Centuries ago the tribal people’s ancestors, mostly from the Arakan hills in Myanmar, wandered into the teak forests of the Chittagong Hills. Predominantly Buddhists, they are Sino-Tibetan in origin. About half of the tribal population are Chakma, and one third Marma or Tipera. Among the ten other, much smaller groups (Murung, Tengchangya, Khumi, Lushai, Pankhu, Bhom, Mogh, Kuki, and Reang) the Murung stand out as being the most ancient inhabitants of the area.

The tribes are quite different from each other in many respects. Each tribe, for instance, has it’s own distinctive rites, rituals, dialect and dress; the Chakma women, for example, all wear indigo and red striped Sarongs. Each tribe also has its own language and cultural pattern.

Rangamati is only 77 km away from Chittagong and used to be the district headquarter of the greater Chittagong Hill Tracts districts. It stands on the western bank of the Kaptai Lake, an artificial lake that was created in 1963 for the production of electricity.

In contrast to Rangamati, both Bandarban and Khagrachari lack in tourism infrastructures. However, we are happy to have built our own resort there.