Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati district stands tall with the beautiful scenery of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Kaptai Upazila is surrounded by unique hills, the azure waters of the lake, and eye-catching greenery. Spread over 11,000 square kilometers, this artificial lake is the largest in South Asia. Here you can see small hills, winding mountain roads, fountains, and greenery with water. On the one hand, as there are various flora and fauna in the mountains, there are many species of fish and endless biodiversity in the clear waters of the lake. The surroundings of the lake, the small islands, various birds, and the life of people centered around the water will fascinate you every moment. Though artificial, nature has beautified the Kaptai lake in all its forms. Kaptai Lake can be visited throughout the year, but during the monsoons, the fountains near the lake can be seen in their full form.
In 1956, the then government of Pakistan built the Kaptai dam on the Karnaphuli river for a hydroelectric power plant funded by the United States, as a result of which 54,000 acres of agricultural land in Rangamati district was flooded and this Kaptai lake was created.
Nature lovers can rent a boat or a boat to float in the water of the lake and see the surroundings. You can visit the Kaptai Lake Paradise picnic spot to see the beauty of the lake from the hills. There is also an opportunity to take a group boat trip or a paddle boat trip to the lake. Apart from visiting Kaptai Lake by speedboat/boat reserve, you can visit many other spots including Rangamati Hanging Bridge, Shublong Jharna, and Rangamati City. Kayaking is available on the Karnaphuli River near Kaptai. You can take that experience if you want. If you want to enjoy a cable car ride, go to Sheikh Russell Ecopark.
How to go
Kaptai can be reached directly from Syedabad or Kamalapur in Dhaka by various quality buses, in which case it takes about 7 to 8 hours. To go on these buses, the fare will be 780-800 taka per person. Besides, you can also go to Kaptai from Chittagong if you want. Buses leave every 30 minutes from Bahaddarhat bus stand for Kaptai, fare 80-120 Tk. It will take about 2 hours. You can reach Kaptai from the Bahaddarhat bus terminal by train from Dhaka to Chittagong.
If you want to go to Kaptai from Bandarban, you can take a bus bound for Rangamati from the Rowanchari bus stand get off at Baraichari, and go to Kaptai by CNG. Kaptai Bazar can be reached by road from Rangamati by bus or by CNG or trawler boat via Kaptai Lake.