Tea Capital of Bangladesh – Srimongol

Srimongol, Bangladesh: Srimongol is probably one of the star cities in Sylhet division of Bangladesh. I should first let my readers know that I was born in Bangladesh and spent 15 years of my life there before moving to the USA in the early 90s. And this was my second time visiting Sylhet. 

Srimongol or Sreemangal is known for its natural beauty, greenery, vast tea gardens, small hills, forest, and luxurious resorts. This is a popular destination for both the locals and foreigners for its distance from Dhaka and for enjoying a quiet time outside the hustling and bustling of big cities.

Time of Travel: My 2 daughters and I were in Bangladesh for 3 weeks in July of 2023. We only got to spend 2 nights and 2 days in Srimongol due to time restrictions. But if you have more time, be sure to visit Sylhet and surrounding areas, like Jaflong. It’s best to leave Dhaka early in the morning to avoid long traffic. We left around 6:15am and were at our resort in Srimongol for lunch.

July in Srimongol can be very hot. But we got a little bit of rain here and there. During heavy rainy season, visiting these places below can be difficult and dangerous too. 

Our Hotel: My cousin brother was very gracious to give us this treat to Srimongol and reserved Grand Sultan Tea Resort & Golf. It was an all inclusive package with stunning views from our rooms. I can’t praise enough on the food, service, location, and everything else in this resort. Every dish in every meal was cooked perfectly. They had traditional Bangladeshi snacks and main courses along with western dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

This was my first time staying at a resort in Bangladesh and it exceeded my expectations in every way possible. It is a very secured complex with a beautiful lake, playground, and other indoor amenities. The main check-in area, rooms, meal area, and the whole outdoor areas were sparkling clean. The location of this resort is what I loved the most. The 2 main places we wanted to visit (mentioned below) were both very close to the resort. 

Eating and Shopping: You’ll find tons of souvenirs shops right outside the Grand Sultan Resort. Local tea and wooden trinkets are something famous that you’d want to bring back from Srimongol. “Monipuri” sharis (the wraps for ladies), tunics, kameez sets, and bedcovers are some items that are traditionally made locally only in Sylhet.

Other than the stores near the resort, we also went to the “Monipuri” market where a cluster of stores are located for a variety of fabrics mainly. Don’t forget to bargain when buying anything here, unless they are fixed price.

One of the must try in Srimongol is the 7-layered tea. Personally, I didn’t love it or hated it. But This is something I’ve never seen anywhere in the world. It is hard to know which cafe first invented this special tea. Nowadays, every store will claim that their tea is the original. Nevertheless, at least buy one cup just to take a picture and put it on Instagram.

One thing I wanted to mention, if you are traveling from Dhaka to Srimongol, be sure to stop at Ujanvati Restaurant for meals and to freshen up. It’s very clean and the service is very good. It’s almost halfway thru from Dhaka to Srimongol and makes a nice spot to take a break. While there, check out the Comilla Khadi store to buy famous Khadi fabrics from Comilla here. I got a bed cover set and some “khadi gamcha” – light cotton towels from this store. 

Places We’ve Visited: As I’ve mentioned, we stayed there only for 2 nights. First day, we mainly explored inside the resort and walked over to the souvenir shops right outside. Second day, we left after breakfast to go to the two places below. But other than these, we did drive around some tea gardens and took some off the beaten paths to see the town. We were told that Noorjahan tea garden is the best estate for taking a drive through the rugged tea gardens and indeed it was. 

1. Lawachara National Park: This was definitely not what I expected initially and therefore, was not prepared for the walk. It was really hot and humid that day and I was wearing sandals. Nevertheless, Lawachara is an absolute must see in this town. This was announced as a national park in 1996. Be ready for some walks through narrow paths in the jungle. Don’t forget to carry bug repellent, hat, comfortable shoes, and water with you. 

Buy the ticket from the front and ask for a guide (extra fee) if you want to learn more about its inhabitants, plants, and atmosphere. We stayed about a couple hours without going too deep into the jungle. 

While we did hear and see only a group of howler monkeys right after entering the park, there are some 15 species of amphibians, 52 species of reptiles, 260 species of birds, and 50 species of mammals can be found in this park. Some of the notable ones include monkeys, langurs, Burmese pythons, and pit vipers. Of course it’s very rare that you’ll see any of these during your visit, especially if you take the small hike we took. 

The rail track here is a famous place where Bangladesh’s famous writer Humayan Ahmed’s “Amar Ache Jol” was shot. Lawachara is also the place where a portion of the Oscar winning movie “Around The World in 80 Days” was shot. 

2. Madhabpur Lake: Madhabpur Lake was less than half an hour drive from Lawachara Park. The roads were through small villages and very scenic. 

Madhabpur Lake is the only place where you can see purple lotus in Bangladesh. The lake is surrounded by small hills and tea gardens. We got a chance to walk through the tea gardens and climb some small hills. 

Once we were on top of the hill, the view of the lake, tea gardens, and surrounding fields were stunning with lush greenery. We came to know, we were very close to the India border and Indian cities like Assam and Tripura were about 100km.

Fortunately, we got to see and interact with a few local women tea pickers and hear their stories. A few men also came to show us the difference between black and green tea. Talking to the locals and hearing their stories on life and hardship definitely makes you appreciate your own life. These people were super nice and helpful. You may feel overwhelmed by their forceful approach, but they can show and educate you about the area. Leave them with a generous tip…believe me, you’ll make their day. 

We spent about a couple hours here before heading back to the resort. We were lucky to find a lemonade stand on the top of the hill for some fresh and cold drinks. We also saw a man selling the famous Bangladeshi snack “chanachur” with fresh tea leaves. If you dare, have some with habanero peppers.