Green and salty, hilly and flat, bustling and still echoing with both the Muslim adhan and the memory of Buddhist chants, Bangladesh is a mysterious and wonderful land of true Asian beauty.
Less developed than its near neighbor of India, and having suffered from a tumultuous past that saw it struggle to break free first from British and then from Pakistani rule (and that’s just the 20th century), it’s still a raw and authentic place to travel – perfect for intrepid types eager to get an untainted image of the region and the people (who are famously super-friendly and welcoming). Wonders abound too, from the tea-dressed highlands of Srimangal to the endless golden sands of Cox’s Bazar (the longest beach in the world, they say!), from the bustling and sleepless districts of Dhaka to the tiger-dotted wilds of the mighty Sundarbans National Park.
Yep, Bangladesh promises to be one to remember!
Lets explore the best places to visit in Bangladesh:
1. Cox’s Bazar
Source: wikipedia
Cox’s Bazar
Spilling out onto the Bay of Bengal where the waterways of the Bakkhali spread like capillaries to meet the sea, Cox’s Bazar is a place of salt-washed fishing skiffs and bustling jetties.
Over the years, this little town in the extreme south-east of the nation has hosted British naval frigates and Mughal princes alike.
Today though, it’s famed for pretty much one thing and one thing only: the beach.
Running for a whopping 120 kilometers from north to south along the Indian Ocean, this stretch of yellow sand is amongst the longest on the planet.
On its courses, you’ll see local fishermen pulling in their catch, bubbling pools of coral stone, and surfers carving the waves.
2. The Sundarbans
Source: flickr
The Sundarbans
Located where the mighty waterways of the Brahmaputra and the revered Ganges crash into each other on the edge of the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarbans are one of the most awesome wildernesses left in Asia.
Tagged by UNESCO, they play host to the rarity that is the Bengal tiger, with an estimated 180 individuals of the endangered beast still stalking the endless mangroves and bayous and swamps.
Meanwhile, rhesus macaques swing in canopies, chital hop through the flats, and the occasional human hut hides beneath the waxy boughs of palms, surrounded by swirls of muddy water and sundari groves.
3. Dhaka
Source: flickr
Dhaka
A far cry from the wilds of the Sundarbans mangroves, Dhaka is a jungle of an altogether different kind: concrete.
Sprawled out on the edge of the Buriganga River, it has been forged by Mughal princes and the British Raj over the centuries, with relics telling tales of figures like Shah Jahan (the man responsible for the Taj Mahal) popping up in ruins between the traffic-choked streets.
Today, sleepless Dhaka is one of the world’s largest metropolises.
More than 17 million people live here, imbuing the capital with temples, churches, mosques, independence monuments, buzzing bazaars, and the mouthwatering curry and golap eateries of Old Dhaka to boot.
4. Srimangal
Source: flickr
Srimangal
10,000 shades of green erupt around Srimangal – the tea-growing capital of Bangladesh.
One of the few places in the low-lying country to abut the rising mountains of the Shan, it boasts the perfect climate (think plenty of rain) for raising the famous plant, and you’ll discover a sea of different plantations as you weave between the highlands and the rustic hamlets.
A visit to a local tea processing plant is a must, and so is a trip to a tasting house for a bubbling cup overlooking the fields.
After that, consider pulling on the walking boots and hitting the undulating landscapes, where trails delve into butterfly-peppered rainforests.
5. Chittagong
Source: flickr
Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard
While 2.5-million-strong Chittagong can hardly stand up to the headiness of Bangladesh’s huge capital at Dhaka, this frenetic town of ports and depots and industry is hardly the most relaxing of places to while away your holiday.
That said, it is the favored gateway to the beautiful Hill Tracts, where walkers hit the trails and pretty Foy’s Lake sits hidden between the valleys, and it’s got its own beach at Patenga – albeit a polluted one.
Meanwhile, a visit to the Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard promises to reveal hulking tankers being ripped apart, and the shrine of Sufi Amanat Khan reveals tales of one of the country’s most revered saints.
6. Rangamati
Source: flickr
Rangamati
Set deep in the beautiful Chittagong Hill Tracts, the mountain town of Rangamati is a serene and peaceful alternative to many of Bangladesh’s other frenetic cities.
It buts right up to the banks of Kaptai Lake, which glows blue and green as it reflects the wooded topography all around.
Little painted boats bob on the lake’s surface, and the occasional Asian elephant can be seen strolling through the river channels that emerge from its sides.
Of course, hiking and wildlife excursions into the region are the main draw, while Rangamati also boasts the shimmering golden Buddha Dhatu Jadi, the interesting Parjatan Hanging Bridge, and the regal palaces of the old Chakma Raj to boot.
7. Bandarban
Source: flickr
Bandarban
And just when you thought Rangamati was the king of the gorgeous Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh gives Bandarban.
Surrounded by the Muranja, Wayla and Chimbook mountains that rise to nearly 1,000 meters above sea level, the town sits in the middle of a sea of misty green.
It’s home to tobacco farms and hilltop lookouts, and a lively bazaar where the goods are redolent of the Shan tribal folk of Mizoram and Myanmar across the border.
