Boatman flying at Majestic Light of Sundarbans.

Bangladesh is south Asia's greenest jewel – a country braided with rivers, with a rich culture waiting to be explored by pioneering travellers.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

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Kantanagar Temple

Rajshahi & Rangpur

Set amidst gorgeous countryside, the vault-roofed rouge sandcastle of Kantanagar Temple, also known locally as Kantaji, is a stunning piece of religious…

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Somapuri Vihara

The hulking 20m-high remains of a 1300-year-old red-brick stupa form the central attraction of the vast monastery complex at Somapuri Vihara. Shaped like…

bangla of tourism

Shait Gumbad Mosque

Built in 1459 (the same year Khan Jahan Ali died), the famous Shait Gumbad Mosque is the largest and most magnificent traditional mosque in the country…

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Varendra Research Museum

This gem of a museum is tucked away in an unassuming building on a quiet street, but can easily take up half a day of your time. Founded in 1910 with the…

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Natore Rajbari

One of the oldest rajbaris in Bangladesh (dating from the early 1700s), the magnificent but dilapidated Natore Rajbari was once the nerve-centre of…

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Lowacherra National Park

Srimangal & Around

This wonderful patch of tropical semi-evergreen forest, around 8km east of Srimangal, provides some lovely forest walks and also your best chance of…

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Tajhat Palace

The flamboyant and delightfully maintained Tajhat Palace is arguably one of the finest rajbaris in Bangladesh. The palace was constructed in the 19th…

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Khania Dighi Mosque

About 750m beyond the turn-off for Darasbari Mosque, turn right at the bus stand and keep walking for around 250m until you see a sign directing you off…

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Home » Travel Guides » Bangladesh » 15 Best Places to Visit in Bangladesh

15 Best Places to Visit in Bangladesh

Covered in greenery as well as undulating hills. Bangladesh echoes with the Muslim call to prayer as well as Buddhist chants, and is one of the most mysterious and wonderful lands in Asia. Bangladesh is the neighbor of India, but you will find a less developed and more laid back atmosphere here.

The country had a tumultuous past that saw it gain freedom from first the British and then from Pakistani rule. When you consider that all this happened in the 20th century, it just goes to show what a turbulent recent past Bangladesh has had to endure. As a result, it offers a slice of authentic life to travelers who want an untainted image of the region.

The people of Bangladesh are famously friendly and welcoming and the country is full of cultural wonders such as the tea covered highlands of Srimangal to the gorgeous golden sands of Cox’s Bazar, which is actually the third longest beach in the world. Other highlights include bustling cities like Dhaka as well as areas of rural paradise like the Sundarbans National Park.

Here are the best places to visit in Bangladesh :

1. Cox’s Bazar

Cox’s Bazar

Spilling out into the Bay of Bengal is Cox’s Bazar, an area covered in salty fishing skiffs and bustling jetties.

This little town in the far south-east of Bangladesh is known for its stunning beach which stretches for an amazing 120 kilometers from north to south along the side of the balmy Indian Ocean.

This is the third longest beach on the planet and you will find local fishermen reeling in the day’s catch as well as bubbling rock pools and crashing turquoise waves that make this a great spot for surfing.

2. The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans are located at the point where the mighty waterways of the Brahmaputra and the scared Ganges crash into each other at the edge of the Bay of Bengal.

As you would expect, the area is also covered in spectacular wildlife and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here you will find Bengal tigers stalking the mangroves as well as rhesus macaques swinging in the canopies.

Other highlights include chitals and you will also find local huts dotted around the area and hiding beneath waxy palm trees.

Dhaka

It may seem a world away from the wilds of area like the Sundarbans mangroves but the city of Dhaka offers you a jungle of a different kind.

Sprawling along the Buriganga River, Dhaka used to be the home of the British Raj during the colonial period as well as Mughal princes and the likes of Shah Jahan (the architect of the iconic Taj Mahal). Nowadays more than 17 million people call this city home and you can expect temples, churches, mosques monuments, and colorful and aromatic bazaars.

Make sure to also check out the curry and golap eateries of Old Dhaka while you are here.

4. Srimangal

Srimangal

Srimangal is the tea-growing capital of Bangladesh and the area is a riot of different hues of green.

The area is famous for its rains which help the tea to grow and you will find a sea of different plantations here as you explore the highlands and the hamlets that make up Srimangal.

On a trip here make sure to visit a local tea processing plant which will usually include a trip to a tasting house so that you can enjoy a cup of fragrant tea whilst enjoying the views over the rippling fields.

Hiking is also poplar in the area although the undulating landscapes mean that some hikes are more challenging than others.

5. Chittagong

Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard

Chittagong has a population of 2.5 million which is nothing when you compare it to other cities like Dhaka.

That said, this frenetic port town is still worth a visit, particularly if you are traveling to the beautiful Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

These gorgeous trails that include pretty Foy’s Lake are hidden along scenic valleys and Chittagong is widely considered to be the jumping off point if you are planning a trek.

In the city proper you will find Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard where you can see hulking tankers being ripped apart, and other spots of interest include the shrine of Sufi Amanat Khan, one of the most revered saints in Bangladesh.

6. Rangamati

Rangamati

Set amongst the beautiful Chittagong Hill Tracts is the delightful mountain town of Rangamati which is a serene and peaceful alternative to many of Bangladesh’s frantic cities.

The town sits on the banks of Kaptai Lake which is known for its blue and green waters as well as the woodlands that surround it.

Small, colorfully painted boats bob on the surface of the lake and if you are lucky then you may see an Asian elephant strolled along the riverbank.

The main draw here is the hiking and wildlife excursions as well as the golden statue of Buddha Dhatu Jadi.

Other top spots to visit also include the Parjatan Hanging Bridge and the regal palaces of the old Chakma Raj.

7. Bandarban

Bandarban

Surrounded by the Muranja, Wayla, and Chimbook mountains that rise to nearly 1,000 meters above sea level is the stunning town of Bandaran.

The area is covered in misty green and is home to tobacco farms and hilltop lookouts and there is also a lively bazaar where you will find arts and crafts from the Shan tribes from Myanmar across the border.

Other reasons to come here include lazy bamboo boat rides along the majestic River Sangu as well as the mighty Nilgiri Hill and the crashing waters of the Jadipai Waterfall.

8. Saint Martin

Saint Martin

The little enclave of Saint Martin is like nowhere else in Bangladesh as this is the only coral island in the country.

The region is covered in shifting sands and lapping seas, all nestled close to coconut groves.

In many ways it looks more like the Caribbean than South Asia, and you will find delicious seafood here including fiery curries.

Scuba diving is also a popular pastime, so if you want to check out some of the country’s amazing aquatic life then this is the place to do it.

9. Paharpur

Somapura Mahavihara

Paharpur is a pint-sized town which is most well known for the Naogaon District where you will find UNESCO World Heritage Site ruins called Somapura Mahavihara.

This spot is said to be one of the most fascinating Buddhist archeological sites in South Asia and takes the form of a large redbrick quadrangle which is bisected with alleys and chambers that would have been meditation rooms in days of old.

Make sure to check out the ornate stone work which dates back to the 8th century.

10. Kuakata

Kuakata

Kuakata Beach juts out into the Indian Ocean from the southern side of the river islands of central Bangladesh.

One of the great reasons to come here is to watch the sunset over the sea with the glowing Sundarbans in the distance.

The beach is fringed with tropical palm trees and you will also find small rivers that cut through the land to the Bay of Bengal.

This area of Bangladesh is less visited by tourists so if you are looking for the road less traveled then this is a good spot to choose.

Some of the people you will see here are the local fisherman and you can sample delicious curried crab and lobster.

Sylhet

Located in the lush highlands of the north of the country, Sylhet is covered in tropical forests and tea plantations.

This part of Bangladesh has a history that dates back 800 years and you will find Hindu shrines in Jaflong that are slowly being taken over by the lush shrubbery.

In the center of Sylhet you will find markets selling piles of tea leaves and locals cycling around town.

You will also find the Bangladesh-India border here at Tamabil-Jaflong as well as the Lawacherra Rainforest which is known for its resident leopards.

12. Gaur (Lakhnauti)

Gaur

The ancient city of Gaur sits on the Indian border and is located in north-eastern Bangladesh.

Nowadays the city is ruined and uninhabited and you will see red-hued arches as well as towers and crumbling monuments.

Power struggles between the Afghans and the Mughals meant that the town was abandoned in the 16th century and you should make sure not to miss the relics here such as the carved stone reliefs in the Eunuchs’ Mosque and the royal tombs.

13. Bagerhat

Bagerhat

Bagerhat is not as famous as Dhaka or Srimangal but this peaceful city in the south west of the country has an array of historic attractions that you can enjoy at a slower pace.

The city was founded in the 15th century by the Sufi Saint Khan Jahan Ali and it is the home of the Shait Gumbad Mosque.

Here you will find towering domes and you can also take a trip to the tomb of Saint Khan Jahan Ali which is usually covered with offerings and surrounded by chanting pilgrims.

14. Barisal

Barisal

If you were to look at Barisal from above then it would resemble a patchwork of muddy brown and deep green fields.

This river town on the Ganges Delta is covered in fields of shrimp farms and rice paddies and if you make it here then be sure to check out the floating markets that sell local vegetables, fruits, and seafood.

15. Sonargaon

Sonargaon

Sonargaon used to be a thriving trading hub but now it is something of a ghost town that straddles the Ganges.

Here you will find eerie carved mansions and docks, old mosques, and jungle vines twisting in between everything.

If you want to see a completely different side of Bangladesh that many people don’t experience, then this is the place to come.

15 Best Places to Visit in Bangladesh:

  • Cox’s Bazar
  • The Sundarbans
  • Saint Martin
  • Gaur (Lakhnauti)

Download GPX file for this article

  • 3 Other destinations
  • 4.1 Etymology
  • 4.2.1 Early history
  • 4.2.2 British India and partition
  • 4.2.3 Union with Pakistan
  • 4.2.4 War for Independence
  • 4.2.5 Present day
  • 4.3 Politics and government
  • 4.4 Climate
  • 4.5 Landscape
  • 4.6 Holidays
  • 4.7 Tourist information
  • 6.1.1 No Visa Required Stamp/Sticker
  • 6.1.2 Transit Visa
  • 6.1.3 Visa On Arrival
  • 6.1.4 Visa Extensions
  • 6.2 By plane
  • 6.3.1 From Kolkata
  • 6.3.2 From Siliguri
  • 6.3.3 From Agartala
  • 6.4 By train
  • 7.1 By plane
  • 7.2 By helicopter
  • 7.3 By rickshaw
  • 7.7 By train
  • 7.8 By boat
  • 10.2 Shopping
  • 14.1 Political unrest
  • 14.2 Corruption
  • 14.3.1 Forced marriages
  • 14.5.1 Flooding
  • 14.5.2 Cyclones
  • 14.5.3 Earthquakes
  • 15 Stay healthy
  • 16.1 Social etiquette and breaches
  • 16.2.1 Politics
  • 16.2.2 Religion
  • 17.1 Electricity
  • 17.2 Clothing
  • 17.3 Shaving
  • 17.4 Tipping
  • 17.5 Newspaper sample
  • 17.6 FM radio stations sample
  • 18.1 Telephone
  • 18.2 Internet

The People's Republic of Bangladesh ( Bengali : গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ; romanised: Gônôprôjatôntri Bangladesh ) is a country in South Asia , on the edge of the Indian subcontinent. The country is endowed with pristine beaches, numerous archaeological sites, bustling markets, numerous sites of religious importance, forests, delicious food, and more importantly, hospitable and friendly people.

Bangladesh offers World Heritage Sites, historical monuments, resorts, experiences with tribal people, and wildlife of various species. Travellers looking for activities can angling, water skiing, river cruising, hiking, rowing, yachting, and sea bathing.

There are eight administrative divisions in Bangladesh. For travel purposes, some of these divisions are grouped into bigger regions.

Map

  • 23.728889 90.394444 1 Dhaka — the capital of Bangladesh and a booming metropolis.
  • 22.7 90.366667 2 Barisal (Barishal) — southern city famous for growing paddy, floating markets and many rivers, best reached by a slow-paced and relaxing boat ride on the Rocket Steamer.
  • 22.335 91.8325 3 Chittagong (Chattogram) — a bustling commercial centre and the second largest international shipping port in the country just after Payra port.
  • 23.166667 89.216667 4 Jessore (Jashore) — a small town famous for Gur which is a form of cake-like molasses produced from the extract of date trees.
  • 22.816667 89.55 5 Khulna — on the Rupsha river, famous for shrimp and a starting point for journeys into the Sundarbans.
  • 24.75 90.416667 6 Mymensingh — a historic city by the side of the Brahmaputra River. It has got a rich cultural and political history dating back more than 200 years.
  • 24.366667 88.6 7 Rajshahi — the Silk City.
  • 25.75 89.244444 8 Rangpur — an important city in the north-west, with agriculture and trade.
  • 24.9 91.866667 9 Sylhet — the largest city in Northeastern Bangladesh, known for the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Shahjalal, one of the holiest sites in the country.

Other destinations

bangla of tourism

  • 21.583333 92.016667 1 Cox's Bazar - The country's premier beach destination, filled to the brim with boisterous Bangladeshi holiday makers and street vendors (hawkers). It is the world's longest natural coastline with 112 km (70 mi) of pristine unbroken sandy beach.
  • 22.666667 89.8 2 Bagerhat - An important historical centre and site of several historic mosques including the famous Shait Gumbad Masjid (Sixty Domed Mosque).
  • 23.2579 90.6339 3 Padna Meghna River Estuarine - A low lying island in the Ganges.
  • 20.627222 92.3225 5 Saint Martins Island - The country's main coral island with friendly locals, a laid back vibe and coconuts to spare.
  • 21.75 88.75 6 Sundarbans - The largest mangrove forest in the world, with lots of bird life and the home of the very elusive but endangered Royal Bengal Tigers.

bangla of tourism

On land it is nearly completely surrounded by India , but it also has a coast and a short land border with Myanmar .

Bangladesh is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries in the world, with Bengalis making up 98% of the population. It has the world's highest population density (excepting microstates/city-states). Nine Bangladeshis out of ten are Sunni Muslims; the country has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world.

After independence from the British Raj , Bangladesh became a part of Pakistan during the partition of India in 1947. In 1971, it became an independent nation.

The word "Bangladesh" literally means "Land of Bengal" or "Bengal Country". The exact origin of the words "Bangla" and "Bengal" is uncertain (see Bengal#Name ).

