tea gardens, and a tranquil atmosphere. It can make anyone in close friendship with nature. Once one comes here, then he will surely refuse to leave this friend of nature. At the beginning of Jaflong, the greeny-greeny hills of Meghalaya will float in your eyes. And while moving towards the zero point of Jaflong, the village of Dawki located in the hills of Meghalaya will be seen. It is nice to see the different colored houses in the hills from the distance. Personally, I love this scene of Jaflong. Then on reaching zero point one will meet the Stoney Dawki River, flowing from India to Bangladesh. Most of the tourists throng here, some are busy taking photos with rocks while others are busy cooling themselves in the cool water of the Dawki River. There is a bridge over the Dawki River on the Indian side that can only be seen from Bangladesh and is not a bad sight to see. Move a little bit forward from the zero point of Jaflong, you can rent a boat to see the Mayabhi waterfall(best in monsoon season), tea garden, betel nut garden, and Khasia community. Another special feature of Jaflong is gathering tourists from Bangladesh and India. They roam in their respective area, if tourists from both countries want, they can sit on the bank Dawki River and talk for some time. This place itself wants the people to remember it and people do want to remember it as a daughter of nature, and queen of beauty. They didn’t just stop remember, they kept coming back here.
Location:
Just as Sylhet is located in the eastern part of the country, Jaflong is located on the India-Bangladesh border to the very east of Sylhet, 50+ km away from Sylhet city, and it falls under Gowainghat upazila.
How to go:
Go away on foot, why did God give us feet? Okay, it’s a bad joke!! Well, let’s get down to business, first come to Sylhet. From Dhaka, one can come to Sylhet by air, road, and train. And for the rest of the parts of my country by road is an ideal way to reach Sylhet. If a train route is available in your area then the train is the best way to reach sylhet. Take the night train, sleep overnight, wake up early to enjoy nature from the window of the train, and reach Sylhet. It is all up to you, what kind of transportation you choose to go to Sylhet. By bus, microbus, vehicle, and CNG (three-wheeler vehicle) one can go to Jaflong from Sylhet. In any terms, a bus is an ideal way to go to Jaflong for solo travelers. For that, solo travelers have to come to the Subhanighat bus stand to get a bus (gate-lock bus service is pretty good). If you are with a group, then hire a vehicle. Can hire vehicles from Subhanighat, Osmani Shishu Uddan, Naiorpool Point, and Ambarkhana. (2-2.5 hours maximum need to go Jaflong).
Note: Solo travelers, please know when the last return bus leaves from Jaflong to Sylhet.
Features of Jaflong:
1. Stunning Natural Scenery: It is not part of Meghalaya but it upholds the same vibe of Stunning greeny natural scenery which by seeing your soul will be pleased.
2. Dawki River and Dawki Bridge: A shallow, rock-filled, cool water river with a bridge over it.
3. Waterfalls and gardens: Mayabhi waterfalls and the gardens of tea and betel nuts which Khasia Tribe people cultivate genuinely make Jaflong more beautiful.
4. Khasia Tribe: An Indigenous community that is well-known for its culture and distinct tradition. And Jaflong is one of their many homes. That means tourists get the chance to interact with the enriched cultural Khasia Tribe people in Jaflong.
Activity:
1. Sightseeing: First, Soothe the wanderlust’s soul with breathtaking views of Jaflong.
2. Playing with water: Whether lying down in the cool water of the Dawki River, looking for different types of rocks at the bottom of a shallow river, or playing in the water with water bellon, do whatever you want.
3. Boating: take a boat, let the wind touch your body, let loose yourself and relax, and wander around.
5. Visit tea gardens: Now I am sure my friend you are tired of roaming around, playing with water, boating, and exploring Khasia villages. Therefore, you can choose the tea garden now to unwind your body and gain strength.
6. Picnicking: I never had a picnic in Jaflong, so I am not sure about picnics. But my buddies Naimur and Rijon confirmed that tourists can picnic there.
7. Exploring Stone Collection Sites: After doing all this stuff if you have time, energy, and interest. You can visit stone collection sites. The Stone Collection program is one of the reasons behind Jaflong’s recognition as a tourist spot.
If you want to know more about it, feel free to contact me. I’ll be very happy to chat with you, my friend.