World’s Largest Mangrove Swamp; The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans National Park is the largest mangrove swamp in the world.  It is also a Tiger Reserve, UNESCO World Heritage Site and stretches 5km south west of Mongla along the Pusur River, and covers an area of about 10, 000 sq km. It is divided between India and Bangladesh and is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger.

In the south-western part of Bangladesh, in the district of greater Khulna, lies the Sundarbans, the beautiful forest. It is a virgin forest which until recently owed nothing to human endeavour and yet nature has laid it out with as much care as a planned pleasure ground. For miles and miles, the lofty treetops form an unbroken canopy, while nearer the ground, works of high and ebb-tide marked on the soil and tree trunks and the many varieties of the natural mangrove forest have much to offer to an inquisitive visitor.

The Sundarbans is a cluster of islands with an approximate area of 6000 sq. km. forming the largest block of littoral forests. It’s beauty lies in its unique natural surrounding. Thousands of meandering streams, creeks, rivers and estuaries have enhanced its charm.

Sundarbans ,meaning beautiful forest, is not only the natural habitat of the world famous Royal Bengal Tiger. Also found here are spotted deer, crocodiles, jungle fowl, wild boar, lizards, theses monkey and an innumerable variety of beautiful birds. Migratory flock of Siberian ducks fly over thousands of sail boats loaded with timber, golpatta (round-leaf), fuel wood, honey, shell and fish .

This is indeed a land for anglers adventurers  and photographers with its abundance of game, big and small, crocodile, wild boar, deer, pythons, wild-birds and of course the Royal Bengal Tiger, cunning, ruthless and yet majestic and graceful,

For the less adventurously inclined, there are ducks and snipes, herons and coots, yellow-lags and sandpipers. It is also a land for ordinary holiday makers to rest or wander  to refresh minds and feast eyes on the rich treasure that nature has so fondly bestowed.