The country is officially known as the "People's Republic of Bangladesh". Although the term "People's Republic" is commonly associated with communist states, Bangladesh is not a communist country. The term was adopted primarily because Bangladesh gained its independence through a revolutionary struggle.

Early history

The country's history goes as far back as 1500 BC , the Chalcolithic period, and the area has long been known as a melting pot of various cultures and civilisations.

Islam came to South Asia some time around the 8th century, and during the 11th century, almost everyone peacefully converted to Islam.

British India and partition

In the 1940s, India was partitioned into two states: Pakistan , a separate homeland for Muslims in South Asia, and India . Princely states were given three choices: join India, join Pakistan, or be independent.

It was during this time when Bengal was partitioned into two separate territories. Muslim-majority East Bengal became a part of Pakistan, during which it was referred to as "East Pakistan", whereas the Hindu-majority West Bengal became a part of India.

Union with Pakistan

Although it was believed that the Bengalis would be well-integrated in Pakistan, relations between the Pakistani government and the ethnic Bengalis became increasingly strained. Bengali was not recognised as an official language and was outright banned, Urdu was imposed upon the Bengalis, ethnic discrimination against Bengalis was common, and along with the physical separation, there was simply no compatibility whatsoever between the two.

War for Independence

When Ziaur Rahman, widely known as the "founding father" of Bangladesh, was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, he was barred from taking office and this led to widespread discontent. On the 25th of March, Ziaur Rahman was arrested and the war for independence began shortly thereafter.

Pakistani forces committed numerous atrocities during this time. Many female adult and children were raped by the Pakistani military. But the most brutal campaign of all was Operation Searchlight, which led to the 1971 Bangladesh genocide , in which huge numbers of people were massacred by the Pakistani military and forces loyal to Pakistan.

India eventually became involved in the conflict, and in December 1971, East Pakistan was liberated from Pakistan and changed its name to "Bangladesh".

Present day

After the liberation of Bangladesh, Bangladesh became a secular democracy. Islam was declared the state religion in 1988. In the 21st century, Bangladesh has seen rapid economic development, and its GDP per capita overtook that of neighbouring India for the first time in 2020.

Politics and government

Like most countries in South Asia, Bangladesh is a Westminster-style democratic republic in which the prime minister is the head of the government and has the greatest amount of political power.

The president mostly works behind the scenes, but they have the authority to appoint the prime minister, veto laws, and command the country's military.

Bangladesh has a sub-tropical monsoon climate. There are six seasons in a year: winter (Dec-Jan), spring (Feb-Mar), summer (Apr-May), monsoon (June-July), autumn (Aug-Sep) and late autumn (Oct-Nov). The average temperature across the country usually ranges between 20°C - 30°C in winter months and between 21°C - 34°C during summer months. Annual rainfall varies from 160 cm to 200 cm in the west, 200 cm to 400 cm in the south-east and 250 cm to 400 cm in the north-east. Cyclones above category three/four are uncommon (especially in the deep winter January through March)-- but while rare, can still bring widespread disruption to infrastructure and power outages, especially in the coastal areas. It is recommended that you do not travel in the southern part of the country (Khulna, Bagerhat, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar) if a cyclone warning is in effect.

In summer try to wear loose fitting cotton clothing as it's so humid. During the rainy season, even big cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong get submerged quickly by torrential rains. The best time to visit is October to April. The current weather can be seen by hitting the 'play' button on the following interactive map: Current Bangladesh Satellite Weather Radar .

The country is primarily a low-lying plain on the deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal. It's fertile and mostly flat farmland and, with the exception of Chittagong Hill Tracts , rarely exceeds 10 metres above sea level, making it dangerously susceptible to global warming. The highest point is Bijoy, at 1,231 metres.

  • Pohela Boishakh - The Bengali New Year. Its the most widely celebrated secular national festival of the country. Here people from all walks of life participate in various cultural shows, called Boishakhi Mela, wearing the national attire (punjabi or sari), eating Bengali sweets and wishing everyone happy Bengali new year - Shuvo Nobo Borsho - in Bengali.
  • Ekushey February - National Mother Language Day - February 21. This day marks the anniversary of the martyrs that died in 1952 while protesting the imposition of Urdu , in the name of Islam , as the national mother-tongue of the Bengali people. The uprisings to support Bangla as the mother language fueled the movement towards secular nationalism that culminated in the independence of Bangladesh in 1971 from Pakistan. The holiday is marked by one of the most colourful events in Asia with tributes to the martyrs by political leaders, intellectuals, poets, writers, artisans and singing beginning at one minute after midnight on the 21st of February. Government offices are all closed. UNESCO recognised this day as International Mother Language Day in honour of the brave Bangladeshi souls who sacrificed their life for the right to speak their mother language.
  • Independence Day - March 26. The Father of the Nation - Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - made the proclamation of independence of Bangladesh on this day in 1971.
  • Victory Day - December 16. On this day all Pakistani armed forces in Bangladesh surrendered to joint Bangladeshi and Indian armed forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
  • Eid-ul-Fitr - Exact date depends on the Muslim lunar calendar. Known as the festival of charity, it is the largest Muslim holiday of the year and it celebrates the end of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Food is the highlight, and if you're lucky you'll be invited into a private home for a feast. Businesses close for at least a week, if not two weeks.
  • Eid-ul-Azha - Exact date depends on the Muslim lunar calendar. Translated, it means the festival of the sacrifice. Similar festivities as Eid-ul-Fitr, where Bangladeshis visit the homes of friends and relatives and exchange Eid greetings - Eid Mubarak - in Bengali and offer invitations to their own homes. As per the name, most Muslim Bangladeshis take part in sacrificing a cow, goat or sheep. It is a communal event with the meat split amongst those who partaked in the sacrifice. If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to see cow markets being set up around this holiday.
  • Durga Puja - Ten days around October, depending on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The largest Hindu festival in Bangladesh. It goes on for several days with festivities varying each day. The festival culminates with the immersion of the Hindu goddess Durga in the Buriganga river.
  • Christmas - December 25. This is the largest festival of the Christian community in Bangladesh. This day is a government holiday. A prayer (mass) is held at Tejgaon Church in Dhaka City at 11PM on 24th December. Other churches in Dhaka also arrange prayers on 24th and 25th December.

Tourist information

  • Bangladesh Tourism website in English

bangla of tourism

The national and official language of the country is Bengali ( Bangla ). It has its own script, is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, and is closely related to Hindi and Urdu . Speakers of those languages should have no problems in picking up Bengali.

Bengali grammar is fairly regular (nouns are not gendered, the language has few to no exceptions), but the most difficult aspect of the language is the script. Bengali has up to hundreds of consonant clusters, which can be difficult to comprehend and write.

Although Bangladesh was once a part of the British Empire , the use of English in the country has decreased dramatically since the 1980s. Its use is now restricted to members of the well-educated upper class. Having a solid knowledge of Bengali is essential for the independent traveller, as many Bangladeshis are not proficient in English.

Two centuries of British colonisation lead people to identify most foreigners as either British or Americans and to view them with curiosity. The first question you will probably be asked is "What is your country?" ("Desh kothay?" in Bangla) or "Which country sir?". If hawkers or rickshaws are over-zealous in selling you their products or services, simply leave and say "Amar dorkar nai" ("I don't need [this item]") or "Lagbey nah" ("No need") as a colloquial way of saying "No, thanks."

If you don't wish to give money to beggars and other unfortunates, simply tell them "Maaf koro" (with informal you) or "Maaf koren" (with polite/formal you), which means "Pardon me". Or you can apply a tricky concept by saying "Amar bangthi poisha nai", meaning "I have no change." Above all, if you're refusing a service or product, don't linger. Walk on as you say these phrases. Otherwise, your lingering may be misinterpreted by peddlers as your uncertainty about refusal.

All foreigners require a valid visa to enter Bangladesh. The procedure to obtain a visa is to first obtain an Invitation Letter from a tour company in Bangladesh or, in case of business travelers, obtain a business appointment or an invitation from a company in Bangladesh. Then submit an online visa application at the Bangladesh government website ( Visa.Gov.Bd [dead link] ) at least three weeks before the intended travel date. Take a printout of the completed visa application form because it has to be physically submitted as well. Then visit the nearest Bangladeshi Embassy or Bangladeshi Consulate General or Bangladeshi High Commission with all the required supporting documents, passport, applicant's photos and payment. Check the visa application instructions of the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission closest to you before applying. The visa is usually issued within five to seven working days, depending on the total volume of applications. Most Bangladeshi diplomatic missions offer a mail-in service for visa applicants, which means applicants do not have to travel to the embassy to apply for a visa in person. The benefit of applying for a visa beforehand is getting a long term multiple entry visa that is valid up to 60 months. Bangladesh Foreign Ministry - Diplomatic Missions Worldwide

The citizens of the following countries do not require visas for stays of up to 90 days: Antigua and Barbuda , Bahamas , Bhutan , Dominica , Fiji , Gambia , Grenada , Guinea-Bissau , Jamaica , Guyana , Honduras , Lesotho , Malawi , Maldives , Montserrat , Papua New Guinea , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Seychelles , Solomon Islands , Uruguay , Vatican City and Zambia .

Citizens of all other countries need a visa to enter Bangladesh. It is preferred you obtain it in your home country. It's also possible to process a visa at embassies and consulates in neighboring countries. Visas are available on arrival only if there is no Bangladeshi diplomatic mission within the country you're a citizen of, or if you're an investor invited by a Bangladeshi trade body such as BGMEA, BASIS, etc. Be ready to show paperwork indicating invitations from the said business or government organizations. If you apply for a visa beforehand, in your home country, you can usually obtain a 3 to 60 month multiple entry visa. Fees vary depending on nationality and length of visa requested.

No Visa Required Stamp/Sticker

If you were previously a Bangladeshi citizen and now hold a passport from a different country, you can contact your nearest Bangladesh High Commission for your "No Visa Required" stamp/sticker, which remains valid until your passport expires. This option is also available to the foreign children and spouses of Bangladeshi citizens as well as dual citizens of Bangladesh.

Transit Visa

Transit passengers continuing their journey on the first connecting aircraft do not require visas, provided they hold valid onward or return documentation and do not leave the airport. A US$20 transit visa is required if transiting for more than 24 hours and remain on the airport premises (this includes the airport hotel). A US$51 transit visa is required if exiting the airport.

Visa On Arrival

All EU and European passports; Australian and New Zealand passports; North American, Central American and South American passports; Middle Eastern passports; Russian passports; South Korean passports; Japanese passports; Singaporean passports and Malaysian passports are eligible for a Visa On Arrival in Bangladesh. The passport must be valid for six months after arrival in Bangladesh and it must have two blank pages for immigration stamps. Tourists, investors and business travellers can get a single-entry 30 day Visa On Arrival in Bangladesh if you can demonstrate the following:

  • a verified hotel booking or a booking with a Bangladeshi tour company or a business appointment in Bangladesh;
  • US$500 in cash or credit;
  • a onward air ticket or international train ticket or international bus ticket;
  • and if entering Bangladesh by air, sea or road but not on a train.

The Visa On Arrival fee must be paid in cash when entering Bangladesh and the cost per person is US$51 or €51, with all taxes included. This single entry Visa On Arrival is valid for 30 days and can be extended for an additional 30 days at the Department of Immigration and Passports. Applicants can apply for the extension of this Visa On Arrival up to a week before visa expiry but not sooner. Visa extensions are available at the Department of Immigration and Passports in Agargaon, Dhaka City, which is the building adjacent to the Dhaka Passport Office. The complete address of the Department of Immigration and Passports is Gate-2, E-7, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon, Dhaka City. All international airports in Bangladesh and all major land ports of entry into Bangladesh provide a Visa On Arrival to eligible passport holders who are tourists, investors or business travellers. Visa on Arrival officials would like to see the hotel booking and onward air ticket printed - if you don't bring printed copies, you can be redirected to an airport kiosk that can rip you off in printing fees.

  • Plane tickets to/from Bangladesh (optional)
  • Hotel booking in Bangladesh (at least the first one)
  • Completed Machine Readable Visa Application Form (you can get the blank form by e-mail if you phone the embassy)
  • Two photographs
  • Your passport
  • €51 application fee

The Bangladeshi Deputy High Commission in, Circus Ave ( Just east of AJC Bose Rd ), Kolkata [4] , +91 (0)33 2290 5208/5209, also issues visas, ranging from free for Indians to a hefty Rs 5000 (~US$110) for American citizens. Applications are received at window #4 weekdays from 9-11AM, and visas are generally ready the next afternoon. Bring 3 passport photos and copies of passport and Indian visa. As of December 2018, there seems to be a new policy: the applications should be first filled and submitted online, as directed on the High Commission's website, in addition to submitting it physically. You can use the paid services of the stands in front of the High Commission to fill the forms for you, just bring one or two passport photos. Beware that at least in some cases, the Kolkata office can be reluctant to issue visa for non-Indians due to the availability of Visa On Arrival for certain passport holders.

Visa Extensions

Visa extensions are possible in Dhaka at the Department of Immigration and Passports located in Agargaon, Dhaka City. It is the building just adjacent to the Dhaka Passport Office. The complete address of the Department of Immigration and Passports is Gate-2, E-7, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Agargaon, Dhaka City. Fees vary depending on the duration and the nationality. If you want to stay only a few days longer, it's better to just apply for and obtain a tourist visa beforehand or pay the overstay fee of Tk 200/day for up to 15 days, which grows substantially to Tk 500/day thereafter. Some of the smaller backwater crossings such as Tamabil may not even notice that you've overstayed if you don't point it out yourself.

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In addition to multiple domestic airports, there are three international airports in Bangladesh, which connect it to the rest of the world. These are Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport ( DAC  IATA ) in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport ( CGP  IATA ) in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport ( ZYL  IATA ) in Sylhet. The domestic Cox's Bazar Airport will soon be inaugurated as an international airport. The main gateway to the country is Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport , (Bengali: হযরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দর) though there are also limited international flights from regional centres Chittagong , Rajshahi , Jessore , Cox's Bazar , Saidpur, Barisal and Sylhet .

