Jaflong

Jaflong sits where the Piyain river comes out of the Meghalaya hills across the Indian border into Bangladesh, carrying boulders and gravel down with it, and the valley is given over to collecting that stone: hundreds of boats and thousands of workers dig, load and haul rock from the riverbed by hand, which is the dominant sight and a substantial local industry with well-documented labour and environmental problems. Behind it the Khasi hills rise steeply on the Indian side with waterfalls visible on the slopes, a hanging bridge crosses the river in India, and the water in the dry season runs clear and blue over the stones. Boats take visitors up toward the border, which cannot be crossed.

What you actually see

• Stone collection from the riverbed - the industry that dominates the valley.
• The Meghalaya hills across the border - the slopes and waterfalls in India.
• Clear water over boulders - the river in the drier months.
• Boats up toward the border - the trip most visitors take.

When to go

July to October for the water and the hill waterfalls; the dry season gives clear water but less flow. A day from Sylhet. Weekends are crowded. Boat prices are negotiated at the ghat.

Honest expectations

The stone extraction has done severe environmental damage and the working conditions are poor; it is not comfortable to watch as scenery. Boat operators overcharge and haggle hard. Litter is heavy. The border cannot be crossed.

Nearby

Bisnakandi is west; Sylhet lies south-west.