Bangladesh has some scenically beautiful places that make her proud and famous. The Mahasthanagar, Shat Gambuj Mosque, Paharpur Bihar etc. are some of them. Along with these, there is another place, which contains not only historical memories but also nature’s abundance beauty. And that place is Sitakunda in Chittagong. Sitakunda is a sacred place for Hindus and Buddhists, but also visited by millions of people of all religion. If you want your children to see some natural beauty of this country, then you would definitely want them to visit it. Also, the charming view of this place will definitely soothe you and your child’s mind.
How to Go:
To go to Sitakunda, you have to go to the Chittagong city first and then travel 37 km more to reach Sitakunda. You will find buses to go to Sitakunda or you can hire a car or micro-bus. Bus will cost you 200-400 Taka for each person, and hiring a car would cost you 1000-1500 Taka. There are three ways to go to Chittagong, you can choose bus, train or air. The Dhaka–Chittagong Highway is probably the busiest and scariest highway in the country and is prone to bumper-to-bumper traffic jams. If you are travelling with children, then at all costs avoid travelling along it at night. Taking the train from Dhaka to Chittagong and back would be far less nerve-racking for your children. If you still want to go by bus, the BRTC buses leave from Kamalapur Railway Station bus Depot. Other private buses leave from Sayedabad bus-stand. The bus fare is from 950 Taka to 1200 Taka. The comfortable bus services are S-Alam & Soudia, Shohag, Greenline, Silkline, Baghdad, Unique etc. There are a lot of trains to Chittagong leaving from the Kamalapur and Airport Railway Station. The ticket fare is 425-1035 Taka. There are also airway services for Chittagong, and it takes only 45 minutes. The economy tickets cost 7000 Taka, and business premium cost 8000 Taka.
Accommodation:
There is actually no hotel in Sitakunda. So you have to stay at a hotel in Chittagong city and make it a day trip. Chittagong is a well-developed and furnished city, so you will find a lot of high-end hotels in Chittagong. Hotel Lord’s Inn, Royal Park Hotel, Meridian Hotel, Naba Inn, Hotel Abakash are some of the famous hotels of Chittagong. They will cost you 4200-9250 Taka per night.
There are mid-range and budget hotels available in Chittagong city.
Places to Visit:
Sitakunda is famous for the Chandranath Temple, one of the oldest temples in the whole subcontinent, a Buddhist temple with Buddha’s footprint on it. The Hindus and Buddhists regard these places, particularly the hilltops as very sacred. The Shiva Chaturdashi festival is held every year in February when thousands of pilgrims assemble for the celebrations which last about ten days. There is a hot-water spring 5 km to the north of Sitakunda.
Chandranath hill is situated 4 km east from Sitakunda Bazar. You can go to Chandranath hill with a rickshaw or on foot. It would be indeed a fascinating journey to go on foot; because the small hill group of Chandranath starts from this bazaar and will give you and your children a breathtaking view. On the way to Chandranath hill, you will also see some of the religious places of Hindu religion. This area is full of trees, flora and fauna. Sitakunda also contains a lot of places with coastal areas. Bhatiary, Faujdarhat, Kumira, Banshbaria, Barbakunda and Guliakhali are such places which will give you a different look at the coast.
There is also a Botanical Garden and Eco Park, situated in the historical Chandranath reserve forest. The Eco Park is truly fantastic with calm and quiet hills, various kinds of animals like deer, bear, monkey, etc. It also has a natural spring and the delighting sight of evergreen trees.
So, no time to lose! Bus, train or air, whatever you like, just hop on and go to this wonderful place, and make some unforgettable memories.