The national carrier is Biman Bangladesh Airlines , locally known as Biman, though the airline has a less than stellar reputation for punctuality and maintaining routes. However, its flights to London Heathrow from Dhaka (some of which go on to Sylhet) make this the only Bangladeshi carrier with direct flights and intercontinental service. Biman flies to all domestic destinations in Bangladesh. Biman also serves 16 cities and destinations in 12 different countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. See the website of the airline for a list. The private Bangladeshi carriers like Novo Air and US-Bangla Airlines [dead link] have taken advantage of the local market and have expanded to serve major hubs throughout Asia and the Middle East. See Wikipedia . There are good connections to Dhaka from the Middle East with many foreign airlines through which it is possible to connect to most Asian and European capitals and several North American hubs. Hong Kong , Bangkok , Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are other major Asian hubs that have regular flights to the country and beyond. Many have daily flights to Bangladesh. Nearby regional destinations like Kathmandu in Nepal , Paro in Bhutan , Kunming in China and all Indian cities are readily accessible from Dhaka in under three hours and are served by a great number of airlines.

The only open land borders are those with India . No land crossing is possible to Myanmar . Occasionally Bangladesh passport holders are allowed to cross from Teknaf , though this changes regularly.

From Kolkata

There are a number of land entry points from India. Buses of the state owned West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC). 2 buses leave from Kolkata every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday while from Dhaka they leave on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The journey usually takes around 12 hours with a one-way fare of ₹400-450 or Tk600-800, roughly US$8–10.

The Indian side is fairly normal as far as land border crossings are concerned. Your passport will change hands several times, and should finally result in a stamp, which doesn't take too long. The Bangladeshi side, however, is another story. Staff seem to have been hired an hour before you arrive - try not to laugh when they ask which visa in your passport is the Bangladesh one. On either side you may be asked for baksheesh by the passport stamper or a boy who grabs your passport and shuttles it between the various officials or the many men who offer to fill your forms in for you. This is not normal for an Indian border crossing, and is entirely avoidable - present your passport yourself, and say 'no' firmly if asked for a bribe. If you're on one of the A/C direct buses then the bus company collects all passenger's passports before the border and facilitates the stamping.

The process is better than it once was. The Bangladesh side is simpler than the Indian side where you wind you way through a complex building to get the various stamps. On the Bangladesh side, you will enter one office, be asked to sit while you passport is examined and stamped.

While leaving Bangladesh by road, you have to pay a departure tax of Tk300. If you are travelling by one of the direct buses, the bus company will usually collect the amount from you and pay it for you. If you are travelling independently, pay it at the little branch of Sonali Bank next to the immigration office. It seems to be open as long as the border crossing is open.

If you arrived by air to Bangladesh, make sure that you have a "change of port" certificate which allows you to leave by land, otherwise you will find yourself being turned back at the border. Change of port certificates are available from the visa office in Dhaka and take about 4 hours to produce. Sometimes you might need to insist here that the office really does provide these certificates and demand that you need one.

However in November 2022 this office, on Agargaon Road in central Dhaka, insists that no documentation is required as long as the Visa on Arrival from the airport specifies no exit restriction; the immigration fifth floor head with his own office room is MD Abul Hossan while his colleagues at the service counters say the same thing. A tour guide there further advises that foreigners often fly to Dhaka and then leave by train or bus into India. Many Indian visas, such as the tourist ETA, do not allow entry into India by land borders as of Jan 2023, but at listed airports and seaports only. However, as of April 2023 some travelers on Indian tourist e-visas report that this restriction only applies to your first entry into India using the visa, and that re-entering subsequent times by land is allowed.

From Siliguri

Shayamoli Paribhahan has a bus service from Siliguri to Dhaka. ☏ +8802 8360241 , ☏ +8801 716942154 . It costs around 1000 Tk for a one-way ticket.

From Agartala

There is a regular bus service between Dhaka and Agartala , capital of India's Tripura state. Two BRTC buses leave daily from Dhaka and connect with the Tripura Road Transport Corporation vehicles, running six days a week with a roundtrip fare of Tk 600. There is only one halt at Ashuganj in Bangladesh during the journey. Call +880 2 8360241 for schedule.

Other entry points from India are Hili , Chilahati / Haldibari and Banglaband border posts for entry from West Bengal ; Tamabil / Dawki border post for a route between Shillong ( Meghalaya ) and Sylhet in Bangladesh, and some others with lesser known routes from north-eastern Indian regions.

The Maitree Express has been running between Dhaka to Kolkata and back. The service is biweekly: A Bangladeshi train leaves Dhaka every Saturday, returning on Sunday, while an Indian train leaves Kolkata on Saturdays and returns the next day. In addition, the weekly Bandhan Express train goes from Kolkata in India to Khulna in Bangladesh and back. Train tickets are available at Chitpur station in Kolkata, Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka and in Khulna Railway Station. A valid passport and visa is required to purchase these train tickets.

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Air travel in Bangladesh is very affordable and convenient. There are airports in all of the division capitals as well as Jessore , Cox's Bazar and some other small cities. The national carrier is Biman Bangladesh Airlines. It is commonly known as Biman locally. Most of the domestic airports are served by either Biman Bangladesh Airlines or their private competitors. As of 2019, Novoair , Regent Airways and US-Bangla Airlines are the main private airlines offering excellent domestic and international flights. Novoair is the latest airline to join the club and has Embraer jet aircraft giving very short flight times. Most of the other private operators use either Bombardier DASH-8 or Boeing aircraft.

By helicopter

There are quite a few helicopter services available for hire in Bangladesh for transportation, tourism, medical evacuation (Medevac) or film-footage services. Any reputable travel agent will know full details. You can also check out "ATL" at nitolniloy.com [dead link] or atlhelicopter.com [dead link] .

By rickshaw

If you can speak Bengali fluently, rickshaws are useful for short distances. However, rickshaws are banned on major highways and roads. Agree on the fare before you ride and make sure they understand where you want to go because most rickshaw pullers do not speak English. Otherwise get a local to translate for you and to fix the fare beforehand.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered auto-rickshaws are also popular for short distances. Auto-rickshaws are banned on major highways and some roads because they are considered slow moving traffic. Agree on the fare beforehand and make sure they understand where you want to go. If you do not speak Bengali fluently, ask a local to translate for you and to fix the fare beforehand.

Buses in Bangladesh fall into two categories - local bus and AC bus. "Local" Bangladeshi buses are generally crowded, often to the extent of people riding on the bus steps (entrance) and sometimes even the roof. The state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) double decker buses usually fall into this category. BRTC air conditioned buses are different however. The low cost local buses are best avoided. They are easy to spot by their poor condition and battered exterior. If you do use them, it is worth noting that they do not usually stop, but rather slow down slightly to let passengers on or off. Additionally, fare collectors, disconcertingly, do not wear a uniform making them difficult to identify. If you do not speak Bengali fluently you may have to simply jump on the bus (literally) and asks for assistance with translations.

Similar to the BRTC air conditioned buses however, there are luxurious air conditioned bus services connecting major cities and popular tourist destinations. These long distance buses, such as Green Line , Shyamoli [dead link] , SilkLine and Shohagh [dead link] , usually have a couple different offices dotted around the cities they serve. Greenline has a few Scania buses running between Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar that offer a level of comfort you've probably never seen in a bus before - they cost about 1/3 more than their Volvo buses, but are comparable to business class on an airplane.

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Many ride sharing or ride hailing apps/companies provide easy and affordable travel options inside cities such as Obhai , Pathao , Shohoz [dead link] or Uber . Driving in Bangladesh is not for the faint hearted. The road network is fairly good, but dodging irrational bus drivers and weaving in and out of rickshaws isn't easy. Traffic in Dhaka has reached unimaginable proportions and self-driving is definitely not advised. Parking is non-existent. It is highly advised to hire a local driver. Night time driving is substantially more dangerous as trucks/buses often ignore smaller cars. Road travel at night should preferably be avoided. Regardless of who's driving. If you hire a driver be sure to get a car with heavy window tinting. Traffic is slow enough that your car will likely be surrounded by pedestrians a majority of the time, and foreigners tend to attract groups of curious Bangladeshis. To avoid this level of attention, it is better if pedestrians can't see inside the vehicle.

Officially cars drive on the left side of the road. The speed limit is 25 km/h on all urban roads, though it is highly unlikely a vehicle will even reach this speed with the traffic jams. Many traffic lights can be seen but these are often manually overridden by traffic police. Traffic police direct cars on all major intersections in urban areas. On many country roads, it is sometimes illegal to overtake but again, this is completely ignored, with locals employing extremely dangerous manoeuvres when passing. The cities are well lit, but country roads lack street lighting sometimes. Some new inter-city roads have tolls, especially new bridges, which are fairly inexpensive.

Bangladesh Railways is the state and only train operator. The ticket prices are reasonable and usually similar to or cheaper than bus tickets. However, due to the roundabout routes and tricky river crossings, the journey durations can be longer. Tickets can be booked over the phone, or purchased online if you have a Bangladeshi mobile phone number. If you speak Bengali, you're likely to get better results at one of the computerized station booking offices. It is recommended to buy tickets at least ten days in advance.

Trains are generally comfortable, with more leg room than buses and tea, water, and snacks are readily available from vendors. Although some economy carriages are unclean, the air conditioned and first class seats are good enough. Sulob class is the highest second class ticket, with reserved seating and not much different from first class (except in price). Kamlapur Rail Station in Dhaka is large and modern. It serves all major cities but due to the existence of both broad gauge and meter gauge tracks around the country, it may be necessary to change trains en route.

There are over 230 large and small rivers throughout the country, and boats and ferries are an integral part of travel for locals and tourists alike. A journey along the river in any mode is probably the best way to see Bangladesh. There are a number of private tour operators offering river cruises and river sightseeing trips of various lengths. Using the ferries to get between cities is a great way to see the country at a moderate pace.

Rocket Steamer service connects Dhaka and Morrelganj or Khulna via Barisal , and is a fantastic way to enjoy riverine Bangladesh, for those who prefer the scenic route. The 4 ferries are operated by BIWTC . It's advisable to book several days in advance if possible (available online through Shohoz [dead link] ). While there are several different classes it's unlikely that you will end up in anything but 1st or 2nd class. Both of these consist of around ten cabins on the upper deck of the boat with 2 beds each and a sink, and clean shared bathrooms outside. Some solo travellers pay for the whole cabin with two beds. Some are lucky to get and pay for just one bed. There's a central dining room in each class with a chef cooking Bengali meals. Fish and chips or an omelette goes for around Tk50 to Tk150, if specifically ordered separately. Cheaper food can be bought from the vendors in the lower classes on the bottom level when in port. First class is at the front of the boat, with the bow made into a nice sitting area. The journey is better avoided during the rainy seasons and during Eid holidays when the launches get overcrowded with home-returning city dwellers. The more eco-friendly may prefer a trash bag to take their trash off with them: otherwise, it's likely to end up in the river at the end of the journey. As of December 2018, there are two routes available:

  • Dhaka – Morrelganj , operated several times per week in each direction. In the direction to Dhaka , the ferry leaves Hularhat at 14:00 and arrives to Dhaka next day in the morning. Fares from Dhaka , as of February 2015 (1st/2nd class): to Barisal Tk 2310/1260, to Hularhat Tk 3124/1710, to Morrelganj Tk 3740/2100.
  • Dhaka – Khulna , usually once per week in each direction. If you are traveling from Khulna , the ferries leave on Thursdays, while most of the other days you can travel on land to Hularhat and board the ferry coming at 14:00 from Morrelganj . The full journey from Khulna takes anywhere from 26 to 30 hours.

Ferries or launches are operated by private companies and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation ( BIWTC) . In Bangladesh a ferry is called a launch. They have air conditioned single and double cabins with single and double beds respectively. They operate on many different routes that may be useful for smaller distances or travelling to other parts of the country. BIWTC is a government organisation. Private companies such as Green Line offer air conditioned catamaran and speed boat services on many routes.

There's an international luxurious ship from India called Ganga Vilas (literally 'Ganga Luxury'). It runs from Varanasi to Dibrugarh , with stops at Patna , Ambika Kalna , Kolkata and Dhaka . The ship also provides amazing views of the Sundarbans .

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Bangladesh has many UNESCO world heritage sites . It is a country with lots of places to visit, many of which offer unforgettable experiences but remain relatively unknown to the rest of the world. As a vacation destination Bangladesh has many facets, the main one being eco-tourism. Some of the tourist attractions include archaeological sites, historic mosques and monuments, resorts, beaches, picnic spots, forest and wildlife. Bangladesh offers opportunities for angling, water-skiing, river cruising, hiking, rowing, surfing, yachting and sea bathing as well as bringing one in close touch with Mother Nature. Bangladesh is also rich in wildlife and game birds.

Dhaka is a pulsing, gritty conglomerate, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Some of the many attractions for tourists, include the Lalbagh Quilla, Ahsan Manjil, Shaheed Minar, Boro Katra, Choto Katra, the National Museum and Jatiyo Songshad Bhaban (National Parliament Building). The Suhrawardy Uddan and the Ramna Park are two parks that provide green respite to city dwellers. Other tourist attractions include places like Baitul Mukarram (National Mosque), the High Court Building, and the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum. If you're visiting only one thing, then the LalBagh Qilla fort is a must-see, in the older part of town. The older part of Dhaka, known as "Puran Dhaka" in Bengali, is literally a city of history with hundred-year-old buildings crammed on each side of hundreds of narrow lanes. Each city block, or "Moholla" in Bengali, of Puran Dhaka is unique with its specialized shops and artisans and gives a taste of ancient Dhaka.

The rest of Bangladesh is ornamented with thousands of gems, most of which remain hidden and await exploration. The names are endless but the prominent ones include Moynamoti, Paharpur (Shompur Bihar), Mohasthangor, Kantajir Mondir, Ramshagor, Shatgombuj Mosque, Khanjahan Ali's Shrine and Shriti Shoudho. These sites offer architectures from various eras of the country's history, including Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim eras and date back thousand years.

The natural beauty of Bangladesh can be explored away from the hustle and bustle of Dhaka, the capital city. Cox's Bazar is home to one of the longest unbroken sea beaches in the world. In addition, Bangladesh also has the largest mangrove forest in the world, the "Sundarbans" ("beautiful forests", named after the "Sundari" [beautiful] trees in it). The hill tracts of Rangamati, Khagrachori and "Bandarban" ("monkey forest") offer exciting trekking opportunities and an insight into tribal life. While the Kaptai Lake (situated amongst the hills of Rangamati) can be considered a romantic getaway. The villages are the true countryside of Bangladesh and almost always have green paddy fields and yellow mustard fields with flowing rivers. Other natural wonders of Bangladesh include the Padma (Ganges) river, the Madhabkunda, Jaflong, the tea gardens of Sylhet/Sreemangal and Moulovibazar.

