Above the clouds and over the Coral island
"Morning shows the day" --- the first few days of the year give an idea about the rest of the days of the year. So isn't it a good idea to pick some of the perfect places for this time of the year to travel around and to give your eyes a little relaxation for the time being from the boring city life? Sajek Valley and Saint Martin's are the best choices for you this month.
Sajek Valley
A few hundred feet above the hilly area of Khagrachhari, a surprisingly beautiful settlement on the clouds is called Sajek Valley. It has now become a popular tourist spot for travel lovers.
The entire valley at night under the sky full of stars eventually brings the image of a night somewhere in Europe. Beside and along the uphill roads shimmering lights, pepper lamps and chiseled candles are arranged in small shops and cafes which are very reasonable in price and surrounded by people from home and abroad gathering in groups.
Sometimes, they sing out loud over cups of steaming hot coffee or tea with a guitar tune which creates a very festive mood.
The dawn at Sajek Valley offers more surreal view during this time of the year when the sun rises over the sea of cloud which is more beautifully observed from a place called Konglakpara, not too far from the locals.
Tribes of Sajek are very hospitable. Cottages and hotels of various types and categories have been built here and there for the guests to stay. Some of the cottages are : Emanuel's Cottage, Fodang Thang, Hoping Tong and many more. It's not too much including foods and other expenses. Bengali, Chinese and some special tribal foods like bamboo chicken are the main attractions of the place.
The mode of transport hete are the jeeps known as "chander gari" which leaves for Sajek Valley from Khagrachhari main town. It takes Tk 7-10 thousand to hire an entire jeep that would stay the whole night with the guests and bring them back the next day at the same time. They also take people to some places, on condition, such as Alutila cave, floating bridge, helipad and a natural shower in the same package.
Saint Martin's Island
Saint Martin's Island or Narikel Jinjira is another destination which will be very pleasing to visit now. The Arabian sailors named this famous Coral Island 'Jazeera' after the discovery. The British renamed it as 'Saint Martin's' later on.
With the change of time the beautiful coral island has undergone a massive development. A lot of hotels with modern amenities have been built. Some resorts such as Lighthouse have their personal beach, and arrangements for barbeque and other refreshments.
It takes two hours from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf by bus and then three hours via some two-storied launches such as Keari Sindabad, Parijat and others through the Naf River to reach Saint Martin's. Tickets of these launches are available from Cox's Bazar and also from Chittagong city only for Tk 750.
The blue water all around is the main beauty of Saint Martin's. The whole island can be visited easily as there are many rickshaw vans and cycles which can be hired hour-wise. Youths can hire cycles which will cost Tk 40 per hour. The rent of vans and rickshaws are negotiable. There are two beaches on this island, Jinjira beach and the main beach of Saint Martin's.
The principal attractions of the island are coconuts found at very low price and a massive collection of fresh seafood items that are available like nowhere else. These things are attracting tourists from different places of the country for decades.
So, don't just stay home and get bored. Rather take a leap above the mountains and swim over the seas to make some memories with friends, family or loved ones on this New Year!
