Ratargul lies about 25 km north of Sylhet city, beyond Gowainghat, and is best visited in the wet months (June to October) when small wooden boats can paddle deep into the flooded forest. The water turns a translucent green from the leaves of submerged trees, and the canopy filters the sun into shifting patches of light — the photographic appeal is what brings most domestic tourists.
The site is now part of a protected reserve, though enforcement is uneven; boat rides are arranged at the entry point and last about an hour. Avoid weekends when the place is overrun by Dhaka day-trippers. In the dry season the swamps drain and the forest is reduced to mud and stumps — interesting in its own way, but visit in monsoon if you can.