  • Cox's Bazar — The world’s longest uninterrupted natural sandy sea beach.
  • Saint Martins Island — Bangladesh’s only coral island.
  • Mowdok Mual — The highest peak of the country.
  • Sundarbans — A UNESCO world heritage site and the largest mangrove forest in the world.
  • Nafa-khum Waterfall — The largest waterfall of Bangladesh, and also a place to enjoy rafting on local boats.
  • Lawachara National Park — IUCN category V protected landscape, a tropical forest of Bangladesh.
  • Padma River — One of the country's main rivers

If you arrive at a historic monument after it has already closed for the day, it may be possible to "pay" a security guard an "after hours tour fee" to be quickly taken around a site.

The currency of Bangladesh is the Bangladeshi taka , denoted by the symbol " Tk " or " ৳ " (ISO code: BDT ). Wikivoyage uses Tk to denote the currency.

Coins in Bangladesh are issued in denominations of ৳1, ৳2 and ৳5. Banknotes in Bangladesh are issued in denominations of ৳2, ৳5, ৳10, ৳20, ৳50, ৳100, ৳200, ৳500 and ৳1,000.

The updated exchange rate can be found in the official website of Bangladesh Bank . Foreign currency can be exchanged at any money exchange shop or bank in Bangladesh. Some hotels will also accept foreign currency but their exchange rates will be poor. Money exchange shops offer the best exchange rates followed by banks. Most establishments will not accept foreign currency as payment.

ATM s are widely available in all cities and even in smaller towns. Most accept all MasterCard and Visa credit/debit cards. Most local and international banks in Bangladesh such as Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank have their own ATM networks. Some rely on the Dutch-Bangla Bank Nexus ATM network for their own clients. HSBC ATMs are located at select hotels but accept only Visa debit/credit cards and HSBC GlobalAccess cards. Most ATMs will be set inside a building with a security guard standing or sitting guard at the door and are thus quite safe.

Shops and stores in all cities and even smaller towns often accept all major credit and debit cards including American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard and Visa.

Aarong is one of the largest and most popular handicraft and traditional clothing stores with outlets in Dhaka , Chittagong , Sylhet and Khulna . It's a great place for souvenirs of Bangladesh or to pick up a stylish punjabi, kurta or salwar kameez at fixed prices. Women can find a cotton salwar kameez for around Tk 400 in a market or Tk 800-1500 in a shop. Silk is more expensive.

Shopping malls are popular with locals and foreigners. Bangladesh has some of the largest shopping malls in the world, especially the ones in Dhaka City, like Jamuna Future Park, and Bashundhara City Shopping Complex in Panthapath. There are lots of handicraft and boutique shops inside. Eastern Plaza and Motalib Plaza are popular for the latest unlocked smartphones; smartphone warranty support or repairs; and all kinds of smartphone accessories from major international brands like Samsung, HTC, Oppo, etc. Apple has its own distributor in Bangladesh for the iPhone. There are numerous other shopping malls in and around the country. Sometimes foreigners may be charged a higher cost, however you will not usually be price gouged, with what you are charged usually being only slightly more than what the locals would pay. The price difference for most items is often only a matter of a few US cents.

Supermarkets are also widely available across the country. Popular supermarket chains in Bangladesh include Agora, Meena Bazar and Shwapno , which have branches all over the country. Other renowned supermarkets are Almas, Pick & Pay, Daily Super Shop, Nandan Mega Shop, Mustafa Mart, Unimart and Prince Bazar. The supermarkets offer fresh produce, groceries and both imported as well as local products. They all accept all major credit cards and you can shop online too.

Bangladesh is the world's second largest manufacturer and exporter of ready-made garments and apparel, producing clothing for many famous international brands such as Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Levis. Though these products are usually not meant for sale in the local markets, they can be found in abundance in popular shopping locations such as Banga Bazaar as well as around Dhaka College. Prices are not fixed in most stores in these areas. Even the stores that display 'fixed-price' label tolerate bargaining sometimes. If bargaining is not your strong point ask a local in the vicinity politely what they think you should pay.

Bangladesh is a seafood lover's paradise. Traditionally most of the country lives off of the once-bountiful freshwater river fish, especially the officially designated "national fish" Hilsa . The Hilsa has a nice flavour but some may find the many fine bones difficult to manage; if you can master eating this fish, consider yourself on par with the locals in fish-eating and deboning expertise. Various recipes exist for cooking Hilsa, suitable for all seasons and all regions of the country. Mutton is also popular, as in most Muslim countries, as is decidedly lean or hard chicken. Rice is almost always the staple side dish. Due to Muslim beliefs, pork is a banned item in Bangladesh and is neither consumed nor sold. However it is found and consumed in non-Muslim areas.

Mixed vegetable curries are plentiful - potato, eggplant, squash and tomatoes are the staple ingredients. Gourds, tubers and certain root vegetables are common. In the major cities (Dhaka, Chittagong, etc.), you will find a larger variety of vegetables than in rural areas.

The idea of salad varies from the international standard. In Bangladesh, salad has not been extensively developed, and "kacha" (raw) vegetables are generally not deemed very appetizing or palatable (with the exception of cucumbers), especially in more rural or suburban areas and in less Westernized households. Traditionally, most salad vegetables (carrots, celery, lettuce, paprika, etc.) were not even grown in most agrarian households, so the use of these vegetables was extremely rare. Hence, borrowing from the Mughal traditions, a few round slices of onions and cucumbers, spiced with salt, chilies, etc., is often treated as a full plate of salad.

Dal is usually a given side dish or meal course for all households, even the poorest or most rural (who often cannot afford any other daily meal courses). Most Bangladeshi dal varies from its West Bengali counterpart, and even more so from its other Indian counterparts, primarily because it is more watery and less concentrated or spiced. An easy analogy would be that whereas most Indian dal is more like thick stew, most Bangladeshi dal is more like light soup or broth. The Hindus of Bangladesh have greater varieties of Dal recipes, just as they have greater varieties of vegetarian dishes. The Muslims have thicker and more spiced varieties of dal. Dal recipes vary regionally in Bangladesh, so be careful not to over-generalize after a brief experience.

Boiled eggs ( deem ) are a popular snack (Tk 10-15), and fresh fruit is abundant, such as bananas (Tk 5-7/each), apples (Chinese, Tk 100-150/kg), oranges, grapes, pomegranates and papayas. Delicious and diverse, mangoes (Tk 25-90/kg in summer) are very popular throughout Bangladesh.

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Bangladeshi cuisine also offers a variety of desserts called sweetmeat in general, including lal jaam, shondesh, chomchom (pictured), Kachagolla (Tk 500-550/kg).

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Fast food restaurants and bakeries serving burgers, kababs, spring rolls, vegetable patties and just about anything else you can throw in a deep fryer are dotted around most cities. Most items will run around Tk 30-120/each. Bangladesh also has many international fast food chains. A few examples include A&W, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino's Pizza, KFC and Nando's.

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To enjoy the tastes of Dhaka you must go to old Dhaka. The Haji biriyani, Nanna biriyani are a must. Also Al Razzak restaurant is famous for its Shahi food. To savour local food you must go to Korai Gost at Dhanmondi Satmosjid road, Kasturi restaurant at Gulshan & Purana Paltan area. No one should leave Bangladesh without tasting the Phuchka and Chatpati available in the streets of Dhaka and Chittagong. Also there are loads of Chinese and Thai restaurants in Bangladesh which serve localized Chinese and Thai dishes. Bailey road in Dhaka is the unofficial food street of the nation followed by Satmoshjid Road. Dhaka also has Japanese, Korean and Indian restaurants mostly in Gulshan area. For world class ice creams try Movenpick or Club Gelato in Gulshan. For kebabs, Barbecue tonight in Dhanmondi is the best followed by Koyla in Gulshan.

Similar to neighboring countries, most Bangladeshis eat with their right hand. Never use your left hand to bring food to your mouth, though it's alright to use it for bringing a glass to your mouth. Every restaurant will have a handwashing station and you should use this before and after the meal. Even if there isn't running water, a pitcher of water and a bowl will be offered. To eat with your hand, rake in a little portion of the rice and a bit of the curry to an open space on your plate (usually create a bit of space on the side of the plate closest to you, sufficiently inward from the rim but not in the center of the plate), and mix the rice and curry with your fingers. Then, create a little ball or mound (it should be compact and modestly sized, but does not need to be perfectly shaped or anything—function over form!) of the mixture and pick it up with all your fingers, and scoop in into your mouth. Your fingers should not enter your mouth in the process, and your upper fingers and palms should not get dirty either. Only toddlers and foreigners are exempted from these rules. It doesn't matter a whole lot if you don't get it all exactly right, but know that the entire restaurant is watching and waiting to see if you do. Attempting to eat with your hands and failing miserably will raise many a smile. The use of cutlery (except serving spoons for common dishes) is lacking in rural areas and poorer households. Basic cutlery (i.e., spoons, forks) is always available in urban restaurants and more Westernized, urban households. However, the use of hands is a more humble and culturally respectful gesture, especially from a tourist.

Table-sharing is acceptable and even expected in most establishments, with the exception of nicer urban restaurants. Many places have separate curtained-off booths for women and families, a nice reprieve from prying eyes.

Being a secular Muslim majority country, alcohol consumption is frowned upon. However it is found mostly in the international clubs, luxury hotels and pricier restaurants in Dhaka as well as some restaurants in tourist centers like Cox's Bazar . In Teknaf and Saint Martins Island you may stumble upon the occasional beer smuggled in from abroad. Some of the nicest hotels in the cities have fully equipped bars with exaggerated prices. However, lack of commercial availability of liquor should not always be confused with cultural aversion to alcohol in mainstream society. You'll likely find that Bengali Christians and many urbanized, upper-class Muslims privately have a more liberal, Westernized attitude toward social consumption of alcohol. Most 5-star hotels like Radisson, Sheraton, Sonargoan, Regency and a few clubs in Gulshan hold DJ dance parties on frequent basis. Usual entrance fees of such parties are around Tk 2000.

Coffee is a perennial middle-class 'Adda' (gossip) accompaniment in this city. A popular chain is ' Coffeeworld ', of which there are several in Dhaka. Instant coffee is widely available.

Tea is everywhere. Ask for red tea if you do not want milk.

Fruit juices are plentiful, varied and delicious, though be wary of watered down or icy drinks and dirty blenders. Raw sugarcane juice is widely available during the hot season, and usually safe, as are coconuts , which are widely available.

Smoking in public places is prohibited. You may be fined Tk 50 for smoking publicly.

There's a broad range of hotels in the country. These range from economy and low budget hotels costing US $5 per night (sometimes filthy and reluctant to take foreigners) up to 5-star hotels. Multiple international hotel chains operate their luxury hotels in all the major cities of Bangladesh. A few examples include Radisson Hotels, InterContinental Hotels, Marriott International Hotels and Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts.

Dial 999 from any Bangladeshi mobile phone number or landline for police, fire or ambulance in case of any emergency. Bangladesh is a country full of friendly and open-minded people. But some people may find ways to exploit a foreigner or tourist. See common scams and pickpockets for some of their methods. Apply common sense precautions, such as not walking around unnecessarily or alone after dark in abandoned alleys. Also, if you do find yourself in trouble, create some noise and draw the attention of others who are almost certain to come to your aid. Foreigners, particularly Caucasian, will for the most part be safe when walking around city streets as you will undoubtedly be watched by multiple curious locals at any one time. When in a crowd or travelling by rickshaw, CNG (auto-rickshaw) or bus, be careful to keep valuables close at hand and away from pickpockets. Don't wear expensive jewellery without precaution; most middle-class locals simply wear imitation gold/silver jewellery and rhinestones/clay and beaded pendants.

bangla of tourism

It's best to not eat, drink or smoke anything offered to you by strangers as there is a growing problem in many Asian countries of drugging, and you're likely to see signs warning you against it on buses, trains, etc. That is not to say you shouldn't take someone up on their offer for a home cooked meal, but you may want to think twice about that piece of candy the person in the seat next to you just handed to you. Also, be careful about the sanitation procedures of local street food and unprocessed snacks which are not in packaging.

Speeding buses, coaches or trucks may cause accidents. Traffic lights are often manually overridden by traffic police and in large metropolises traffic jams are always a given, making it very difficult for vehicles to travel. It is wisest not to drive yourself or to walk roads without pavements (sidewalks) alone. Consequently, road travel (if absolutely necessary) is best undertaken with an experienced local driver in a good vehicle with safety belts. If you can speak Bengali, rickshaws are a very authentic local drive for short distances. However, rickshaws are mostly banned, especially on major highways and routes. Prison sentences ranging from 2 to 10 years are prescribed for homosexual activity in public between consenting adults under Bangladeshi law. LGBT couples and travelers should exercise discretion and avoid public displays of affection.

Political unrest

Bangladesh is a politically troubled country and has a history of political-related violence. Many regard Bangladesh as one of the least effectively governed countries in the world.

General strikes, otherwise known as hartals , are widely employed as a means of political expression in Bangladesh. Incidents of arson, vandalism, clashes between rival political groups, and attacks on individuals are common during protests.

As a visitor, you should do all you can to avoid political protests, demonstrations, and marches. Don't feel tempted to act like a hero (take photos of protests, helping out injured protestors, and so on); you might lose your life or get severely injured.

If you feel a protest is about to take place, evacuate the area immediately . Always assume that roads can be blocked during political protests and that public transportation services will be affected.

During your stay, it is strongly recommended that you regularly monitor local media. English language media is common and ubiquitous in the country.

bangla of tourism

Bangladesh is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and the problem seems to be getting worse and worse year by year. According to Transparency International, Bangladesh is the most corrupt country in South Asia .

The police, widely known for their corruption and failure to uphold the rule of law, only exist to abuse their powers and intimidate people. Do not, under any circumstances, trust the police. The majority of Bangladeshis are convinced that their police force is the most corrupt public institution in the country.

Due to their low salaries, it's not uncommon for them to target people for bribes. In the event you are targeted by a corrupt official, stay calm, but be firm and polite. Don't make the encounter tense by losing your cool.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite unit of the police, is complicit in extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, and in December 2021, the organisation and six former RAB officials were sanctioned by the United States .

Women travellers

The clothing of local women varies, according to religion and degree of religious conservatism, geographic region and socio-economic status. In general, as a female tourist, it is wisest to wear at least the salwar kameez, which is both easy to wear and relatively versatile and functional, while being generally culturally respectful. If you don't own or want to buy a salwar kameez you should use a large scarf to drape around your upper body. Bangladesh is a conservative society, and as a foreign woman you will attract incredible amounts of attention. Do not wear shorts, tank tops, or any revealing clothing showing much skin. However, most of Bangladesh is a relatively open-minded Muslim country and the youth in major cities are quite Westernized.

