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Bandarban, Chattogram

Nilgiri

A hilltop above the clouds in Bandarban, a few hours' drive from Chattogram.

Local food to try

  • Bamboo chicken

    Nilgiri

    Spiced chicken cooked inside green bamboo over the fire, served in Bandarban town and on the hill road.

  • Jhum rice and hill vegetables

    Nilgiri

    Rice grown on the hill slopes, with bamboo shoot, hill greens and spicy relishes.

  • Hill fruit

    Nilgiri

    Pineapple, papaya, bananas and oranges in season, sold at stalls along the road.

Where to eat

  • Restaurants in Bandarban town

    Bandarban

    Bengali and indigenous restaurants; the best place for a full meal before or after the hill road.

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  • Food at Nilgiri

    Nilgiri

    There is food service at the summit and small stalls on the way; choices are limited.

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Where to stay

  • Hotels and resorts in Bandarban town

    Bandarban

    The most choice, from simple hotels to hillside resorts; most visitors stay here and drive up for the day.

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  • Cottages at Nilgiri

    Nilgiri

    Rooms on the summit itself are few and must be booked well in advance; staying lets you see sunrise over the clouds.

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Culture

The Bandarban hills are home to many indigenous peoples — Marma, Mro, Bawm, Tripura, Khumi and others — each with its own language, dress and customs. Along the road to Nilgiri you pass Mro villages of bamboo houses raised on stilts, and the hill slopes are farmed by jhum, the traditional shifting cultivation of rice and vegetables.

In Bandarban town, the Marma celebrate Sangrai in mid-April with a water festival, and the golden Buddha Dhatu Jadi temple on a hill outside town is well worth a visit. Handwoven cloth and bamboo crafts are sold in the town’s markets.

History

Nilgiri is a hilltop viewpoint in the Bandarban hills, on the winding road from Bandarban town towards Thanchi. It stands high enough that on many mornings, especially in the monsoon and early autumn, clouds drift below and around it, and the hills seem to float in a white sea — which is why people call it a place above the clouds.

The area is managed by the army as a tourist spot, with viewing decks and accommodation on the summit. From the top, ridge after ridge of green hills rolls away in every direction, and on clear days you can follow the course of the Sangu river far below.

The journey is part of the adventure: the road climbs steeply through hills, past Mro and Marma villages, with stops on the way at viewpoints such as Chimbuk and the Shoilo Propat waterfall. For many travellers, a night in the Bandarban hills and a sunrise at Nilgiri is the highlight of a trip to the Chattogram region.

Tour plans

Bandarban and Nilgiri

2 days, 1 night

  1. Step 1: Bus to Bandarban

    Take a morning bus from Chattogram, check in to a hotel, and confirm the current rules for the hill road.

  2. Step 2: The golden temple

    Spend the afternoon at the Buddha Dhatu Jadi temple and in the town’s market.

  3. Step 3: Early jeep up the hills

    Next morning, hire a jeep with your group and set off early for the clouds.

  4. Step 4: Stops on the way

    Pause at Shoilo Propat waterfall and the Chimbuk viewpoint as the road climbs.

  5. Step 5: Nilgiri summit

    Take in the view of the hills and the clouds from the decks, and have lunch at the top.

  6. Step 6: Down and home

    Drive back to Bandarban in daylight and catch an evening bus to Chattogram.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

October to February for clear views and cool weather; June to September for the sea of clouds, though the road can be slippery.

How to get there

Bus from Chattogram to Bandarban town (about 2.5 hours), then a hired jeep (chander gari) up the hill road, another 1.5–2 hours. Check the current rules for visitors before you go.

Travel tips

  • Check the current rules before you go. Access to parts of Bandarban is sometimes restricted, and foreign visitors may need a permit.
  • Carry your national ID card or passport, with a few photocopies, for the army and police checkpoints on the road.
  • Travel only in daylight on the hill road, and use an experienced driver.
  • Bring a warm layer: it gets cold at the top in winter, especially before dawn.
  • Mobile signal is patchy beyond Bandarban town; let someone know your plans.
  • Respect the villages along the road: ask before taking photos and do not enter homes or jhum fields uninvited.

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