You must be surprised to see the title. But Boga lake, the highest freshwater lake in Bangladesh, located in Ruma Upazila under Bandarban, is truly a wonderful place surrounded by mystery. About 70 km from Bandarban town, this naturally formed lake flows through the Keokkaradong Mountains at an altitude of about 1,246 feet above sea level. Let’s take a look at some interesting facts as well as detailed information about Bagalek’s travels.
Scientific facts and myth about Boga Lake
Geologists in Bangladesh claim that Boga Lake is the result of a volcanic eruption or the fall of a meteorite from space. Many people think that it was caused by a landslide. Its core is rich in the soft rock of the Earth’s crust.
According to Banglapedia, its water is high in acidity, so no algae or other aquatic plants grow in it, and no aquatic animals can live here. But according to 2009 data, the waters of Boga Lake are very fertile, and the lake has a lot of algae, water lilies and other aquatic plants, and lots of fish and even giant fish.
There are several myths about the origin of Boga Lake among the Bom, Marma, Mro, Khumi, and Tripura tribes.
According to local tribal myth, once upon a time a dragon harbored in a cave in the mountains. In Bam language, the dragon is called “Boga”. The locals used to offer cattle to please the dragon god. One day a few people killed the dragon. As a result, the peak became a submerged lake and drowned the surrounding villages. Though there is no proof for this tale, the legendary dragon and the white volcanic form of the lake coincides with the context of a dead volcano.
The natural beauty of Boga Lake
The spiral Shongkho river flows about 15 km east of Ruma Upazila Sadar. The lake is located on a hilltop in the Palitai range, 29 km from its shore, covering an area of about 15 acres.
At every moment of the day, the tourists are perplexed by the different colors of the structure. The calm cool water of the lake removes all the fatigue of the journey in an instant. The lake itself has taken on a bluish color with a handful of blue from the sky. The lining of the blue water on the top of the hill has created a natural collage mixed with indigo.
You will look with fascinated eyes at the combination of sky, mountains, and water. Nature has poured a touch of green here. The exhaustion of crossing impassable track is lost in the deep lake. All in all, it is like beautiful green land.
Read Floating Guava Market in Barishal: Outlandish decor for livelihood on the estuary of three canals
Best time to visit Boga Lake
It is very difficult to visit Boga Lake in the rainy season. However, it is convenient to visit Boga Lake in winter. Nevertheless, many adventure-loving tourists come to be fascinated by the scenic beauty of Boga Lake. Boga Lake at night is completely different from Boga Lake by day. And if the night is a moonlit night, it may be one of the best nights of your life.
How to reach Boga Lake, Bandarban from Dhaka
First, you can take a bus from Dhaka to reach Bandarban directly by road. The journey may take 8 to 10 hours. The non-AC bus and AC bus fares will be BDT 550 and BDT 950 to 1500 respectively.
If you are fond of train journeys, get on a train from Dhaka. The train will drop you in Chittagong first. The price of train tickets will be BDT 350 to 1200 depending on the class.
You can also go directly to Chittagong by air from Dhaka with a plane fare of BDT 2,500 to 9,200 depending on the time and category.
After reaching Chittagong, get on the bus from Boddarhat in Chittagong to Bandarban where the bus fare is BDT 220. You can also go to Bandarban by bus from the Dhampara bus stand in Chittagong for BDT 200 to 300.
From Bandarban, you can reach Ruma Bazar in 2 hours by taking a local bus or a Chander Gari/jeep covering a distance of 48 km. If you go in a group, this will be better for your travel. One car can carry up to 10 to 15 passengers. You can rent this car from the jeep station of Bandarban city for BDT 3000 to 4000.
Moreover, there are busses from the Ruma bus stand in Bandarban for you. From there, the bus leaves for Ruma every 1 hour. The rent is BDT 120 and it will take about 3 hours.
After getting off the car/bus in Ruma Bazaar, you must first get a guide. Keep in mind that getting guides are mandatory and they must be registered. Before leaving, you need to get permission to go to Boga Lake from Ruma Bazar Army Camp. The identity of all traveling members must be submitted for permission. You don’t have to worry about it, your guide will help you out to do all the formalities.
And of course, remember that you are not allowed to go to Boga Lake from Rumabazar after 4 pm.
However, the distance from Rumabazar to Boga Lake is 17 km. After getting permission, rent a Land Cruiser Jeep or Chander Gari from Rumabazar. Usually, these local transports can accommodate from 8 to 15 people. If you explain what you need, the guide will take care of everything. The reserve fare for a land cruiser from Ruma to Boga Lake is BDT 1,800, and BDT 2,000 for a Chander Gari. If you have a small number of members in your group, you can talk to another group and rent a car by sharing the cost.
Otherwise, you can opt for the local transport o reach the destination Boga Lake. Every hour from 8 am to 4 pm, the local Chander Gari comes and goes. Local fare up to Boga Lake is BDT 100 per head.
Accommodation and meal arrangement
You can hardly find a high-quality hotel or resort in Boga Lake. You have to manage to stay in the small cottages of Indigenous people. It will cost BDT 100 to 200 per person to stay in these cottages in a completely natural environment. One-room cottage can accommodate 5 to 6 people.
The meal arrangements have to be made in the tribal houses. Usually, food packages of BDT 100 to 200 are available. Meals are prepared with rice, eggs, potatoes, and mountain chicken. You have to tell in advance what kind of food you want to have and how many people are going to dine there. If you want to have meals on arrival, you can communicate in advance with help of your tour guide. The cottages also have barbecue facilities. So, you can buy mountain chickens and sit on the shores of the lake and enjoy this exotic environment.
Source: United News of Bangladesh