It is safe to say that Sylhet is one of Bangladesh’s most well-known tourist destinations. There are numerous points of interest dotted all across the city of Sylhet. Bichnakandi is considered to be one of them. Even if you only have one day, you can see everything Bichnakandi offers. In addition, you will be awestruck by the region’s breathtaking landscape, which is characterised by mountains, waterfalls, and rocks.
Bichnakandi is located in the Rustampur Union of Goainghat Upazila of Sylhet. Like Jaflong and Bholaganj, Bichnakandi is a stone quarry. Many steps of the Khasia Hills on the Bangladesh-India border come from both sides and meet at Bichnakandi.
At the same time, the towering waterfalls in the gorges of the Meghalaya hills have given a different dimension to the nature of Bichnakandi. The main attraction of Bichnakandi for tourists is the clear water flowing over the rocks.
And there is the game of clouds floating above the mountains. At first glance, you may think it is a stone bed. But just seeing the clear water of Bichnakandi will make you want to take a dip in it.
But you can’t enjoy the wonderful beauty of Bichnakandi anytime. So the best time to visit Bichnakandi is June-September.
During this period, there is a lot of water flow around. As a result, the large stones floating in the water add to the beauty of the place. And if you go at other times, you will not see the water. So visit Bichnakandi at a suitable time.
Ways to go to Bishakandi from Dhaka and Chittagong
All roads from Dhaka to Sylhet are very good. So you can easily reach Sylhet by air, train and bus. But, suppose you want to go by bus, from Mohakhali, Syedabad or Fakirapool bus stand. In that case, there are various AC types and non-AC buses like Shyamali Paribahan, Greenline, Ena Paribahan, Saudia Paribahan, S Alam etc. But, according to the quality of the bus, AC bus can charge you 1000 to 1200 taka per person. And you have to pay between Tk 450 to Tk 600 by bus without AC.
If you want to go to Sylhet from Dhaka by train, then some trains leave for Sylhet from the airport station or Kamalapur station, namely Parabat, Kalni Express, Jayantika, or Upaban, you can go to Sylhet in 6 to 7 hours by taking any train.
From Dhaka Shahjalal Airport, you can fly to Sylhet with any of the following: Biman Bangladesh, Regent Air, NovoAir, United Air, or US-Bangla Air. Fares might cost anywhere from 2,500 takas to 10,000 takas, depending on the class of service you select.
From Chittagong, you can go to Sylhet by bus or train. And if you want to go from Sylhet to Bishatkandi, you must go to CNG from Ambarkhana CNG stand in Sylhet and get off at Chare Hadarpar. The fare will be 140 to 160 taka per person. If you can take CNG reserve for the whole day, you need 1000 to 1500 TAKA. After getting down from Hadarpar, you have to fix the boat from there, and the boat will take you to the main point of Bishatkandi. If you know during the peak season, i.e. monsoon season, then you can hire a boat for the trip to Bisthakandi and Panthumai. Be sure to talk to the boatman or make a bargain before going.
The fare may be lower or higher if the tourists are more or less during the season. In case of any problem, you can take the help of the Upazila Executive Officer.
Where and how will you stay?
The distance from Sylhet to Bishakandi is very short. Therefore, it takes less time to travel, so you can stay overnight at a hotel in Sylhet city. There are different types of hotels like Hotel Gulshan, Hotel Hilltown, Hotel Darga Gate, Surma Hotel, and Kaikobad Hotel. In other hotels, you can stay on different budgets. Also, if you want to stay on a lower budget, there are more low-priced rest houses on Darga Road in the Lalbazar area. So you can book your room for just 500 to 1000 TAKA.
Suppose you want to stay in a good quality residential hotel. In that case, hotels like Hotel Holy Gate, Holy Inn Hotel, Hotel La Vista, Hotel Metro International, Hotel Pansy Inn, Britannia Residential Hotel etc. Although you can stay better in all these hotels, the cost will be slightly higher, between Tk 2000 to Tk 10 thousand.
And suppose you want to stay in a luxury hotel. Then, you can stay very well in Hotel Nirvana Inn, Noorjahan Grand Hotel, Hotel Roseview, Hotel Nazimgarh Resort, and Grand Palace Hotel. However, staying here will cost you 8000 to 30 thousand takas.
What and where to eat
You will find some food hotels in Bishatkandi, but they are not permanent. Eating traditional food here will cost you 120 to 150 taka. Or you can buy some food and water while travelling. For example, you can eat Goni Mia’s Bhuna Khichuri very tasty. It is located in Hadarpar Bazar.
And you will find different quality restaurants in Sylhet city. You can eat any kind of food there. For example, in the Zindabazar area of Sylhet, the names of the hotels are Hotel Pansi, Panch Bhai, and Palki Restaurant. Bharta, bhaji, khichuri, meat, there are different types of food, you can eat as you like.