This one-day travel guide covers the Chandranath Hills, the Khoyachhara Falls, and the Guliahali Beach in the Sitakunda and Mirsarai areas. Read on for details on planning a Sitakunda day tour, getting around, and things to do.
Sitakunda Tour
The Sitakunda Upazila in the Chittagong District is a haven of natural beauty and a popular travel destination. There are many popular tourist attractions here. Notable attractions include Chandranath Hills, Mahamaya Lake, Guliahali Sea Beach, Kumira Ghat, Banshbaria Sea Beach, the Jharjhari and Kamaldaha waterfall trails, and the Sitakunda Ecopark.
You can easily visit Sitakunda in a day from Dhaka, Comilla, Narsingdi, Feni, or Chittagong. However, it is not possible to visit all of Sitakunda’s attractions in one day. However, Chandranath Pahar, Khoyachhara Jharna, and Guliahali Sea Beach are popular day tour destinations. Khoyachhara Jharna falls in Mirsarai Upazila, but it has also been included in our tour plan because it is close to Sitakunda, offering a day trip experience with mountains, waterfalls, and the sea. For your day trip, you can choose to visit other places in Sitakunda.
A Guide to the Sitakunda Day Tour
How to Get to Sitakunda
To have a full day for sightseeing, take the train or bus to Sitakunda at night. You can also take a direct bus from Dhaka to Chittagong. Various transport companies, including S Alam, Shyamoli, Saudia, Unique, Hanif, Eagle, and ENA, operate AC and non-AC buses from the Sayedabad, Fakirapul, and Mohakhali bus stands. Ticket prices for non-AC buses range from 420 to 480 taka, while ticket prices for AC buses range from 800 to 1,100 taka.
If you want to take the train from Dhaka to Sitakunda, you must get off at Feni Railway Station. From there, take a rickshaw or auto for 10-15 taka to Feni Mahipal Bus Stand. From there, you can take a local bus to Sitakunda for 80-120 taka. Alternatively, you can take the mail train directly to Sitakunda from Kamalapur Railway Station at 10:30 p.m. for 120 taka per person. If you want a seat, you should get on the train early.
If you’re coming from another district, plan your trip so that you can reach Sitakunda in the morning. That way, you will have time to explore all day.
How to Get Around
For the best Sitakunda day tour, first go to Chandranath Hill, then see the Khaiyachhara Falls. Save time in the afternoon for a trip to Guliyakhali.
Chandranath Hill
After having breakfast at the Sitakunda Market, take a CNG to the foot of the Chandranath Hill for 20 taka per person. The historic Chandranath Temple is located at the top of the hill. Hindu devotees and tourists of all religions come to enjoy the beauty of the hill and visit the temple. While climbing the hill, be sure to bring water, saline solution, dried food, and a small bamboo stick. If you want to buy anything on the hill, you will have to spend almost double the money. It will take about one and a half hours to climb to the top of Chandranath Hill.
Khoiyachora Waterfall
Another natural beauty spot, Khoiyachora Jhorna, is 30 to 40 minutes away from Chandranath Hill. From there, return to Sitakunda and take a local bus for 20 taka to Khayachhara Ideal School, which is near Baratakia Bazaar in Mirsarai. Near the school, you can take a CNG to the Jhiri of Khayachhara Jharna for 100 taka. If you’re unsure, inform the bus attendant that you’re heading to Khoiyachora Jhorna.
They will drop you off at the road to the waterfall. Khoiyachora Jharna’s 13 steps attract visitors with different types of enchantment. Seeing all the steps of the waterfall takes a long time, so if you aren’t planning to go anywhere else on your day trip, try to see the other steps. Of course, you need enough physical strength for this. If you’re interested, you can order your favorite food at one of the local restaurants on the way to the waterfall.
Guliakhali Sea Beach
If you visit the Khoiyachora waterfall first, then on your way back, stop at one of the local hotels for lunch before returning to Sitakunda. If you have time, have lunch at the Sitakunda market instead of at Khaiyachhara. After lunch, head to another natural wonder: Guliakhali Sea Beach, just eight kilometers from Sitakunda. You can take a CNG/auto directly from under the Sitakunda bus stand bridge to the Guliakhali beach dam. The combination of the green grass and the roar of the turbulent sea is harmonious here. Any beauty lover is bound to be impressed by Guliakhali Sea Beach.
After enjoying the beauty of Guliakhali, head back to Sitakunda. You will find buses of almost all types from Sitakunda to Dhaka. If you want to take the train back to Dhaka, come to Feni Railway Station according to the train schedule. If your destination is somewhere else, it would be best to travel there the same way.
Travel expenses
The cost of this Sitakunda day trip will naturally depend on you. Food and transportation are the main expenses of the trip. If you travel in a group, the cost will be reduced. Using local CNG, TomTom, or EasyBike to get around will also reduce the cost. If you are a group of four to five people, you can reserve a CNG vehicle for the trip, which will save time. The approximate cost of sightseeing from Dhaka is given below. I am assuming that you will travel with four to five people. From there, you can estimate the cost.
Are you a budget traveler? If you want to travel on a budget, check out these tips:
- Non-AC bus fare to and from Dhaka: 450 x 2 = 900 taka per person.
- Breakfast: 50 taka per person
- Lunch: 120 taka per person
- Transportation to places: 200 taka per person (for a group of four).
- Other incidentals: 100 taka
The total cost is around 1,500 taka per person. This cost may vary depending on the time of year and your plans. For example, you can spend more or less on food and drinks. If you go by train, the cost will be reduced, although it will be difficult. If you want a more comfortable trip, you can also take an air-conditioned bus, but the cost will definitely increase.
Warning
Be careful when traveling to the mountains and waterfalls. You need enough mental and physical strength to climb the mountains and hike to the waterfall. Do not take small children or elderly people to Chandranath Hills and Waterfalls. Read the travel guides for more detailed information and advice about each place.