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Bangladesh Destination Guide
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Bangladesh is the 7th most populous country in the world, it’s about the same size as the US state of Iowa, or both England and Wales put together. But it’s home to more than 50 times the population of Iowa! Every corner of the country is crammed with a vibrant populous. It’s a proudly independent nation with a bloody history. However, today visitors will find a generous and open Bangladesh is waiting to welcome them to it’s untraveled land.
Bangladesh is known in the mass media for droughts, cyclones, and annual flooding during the summer monsoon, but it is so much more than this. For the intrepid traveller, it’s a hidden gem of varied terrains and vast history. A population of 160 million people are crammed into a delta of rivers that empty into the Bay of Bengal in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast. Water governs the lives of all Bangladeshis and each visitor will witness clever and ingenious ways of coping with life afloat.
The country straddles the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. Poverty is widespread; almost half of the population live on less than one dollar a day, and resources are under pressure. But the entrepreneurship of Bangladesh is among the most impressive in the world as it’s inhabitants carve a niche to survive. Garment producing, shipbreaking, and recycling are all huge industries in Bangladesh. The capital Dhaka is a thriving mega-city which never stops working, moving and haggling. It’s a dynamic metropolis to behold, with 600,000 rickshaws pedalling commuters day and night.
Riverine Bangladesh is breathtaking to observe, and it engulfs a huge portion of the country, creating a water world. This is what makes Bangladesh a truly unique travel experience, and it’s rare to see other travellers, which means you can become totally immersed in Bangla life. The terrain is regionally distinct; with primeval swamps and man-eating tigers to the south, the relics of Buddhist kingdoms to the north, lush tea plantations to the east and the world’s longest natural sandy beach outlining the south east. Travellers come to Bangladesh for the unexpected, and they leave having truly experienced life there. |
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MORE INFO: |
Must See & Do
Climate
Travel
Globe trekker Itinerary
Practical Info:
Sleep
Eat & Drink
Useful Websites
Useful Books |
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TV Shows:
Globe Trekker: Bangladesh
Treks in a Wild World:
Bangladesh
Photo Gallery: Bangladesh
Community:
Travel Stories
Photo Galleries
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MUST SEE & DO...
1. Rickshaw ride in Dhaka.
2. Find the Bengal tiger in the Sundarbans mangrove forest.
3. Cycle ride in the tea plantations of Srimongal.
4. Take a boat ride through the heart of Dhaka.
5. Eat authentic biriyani with the locals in Dhaka.
6. Stay in the Cox’s bazaar eco hotel- the Mermaid Resort. It’s the best hotel in the country.
7. Take a drive along the waterfront past the shipbreaking yards in Chittagong.
8. Trek to visit the tribal people of the Hill Tracts.
9. See the archaeological sites in Rajshahi Division.
10. See the dry fish industry on Dublar Char.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
1. Bangla New Year
2. Baisabi water festival
3. Basanta Utsab spring festival
4. Baul Mela folk singers festival
5. Bou Mela Bride Fair
6. Buddha Purnima festival
7. Bull fight harvest festival
8. Cock fights in rural Bangladesh
9. Dubla Rash Mela Hindu festival
10. Eid-ul-Fitr celebration of Muslim brotherhood
SHOPPING
Rickshaw art is a special souvenir you can take away with you to remind you of your travels around the city. Images of Dhallywood movie stars are very popular in rickshaw decoration!
Natural indigo has a special history in Bangladesh and is indigenously found here, so make sure to purchase a saree or scarf with this special dye. Also purchase as many garments as you can at bargain prices because Bangladesh supplies the rest of world with ready-made garments and you won’t find them any cheaper than from their place of origin.
In the markets and bazaars you can find anything you’d ever dream of from a cow to a car! You can buy traditional dress and hand crafted goods such as jewellery, baskets, shoes and other items from unique stores such as Aarong.
You might like to get yourself a special pink pearl necklace as this type of pearl is rare, naturally harvested and only to be found in this part of South Asia.
All other products with perfectly round white pearls are likely to have come from pearl farms in China. If you find yourself in Sylhet, purchase some tea handpicked from the very same region!
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CLIMATE:
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When to go: Between October and February is the best time to go: skies are blue, days are sunny and the weather is dry, with day time temperatures averaging 24 degrees celsius. March to mid-May is the hot season and from late May to early October is the monsoonal season, which are less comfortable months to travel in.
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What to wear: Wear light but covering clothes. The majority of the population are Muslim, so respectable dress is advised. It is not so much a problem to uncover your arms, but trousers or long skirts are best, and a scarf warn across the upper body would be a good idea for ladies.
