Bandarban বান্দরবান
Cloud-wrapped peaks, crater lakes and Marma villages
Bandarban holds the highest hills in Bangladesh, cut by the Sangu river and dotted with Marma, Bawm, Mro and other indigenous villages. Roads climb to viewpoints above the clouds, while longer treks reach a crater lake and remote waterfalls. Security rules here change often, so plan with current permits and advisories in hand.
At a glance
- From Dhaka
- About 330 km by road, roughly 8–11 hours by bus or car
- Cost
- ৳850–3,350 per person a day for a room and meals (2026 prices)
- Best time
- Oct–Feb for clear views; Jun–Sep for waterfalls and clouds
- Places to visit
- 10, including Nilgiri, Nilachal and Boga Lake
Times and costs are estimates from our planner and the prices we collected. Check before you go.
- Nilgiri and Nilachal viewpoints
- Boga Lake
- Nafakhum waterfall
- Golden Temple
- Sangrai water festival
Places
Place Nilgiri
নীলগিরিA ridge-top resort on the Thanchi road where you can stand above a sea of morning clouds.
Place Nilachal
নীলাচলA hilltop viewpoint close to town, best at sunset when the valleys fade into blue layers.
Place Boga Lake
বগা লেকA deep, still lake high in the hills near Ruma, surrounded by forest and a small Bawm village.
Place Nafakhum Waterfall
নাফাখুম জলপ্রপাতA wide, roaring waterfall on the Remakri river, reached by boat and trek from Thanchi.
Place Buddha Dhatu Jadi (Golden Temple)
বুদ্ধ ধাতু জাদি (স্বর্ণ মন্দির)A shining Theravada Buddhist temple on a hilltop near town, built in Myanmar style.
Place Shoilo Propat
শৈলপ্রপাতAn easy roadside waterfall near Bandarban town, with a Bawm village selling handwoven cloth at the top.
Place Keokradong
কেওক্রাডংOne of Bangladesh's best-known peaks, reached by a hill trek past Boga Lake and Darjeeling Para.
Foods
Representative photo Food Mundi
মুন্ডিSoft Marma rice noodles in a tangy, spicy broth, the classic street breakfast of Bandarban.
Representative photo Food Bashkorol (Bamboo Shoot)
বাঁশকোড়লTender young bamboo shoots cooked into curries, stir-fries and soups across the hill villages.
Representative photo Food Nappi
নাপ্পিA pungent fermented fish and shrimp paste that flavours almost every Marma meal.
Representative photo Food Tojah and Laksu
তোজাহ ও লাকসুMarma side dishes: tojah, boiled vegetables with chilli and shrimp paste, and laksu, a fiery chicken and hill-chilli chutney.
Food Hill Papaya, Banana and Mango
পাহাড়ি পেঁপে, কলা ও আমFruit grown on hill orchards and jhum slopes, sold fresh at roadside bazars in Bandarban.
Traditions
Where to stay
Hotel prices in every district →- Budget hotel
- ৳600–2,000
- Good hotel
- ৳2,000–4,500
- Upscale / resort
- ৳6,000–15,000
Peak season: During Eid and winter holidays hotels and resorts in town, Meghla and Nilachal are fully booked.
Named hotels (5)
- Milonchhari Hillside Resort Bandarban–Chimbuk road, 4 km from town cottage within 2,000 (some pricier rooms)
- Parjatan Motel Bandarban (BPC) Meghla non-AC twin 2,500; AC couple/twin 3,500; AC triple 4,500 (VIP suite 6,500)
Where these prices come from
Budget from a Nov 2024 Prothom Alo guide (town hotels from 500, good rooms under 2,000); mid from 2026 Parjatan Motel rates and resort cottages; Prothom Alo (May 2026) puts Bandarban rooms at 1,800–23,000, so the upscale band is an estimate.
Prices come from newspapers, the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation website and the hotels' own listings. Call the hotel to check the rate before you book.
Where to eat, and what it costs
Room and food together here come to roughly ৳850–3,350 per person a day
From a budget hotel and local eateries up to a good hotel and good restaurants. We assume two people share a room, so each pays half the room rate. Travel, tickets and upscale places are extra.
Restaurants and dish prices (3)
- Nila Mundi House Ujanipara, Bandarban town
- Mundi (rice noodle soup) · ৳20/bowl
Local eateries 2025 prices · Source - Uyi Restaurant & Mundi Kabab House Thanchi Bazar, Thanchi
- Mundi (rice noodle soup) · ৳30/bowl
Local eateries 2025 prices · Source - Re Khyaing Ujanipara, Bandarban town
- Duck curry · ৳300/plate
- Toja (Marma soup) · ৳50/bowl
- Bamboo shoot curry · ৳150/plate
- Crab curry · ৳150/plate
Good restaurants 2025 prices · Source
Taste these
- Mundi Small Marma-run shops in Bandarban town and Ruma/Thanchi bazars About 40–100 BDT per bowl
- Bashkorol (Bamboo Shoot) Indigenous restaurants in Bandarban town and homestays in the hills
- Nappi Marma-run eateries in Ujanipara, Bandarban town; small jars are sold in Bandarban town bazar
- Tojah and Laksu Re Khyaing restaurant in Ujanipara, Bandarban town, and other Marma-run eateries in Ujanipara and Madhyampara About 50–120 BDT per dish at local eateries
- Hill Papaya, Banana and Mango Roadside fruit bazar on the Bandarban–Chimbuk road and Bandarban town bazar
Where these prices come from
Budget uses a 70 Tk town breakfast and the 180 Tk lake-side lunch package reported in trek cost guides, plus 20-30 Tk bowls of mundi; mid is a Marma meal at Re Khyaing (2025 menu: duck curry 300, toja 50) or bamboo chicken (250-500 Tk); no sourced upscale restaurant prices.
Prices come from newspapers and the restaurants' own listings, and they change over time.
Common questions
What are the best places to visit in Bandarban?
The best known are Nilgiri, Nilachal, Boga Lake, Nafakhum Waterfall and Buddha Dhatu Jadi (Golden Temple). This guide covers 10 places to visit in Bandarban, each with how to get there and when to go.
How long does it take to get from Dhaka to Bandarban?
Bandarban is about 330 km from Dhaka by road. By bus or car it takes roughly 8–11 hours, depending on traffic.
How much does a trip to Bandarban cost?
A budget hotel room costs ৳600–2,000 a night, a good hotel ৳2,000–4,500. With two sharing a room, a room and meals come to about ৳850–3,350 per person a day. Travel to and from Dhaka is extra. These are 2026 prices.
When is the best time to visit Bandarban?
Oct–Feb for clear views; Jun–Sep for waterfalls and clouds.
What local food should you try in Bandarban?
Try Mundi, Bashkorol (Bamboo Shoot), Nappi and Tojah and Laksu. Each one's page says where to find it.