Forced marriages

Forced marriage is a major problem in Bangladesh. The problem isn't just prevalent in Bangladesh though. It is also common among members of the Bangladeshi diaspora.

If you are a woman of Bangladeshi origin, there's a good chance you could be forced into marital arrangements against your will. Your family relatives may subject you to threats, intimidation, and violence, as a means to make you feel you have no choice but to accept the marriage.

Be cautious if your family asks you to come on a trip to Bangladesh. What may be a short trip could very easily turn into a long trip. Always ask yourself, "what's in it for them?". There may be an ulterior motive you don't know about. Always maintain possession of your passport and plane tickets; do not let your family members get their hands on them, as you may need them to be able to escape. Before your voyage, ask for advice from relevant organisations, especially if there have been conflicts around your contacts with the opposite sex.

If you fear being forced into a marriage when not in Bangladesh, call the police . If you are in Bangladesh, immediately contact your embassy for assistance.

Due to cultural beliefs against LGBT in Bangladesh, if someone preaches in favour of the LGBT community, they will be shunned socially and also may go as far to get attacked. Some families may treat LGBT people as mentally ill and take them to psychiatrists to get 'fixed.'

Transgender people are also not accepted in Bangladesh. Hijras are the transgender community in Bangladesh and most Bangladeshis do not trust or think of them in good faith. The word 'Hijra' is also used as a slur, so be wary of using the term.

Natural disasters

bangla of tourism

Bangladesh is prone to flooding . This is largely in part due to the fact that the country is composed entirely out of silt, a material which is carried down by the rivers and tributaries comprising the Brahmaputra River Delta. As much as 30% of the country can be submerged during heavy floods.

Silt is responsible for Bangladesh's low-lying geography (a large portion of the country is covered by the Brahmaputra River Delta), and causes Bangladesh's rivers to overflow or burst their banks after heavy rainfall.

The summer monsoon in Bangladesh prevails from early June to mid-October. Try to schedule a trip before or after this period as the risk of flooding increases during that time.

As Bangladesh is still a developing nation, do not expect high-quality emergency services. Refer to the various tips found in the Flash floods article in the unlikely event the country is swamped with floods.

If you are in the country during the monsoon season, refer to this site: Flood Forecasting & Warning Centre . The website is maintained by the Bangladeshi government and you should refer to it from time to time so that you can stay safe in the event of massive flooding.

Being a low-lying country, Bangladesh is vulnerable to cyclones .

Earthquakes

The northern part of the country is vulnerable to seismic activity. Although it is unlikely that a massive earthquake would strike the country, the country's infrastructure is ill-equipped to deal with the aftershocks of a huge earthquake.

Stay healthy

  • Bottled water is recommended since BSTI has not certified the tap water as potable. You can use it to wash the dishes, wash the clothes or wash yourself but you cannot drink it. Some hand-drawn tube wells are contaminated with naturally occurring arsenic. This arsenic ions will easily pass through filters designed to screen out bacteria. A more environmentally friendly option is to boil your own water or use purifying tablets. However, nothing short of distillation will remove arsenic. Renowned mineral water brands include Evian, Fresh, Mum, Pran, Spa, etc.
  • It's also wise to wash your hands before touching food with your bare hands. Use discretion when eating from street vendors . Make sure the food is freshly cooked and piping hot. Do not touch the food if you have not washed your hands properly with soap first!
  • Mosquitoes can be abundant in some areas and cities, especially during the rainy and humid seasons, and nets covering your bed at night are often provided, even in some of the cheapest hotels and in all households.
  • Consult a doctor if you feel feverish or ill. There are many hospitals, clinics, dispensaries and pharmacies around the country. Pharmacies in Bangladesh usually have a doctor's chamber where you can get an inexpensive medical checkup as well as a prescription before buying medicine. Large hospitals are mostly available in the city. Some reputable and popular hospitals in Bangladesh include Apollo Hospitals, Labaid Hospital, Square Hospital, United Hospital, etc. Since there is no universal free healthcare for foreigners, all medical establishments will ask you to pay first.
  • Litter can be a problem in some of the cities like Dhaka and Chittagong . Many efforts have been made in the 21st century to clean up the country, such as the banning of non-biodegradable plastic bags, but there is still a long way to go because most people use the many waterways as garbage dumps. It would be unwise to swim in most of the rivers and downright senseless in a lake.

Social etiquette and breaches

  • The Bangladeshis are indirect communicators . They are tempered by the need to save face and they will avoid saying anything that could be construed as critical, judgmental, or offensive. One's point is normally expressed in a roundabout, courteous manner.
  • The Bangladeshis value openness . It's not uncommon for Bangladeshis to communicate in long, rich, contexualised sentences. They try to not be boastful when communicating.
  • The Bangladeshis are attentive listeners . They will not try to interrupt whatever you are saying. To not stand out like a sore thumb, you should not attempt to interrupt someone's conversation either.
  • Direct personal questions are commonly asked. It's not uncommon for Bangladeshis to inquire about who you are, what your educational background is, and so on, but it is not appropriate to ask someone about their salary and profession.
  • The Bangladeshis respect their elders . As is the case in South Asia , Bangladesh is a hierarchical country, which means that respect is given to the elderly. It's commonly expected for the senior most person to make decisions in the business world. As obvious as it may sound, if an authority figure or an elderly person asks you to do something, respect them and do it. Don't do something that could cause them to feel challenged.
  • Do not refer to elders, strangers, or people in higher positions than you by their first names ; it is considered impolite. In some regions of the country, wives don't normally address their husbands by their first names.
  • It would be wise to understand a little bit about Islam if you plan on staying in the country for long; in a country where more than 90% of the population adheres to Islam, religious identities tend to take preference over national identities.
  • Always use your right hand when shaking hands, bringing something to someone, and so on. The left hand is considered unclean in Bangladesh. It would be considered impolite to use your left hand to offer something to someone.
  • Don't attempt to shake hands with or touch local women ; as this is a predominantly Muslim country, appropriate behaviour is expected from you. Put your hand on your heart and bow slightly to greet them.
  • Always behave appropriately in religious establishments and places of worship . If you are unsure about the rules, just ask. Some places may be closed off to non-devotees.

Things to avoid

Bangladeshis will understand that you are not fully aware of what's considered appropriate/inappropriate in their country, and they will usually be tolerant of your blunders. This said, there are some things which will be met with disapproval and you should avoid doing the following during your stay in the country.

  • Bangladeshis, in general, are ardently political, and politics is a very popular conversational subject amongst many Bangladeshis, including the older generation. Many Bangladeshis have a breadth of political opinions, including that of their own country. As a visitor, you'll be exposed to a breadth of political opinions both publicly and privately, even though most Bangladeshis often express frustration with the government. This said though, you could immediately be seen as uninformed if you do not follow Bangladeshi news closely. Don't hesitate to engage in political discussions, but it's worth mentioning that being a visitor puts you in a delicate position.
  • Bangladeshis are proud of their country and what they have achieved. Although they often complain about the problems and shortcomings that still exist, you should try not to criticise the country's current situation; it can cause offence. Always remember that the locals know more about their country than you do.
  • Bangladeshis are neither Indians nor Pakistanis ; they are nationals of their own separate country. Don't compare the country to either of those two countries, as there is the historic ballast.
  • Be careful when discussing the Bangladesh Liberation War. It may bring up bad memories for some people.

Islam is Bangladesh's state religion, but the right to religious freedom is vigorously defended in the country's constitution. The form of Islam practised by the majority of Bangladeshis is generally liberal and they are accepting of non-Muslims. Secular viewpoints are not uncommon.

  • During Ramadan , you should refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing in public. Not doing so would be seen as extremely rude.
  • Avoid criticising or speaking badly about religion. Even highly-educated people won't appreciate it.
  • Be mindful of someone's religious faith when giving them a gift . Do not gift Muslims alcohol and non-halal (pork, ham, etc.) products.

Electricity

Electricity is 220 Volts at 50 Hertz. There are three types of electrical outlets likely to be found in Bangladesh — the old British standard BS 546, the newer British standard BS 1363 and the European standard CEE-7/16 "Europlug". It's wise to pack adapters for all three.

Most men wear shirts and trousers or slacks. Or they wear punjabis (kurtas). Most women wear either a sari or a salwar kameez . Back in the day, the custom was that an unmarried girl would wear a salwar kameez and a married woman would wear a sari to signify that she is married. However, there are variations nowadays with unmarried women professionals wearing formal suits or saris. A salwar kameez is an easy/ready-to-wear three-piece outfit with a knee-length tunic ("kameez"); pants or jeans ("salwar"); and a matching scarf ("orna"). Foreign women may want to consider wearing at least the salwar kameez, out of general cultural respect. If sizes don't match, you can always have them made for you at any tailor's shop. Having said this, rapid westernization has changed how modern city dwellers dress. Jeans, shirts, skirts and t-shirts are common among the younger generation, although remember it's polite to keep your shoulders, chest and legs covered. This also goes for men. Shorts are worn only by young boys and undershirts, or sleeveless white vests without a shirt covering it, are worn when alone or only by the lowest class in public.

Men can easily leave their razors at home and rely on the ever-present barber shops where a basic shave will run around Tk 10-20. Make sure they use a new blade, though you won't usually have to ask. "Deluxe" shaves will run around double price and barbers will often assume foreign tourists want this, so be clear if you're just after a quick shave and don't want the massage and aftershave.

In upscale restaurants around 15% is expected, but outside of these at informal food joints and with street food vendors, it's the exception not the rule. Consider tipping the driver and delivery men modestly.

Newspaper sample

  • Dhaka Tribune
  • The Bangladesh Today
  • The Daily Observer
  • The Daily Star
  • The Financial Express
  • The Independent
  • The New Nation
  • The News Today [dead link]

FM radio stations sample

  • ABC Radio [dead link] (Dhaka) - 89.2 MHz
  • Foorti - 88.0 MHz (Dhaka), 98.4 MHz (Chittagong), 89.8 MHz (Sylhet)
  • Radio Today - 89.6 MHz(Dhaka), 88.6 MHz(Chittagong)
  • Radio Aamar - 88.4 MHz(Dhaka)
  • BBC World Service and BBC Bangla - 100.00 MHz

The country code for Bangladesh is 880 . Add a 0 to make a call to any Bangladesh city or region outside the national capital.

It is not possible to access international information (directory assistance) easily. If you need international directory assistance, check the Internet telephone directories. You can also dial 17 or 16402 from any landline for operator assistance provided in Bengali. Or dial 121 from any Bangladeshi mobile phone for operator assistance in both English and Bengali.

Landlines aren't reliable sometimes, even when you can find them. The government owned Bangladesh Telephone Company Ltd. (BTCL) or formerly BTTB and generally known as T&T is the public sector phone company and the major landline service in the country.

Mobile phones are better and more widely available. In most towns they'll be your only option, and many shop owners let theirs double as PCOs/ISDs. Banglalink [dead link] and Grameenphone are the most widely available, followed by Robi [dead link] , Teletalk and Airtel . All work on the GSM network and offer voice and data packages at reasonable prices – usually about Tk 150 to get started. International calls are possible and often more reasonably priced than you would expect. Especially if you're calling the US or major European countries.

Internet is available nationwide in Bangladesh via the mobile phone network. You can also find free WiFi connectivity in some places in the cities. Cable Internet and fiber optic Internet connections are available in the cities. For the rural areas however, 4G mobile networks are the best option.

You can also use mobile data packs. All mobile networks or carriers or mobile operators such as Banglink, Grameenphone, Robi, Teletalk (government owned) and Airtel offer low cost 4G Internet voice and data packs which you can use with your smartphone. If you want internet on your laptop, you should buy a 4G flash modem from any mobile network or carrier. This modem will plug in the USB port of your laptop and provide seamless broadband internet access all over Bangladesh. The 4G flash modem can cost Tk 1000 to Tk 1300 and will come with a data (Internet) pack.

Bangladesh has some of the lowest voice and data prices in the world. You can buy 1GB data at Tk 50 or less from any mobile network. Just call the network's 24 hour call center by dialing 121. You can speak in English with call center agents.

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BANGLADESH: The Country of Bengali

Airport guide, currency and exchange, foreign embassies, health advice, national holidays, quick facts, traveler's guide, vacation ideas, business and economy, famous people, art galleries, national parks, places of interest, religious sites, eco tourism, golf courses, outdoor activities.

Located on the subcontinent of India, Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) gained its independence in 1971 and enacted a constitution the following year. An extensive network of montane rivers, including the Surma-Meghna river system and the Karatoya-Atrai River, which flow into the Ganges Delta, make up the riverine country and its geography. Bengali features about 300 active rivers, tributaries, wetlands, and fresh water swamp forests, including 30-plus islands along the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh offers travelers a variety of attractions to explore, such as 48 protected areas, including sanctuaries, eco-parks, ruins, reefs, game reserves, and bio-reserves. Moreover, the country boasts several UNESCO World Heritage sites, 58 museums of national significance, and 17 national parks.

Although tourists can visit a large number of beautiful and historical attractions and sites, tourism is not heavily emphasized. Therefore, Bangladesh represents the ideal tourist spot – one where you can discover unknown regions and visit some of the world’s most magnificent religious sites without distraction. The Buddhist viharas, Hindu temples, and gold-domed mosques will give you a taste of the diverse cultures and traditions of the local people.

Choose from diverse places of interest, such as Shaheed Minar and other architectural masterpieces. If you love the great outdoors, our regional guide offers must-see destinations featuring mangroves, beaches, and mountain woodlands. Water sports activities, skiing, and hiking provide adventure-seekers with plenty of sites and attractions to visit.

Your Own Special Destination

Formerly known as East Pakistan, Bangladesh sits east of India, at the mouth of the Jamuna River. Many of the attractions or wildlife you will see, such as Mughal palaces, growling Bengal tigers, glistening domed mosques, or palm-lined beaches, can be all yours to see and explore. While it was believed that the tourist trade would gain momentum after the country’s civil war and independence, it has yet to surface, so far.

Getting Familiar with the Culture

Dhaka , Bangladesh’s capital, once was a busy port for the country of Bengal. Now, the bustling city features rickshaw-crammed thoroughfares, boat-thronged piers, movie posters on rain-washed buildings, and a general cacophony of rickshaw bells and car horns. While this type of activity may, at first, shock your cultural senses, the friendliness of the locals will soften your first impression.

