Rangamati Kaptai Lake is in Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati district. It is at the base of Chittagong Hill Tracts and has beautiful nature.
The unique mountains, lake water, and greenery in Kaptai Upazila are mesmerizing. The artificial lake is the largest in South Asia, covering 11,000 square kilometers.
More Information About Rangamati Kaptai Lake
In 1956, the government built the Kaptai Dam on the Karnaphuli River. The cause of building the dam is the water power station to generate electricity.
It submerged 54,000 acres of agricultural land to form this beautiful lake. Kaptai Lake, also famous as Karnaphuli Lake, has springs, roads, forests, and a tribal way of life.
The government built it for electricity, but it also helps with fishing and the local economy. This lake is one of the mentionable tourist attractions in Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Kaptai Lake has both large and small mountains. The place has springs, winding roads, lush greenery, forests, and a tribal lifestyle.
You can visit Kaptai Lake by houseboat to see the cool water and majestic scenery. You can enjoy Kaptai’s blue water and green hills.
You will also get the opportunity to go kayaking in the houseboats. You can see the attractions around Kaptai Lake. Some of them are Shublong Falls, Hanging Bridge, and Poloil Park.
You will get a chance to kayak in Kaptai in these houseboats. During your visit, you can explore Peda Tingting Restaurant and Sangfang Restaurant.
You can also explore the houses of Chakma King and Raj Banvihar. Kaptai is the largest lake in Bangladesh. The waters of Kaptai Lake are green.
The tourism industry of Rangamati district has mainly developed around the Kaptai lake. Although artificial, nature has beautified the Kaptai lake in all its forms.
You can visit Kaptai Lake all year round. Nature lovers can rent a boat to float in the lake’s waters and observe its diverse forms. You can go to Shublong Jharna by trawler.
Chemicals in fertilizers and pesticides are polluting Kaptai Lake’s water. It is harming aquatic life. In 1966, the share of large fish in the total fish production was 78%.
But in 1993 it fell to only 2%. Every day, people dump more than 5 tonnes of human excreta and other wastes in the lake, apart from this.
The water is vital for the people around the lake. Eighty-five percent depend on it for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing. It is a notable threat to public health.
The drinking water in Rangamati city has over ten times the acceptable bacteria level. Closed and slow-moving large reservoirs can increase the risk of malaria.
It is as they create a good breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. The lake caused some other problems.
Shipping contributes to illegal forest clearing, especially in remote areas near the lake. The destruction will include 127 square km of protected forest and 606 square km of paddy land.
How to reach Kaptai Lake
You can reach Kaptai from Syedabad or Kamalapur in Dhaka by quality buses. It takes about 7 to 8 hours. Besides, you can also go to Kaptai from Chittagong if you want.
Buses leave every 30 minutes from the Baddarhat bus stand for Kaptai, fare 80-120 Tk. It will take about 2 hours.
You can reach Kaptai from the Baddarhat bus terminal by train from Dhaka to Chittagong. To go to Kaptai from Bandarban, take a bus to Rangamati from Rowangchari bus stand.
Get off at Baraichari and then travel to Kaptai by CNG. You can reach Kaptai Bazar from Rangamati by road with a bus or by using a CNG or trawler boat through Kaptai Lake.
Place to Stay
There are many high-minded hotels ranging from simple hotels to stay here. The cost is not too much, without any doubt.
It is totally within reach. There are also good catering facilities. But if you want you can take some dry food for your needs.