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TRAVEL:
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Getting there: We used Biman Bangladesh Airlines. This is a good airline if you are planning to fly direct to Dhaka or other parts of Bangladesh, such as Sylhet, it is one of the few airlines that fly directly to other cities than the capital. Biman also do many internal flight options. They are launching new flight options from the US in autumn 2011.
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Getting around: Rickshaws are the best way to get around the capital and other smaller cities. Be prepared to sit in traffic queues as far as the eye can see!
Tour Planners Ltd can help you organise transport around the country. It’s advisable to join a tour with a good coach and driver as the roads can be a huge challenge, and traffic around the entire country is bad. It is not advisable to rent a car and attempt the roads yourself unless you have a lot of experience driving in this country.
There are great overnight sleeper coaches which are air conditioned and comfortable. The over night sleeper trains are also quite good and a ‘first class’ cabin can be purchased for a few dollars.
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GLOBE TREKKER ITINERARY:
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Holly’s journey beings in the energetic and furious mega-city, the capital- Dhaka. With a reputation as one of the world’s fastest growing cities, Dhaka is a modern city with an ancient heart.
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A first and last impression of Bangladesh is likely to be the rainbow colours of cycle rickshaws. Holly meets the rickshaw artists who decorate the capital’s fleet of 600,000-plus rickshaws. She samples the local cuisine and the myriad of markets before heading out to experience riverine Bangladesh, seeing this water world from the vantage point of a paddle steamer boat on a 30 hour journey south.
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Passing by an ancient mosque, and being blessed by a crocodile, Holly reaches the largest mangrove swamp in the world; the Sundarbans National Park, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger. This is where Holly goes honey hunting for the nectar of the tiger forests, but she has to watch her back as every three days someone is attacked by a tiger in these parts. She also learns how to fish with tame otters- man’s best friend in this wild part of Bangladesh.
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From there Holly heads north, to the remote Rajshahi division. In this unknown corner of the country, a plethora of ruins and reminders here can take the traveler through a tour of Bangladesh’s history, right up to the continuing embrace of Islamic life. Holly comes across a village which exists on water. In a country where flooding is routine, a local organisation had the idea to bring school to the children when road ways are impassable. Teachers give lessons on a school boat, which also functions as the school bus, picking up the pupils en route to it’s final stop.
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Holly heads westwards, skimming the capital, visiting a village of 100 snake charmers, and seeing a replica Taj Mahal. Here she becomes a Dhallywood movie star for the day! Continuing her journey to the lush tea plantations of the Sylhet Division, she samples the delicious local tea and then takes the sleeper train south on an overnight journey to the southern corner of Bangladesh; the Chittagong Division. Here Holly sees the shipbreaking yards and their majestic ghost ships, all lined up for recycling on a colossal scale.
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Finally Holly heads further south to Cox’s Bazaar, the world’s longest Sandy beach. Here Holly takes a surf lesson with some Muslim surfer girls and their instructor. These surfers are changing the role of water in Bangladeshi society- making the beach a place to enjoy water sports and time with friends.
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Holly wraps up her travels on a deserted island paradise; Sonadia Island. The isolation and tranquility is a complete contrast to the rest of the country and shows her a different side to beautiful Bangladesh.
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PRACTICAL INFO:
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Currency: Bangladesh Taka, or just Taka
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Language: Bangla, with many different dialects
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Population: Around 160 million
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Don't forget to pack:
1. The appropriate visa
2. Take sun glasses to avoid the stares!
3. Toilet tissue
4. Hand sanitiser
5. A good book or two
6. Mosquito repellent for Chittagong and the hill tracts
7. Scarf for covering up hair when visiting mosques
8. T shirt and leggings for the sea- strictly no bikinis!
9. Flashlight for the frequent power cuts
10. Your patience (travel from place to place can take a lot of time!)
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SLEEP:
Book hostels & hotels:
- Nishorgo Nirob Eco-Cottage
Radhangar, Srimongal, Moulvibazar, Bangladesh.
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EAT & DRINK:
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Bangladeshi food is not nearly as varied at the cuisine found in India for example, but there are some tasty dishes which are typical Bangla meals; curry made with vegetables and either beef, mutton, chicken, fish or egg, cooked in a hot spicy sauce with mustard oil and served with dahl (cooked yellow lentils) and plain rice.
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Chinese food is surprisingly popular here, and is available nearly everywhere.
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Bangladeshi cuisine has a variety of sugar-loaded desserts which are very good; including jaggery which tastes like fudge and misti doi (a sweet yoghurt).
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If you get to the Sundarbans mangrove forest in the far south of Khulna, and are brave enough to harvest honey with the honey collectors, you will taste the most delicious honey in the world.
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Lasse yoghurt drink is readily available in most places and some good fruit juices, but all fruit and vegetable should be consumed with caution and you should check that the restaurant is happy to prepare food fit for the delicate tummy of a visitor.
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USEFUL WEBSITES:
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