\Nijhum Island//
I got the idea from reading some travel blogs before going, knowing that "Nizhum Island" is not a place for tourists, but for travelers, even many travelers can't come back with 100% satisfaction. I hope you will get some idea why the word is said by reading the story of our trip this time.
First day:
On November 22, 2020 our group of 7 people came from Chittagong, Comilla and Feni and met at Noakhali Crossroads. From Chittagong, our journey starts at 8 am by Shahi bus. But due to the lateness of a couple and the bad and congested roads, it was 1 pm to meet us at the intersection. From there we go to Sonapur after 40 minutes on the coast. There is no good option except CNG from Sonapur to go to Chairmanghat. By paying Tk 100 per person, we boarded two CNG and it took another hour and a half to reach the ghat. It was around 3:30 in the afternoon, we quickly had fresh food and went to another nearby ghat by CNG, by that time it was 4:30.
Normally only one Sea Tack of BIWTA departs at 8 am and no other Sea Tack depart for tools. Other times it has to be handled by different cargo trawlers. So we also have to board a cargo trawler whose skipper is unwilling to leave until his boat is overloaded. There are no rules and regulations at this wharf, no specific boat fares and timetables, no boarding facilities. However, our boat left at five in the afternoon and took two hours to reach the one and a half hour road. This boat again suffered engine trouble in the middle of the sea, causing major delays there. On one side the sun is setting, on the other side the sailor is fixing his engine, surrounded by numerous fishing trawlers and still water. In such a situation, we felt that we were going to Malaysia illegally 😀
After getting down at Hatia Nalchira Ghat at 7 pm, from there you have to go by bike to Nijhum Dwip Ghat for Tk 150 per person. We had to pay 200 taka for late night and reached the ghat at 8:30 pm. There is the trouble of getting on the trawler again to go from this side of this ghat to that side, which takes about 5-7 minutes. Basically, the last trawler of this ghat neighborhood leaves at 8 pm. Masud Bhai of the Forest Department, through whom we fixed the tent, is very helpful in this regard. For us he delayed this trawler by half an hour and arranged a CNG at that shore (usually Nijhum Island CNG is not available, all bikes).
It takes us about 30-35 minutes to reach Tabu and we officially reach the main destination by around 9:30 PM!
We had pre-ordered barbeque. Their prepared barbeque, salads and breads were quite good. After finishing dinner, chatting, playing cards, taking pictures of the camp, charging the power bank, it was 1 am.
Coming to camp at night, we heard many foxes calling, after sleeping they smelled the food and walked around the tent. This experience was different, but we didn't have a problem sleeping.
Second day:
On any other island, many people would have been woken up by the noise of people and birds. But there is no one to wake you up on this lonely island. It was cold in Konkan outside and no one wanted to go out easily with the comfort of sleeping bags inside the tent. By 8 o'clock in the morning, after getting fresh, we all left for Namar market. After having breakfast there, I went down to Namar market beach. This beach is huge in size and different from all other beaches. Due to the winter season, the water has receded, there is nothing like the roar of the sea, there is no opportunity to bathe because the water is dirty, there is no animal around. But the solitude, the cool breeze and the rows of trees are definitely worth enjoying.
After that we visited the watch tower in front of the forest department, the small forest next to it, the huge boat making artefacts at the wharf and the market. Even in winter, the days are short, and we have to take the boat out in the afternoon, so we cook lunch with coral fish a little early.
Now it's time to fix the boat. There is no shortage of boats to go around, but no one is a man of convenience, who can get as much money as he can from anyone. After bargaining with various boatmen from 2000 taka, it came to 1000 taka with one, maybe it would have come down to 6/700 if we saw a few more.
At 2pm we boarded the boat to explore the surrounding area to see the so-called wild deer.
First we visit Kaviraj Char, then Kamlar Char and finally we go to Chowdhury Canal. The forest starting from the side of this canal is our main objective. At 4 o'clock I entered the forest silently with the assistant of the sailor as a guide. The experience of crossing such mangrove type forest was new and fun for all of us. There is a beautifully decorated pond in the middle of the forest where all the animals come to drink water On reaching there we found a family of wild buffaloes and jackals. However, I could not see the deer even though I found many footprints of the deer. Moreover, if you follow the impression into the deep forest, the possibility of losing your way is high. After waiting until evening, we all returned to the boat in a sad mood, because at night there is a possibility of losing our way in the forest. On the way to the side of the forest in the boat, suddenly the boatman shouted and said deer, then we flashed the torch and saw a deer coming to drink water. This was basically our "wild deer viewing at Nijhum Island". According to various events and people's words, if one thinks that he will see a herd of deer roaming or wild deer very easily, then he must go back disappointed. At one time there may have been thousands of deer in these forests, but the present reality speaks differently.
However, coming to the market at night, we order dinner with fried hilsa. After dinner we returned to the tent and enjoyed the full moonlit night on the deserted island and went to bed early as we had a long way to go home the next day.
Third day:
There is really nothing to describe this day. As I had changed one car after another, I left and came back in the same way. Chittagong people return home at 11/12 at night. However, an unexpected incident happened on the road that the bike has to pass to reach Nalchira Ghat from Nijhum Dwip Ghat in Hatia.
We were 7 people, 2 each in 3 bikes and I was coming single in another bike. In the middle we had a bike accident in which two of our group were on board.
This happened when the dog suddenly walked in front of the bike on the empty road. Due to the paved road, both of them got torn on their hands and feet, after dressing and bandaging we left. Alhamdulillah everyone is in the recovery process now.
A few words about the island:
√ People are quite unhelpful. It's like seeing a tourist makes their heart burn. We people of Noakhali Feni went and spoke this language, stay away from anywhere, we did not even get help to remember. On the way to the first day, our bike driver uncle was saying, "Why are you coming here?! There is nothing here, go to other parts of the country" to understand the situation!
√ Many people go with the wrong idea of seeing deer, which is the horrible reality I have told in the description. Stay away from herds of deer, seeing a deer is lucky But every boatman charges rent with 100% guarantee that deer will be seen.
√ If two whole days pass in going and coming, there is one day in between. Even in that one day, all the surrounding places were turned around. Spending two nights in a tent on a deserted island is one of the attractions here.
√ The solitude of the island, the unusual natural beauty, spending the night in tents, going through the dense forest, boat trips are all very enjoyable. A place may not seem like a satisfactory place if only the hospitality of the people, the broken roads, the habit of lying, and the amount of expense, trouble and travel calculated to be obtained. However, the situation may change if the government takes any action in the near future.
√Those like us who have no problem with long journeys, are not afraid of traveling by boat-launch-trawler-speedboat, love adventure, have thoughts of camping and enjoy nature to the fullest in a completely secluded island, everyone should visit this "Nizhum Island" once in their life.