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Rangamati, Chattogram

Shuvolong Waterfall

A waterfall dropping down a forested cliff straight into Kaptai Lake, reached by a boat ride between steep green hills.

Local food to try

  • Lake fish curry

    Shuvolong Waterfall

    Fresh fish from Kaptai Lake, cooked at the island restaurants on the way.

  • Bamboo chicken

    Shuvolong Waterfall

    Chicken steamed in a bamboo tube, often ordered ahead for lunch.

  • Hill fruit

    Shuvolong Waterfall

    Bananas, pineapple and jackfruit in season, sold at Shuvolong Bazar.

Where to eat

  • Island restaurants on Kaptai Lake

    Between Rangamati and Shuvolong

    Boats commonly stop at island restaurants for lunch on the way back.

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  • Rangamati town

    Reserve Bazar, Banarupa

    Plenty of choice for dinner once you are back in town.

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Where to stay

  • Rangamati town

    Reserve Bazar, Banarupa, Tabalchhari

    Shuvolong is a day trip by boat; stay in town near the ghats.

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History

Shuvolong lies in Barkal upazila, where Kaptai Lake narrows into a gorge between high, steep hills. The waterfall pours down the rock face from the forest above and falls almost straight into the lake, so boats can pull up right at its foot.

The journey is as much the point as the falls. The boat leaves Rangamati town behind and winds past small islands, fishing boats and Chakma villages on the shore, until the hills close in on both sides.

Shuvolong is a monsoon waterfall: after heavy rain it is a roaring white curtain; in the dry months it can shrink to a thin stream. Near the falls is Shuvolong Bazar, a small hill market where boats often stop.

Tour plans

A day on Kaptai Lake to Shuvolong

Full day

  1. Step 1: Hire a boat in the morning

    At the tourist ghat or Reserve Bazar, agree the route — Shuvolong, an island lunch and Rajban Vihara — and set off by 9 am.

  2. Step 2: Through the gorge to Shuvolong

    Watch the hills close in, then stop at the foot of the falls and at Shuvolong Bazar.

  3. Step 3: Lunch on an island

    On the way back, eat lake fish and hill vegetables at an island restaurant.

  4. Step 4: Rajban Vihara and the hanging bridge

    Stop at Rajban Vihara, then end the afternoon at the hanging bridge on Kaptai Lake.

Plan your visit

Best time to visit

June to October, when the falls are full. In winter the lake trip is lovely but the waterfall may be little more than a trickle.

How to get there

By engine boat from Rangamati town — from the tourist ghats or Reserve Bazar — about 1.5–2 hours each way across Kaptai Lake. Most people hire a boat for the day and combine Shuvolong with island stops on the way back.

Travel tips

  • Agree the boat’s route, stops and return time before leaving, and confirm whether the price is for the whole boat.
  • Ask for life jackets and wear them, especially in the monsoon when the lake is rough.
  • The rocks at the foot of the falls are slippery; do not climb them.
  • Leave in the morning so you are back before dark.
  • Carry your ID; the area has security checkpoints, and rules for going beyond Shuvolong can change — check the current rules.

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