South of Dhaka, the Jamuna River divides into a network of jungled streams and tributaries, where the Sundarbans forest awaits – a mangrove refuge and home for the Bengal tiger. To get to the Sundarbans, many travelers go by boat. Adventures can find boat transport – from a coracle to a powered paddle boat. The coracle, designed for one person, provides a way to travel, but is primarily made for fishing. Boat travel regularly takes place between Dhaka and Khulna, which is Bangladesh’s third largest city.

The City of Khulna

Khulna, which sits at the mouth of the Rupsa River, is known for its newsprint production and shrimp processing. It is also the only place in the country that features telephone cabling. The city, which is home to jute mills and ship-building activities, features a medical center, university, and naval base.

Speaking the Language

Because English is not widely spoken, it helps to learn a little of the local language Bangla, also called Bengali, before you travel to Bangladesh. While the Bengali in Bangladesh compares closely with the Bengali spoken in India, the main difference concerns the degree in which it is spoken. Outside of Bengali cities, English becomes obsolete. Moreover, the Bengali script is used for numbers, which can be a challenge if you are checking a seat number on a train or the prices in a store.

As an uncommon travel destination, Bangladesh has gained the reputation as an undiscovered gem on the Asian continent. Because the country does not experience a great deal of tourism, a person from another country draws interest and attention – most of which is kind and friendly. Many of the locals will ask politely, “Excuse me please – What is your country?” In fact, you may have to answer that question a lot.

Getting Around the Country

Because the country lacks a touristy reputation, it can be difficult to get around. Some roads may be unpaved and independent travel to remote areas can be difficult if you are not somewhat familiar with the Bengali language. However, travel from city to city can be accomplished by train and you can journey by boat as well.

While you can see beautiful landscapes and attractions in Bangladesh , the country can also display a raw side – one that contains poverty, dirt, and pollution. Therefore, you may need to go to a more travel-friendly venue if you are not comfortable with experiencing several types of conditions. Many people describe Bangladesh as a less refined version of India. However, that description does not extend to the country’s cultural richness and the small surprises that it holds for inquisitive travelers.

Therefore, the main concern you will have as a traveler in Bangladesh is, again, in getting around – which often means going by train or boat. What you will discover, at least, if you travel by train, is that most of the tracks seem to lead back to the capital, Dhaka.

However, you can go by train from the North West (such as the Rangpur and divisions ) to the South West without stopping in Dhaka. You can also journey from Sylhet in the North East to Chittagong in the same region without passing through the capital. Buses connect divisions to Dhaka, but not usually to one another. Therefore, as a traveler to Bangladesh, it helps to plan your itinerary around attractions in the capital.

Shankharia Bazar: Hindu Street

One of the must-see streets to visit in Dhaka is Shankharia Bazar. The avenue, also known as Hindu Street, bursts with colors and incense, revealing a generally friendly atmosphere. Matchbox-sized workshops and shops invite exploration and shankharis (Hindu artisans) create products, such as kites, bangles made of conch shells, wedding hats, and grave markers. The noted craftspeople come from an ancestry that has lived in the city for 300 years. During the city’s Hindu festivals, the area is especially flamboyant. However, the street is colorful, regardless of when you plan a visit.

What do you think? Are you ready to explore Bangladesh? If so, mark your travel calendar for a visit now. Stop in Dhaka first, explore the sites and attractions and then plan your excursion from there.

Country Profile

Bangladesh is home to the world’s 8th largest population. It shares borders with two countries: Myanmar (to the south east) and India and the Bay of Bengal (south).  The topography is varied and divided into three geographic regions yet characterized by predominately rich farmland. Most of the land is situated at sea level but the tallest point reaches about 1,065m (3,500 ft) at Keokradong.  Bangladesh has an abundance of wildlife and is home to much of the world’s largest mangroves forest, or Sundarbans which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bangladesh has one of the world’s fastest growing and emerging economies with a robust textiles and manufacturing sector.  Its major trading partner is India and together form South Asia’s largest trading partnership. The country has 9 significant maritime ports with one of the world’s most extensive and largest inland network of waterways, and three international airports .

The Bangladesh government a representative democracy and is a unitary parliamentary republic with a multi-party system.  It has a President and Prime Minister together three branches of government: Executive (headed by the Prime Minister), Judicial (with a Chief Justice) and Legislative (National Assembly or Jatiya Sangshad).  Bangladesh is divided into 8 regions or administrative divisions, each named after a major city and further divided into 64 districts.

The Chittagong Division has the largest land area (33,910 km²) with the Dhaka Division having the largest population (40.1 million).  Amongst other international organizations, Bangladesh is a member of the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Commonwealth of Nations, International Monetary Fund and is a founding member of the “Developing 8 Countries”.

Below is our country profile containing facts and information to familiarize you with Bangladesh.

Country name : Bangladesh (গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রীবাংলাদেশ – Bengali) Official Name : People’s Republic of Bangladesh Country Motto : No official motto National Slogan : “Joy Bangla” or “Victory to Bengal” (Bengali) Formation : Declaration of State Sovereignty (1971) Historical Nicknames : None Location : South Asia

National Anthem : “Amar Sonar Bangla” (Bengali);“My Golden Bengal” (English) Official Language : Bengali Nationality : Bangladeshi Capital and Largest City : Dhaka Select Cities : Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Rangpur Selected Points of Interest : Mohera Jomidar Bari, Nava Ratna Temple,

Government : Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic Major Religions : Islam (89.5%), Hinduism (8.5%), Buddhism (1%), Christianity Population : 161,500,000 (2018 est.) Life expectancy : 70.4 years (males) and 73.9 years (females); 72 years of age (overall) Largest Ethnic Groups : Bengali (98%) and 12 additional ethnic groups

National Colors : Green and Red National Dress : Sari (female) and Kurta (mails) National Symbols : Royal Bengal Tiger (animal), The Mango (tree), The Shapla (flower) National Sport : Kabadi (contact team sport)

Area : 147,500Km² (56,900mi²), 6.4% water Average Temperature : Varies significantly depending on region with temperatures between 11°C (53°F) [Saidpur and Rangpur] and 42°C (108 °F) [Dhaka] Climate : November-March (dry season) 13°C (55°F), October (Monsoon season), December (Winter begins)

Highest Point : Saka Haphong – Mowdok Taung –1,050m (3445ft) Lowest Point : Bay of Bengal (sea level) Longest River : Karatoya-Atrai-Gurgumari-Hursagar, length 615km (383mi) Deepest Lake : Bogakain Lake153m(502ft) Largest Lake : Kaptai Lake 11,122Km² (4,293 Sq mi)

Alphabet : Bengali: বাংলাবর্ণমালা Calling Code : +880 Geographic Coordinates : 23.685° N 90.3563° E Currency : Bangladeshi Taka (BDT); denominated by symbol (৳) Driving Side : Left Time Zone : Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+6) Internet TLD : .bd

Bangladesh Travel

Where should i visit in bangladesh.

Bangladesh has many wonderful destinations to visit whether you are seeking to tour urban centers or immerse yourself in the vast countryside dotted with rural villages.  Bangladesh has many dozens of historical sites, landmarks and national treasures such as religious sites and art galleries. Some popular attractions include museums such as the Liberation War Museum or the National Museum in Dhaka. Religious sites like the Star Mosque, Dhakeshwari Temple or historical sites such the Tajhat Palace are highly recommended by astute travelers.  Performing arts centers and galleries such as National Art Gallery or the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts also offer unique and memorable insights into the rich culture and heritage of the Bangladeshi peoples.

When is the best time of year to travel to Bangladesh?

Bangladesh has a varied climate but is mostly subtropical. The annual weather is comprised of six seasonal cycles with rainfall averaging between 160 cm and 400cm, in the West and Northeast respectively.  Depending on the time of year, the country is susceptible to flooding and monsoons with runoff from the Himalayas. Across the country temperatures can range from 9° C (49° F) – 29° C (84°F) (from December through February, to as high as 20° C (68 °F) – 33° C (92° F) in the summer months. The monsoon season usually starts June and ends in October. Generally, the dry season between November to March and December considered to be the best time of year to visit.

Do I need a visa to visit Bangladesh?

All foreign visitors are required to possess a valid visa issued by a diplomatic Bangladesh mission to enter the country. Depending on your country of origin, Bangladesh allows an application for a visa upon arrival from all European Union countries, Canada and the United States. There are 23 countries from which a visitor is exempt from a visa. Most visitors, business travelers and investors can obtain a single-entry visa upon their arrival provided they possess a valid passport, $500.00 in cash or credit and have a return ticket.  The length of stay permitted on a single-entry visa is 30 days. It is strongly recommended that visitors determine and secure the required documentation before attempting to enter Bangladesh.

Away With The Steiners

Travel In Bangladesh: A Complete Travel Guide For Bangladesh.

  • By Sarah Steiner
  • Updated On April 20, 2024

Bangladeshi care and hospitality is outstanding. At the time of writing this we haven’t even left Bangladesh and already I am feeling a pang of sadness knowing we will move on soon. If you are thinking about travel in Bangladesh and wondering whether to take the leap and book that trip or not…

Book it now.

Travel in Bangladesh is unique.  It’s not easy nor a mainstream destination to travel.  But if getting off the beaten track is the kind of travel you like, that is exactly what makes Bangladesh so special. 

Here is our complete travel guide for Bangladesh including all of the details of where we stayed in each city, how to get around Bangladesh, how to (and whether to) travel in Bangladesh with kids and a whole bunch of other tips to make your Bangladesh adventure as smooth as possible… 

  • About Bangladesh
  • Need-to-know history
  • Best time to visit
  • Visas  
  • Money and ATM’s
  • Our itinerary in Bangladesh
  • Places to see – Dhaka – Barisal – Bagerhat – Mongla – Sreemangal – Sylhet – Cox’s Bazar – Chittagong – Ekduaria Village
  • Travel in Bangladesh with kids
  • Health and safety
  • What to wear  
  • Transportation

Connectivity and WIFI

  • SIM cards  
  • Accommodation options
  • Where we stayed
  • Tour or independent travel?

About Bangladesh; first just quickly

  • Full name:  People’s Republic of Bangladesh
  • Capital:  Dhaka
  • Language:  Bengali (Bangla) 
  • Main Religion:  Islam
  • Currency:  Bangladeshi Taka (code: BDT; symbol: Tk)
  • Population:  167,000,000
  • Time Zone:  National Standard Time (UTC+6)
  • Calling Code:  +880
  • Drives On:  Left
  • Credit Cards:  Visa/MC/AmEx accepted
  • Emergency Number:  Ambulance/Police 999
  • Outlets:   Plug Type C, D, G and K (220 V / 50 Hz)

How to travel in Bangladesh travel guide.

And a little bit of history about Bangladesh 

On our first day out in Dhaka we learnt some very interesting history about Bangladesh.  

Our guide told us that his grandfather was born in India; his father was born in Pakistan; and he was born in Bangladesh.  But they were all born  in the same village …

Until 1947, Bangladesh was part of India.  The region that is now marked out as the country of Bangladesh was known as ‘East Bengal’. 

In 1947 India gained independence from British colonial rule and the sub-continent was partitioned into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.  The partition led to the largest migration crisis in history with over 14 million people becoming refugees.  Many Hindu families moved from Pakistan to India and Muslims from India to Pakistan. 

Bangladesh was known at this time as ‘East Pakistan’ and was governed from Islamabad (in ‘West Pakistan’) – something that was unpopular with many Bangladeshis and ultimately spurred the struggle for Bengali rights. 

In 1971 Bangladesh (with the support of India) fought Pakistan for independence in what was known as the Bangladesh Liberation War and became the independent country that is Bangladesh today. 

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Best time to visit Bangladesh

The best time visit Bangladesh is during the ‘cool season’ (effectively considered winter in Bangladesh) from November to February.  Days are warm averaging a comfortable 25°C and nights are cooler. 

From March onwards the days get rapidly hotter and monsoon generally arrives sometime in June.  

But hey; we ignored the suggested best time to visit Bangladesh and travelled for a month during May with a few (welcomed) afternoon rain showers and otherwise great (hot) weather. 

Bangladesh requires all foreigners to obtain permission, specifically a visa, to enter its territory unless exempted.  Visas for Bangladesh are issued by Bangladesh diplomatic missions located throughout the world.  Or, if application, on arrival in Bangladesh.

The following countries are specifically listed as countries whose citizens may obtain Bangladesh visa on arrival for the purpose of tourism:

  • All European Union member states, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Oman Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States. 

In addition, citizens of the following countries are known to require a visa:

  • Algeria, Belize, Brazil, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Macao, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.  

The Visa On Arrival fee must be paid only in cash in US dollars or Euros when entering Bangladesh.   And the cost per person is $51 USD or €51 EUR, with all taxes included. 

Standard tourism visas (and VOAs) are single-entry for 30 days.   

However it can be extended for an additional 30 days. Applicants can apply for the extension of the Visa On Arrival up to a week before visa expiry but not sooner. Visa extensions are available at the Department of Immigration and Passports located in Shere-E-Bangla Nagar, West Agargaon, Dhaka City.

  • Check: Definitely do your research and make sure you confirm your visa eligibility for travel to Bangladesh with plenty of time before you fly.  

Kawran Bazar, Bangladesh is worth traveling to in Bangladesh.

Currency and cash in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) is the currency of Bangladesh.  

There are banknotes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 BDT (although 2 and 5 taka notes are rare).   

At the time we travelled (May 2022) these are the exchange rates for Bangladesh:

  • 100 BDT = 1.16 USD
  • 1000 BDT = 11.59 USD
  • 10000 BDT = 115.88 USD

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh. Money and currency ATMs.

ATM’s and money

All ATMs we tried offer an English menu.  And more than that, in the big cities they also offer a few minutes of peace (and air conditioning) inside away from the bustle and chaos… 

These bank ATM’s accept international cards: 

  • AB Bank Limited
  • Dutch-Bangla Bank
  • Premiere Bank 
  • One Bank 

And note the ATM’s were not working at the arrivals hall of the airport when we landed in Dhaka.  (None of them!).  We exchanged some USD to purchase a SIM card and found an ATM close to our hotel the next day. 

ATM's in Bangladesh. Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Language for travel in Bangladesh

Bengali (or Bangla )  is the official language in Bangladesh and is the 8 th  most-spoken language in the world.

Globally there are over 230,000,000 speakers of Bengali.  

English is not widely spoken in Bangladesh.  And even train and ticket numbers are commonly written in Bangla.  Outside of the cities it can be tricky to find someone to translate.  But those who can speak English (even if it’s patchy) always come forward to help. 

Bangladeshis are hospitable and will try their best to help regardless of barriers to verbally communicate.  

