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Khagrachhari, Chattogram

Khagrachhari

A green valley town on the Chengi river, ringed by hills: Alutila cave, Risang waterfall, Tripura, Chakma and Marma villages, and the gateway to Sajek Valley.

Local food to try

  • Bamboo chicken

    Khagrachhari

    Spiced chicken cooked inside a green bamboo tube over the fire — a favourite before and after Sajek.

  • Bamboo shoot and jhum vegetables

    Khagrachhari

    Young bamboo shoots and vegetables from the jhum fields, boiled, mashed or cooked with dried fish.

  • Sticky rice (binni)

    Khagrachhari

    Glutinous hill rice, steamed or made into cakes, especially around Boisabi.

  • Hill fruit

    Khagrachhari

    Pineapple, papaya, bananas, jackfruit, mango and oranges, depending on the season.

Where to eat

  • Hill-food restaurants in town

    Khagrachhari town

    Small restaurants run by Tripura, Chakma and Marma families serve bamboo chicken and hill dishes; ask locally which are open.

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  • Around the town centre

    Khagrachhari town

    Everyday Bangali restaurants near the bus counters, handy for an early breakfast before the Sajek jeep.

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Where to stay

  • Hotels in Khagrachhari town

    Town centre

    Simple to mid-range hotels near the bus counters, where the Sajek jeeps also start.

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  • Hillside resorts and cottages

    Around Khagrachhari town

    Quieter stays on the edge of town with views over the valley; book ahead for winter weekends.

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Culture

Khagrachhari’s hill peoples keep their own languages, dress and festivals.

  • Boisabi: the word itself is made from the first syllables of the three festivals celebrated here in mid-April — Boisuk (Tripura), Sangrai (Marma) and Biju (Chakma). Flowers are floated on the Chengi at dawn, homes are open to guests, the Tripura perform the Goria dance, and the Marma water festival fills the streets.
  • Buddhist kyang: Chakma and Marma villages have their own monasteries, and Kathin Chibar Dan in October–November is a major event.
  • Weaving: Tripura women weave the rignai and risa, Chakma women the pinon and hadi, on backstrap looms; handwoven cloth is sold in town.

History

Khagrachhari is the northernmost of the three hill districts, a valley along the Chengi river with rows of hills rising on every side. The town itself sits on low ground, with paddy fields and orchards running out to the slopes.

The district is home to the Tripura, Chakma and Marma peoples, along with Bangali settlers. The Tripura are especially numerous here, and the Mong Raja, head of the Mong Circle — one of the three traditional circles of the Hill Tracts — has his seat in Manikchhari upazila.

For most travellers, Khagrachhari is the gateway to Sajek Valley, but it deserves time of its own: the dark tunnel of Alutila cave, the rock slide of Risang waterfall, the views from the hills around town, and the colour of Boisabi in April.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

October to March for cool, dry days; the waterfalls are fullest from June to September. Mid-April for the Boisabi festivals.

How to get there

  • From Dhaka: direct buses run to Khagrachhari town, about 7–8 hours, mostly overnight, via Feni and Ramgarh.
  • From Chattogram: buses leave from the Oxygen area, about 3–4 hours.
  • Carry your national ID card or passport for checkpoints on the hill roads.
  • For Sajek Valley, hire a jeep in Khagrachhari town.

Getting around

  • Chander gari (open-backed jeeps) are hired in town for Sajek and for a day around Alutila and Risang.
  • CNG auto-rickshaws for the town and nearby spots.
  • Local buses run along the main roads to Matiranga, Dighinala and other upazila towns.
  • There are no regular boat routes; this is road and foot country.

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