White stones and clear water at Sada Pathor, Bholaganj, Sylhet

Photo: Firuz Ahmmed, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sada Pathor (White Stone Area)

Sada Pathor, the white stone area at Bholaganj, is a stretch of the Dhalai River at the Indian border where clear water runs over white and grey stones below the Meghalaya hills. A half-day boat trip from Sylhet.

About Sada Pathor (White Stone Area)

Sada Pathor means white stone in Bengali. At Bholaganj, in the far north of Sylhet, the Dhalai River leaves the hills of Meghalaya and spreads over a wide bed of pale stones washed down from the mountains. With green hills rising just across the border and clear, cool water running between the stones, it became one of the most photographed places in the region.

You reach it by a short boat ride upriver from the ghat at Bholaganj. Once there, you can wade in the shallows, sit on the stones and watch the water, which is clearest just after the rainy season. The area is busy with Bangladeshi visitors on holidays and quieter on weekdays.

Heavy stone extraction in recent years has stripped parts of the riverbed, and conditions change from season to season, so we check what it looks like before recommending a visit. If Sada Pathor is not at its best, Bichhanakandi and Jaflong offer similar river and border-hill scenery. On our private Sylhet tours we choose the stop that is best at the time of your trip.

Things to do

  • Boat upriver

    Take a small boat from the Bholaganj ghat up the Dhalai River towards the border hills.

  • Wading in clear water

    Paddle in the cool shallows over white and grey stones. Stay where the current is gentle.

  • Border hill views

    The green hills of Meghalaya rise just across the border, a fine backdrop on a clear day.

  • Riverside tea

    Small stalls near the ghat serve tea and snacks before or after the boat ride.

Getting there

From Sylhet city: about an hour to an hour and a half by road to Bholaganj, then a short boat ride upriver.

Combine: it can be paired with Ratargul on a long day, or visited on its own in a half day.

Where to stay

Stay in Sylhet city or at a nearby tea resort and visit Sada Pathor as a half-day trip.

More to see in Sylhet

Tours that visit Sada Pathor (White Stone Area)

Questions

When is the best time to visit Sada Pathor?

Late in the rainy season and just after it, roughly August to October, when the river is full and clear. In winter the water is low.

Is it safe to swim?

The current can be strong in the rainy season. Stay in shallow water near other people and avoid swimming after heavy rain upstream.

Can I go to the border?

No. You stay on the Bangladeshi side; the border is marked and guarded, and you should follow local instructions.

Is Sada Pathor still worth visiting?

Stone extraction has changed parts of it in recent years. We check current conditions and suggest Bichhanakandi or Jaflong if they are better at the time.

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