The most common greeting you will hear is the traditional Islamic greeting ‘ Asalaam Aleikum’ .  Hindus use the Bengali greeting ‘Nomoshkar’.  And admittedly it can be tricky to distinguish religion at first glance (not all Muslim women cover their hair, and some Hindu women do). But play it safe with a smile and you will be happily received.  

Useful Bangla words to learn

  • Hello:  Assalamu alaikum/Nomoshkar
  • How are you?  Kemon achen? Kemon acho? 
  • I am well:  Ami bhalo achi 
  • What is your name?  Apnar naam kee? 
  • Which country?  Kona desa ( desh )
  • Thank you:  Dhonnobad
  • Thanks a lot:  Onek dhonnobad
  • Yes:  Hae
  • No:  Na
  • Water:  Pani
  • Good morning:  Shubho shokal
  • Goodbye:  Khuda hafez / Allah hafez 

The phrase you will get most used to hearing is ‘ Kona desh?’.    Which country?   ‘Desh’ means land/country (as in, Bangla desh ).  And trust me; you will quickly begin to pick up on people asking you that…

Once you tune in you will hear that phrase  more than any other Bangla words around you.   (Tourists are not common – not in the city; not anywhere really – and everyone wants to know where you are from).

Men commonly shake hands and further respect is expressed with a hand over heart.  [Note though that women and men rarely shake hands with one another so don’t extend a handshake first as a traveling female]. 

And a further note without regard to the upcoming challenge of language barriers…  More so be prepared and ready for the stares/ staring /stares and selfie requests… 

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh. Visit Cox Bazar.

Our itinerary for travel in Bangladesh

Contemplating an itinerary for travel in Bangladesh is like opening a can of worms.  The direction you can take in this country are endless.  But the tricky thing is that many routes around Bangladesh end up stopping back in at Dhaka.  (I told you Dhaka is ceremoniously like the beating heart of this incredible country). 

Here’s our slightly jumbled but brilliant itinerary for Bangladesh. 

  • Dhaka  > launch >  Barisal 
  • Barisal  > minivan  >  Mongla
  • Mongla  > minivan  >  Morrelgonj
  • Morrelgonj  > launch >  Dhaka
  • Dhaka  > train >  Sreemangal
  • Sreemangal  > train >  Sylhet
  • Sylhet  > flight >  Cox Bazaar
  • Cox Bazaar  > bus >  Chittagong
  • Chittagong  > train >  Dhaka 
  • Dhaka  > minivan >  Ekduaria
  • Ekduaria  > minivan >  Dhaka 

Where to go in Bangladesh (the places we reckon you  need  to see) 

Now for the most important part of this travel guide for Bangladesh.  

This is the best part. 

Geographically Bangladesh is a large country and distances between cities are great.  We spent one month travelling in Bangladesh and the following are the highlights that we found (and would recommend you see too). 

Dhaka (the capital city)

Dhaka is the beating heart of Bangladesh.  It is as if the waterways of Bangladesh stem out from Dhaka like the veins taking life to the far reaches of the country…

And I’m not going to lie. 

Dhaka is not for the faint hearted. 

But it is incredible. 

Our itinerary around Bangladesh with kids saw us stop and stay  four times in Dhaka .  (I told you it was jumbled!).  But we used the bustling capital city as our base to explore different directions of the country…

Things to do in Dhaka

  • Visit Old Dhaka:  The heart of the city and what was once was the 17 th  century Mughal capital of Bengal.
  • Go shopping at New Market:  The place I recommend to purchase a salwar kameez/panjabi to wear.
  • Lalbagh Fort:  A beautiful and historic (unfinished) fort from the Mughal era. 
  • Ashan Manzil:  Designated as a national museum and known as the Pink Palace this was once the residence of the Nawabs of Dhaka. 
  • Shadeed Minar:  Martyr’s Monument built to honour those who lost their lives in 1952 during the Bengali Language Movement. 
  • Tara Masjid Mosque:  Small but beautiful mosque renowned for the striking blue stars made of mosaic. 
  • See the Armenian Church:  Built by the Armenian community that was present in Bangladesh in the 1700s and 1800s(!).  

Lalbagh Fort, Dhaka is a good place to start for travel in Bangladesh.

Transportation from Dhaka

  • Train to Sreemangal: 6 hours
  • Train to Khulna: 9 hours
  • Train to Chittagong: 8 hours
  • Bus to Sreemangal: 6 hours
  • Bus to Chittagong: 10 hours
  • Launch ferry to Barisal: Overnight 

Sreemangal – Travel in Bangladesh

A small(er) town north of Dhaka that is easy to reach by train from the city.  The highlight of Sreemangal is definitely the renowned 7 and 8-layered tea…

Things to do in Sreemangal

  • Drink layered tea:  A must-do in Sreemangal.  Get a rickshaw to the nearby Adi Nilkantha Tea Cabin and meet Mr. Gour who invented this colorful layered style of tea. 
  • Visit a school:  It’s easier to meet people in a smaller town and Sreemangal has plenty of schools (that will likely invite you in as you walk past).  
  • Dine at the London Restaurant:  We determined this another icon of Sreemangal and enjoyed tandoori chicken, naan and salad at this busy restaurant. 

Colourful 8-layered tea in Sreemangal, Bangladesh. How to visit Bangladesh.

Sylhet 

This city and the surrounding division is famous for TEA.  Over 90% of Bangladesh’s tea is produced in Sylhet.  

Sylhet city is 250km northeast of Dhaka and is the north-eastern division in Bangladesh.  (And interestingly when looking at it on a map it is almost entirely surrounded by India with border on the north, south and east of Sylhet division).  

Things to do in Sylhet

  • Tea plantations:  This is what Sylhet is famous for. Hire a driver and head just out of the city to Malnicherra Tea Estate.
  • Ali Amjad’s Clock Tower:  If you arrive by train you might catch a glimpse of this iconic clock as you cross the river from the station.  
  • Hazarat Shahjalal Mazar Sharif:  Beautiful shrine attracting thousands of people from different parts of the country, irrespective of religion and caste, every day.
  • Keane Bridge:  Built in 1936 this bridge is called the gateway to Sylhet city.  

Hazarat Shahjalal Mazar Sharif in Sylhet is worth visiting during your travel in Bangladesh.

Transportation from Sylhet

  • Train to Dhaka: 7 hours
  • Train to Sreemangal: 2.5 hours
  • Flight to Dhaka: 35 mins 
  • Bus to Dhaka: 8+ hours

Barisal is one of the major rice production centres of Bangladesh known for the production of Balam rice (and for its fish export – one of the main sights to see is the fish market).  But Barisal is also well known now for it’s unique floating vegetable and timber markets…

Things to do in Barisal

  • Fish market:  This is a bustling highlight of Barisal and not to be missed (if you don’t mind the bustle and/or the fish market smell!). 
  • Floating vegetable market:  As far as tourism-draws in Bangladesh this is a big one and a beautiful morning out seeing an entirely different way of living. 
  • Floating timber market:  Not far from Baitha Katha vegetable markets and stretches for kilometres. 
  • Korapur Miah Bari Mosque:  Three-domed mosque thought to have been built in the late 18 th  century. 

Transportation from Barisal

  • Launch ferry to Dhaka: Overnight
  • Taxi to Bagerhat: 3 hours
  • Taxi to Mongla: 4 hours
  • Bus to Khulna: 5-6 hours 

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh. How to get to Barisal.

Khulna and Bargerhat

The city of Khulna on the west of Bangladesh is essentially a gateway city to the Sundarbans and the small mosque-filled city of Bagerhat.  

Things to do in Khulna

  • Take a ferry over the river:  Like most of Bangladesh seeing the cities by river adds a different perspective (and is a cheap alternative).
  • Visit the UNESCO 60-Domed Mosque:  The largest mosque in Bangladesh remaining from the sultanate period. 
  • See the mausoleum of Khan Jahan Ali:  An interesting smaller site with a significant religious influence in Bangladeshi history.   

The centuries-old mausoleum of Khan Jahan Ali in Bagerhat. How to get to Sreemangal and how to get to Sylhet Bangladesh.

Transportation from Bagerhat

  • Taxi to Barisal: 3 hours
  • Bus to Khulna: 1 hour
  • Taxi to Mongla: 1.5 hours

Transportation from Khulna

  • Bus to Bagerhat: 1 hour
  • Train to Dhaka: 9 hours 
  • Bus to Dhaka: 7 hours
  • Bus to Mongla: 2 hours

Mongla and Sundarbans

Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest that spans Bangladesh and the south of West Bengal in India. 

Things to do in Mongla

  • Sundarbans river cruise:  Take a boat up the rivers and canals of the largest mangrove forest in the world.   
  • Harbaria Eco Park:  Walk the boardwalk through the mangroves and feed deer at the animal conservation and breeding centre on the main island.  
  • Mongla village day tour:  Another highlight of Mongla was the chance to see smaller villages within the district (and especially by 3-wheel electric rickshaw). 

Watching out for Bengal Tigers while walking in the Sundarbans. A beautiful place to visit during your travel in Bangladesh.

Cox’s Bazar

Cox’s Bazar is the home of the longest natural sea beach in the world.  And it’s a beautiful spot to see in the late afternoon golden hour as the sun sets over the Bay of Bengal. 

Things to do in Cox’s Bazar

  • Cox’s Bazar Beach:  Join the crowds and marvel at the beautiful sunset (and eat some candy floss) on the longest beach in the world. 
  • Himchori Waterfall:  A shallow but beautiful waterfall located in the National Park not far from main beach in Cox’s Bazar. 
  • Inani Beach:  Part of Cox’s Bazar beach, Inani has unique black and coral stones cover the shore line during the rainy and summer seasons. 
  • Star Kabab:  We’ve added this as a must-eat in Cox’s Bazar… Highly recommend for a tasty (and friendly) dinner. 

How to get to Cox Bazar and travel guide to Bangladesh.

Transportation from Cox’s Bazar

  • Bus to Chittagong: 5 hours
  • Flight to Dhaka: 50 mins

Chittagong is a large port city on the south-eastern coast of Bangladesh and is second-largest city in the country.  It is another very busy city and like Dhaka, the streets are filled with masses of cycle and auto-rickshaws.  There isn’t much in the way of tourists sights to see but Chittagong is a useful gateway to the Hill Tracts area or south to Cox’s Bazar. 

And for us, Chittagong was a bit more special as we celebrated my birthday.  (I had never previously imagined my birthday at an amusement park in Chittagong but there we were!). 

Things to do in Chittagong

  • Shishu Amusement Park:  Located in the heart of the city this is a small (and old) amusement park for children with around 15 simple rides. 
  • Take a boat ride from Saderghat:  Similarly to Dhaka it’s easy to get a cheap wooden boat across the river and beautiful to see at sunset. 
  • Visit the ship breaking yards:  Not easy to do – after child labour was exposed at the yards – rather it’s easier to see the ship yards from a distance by boat. 
  • Get ice cream sundaes : Not technically a sight of Chittagong but one we have to share. Sub Zero is near opposite Shishu Park and does a great oreo sundae… 

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Ekduaria Village

It’s hard to decide, but for us the opportunity to stay in and be part of a small village in rural Bangladesh is perhaps the most memorable week of our trip.  

The cities are bustling and the towns have a lot going on.  But seeing day to day life in a rural village is the kind of travel you can’t imagine until you get there. 

I am going to dedicate an entire blog (or two, or more) to sharing our experience in Ekduaria Village, but for now here are some of the highlights… 

What to see in Bangladesh? Looking for a local experience in Bangladesh village?

Things to do in Ekduaria Village

  • Milk a cow:  Meet the local farmers and collect milk for breakfast (walk back through the village with your tin of fresh, warm milk). 
  • Harvest vegetables:  From the backyard garden and collect pumpkins, squash and okra from the farm 
  • Drink tea with locals:  At the market chai stand or in people’s homes (this is Bangladeshi hospitality).
  • Wander the small streets:  And talk to people along the way (don’t worry about the language barrier; there’s much to talk about even without words). 
  • Go and watch a soccer game:  The local high school field is the place to be for an energetic inter-village match
  • Cook in a mud-kitchen:  Learn how to make paratha, curry, rice-pancakes and much more. 
  • Offer to help:  Go and help the farmers with some of their daily chores (they will laugh but you will love it!).  

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

As we awaited the return of confirmed travel visas for Bangladesh we let slip to a few of our close friends that we were planning a trip to Bangladesh – with kids.  

After the initial eye-bulging return stare of said friends and family, the first question was always of safety.  Is Bangladesh safe?!  

Now, having been and travelled Bangladesh – and  survived  thrived – our summary is not of safety concerns… But those of health. 

There’s no two ways about it.  Health and hygiene are legitimate concerns for travel in Bangladesh.  

Dhaka is one of the most polluted (and obviously the most populous) cities in the world.  And hygiene standards are low. 

Like low, low.  Really low. 

There is only so much you can do as prevention in these circumstances.  

  • Carry a basic-but-sensibly-stocked  medical kit . You can read details of everything we carry in our medical kit here.  Rehydration sachets are (reflectively)  recommended  essential in Bangladesh… 
  • Always  wash your hands before and after eating  (and/or carry hand sanitiser).  Bangladeshi custom is to eat with your hands so this is even more important. 
  • Drink bottled water .  As above, it’s contradictory to all that we try to uphold in sustainable travel but worth it to be safe and  prevent all  prevent diahhroea where possible.  
  • Avoid  ice, salads and fruit washed in water .  You don’t know where the water came from (and it’s likely not filtered). 
  • Avoid  mosquito bites .  Especially in the golden hour of sunset, wear long trousers and use mosquito repellent. And if available/offered, sleep under a mosquito net.  

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Food in Bangladesh 

Bangladesh is a land of rice.  

And I would say also a land of BBQ meat, bhaji, jackfruit and flatbreads.  

But the most exciting part about food in Bangladesh? Bangladeshis use their hands to eat.  

It is definitely something of a practised art form to eat entirely sans cutlery.  But a few days into it you will find yourself ignoring the especially sought out fork and joining the local way. 

The right hand is used to scoop food into your mouth and it is considered bad etiquette to eat with your left hand.  Rather, the left hand should be used to hold the plate or assist with serving.  

Every eatery no matter how big or small will have a ‘wash room’ or handwashing station.  (Albeit you may need to scoop the water from a bucket).  But get into it and give it a go.  There is a whole list of delicious tastes and dishes that await you! 