You can enjoy lazy bamboo boats on the River Sangu, scale the panoramic Nilgiri hill, or watch the crashing channels of the Jadipai waterfall – just be sure to get a permit before you come (red tape is particularly strict in these parts!).
8. Saint Martin
Source: flickr
Saint Martin
Move over Cox’s Bazaar; Saint Martin awaits.
Yep, there’s really nowhere else like this in all of Bangladesh – no seriously, this is the only coral island in the country, and a place totally unlike the wide beaches of the mainland’s coast.
Here, you can expect slanting sands of cotton-like colors, dropping down into the lapping oceans in the shade of coconut groves.
It’s more like the Caribbean than South Asia, and offers all the predictable resort hotels.
Other reasons to make the hop across from the southern tip of Bangladesh include fantastic seafood curries, and some of the most popular SCUBA outfitters going.
9. Paharpur
Source: unesco
Somapura Mahavihara
Okay, so let’s not get caught up in the pint-sized town of Paharpur, which is really little more than a regional hub for transport and trade.
The real draw of this speck on the map of Naogaon District is its grand, UNESCO-attested ruins: the Somapura Mahavihara.
Hailed as one of the most fascinating Buddhist archaeological sites in South Asia, the Somapura Mahavihara takes the form of a colossal redbrick quadrangle, housing countless little cells and tight-knit passageways – thought to have been personal rooms used for meditation.
There’s also oodles of interesting sculpture and relief work lining the central stupa, all of which dates way back to the 8th century AD!
10. Kuakata
Source: flickr
Kuakata
Jutting out into the Indian Ocean from the very southern edge of the river lands of central Bangladesh, Kuakata beach is famed as a fine place to watch the sunset over the green reaches of the sea and the Sundarbans in the distance.
Fringed by forests of palm trees and cut-through by countless river channels flowing into the Bay of Bengal, the strip of sand isn’t visited by all that many tourists.
But therein lies part of its charm.
You’ll be able to wander the palm groves and watch the evening light fade all on your own.
You’ll meet local fishermen, and sample some seriously tasty curried crabs and lobster.
11. Sylhet
Source: flickr
Sylhet
Enfolded in the lush highlands of the north, Sylhet is a verdant place of tea fields and tropical rainforests.
With a history going back almost 800 years, the town certainly doesn’t lack any cultural interest, with the likes of old Hindu shrines slowly being consumed by the jungle vines at Jaflong.
In the center, ad hoc markets tout piles of green tea leaves, and the locals click around on old bicycles with big smiles.
However, most will come for the backcountry, which erupts in undulating plantations right on Sylhet’s doorstep.
Don’t miss the Bangladesh-India border post at Tamabil-Jaflong, or the leopard-stalked Lawacherra Rain Forest.
12. Gaur (Lakhnauti)
Source: pinterest
Gaur
The ancient city of Guar takes us close to the Indian border, deep in the north-western reaches of Bangladesh.
Ruined and uninhabited today, it oozes history from each of its red-hued arches and towers and age-stained monuments.
Believe it or not, at one time the whole place stood on the eastern edge of the life-giving Ganges River.
However, the courses of Mother Ganga have since moved, and power struggles between the Afghans and the Mughals led to the town being abandoned sometime in the 16th century.
Some of the great relics include the carved stone faces of the Eunuchs’ mosque, the soaring Firoj Minar, and countless royal tombs.
13. Bagerhat
Source: flickr
Bagerhatb
Bagerhat might not have the totemic Mughal relics of Dhaka, or the breathtaking wilds of Srimangal, but this relatively peaceful city in the south-west does offer an array of cerebral, historic attractions at a slower pace.
Founded by the 15th-century Sufi saint Khan Jahan Ali, it’s home to the striking Shait Gumbad Mosque: a low-rise worshipping house with countless domes set atop its roofs.
A trip to the tomb of the founder at the Mazar Khan Jahan Ali is also a must – look out for the honorific offerings and chanting pilgrims there.
14. Barisal
Source: flickr
Barisal
If you looked at Barisal from above, it would seem like a patchwork of muddy brown and deep green, the occasional concrete-hued speck thrown in for good measure.
Such is the nature of the river towns of the Ganges Delta, where salt-water floods the fields for shrimp farms and rice paddies ring the streets.
In essence, Barisal is a down-to-earth trading and farming city, with oodles of locals flocking to the floating markets to tout their fresh veg, grain and seafood.
To experience one of those is to experience the real raw edge of Bangladesh.
15. Sonargaon
Source: flickr
Sonargaon
Just a shadow of the city it once was – ancient explorers describe Sonargaon as a thriving trade hub that bustled with thousands of people and oodles of goods – this eerie and interesting place sits straddling the Ganges right in the heart of Bangladesh.
Now virtually a ghost town, it still bears all the hallmarks of an erstwhile proud and gilded merchant center of the Bengal world.
There are carved mansions lining the streets, docks, old mosques, and more, all now dressed in a smattering of jungle vines and occasionally flooded by the waters of Mother Ganga.
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