Sreemangal Travel Guide: Tea Gardens, Lawachara and Seven-Layer Tea

Rolling hills of clipped tea bushes, a rainforest where apes call at dawn and a cup of tea poured in seven colours: Sreemangal is one of the easiest and most rewarding trips in Bangladesh. This Sreemangal tour guide covers how to get there, what to see, when to go and how to plan two days.

Why Sreemangal

Sreemangal, in Moulvibazar district, is known as the tea capital of Bangladesh. The town is ringed by tea estates, and the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute is based here. Tea came to the Sylhet region under British rule in the 19th century; workers were brought from other parts of India to clear and tend the gardens, and their descendants still live and work on the estates, with their own languages and festivals.

Beyond the tea, Sreemangal is a gateway to forest, lakes and wetlands, and to Khasi and Manipuri villages in the hills. See our Sreemangal tea gardens guide for the full picture.

How to go to Sreemangal

• By bus: buses run to Sreemangal and Moulvibazar from Dhaka and other cities. From Sylhet, Sreemangal is about 2–2.5 hours by bus or train.
• By train: Sreemangal is on the Dhaka–Sylhet railway, so trains from Dhaka stop here too.

Getting around

CNGs and rickshaws run around town and out to the gardens, Lawachara and the lakes. Hiring one for half a day or a full day is the easiest way to combine several places. Many estate roads are pleasant to walk, and some resorts rent bicycles.

Things to do in Sreemangal

Walk the tea gardens

The simplest pleasure is a morning walk along the estate roads, between bushes shaded by tall trees. Remember that the estates are private, working land: stay on the roads and paths, do not pick leaves, ask before entering garden or factory areas, and ask before photographing tea workers.

Lawachara National Park

About 8 km from town on the Kamalganj road, 15–20 minutes by CNG, Lawachara National Park is one of the best-known rainforests in the country. It is the home of the hoolock gibbon, the only ape found in Bangladesh, whose whooping calls carry through the trees in the early morning. Capped langurs, macaques and many birds live here too.

Marked trails range from a short loop of under an hour to walks of a few hours; ask at the entrance which are open and whether a guide is needed. A railway line runs straight through the forest — do not stand or sit on the tracks, because trains do run.

Seven-layer tea

Sreemangal is the home of seven-layer tea, poured in bands of different colours in one glass. Nilkantha Tea Cabin is the place that made it famous, and an evening glass in town is part of every visit.

Madhabpur Lake

In the Madhabpur tea estate in Kamalganj, about 45 minutes to an hour from Sreemangal, Madhabpur Lake winds between steep tea slopes and is covered in water lilies in the warmer months. A path climbs onto the low hills for the view. It is a working garden, so respect the estate, and do not swim in the lake. It sits on the same road as Lawachara, so the two pair well.

Baikka Beel

West of town lies Hail Haor, and within it Baikka Beel, a wetland sanctuary managed with the local community. In winter ducks, herons, egrets and jacanas gather on the water, and an observation tower looks out over lilies, lotus and reed beds. It is 45 minutes to an hour by CNG; the last part of the road can be rough after rain. Bring binoculars and keep quiet on the tower.

For fit walkers: Hamham Waterfall

Deep in the Rajkandi forest near the border, Hamham Waterfall is reached only by a trek of roughly 2–3 hours each way along streams and muddy ridges. Always take a local guide, start early and be out of the forest before dark.

Further afield

With an extra day, go to the Madhabkunda Waterfall in Barlekha, the great wetland of Hakaluki Haor, or the forest of Satchari National Park in neighbouring Habiganj.

Best time to visit

• October to March: cool, dry weather for walking the gardens and Lawachara’s trails.
• May to September: the tea is greenest and plucking busiest, the lakes are full of lilies — but paths are muddy and leeches appear on grassy trails.
• December to February: the best months for birds at Baikka Beel.

A two-day plan

• Day 1 morning: arrive, then walk the tea gardens while the light is soft.
• Day 1 afternoon: Baikka Beel for the birds in the late light.
• Day 1 evening: seven-layer tea in town.
• Day 2 early morning: Lawachara at sunrise for the gibbons.
• Day 2 late morning: Madhabpur Lake on the same road, then back to town for your bus.

Practical tips

• Mornings are best for walking: it is cooler and the light is better. Bring a hat and water.
• In the rainy season wear shoes that can get muddy, tuck trousers into socks and carry salt for leeches.
• Keep quiet in the forest and do not feed the monkeys or leave litter.
• On weekends and holidays, book your room ahead.

Ready for the tea country? Search buses to Sreemangal or Moulvibazar and book your seat.