Kayaking through Diabari lake: A quiet retreat from urban chaos
Tucked away in the quieter edges of Dhaka’s Uttara, Diabari lake offers a rare slice of serenity with its lush greenery, calm waters, and affordable kayaking adventures. A hidden gem within the city, it’s fast becoming a popular escape for families, students, and weary urbanites
A little away from the hustle and bustle of Dhaka city and the cacophony of traffic, Diabari lake in Uttara is a piece of tranquility. Surrounded by greenery and filled with an eerie silence, this lake offers kayaking facilities — an interactive activity where you can get on two-seater and three-seater kayaks in pairs or groups of three.
The colourful kayaks floating on the water not only wades through the current, but also washes away the fatigue and boredom of the city dwellers.
In the hope of a little relief amidst the busy life, you no longer have to run to the distant Kaptai Lake, or spend a lot of money. Kayaking opportunities are now available within Dhaka at a nominal cost. You can reach Uttara Centre Metro Station by taking the metro rail, and from there the lake is located at a walking distance.
As soon as you go, you feel like you have traveled back in time to the famous scene from Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali movie — a row of white, soft flowers, the metro rail behind, and Diabari lake on one side.
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Local resident and chief officer of the kayaking spot, Hossain Ali, said that this place was once known as 'Koilar Beel'. Later, a settlement was built on the banks of the marshland, and it was named Diabari. It is also known as 'Plot No. 73' to the locals.
For today's urban generation, the vast fields, open sky and the sound of gurgling water have become invisible due to the addiction to video games, reels and phones. Antithetical to this reality, Diabari lake offers a little touch of the countryside in the heart of the city. Kayaking here is becoming increasingly popular for hanging out with friends, family leisure, or spending quiet time with loved ones. Not only that, there is a round-the-clock security arrangement for a worry-free trip.
Rescue workers immediately appear in case of an accident, illness, or unexpected incident like dropping a mobile phone while kayaking on the lake or on the lake shore. About 24 employees work here to ensure security around the clock, with six more people supervising them. Hossain Ali is the main person responsible for taking care of all this.
According to him, people of all classes of Dhaka, regardless of the rich or poor status, come here. Because it is really rare to find such an open, quiet, and spacious place in the capital. The greenery around, the open sky above, the cool breeze, and the stream of the lake — all together, it is an inexhaustible panacea to wash away urban fatigue. For some, it is a weekend getaway, for others, a chance to breathe again.
People of all classes, regardless of the rich or poor status, come here. Because it is really rare to find such an open, quiet, and spacious place in the capital. The greenery around, the open sky above, the cool breeze, and the stream of the lake — all together, it is an inexhaustible panacea to wash away urban fatigue. For some, it is a weekend getaway; for others, a chance to breathe again.
Hossain Ali said, "We have very strict rules here. If anyone misbehaves even a little with any visitor or a tourist, the employee loses their job."
He shared an experience from his own life. Once, a female tourist's gold jewellery worth four and a half lakh taka fell into the water. The woman, who came with her husband and children, reported the matter to the employees working on the spot. Despite a lot of searching, nothing was found immediately. However, Hossain Ali did not stop. He kept searching every day whenever he got a chance. After about 13 days, he was able to recover the gold jewellery from under the water. Later, he personally delivered it to the owner.
The owner was quite surprised by such a responsible gesture. Of course, it happened! Who would have imagined that the thing lost about two weeks ago would be found again? They did not either. The couple who got the valuables back praised Hossain Ali that day. However, he thinks otherwise. "It was part of my responsibility, part of the job. If everyone shows this kind of responsible behaviour, visitors' trust will also increase", he added.
In his words, "People come here to have fun. We are responsible for their safety and belongings."
As a result, people from different classes, professions, and incomes flock to the lake every day. The crowd increases even more during holidays, and the visitors struggle to get kayaking boats. Despite the long lines, they (officials) have to quickly give tokens because they don't want to deprive anyone.
One such visitor is Ayesha Akhter, a university student. She often comes here in the late afternoon — sometimes with friends, sometimes with family. Since she lives in Uttara, it is easy for her to come here. On a bad day, she feels better when she gets on a kayak.
"There are very few places like this in Dhaka. The air is clear, completely different. Everyone will enjoy floating on a boat in the cool, gentle wind. My younger brother especially loves kayaking," said Ayesha.
The cost here is also quite affordable. For 30 minutes of kayaking, it will cost only 100 taka per person. A maximum of three people can sit on a boat; in that case, the fare will be 300 taka. If you extend the time by one hour, you will have to pay 600 taka. However, if one person boards a boat, they have to pay the fare for two. That is, the fare that is paid for two is the same for one person.
Why is there such a rule? In the words of Hossain Ali, "If you take one passenger, it's difficult to make profit."
He also said that kayaking usually starts at 3 pm. Even though you can enjoy it in the morning, not so many visitors are usually available then. So, they have to wait for customers for a long time during the day. Basically, the number of people increases in the afternoon. However, kayaking runs for a specific time — only 2 to 3 hours a day.
In this way, Diyabari lake has turned into a popular kayaking tourist spot. On one side of the lake, there are children's rides, balloon shooting, and food stalls as well. On the other side, the visitors can enjoy nature and the chirping of birds. In the late afternoon, when the birds flock to their nests and the daylight fades, people come to kayak in search of peace. Those who are tired of the hustle and bustle of city life come here to find a moment of unalloyed joy.
