I remember my friend Zubair always wanting the three of us (just friends) to travel somewhere outside Dhaka. It was something he had been wishing for since our A-level days. Back then, however, it was quite impossible to make it happen. My parents and Mehraj’s parents were convinced that the three of us were not yet capable of steering ourselves out of trouble. In other words, they were basically saying, in the nicest way possible, that we were still too much of a farm er murgi.

But in 2026, during our third year of university, something changed. Apparently, we had finally been declared mentally sane enough to keep ourselves alive, at least. So, in September, after years of talking, planning and postponing in the group chat, we finally made it out of Dhaka.

Destination: Rangamati, Kaptai Lake.

I could not believe that the trip was actually happening until the bus finally left Dhaka. I do not remember much about the bus journey since I slept like a log. My friends judged me for this. However, in my defence, we had left during the night, and hopefully, there was not much to see outside the window anyway.

Apparently, my friends also told me that we had a couple of close calls on the way. Does it matter? We eventually made it there in one piece, right?

Not exactly the most alert way to begin a trip.
Our resort was located on an island in the middle of Kaptai Lake. So we still had a boat journey left after reaching Rangamati.

Trust me, none of us spoke much during that journey. Just imagine yourself navigating through the lake, surrounded by patches of green islands, lush, rolling hills in the distance and blue waters on all sides.
Then, you have the waves gently swaying the boat like a baby in a cradle. And a cold, refreshing wind accompanied by the gentle pitter-patter of rain. Even though we were travelling by motorboat, the steady hum of the engine gradually became a kind of white noise.

Looking back, I think that silence was exactly what we had been looking for … a break from the concrete jungle we were so used to. Instead of filling the journey with conversation, we simply sat and absorbed the change in scenery around us.

We stayed at Furomon Island Resort, a secluded little island tucked away in dense greenery and scattered palm trees. The resort was made up of narrow yet beautifully decorated walkways, bright red-roofed cottages, and a wooden walkway that stretched out over the water. Since the resort was surrounded by the lake, it felt like the perfect escape from the traffic, horns and academic deadlines of Dhaka.

After freshening up, we immediately left to visit the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station. You might be wondering: out of all the places we could visit, why a hydropower station? Thanks to Mehraj’s relatives, we were fortunate enough to get a sneak peek into how this place functions.
Honestly, the inside felt like something straight out of a video game called the Backrooms. There were seemingly tight, endless corridors lined with pipes, machinery and equipment. We got to see what I believe was one of the generators, and believe me, it was HUMONGOUS. It almost felt like it was invading my personal space. To see it up close, especially the speed at which it was rotating, gave me goosebumps.

And then there were the turbine wrenches. I had never thought of a wrench as particularly impressive until I saw the ones used for maintaining those machines. They were massive too. I genuinely felt like I could use one to crack open a coconut, or someone’s head.
We were also lucky enough to see the open dam gates. Watching the water gush out through the gates at such powerful speed was incredible. Honestly, reading about dams in textbooks is one thing, but seeing one up close is an entirely different experience.

On our first day, we spent most of our time around the hydropower station. By evening, we returned to the resort and enjoyed the cultural programmes arranged there.
On the second day, we rented a boat and toured around Kaptai Lake. This was probably my favourite part of the trip. There is something incredibly peaceful about sitting on a boat with your friends, feeling the breeze, and chatting idly while watching the sumptuous green landscape pass by.

We also stopped at a few places, including the Nagar Ban Bihar Buddhist Temple and the famous Shuvolong Waterfall.

If you are planning a trip to Kaptai and simply want to relax, Shuvolong Waterfall must be on your list. A gentle reminder: you can actually bathe under the waterfall. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring an extra set of clothes, so we could not do that. I genuinely do not know how that thought escaped our minds.

Still, even without getting into the water, the view itself was majestic. Watching the waterfall plunge from such a height, while being surrounded by green hills and cliffs, was definitely one of those moments when you simply stop talking and take it all in.

It was a two-day, one-night trip. By evening, we returned to the resort and sat by the wooden platform, so that we could watch the sun slowly disappear over the lake. Eventually, it was time to leave.

Some might think two days and one night is too short for a trip like this. For me, however, it was completely worth it. It was the much-needed break I did not realise that I needed before starting another semester. Two days away from the traffic, deadlines and concrete jungle of Dhaka.

As we made our way back to Dhaka, I could not help but think that this might only be the beginning. There is still so much of Bangladesh I have not seen, and I truly hope this is the first of many journeys to come.