Holiday options
Hoteliers expect huge turnout during Eid
Tareque Moretaza
You can avail of the opportunity afforded by the Eid vacation to travel to any of the beautiful tourist spots in the country and unwind with your near and dear ones. This will deepen the joy of Eid for your family as well. Of course, apart from places of scenic beauty, you can visit your village with your family.
Saying this, Sayed Rashidul Hasan, a tourism researcher, added: We usually spend time idly at our homes during festivals. Going to our favourite place can strengthen family bonds.
This year, the hotels in Coxs Bazar have not yet logged a satisfactory number of bookings from the capital for Eid yet, said Mosharraf Hossain, a hotel media manager of Coxs Bazar.
Eid is taking place in the rainy season this year and offices will open right after Eid. These have been identified as the main reasons for the poor bookings. He added: We expect the scenario will change after 20th Ramzan, when most hotels hope to receive substantial numbers of reservations.
Although St Martins Island is the top tourist destination during Eid, ships will not ferry any passenger if the weather conditions are poor, said Rafiqul Alam, director of Abakash Parjatan.
Mohammad Nasir, manager of Abakash, Nijhum Dwip, said they are fully booked for a week after Eid. They are also offering tour packages for the spot.
Echoing Alam, Abu Bakkar, owner of Green Castle Hotel in Rangamati, said: We are fully booked for a week after Eid. Hotel Sufia International, Rangamati, a luxury hotel, also has no room during this time. The resort is run by the Army in Nilgiri, Rangamati. Other hotels, however, are still taking bookings. We are always busy, it will be difficult to handle extra visitors during this festive time, said Ishak, manager of Purabi Hotel in the town.
Ananta Tripura, a hotelier of Khagrachari, said: Many tourists have already visited Sajek Valley. There will be huge crowds after Eid. Hotels here are almost fully booked.
Tourism businessman Shiblul Azam Koreshi said: The industry suffered during the prolonged political unrest in the beginning of the year. We want to make up that loss during the Eid festival, but may not be able to do that, as Eid is occurring at the end of the rainy season.
But we are still hopeful, he added.
Koreshi said people could opt to go to the natural places next to mountains, the ocean or forests. You should carry with yourself light clothing, a torch and first-aid material, he added.
When you plan a vacation, some
questions arise: Where to stay? What to eat? And, most importantly, is the destination safe?
According to the Tourist Plus website, before going to any place, eight aspects have to be kept in mind: local security; safety of the tourist spot; food; accommodation; transport; medical facilities for tourists; risks associated with sightseeing; technology; and time management.
Considering all aspects, Coxs Bazar can be a good destination for a family
tour. Prior planning is very important. The capital city Dhaka is well connected with the longest beach in the worldCoxs Bazarby road and air. Apart from the national flag carrier, Bangladesh Biman, there are other private airlines that fly on this route. There are also many comfortable bus services.
Hotels are mostly available. Lovers of seafood can enjoy a variety of fish there.
Kuakata is not far from Coxs Bazar. Breath-taking sunrises and sunsets can be enjoyed in this spectacular location. There are all kinds of hotels, motels and resorts here, with seafood available at affordable prices. From the capital, buses leave from Gabtali, Sayedabad and Kalyanpur to Kuakata.
Or you can pick Nijhum Dwip, an island in the Bay of Bengal. You can spend evenings with hordes of deer or you can go for jungle trekking. After taking a launch from Dhaka to Hatia, you can go by boat to Nijhum Dwip. There is a government bungalow there, as also private hotels.
You can go to the forests if you dont prefer the sea. You can travel to Srimangal, Lawachara rainforest or the Hail wetlands. You can also enjoy visits to Madhabkunda, Madhabpur Lake, and waterfalls and
tea gardens there. There are good hotels where you can stay in the city, and a bungalow in the mountains. You have to book a bungalow before going there. Bus services are available at Kamalapur and Sayedabad at Dhaka. Both AC and non-AC services are available. Train services are available as well.
You can also go to Ratargul in Sylhet, Soa forest and Bichanakandi. Visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty on rainy days, said the driver of a local boat. Moreover, the visitor can also go to Jaflong and Lala canals of Sylhet. AC and non-AC buses and train services, and good quality hotels are available in Sylhet.
Or you can go to the Sundarbans. You can go there by boat from Mongla to Karamajal. If you plan to go to the Sundarbans, go in a group. Do not travel unless you are in a group in the Sundarbans. There are buses from Dhaka to Mongla: day and night direct buses. Dublar Char and Hiron Point are high-risk areas during the rainy season.
If you do not wish to go to the forests, then you can go to the mountains. You can easily go to Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari directly by bus. There are good quality hotels at Rangamati and Bandarban. Subholong fountain, Subholong market, Army camp, Hanging Bridge, Rajbari, Banobhont office and Buddhist monasteries can be seen at Rangamati. You can go to Ruma, Boga, Tindu, Remakri, Niraacala, Nilgiri, Thanchi, Chimbuk, Sailaprapata, Milanachari, Dhatujadi and temples at different places in Bandarban. Alutila, Richam fountains and Sajeka Valley are other important spots at Khagrachharhi.
You can, of course, visit your village or any tourist spot near your district. Eid would be much more enjoyable then!
