Lalakhal

Lalakhal is a section of the Sari river north-east of Sylhet where the water runs an unusual blue-green, which comes from the minerals it carries down from the Meghalaya hills and is strongest in the dry season when the flow is clear and low; in the monsoon it turns brown with silt. Country boats and engine boats run up and down between banks of tea garden, forest and sand, with the hills across the Indian border ahead. There is a tea estate on the bank with a resort, and the trip is usually combined with Jaintiapur, where the remains of the Jaintia kingdom's capital include a group of standing megaliths in the town.

What you actually see

• Blue-green river water - the colour at its strongest in the dry season.
• Tea gardens along the banks - the estates running down to the water.
• Boat trips up the river - the standard way to see the stretch.
• Jaintiapur megaliths nearby - the standing stones of the old capital.

When to go

November to March, when the water is clear and coloured; the monsoon turns it brown. Half a day. Boats are hired at the ghat and prices are negotiated. Weekends are busier.

Honest expectations

The colour is a dry-season effect and absent for months of the year. Engine boats are noisy and dominate. Prices are negotiated and inflated for visitors. There is little at the site beyond the boat trip.

Nearby

Jaintiapur is north; Jaflong lies east.