As an isolated island in Bhola district, Monpura is bordered by the Meghna River on three sides and the Bay of Bengal on the south. It is a green jewel of the country and decorated with intense natural beauty. Without visiting, none can truly realise the depth of immense beauty of nature that awaits there. Visiting the island one can enjoy the sunrise and sunset over the horizon. There are other majestic places to see like the Monpura sea beach, landing station, deer sanctuary, Pocha Koraliya canal etc.
Popularity of the island has been on the rise ever since the blockbuster movie ‘Monpura’ was released. The Monpura landing station was built 100 meters inside the river. Not only tourists, but also locals visit the place to spend time from afternoon till the night. Sitting on the bridge over mighty Meghna at night, anyone can feel that they are floating on the river, from where the adjacent sea seems to be a bonus.
It’s an amazing adventure as there’s water around and you remain seated just a little above the river-water.
The bridge gets shaken time to time by the flowing currents and waves of the river, which presents before an adventurer a real sort of thrill. Not too distant, there is a deer sanctuary on the island.
During high tide, herds of deer move closer to the main road. Tourists are advised to keep their bikes parked for minutes while deer herds cross the road. If lucky enough, you can also see a herd of deer.
YOU CAN ALSO READ: BREATHING SPACE FOR BUSY PEOPLE
The island growing in the lap of the Meghna river is surrounded by greenery – thereby drawing much similarities with scenic Kuakata. Just as one can see both sunrise and sunset at the Kuakata beach, s/he can also witness both sunrise and sunset from the Monpura sea beach.
Thousands of coconut trees remain lined up across the shores of the sea. You can have a wonderful afternoon here. The most interesting thing about Monpura is the rows of mangrove trees. Miles upon miles of lush green mangroves have turned the place into a verdant oasis. During the winter season, thousands of visitors enjoy this island with the chirping of birds. The sight of birds flying across the horizon, herds of deer playing, fishing boats running along the Meghna River, herds of buffaloes grazing and rows of Keora gardens touch the hearts of tourists.
There is much more on the island – the Monpura boat terminal is an ever-vibrant place, and it becomes livelier during the night. Motorcycles and rickshaws are the main means of transportation on the island, which is also a good option for cycling and camping. Sometimes cycling through the island of Monpura, enjoying mesmerising sea-view by the side of the road, is quite pleasing to the mind. Roasted duck meat is a very popular meal during the days of winter on Monpura Island. Some other popular dishes include buffalo milk curd, hilsha, coral, and lobster fry. Fresh hilsha fish and buffalo raw milk here are also very tasty.
Although this mesmeric Monpura island belongs to Bhola, it is completely separated from the district. It is rather an isolated island that doesn’t offer any road link with the mainland. There are only two luxury launches named MV Farhan and Tashrif that leave from Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital every day for Monpura. The 12-hour launch journey is also a great adventure. When the launch crosses the river and enters the sea, it is an unexplainable feeling. There are few hotels here that provide decent service to the tourists out to enjoy the picturesque island full of natural beauty.
