 "What captivates me about Bangladesh is the people. There's hardship and poverty, to be sure, but amazing ingenuity and a resilient spirit is what rises to the surface. Travelling here is a humbling and unforgettable experience." Holly Morris, Globe Trekker Bangladesh.
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In Globe trekker Bangladesh we follow host Holly Morris on an adventure through one of the poorest and most populated countries on the planet. It’s a tough but rewarding journey and  contrary to expectations Holly discovers a country overflowing with life, culture and incredible hospitality.
Her trip starts in Dhaka, the capitol of Bangladesh and the 7th largest city in the world. After a hectic few days dodging rickshaw and tasting the favourite local dish Byrani, she boards the Rocket Paddle Steamer, a relic from the days of the British Raj, and embarks on a 24 hour journey down river to one of the largest mangrove forests in the world, the Sunderban National Park.
Risking an encounter with the man eating Bengal Tigers that live in the park Holly joins a group of local villagers on a trek deep into the  forest to find honey. The search is a success, despite having to brave a swarm of giant killer bees, and after tasting the golden nectar she departs northward to one of the poorest regions of the country.
Journeying mostly by river Holly discovers that Bangladesh consists largely of flood prone low lying flat lands and river deltas. During the wet season large portions of the country are submerged and the northern regions of the country are often the hardest hit. Holly explores some of the ingenious methods the locals have developed to cope with the challenges they face and visits a local “floating” school where she ends up giving the children there a lesson in  American slang.
Hopping a local bus Holly then heads east stopping at a slithering snake charmers market to confront her worst fear, snakes, before moving on to the hilly tea plantations of Sylhet in the hilly northeast corner of the country. Neighbouring the more famous tea-producing regions of Darjeeling and Assam in India, Holly discovers that this part of Bangladesh can produce just as delicious a cuppa but working in the fields picking the tea is tougher than it looks.
For the final leg of her journey Holly takes a sleeper train south to the Bangladeshi coast - home to the largest continuous natural beach in the world, but, before hitting the beach, Holly pays a visit to the infamous ship breaking yards of Chittagong. This is where half the world’s defunct sea vessels are dismantled and sold for scrap, It’s a terrifying but spectacular operation.
 In need of some well-earned R&R Holly finishes her journey near the border with Myanmar in the seaside resort of Cox’s Bazaar. Possibly the most relaxing place in the country, Cox’s Bazaar provides the perfect end to an adventure packed journey filled to the brim with friendly people, vivid colour, natural beauty and most of all life in all its dizzying dimensions. |