  • Biryani:  Rice and marinated meat cooked in lots of spices
  • Kabab:  BBQ chicken roasted to perfection 
  • Bhaji:  Roasted vegetables in a light curry flavour (served at any time of day)
  • Kichuri:  Rice and lentils seasoned with turmeric and ghee
  • Morog Polao  (chicken Pilaf): Rice cooked with stock (= amazing!)
  • Haleem:  Spicy lentil soup
  • Shingara : AKA  samosa  (pastry filled with spiced potatoes, onions, peas)
  • Parata:  Bengali wheat-flour flatbread often served at breakfast
  • Luchi:  Deep-fried flatbread with the perfect puff! 
  • Mishti  (sweet): Dahl dessert made with milk and sugar
  • Borhani:  Thick, frothy yoghurt-like drink
  • Jilapi/Jalebi:  Deep-fried, sweet snack (crystalised sugar) 

Wondering what food to eat while traveling in Bangladesh? Here we are eating Mishti in a small village in Mongla.

Food in Bangladesh with kids

  • Chai:  Always sweet and pretty standard in taste 
  • BBQ Chicken:  Our kids loved the chicken kabab and BBQ chicken in Bangladesh! 
  • Dal:  Lentil, peas and beans made into a thick stew. (Sounds unappetising but an easy meal to eat with rice).  And it’s gentle on small tummies. 
  • Biryani:  This well-known rice dish is always fairly standard
  • Paratha:  Flat bread that has been deep fried (say no more)
  • Naan:  Always reliable as a simple meal base
  • Sweet lassi:  Traditional yoghurt-based drink (like a milkshake)
  • Falooda:  Ice cream dessert made with rose syrup, custard and pieces of jelly

And fruit and drinking coconuts!  We arrived just at the beginning of mango season which was delicious.  And we ate far more than our fair share of jackfruit in the village.

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Drinking water

Tap water is not safe to drink in Bangladesh.  And unfortunately, finding filtered water to refill your drink bottle is not easy. 

If you have a steripen or UV water filter definitely bring this for your trip as it’s not a nice feeling to buy plastic bottles of drinking water in a country that is seriously struggling with plastic/pollution… 

Best to play it safe.  And watch out for cups/cutlery that is dripping from being washed in unsanitary water. 

Are there supermarkets and/or recognisable shops in Bangladesh? 

This is probably about the time I have to confess we even ordered takeaway chicken and chips one evening from Food Panda.  In other words; in the city, Bangladesh isn’t far behind with takeaways and food delivery services.  

However, many of the big brands (McDonalds, Starbucks etc) are not in Bangladesh.  

Agora  is a popular supermarket chain and stores can be found in the main cities. 

Agora Supermarket part of our complete guide to travel in Bangladesh 2024.

What to wear for travel in Bangladesh

I love this part of travel Bangladesh. The country is obviously populous (200,000,000 obvious) but oh Bangladesh, you are oh-so-colourful…

Bangladesh is a majority Islamic country and there are expectations for what to wear for travel in the cities and especially in the rural areas.  

For women long pants are always expected.  In the cities is ok(ish) to wear a smart, short-sleeved top. But I would recommend out of the city at least ¾ sleeves.  

I found the best clothing for Bangladesh was the local style of (brightly coloured) salwar kameez.  This is the typical Bangladeshi 3-piece costume of loose trousers, long (below your bottom) tunic-style top and scarf draped across your chest or over your head.  

The salwar kameez is made from fabric that is cool to wear and is addictively colourful.   

For men, advice is similarly conservative but with slightly more flexibility.  Men in shorts  can  be spotted on occasion. But being realistic, it’s not a common sight.  Long pants/trousers and a shirt for men is recommended (and expected, really). 

And for kids – especially young kids – it’s more relaxed.  Our boys enjoyed trying the local style of  Panjabi  (particularly as locals had never seen boys with long hair before!). 

Bangladeshi costumes you will see day-to-day:

  • Salwar kameez  (f): long tunic top and loose trousers
  • Orna  (f): scarf to drape over shoulders or neck (part of the salwar kameez costume)
  • Saree  (f): the main traditional women’s costume of Bangladesh most commonly seen on women in the villages
  • Lungyi  (m): males sarong-like skirt made from tubular length of fabric
  • Panjabi  (m): long, loose shirt.  
  • Fatua  (m): short version of the Panjabi (short, loose shirt) 
  • Gamcha  (m): a colourful, cotton towel (spun by local handloom) often worn around the neck by workers to be used as a body towel 

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Transportation in Bangladesh

Transport and travel in Bangladesh can be as tricky as you make it.

There is road travel (taxis, buses, vans), train travel (express trains and a new metro to come), river travel (the most traditional means of travel in Bangladesh) and rickshaws (pedal and auto).

Don’t try and over complicate things haggling for a best price (especially over a few cents). You will draw a crowd regardless but even more so if you’re trying to negotiate with a driver. And don’t be afraid to walk away. They know how much it should cost and you don’t need to be ripped off just because you’re a foreigner.

Getting around by auto rickshaw (CNG) – travel in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has electric and CNG auto rickshaws that are easy to flag down and take for short to medium distances in the cities and towns.  

For a 2km distance it costs around 100Tk (USD $1.15).  Just be sure to negotiate and confirm the price before you climb in.  

Getting around by cycle rickshaw – travel in Bangladesh

This is by far the most authentic mode of transport in Bangladesh.  It only costs a few taka for a short distance by cycle rickshaw (just not so easy for us as a family of four – we need to get two!).  

Travel in Bangladesh 2024. Complete travel guide to Bangladesh.

Train travel in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is well known for train travel.  It’s likely you will have seen images of hundreds of people riding on the roof of trains… 

Well, we did see people on the rooftops (and heard big thumps as they leapt on the roof above us from one carriage to the next!).   But the police are trying reduce the number of people riding on the top and fortunately we didn’t see quite as many as anticipated.  

It’s relatively easy to book a train ticket at the main railway station in Dhaka.  The most challenging part of booking is battling the traffic in a taxi to get there.  If you don’t have hours to spare you can contact a guide (like  trip2bangladesh.com ) ahead of time to book the ticket for you (we did this for our first train from Dhaka to Sylhet) and have it dropped to your hotel. 

Our first time taking a train in Bangladesh. Swarmed by locals at Kamalapur Railway Station, Dhaka.

Boat travel in Bangladesh

Long-distance water travel in Bangladesh is by  launch.   These are huge river ferries (what we would call a ferry back home).  But in Bangladesh, ferries are the term for short-distance river travel from one side of the river to the other.  Like the one we took across the Padma river (this is the main channel of the greater Ganges River in Bangladesh).  

Launch travel is a bucketlist experience in Bangladesh and absolutely the most traditional means of transport in the country.  

Overnight launches depart from Dhaka in the evening and arrive in Barisal before sunrise. 

Here are some of the class options and pricing for a one-way overnight launch in Bangladesh: 

  • VIP Cabin : 10,000 Tk
  • 1st Class Cabin: (A/C, shared toilet): 2500 Tk
  • Economy (seats, shared toilet): 800 Tk
  • 3rd Class (floor space only): 280 Tk 

How to travel by launch on the rivers of Bangladesh. How to get the ferry in Bangladesh.

Bus travel in Bangladesh

Bus travel is a cheap way to move between cities.  There’s no need to pre-book far in advance as there are  squillions hundreds of buses departing frequently in any given direction. 

It was easy to purchase tickets the day before from a small travel agent in Cox’s Bazar for the 5 hour journey to Chittagong.  (Transport and tour agent stalls line the streets in the tourist area here).  Tickets for the AC bus cost 500 Tk each ($6 USD). 

Budget  for travel in Bangladesh

As a traveller, first thoughts are that Bangladesh will be a cheap country to travel in.  And daily – for food, necessities and transport – it is. 

  • Cup of cha (tea): 10 Tk / USD 0.15c
  • Water (1L): 40 Tk / 0.45c 
  • Canned drink: 40 Tk
  • Drinking coconut: 100 Tk
  • Daal: 50 Tk
  • Tandoori chicken: 200 Tk
  • Restaurant lunch (for 4: 600 Tk
  • Auto-rickshaw (2km): 100 Tk
  • Uber/taxi (5km): 450 Tk
  • Passenger boat (across river): 10 Tk
  • AC bus (5 hours): 500 Tk
  • Barber shop shave: 100 Tk
  • 15GB data (for 7 days): 160 Tk

Drinking chai during in Bangladesh was always a highlight and cheap to budget for travel in Bangladesh.

I must admit we were (pleasantly) surprised by connectivity and wifi options in Bangladesh.  Albeit hotel accommodation is not really cheap (for a family) but every place we stayed had free and unlimited wifi.  

We were disconnected from 3G and 4G data on some of the bus and train rides but not in a way that caused any disruption worth writing further about. 

Getting a SIM card for travel in Bangladesh 

The three biggest communications operators in Bangladesh are: 

  • Grameenphone

Grameenphone has a counter selling SIM cards as you exit customs at the airport in Dhaka (even for a night time flight).  

When we landed in Dhaka there were not ATM’s working but I exchanged $20 USD and was able to buy two SIM cards with Grameenphone for 600 Tk each including 12GB of data. 

It’s easy to top up (they call it ‘recharge’) your card at many small street shops.  Just get familiar with the Grameenphone logo and keep an eye out for it.  

If you handover your phone the shopkeeper will top it up the old-fashioned way by calling in to Grameenphone and recharging your desired amount to your account.  You can then choose from a list of data or calling packages. 

Data prices are cheap (like cheap, cheap) and come up under ‘My Offers’ on the service provider app: 

  • 100 minutes, 30 days: 65 Tk
  • 20 GB, 7 days: 179 Tk
  • 13 GB, 30 days: 220 Tk
  • 6 GB, 3 days: 76 Tk

A Grameenphone store at Chittagong Railway Station (look out for the logo to recharge anywhere). How to get a SIM card for Bangladesh.

Whether to travel in Bangladesh independently or pre-book tours and transport? 

No doubt you’ve started googling and are wondering how to put together the pieces of the puzzle that is an itinerary for Bangladesh.  But quite frankly there isn’t a lot of information out there.

Looking at the map before we left, we split our travel in Bangladesh into different legs (in different directions). We made contact with owner, Ontu of tour company  TripToBangladesh  to gauge prices for transport and to pre-book the first overnight launch and day tour for the Sundarbans. 

For the remainder we travelled independently (by bus, plane and train) and booked two of our three train journeys after we arrived. 

I can highly recommend Ontu for his caring and very professional manner to help with making any tour and/or transport bookings for Bangladesh.  

To stay in Ekduaria Village contact host Jafar Tuhin of Taabu Ekduaria directly on  +880 1969-404414 .  Jafar is an incredible host, with fluent English and very easy to be around.  We arrived as guests and left as friends. 

Useful contacts for travel in Bangladesh

  • Trip2Bangladesh Contact person: Ontu WhatsApp:  +8801784399339 Email: [email protected]
  • Taabu Ekduaria Host and guide: Jafar Tuhin  WhatsApp: +880 1969-404414

Jafar is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide for city tours of Dhaka and the neighbouring ancient city of Sonargaon too. I highly recommend a day tour of Old Dhaka including the sights, bazars and fascinating huge ship breaking yards. Contact him directly – you will not be disappointed!

Meeting people in the Old Dhaka ship-breaking yards.

Accommodation options for travel in Bangladesh

In a country that is shamelessly renowned for being a budget destination, I would say that for us the cost of accommodation in Bangladesh came as a surprise. 

I’m not going to pretend we found budget accommodation and roughed our way around the country.  Because we didn’t.  But cost-wise it wasn’t what we expected. 

We booked a hotel to arrive to for the first few nights (Hotel 71) and the family room allocated to four pax was well above our budget for fulltime travel. 

As we found our feet and figured out how it all worked here we realised that as a family, accommodation options offered the greatest disparity in our budget.  

In Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong there seemed to be 4 or 5 star hotel options at $130+ USD per night.   Or  you had to be roughing it in a guesthouse/apartment that we could barely even find online… 

In the smaller cities like Sreemangal and Cox’s Bazar it is easier to find lower-cost accommodation.  

But even as normally strict-budget travellers I can tell you we were unashamedly thankful for an albeit expensive-but-clean room, air-conditioning and a hot shower in the cities.   Pick your battles?

Everything we booked in Bangladesh we managed to book ahead of time online through booking.com.  We booked the first few nights prior to arriving.

Accommodation in Bangladesh. Green Leaf Guest House room in Sreemangal.

Where we stayed in Bangladesh

  • Dhaka:   Hotel 71  
  • Barisal:   Hotel Grand Park
  • Mongla:   Hotel Pashur
  • Dhaka:   Hotel Tropical Daisy  
  • Sreemangal:   Green Leaf Guest House
  • Sylhet:   Hotel Mira Garden
  • Cox’s Bazar:   Laguna Beach Hotel  
  • Chittagong:   Well Park Residence Boutique Hotel
  • Dhaka:   Hotel 71
  • Ekduaria Village: Taabu Ekduaria Village Homestay

Read the reviews on booking sites and use Google Maps to check out accommodation and locations before you book.  

Laguna Beach hotel in Cox's Bazar where we stayed.

Thank you, Bangladesh.

Well that ends our huge guide for travel in Bangladesh.  

If you are looking for a destination that will give you culture, colour, adventure, taste and wonder then I recommend travel in Bangladesh. 

Please leave us a comment with any further questions and we’ll get back to you. 

We had a truly, genuinely fantastic time traveling in Bangladesh. And now that I’ve dried my tears on leaving Ekduaria Village after an incredible week of Bangladeshi hospitality, I know for sure it is going to be one of those countries that sticks with us, and close to our heart for a long time to come…

More about travel planning for Bangladesh and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

  • Booking.com  – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love the flexible cancellation policy!). 
  • Hostelworld – The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
  • Skyscanner   – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
  • GetYourGuide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
  • SafetyWing  – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country. 
  • World Nomads   – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). 

Read more about travel in Bangladesh and South Asia

  • Train Travel in India: A Complete Guide.
  • The Sacred River Ganges: Two days in Varanasi.
  • Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan. 
  • Pakistan: A complete guide to travel in Pakistan. 
  • Money in India: Using ATM’s, withdrawing and carrying your money safely.
  • How to use a squat toilet: Everything you didn’t want to ask…
  • Our complete packing list for travel in India. 

Wondering about itineraries?  Questions about schooling?  See our Family Travel Guides and FAQ here . 

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14 thoughts on “Travel In Bangladesh: A Complete Travel Guide For Bangladesh.”

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I’m planning a trip to India with my kids and after reading your blog I’m now wanting to also head to Bangladesh as well. I’m a bit undecided at the moment though as it would need to be at the end of September (around school holidays) so I’m worried about the amount of rain.

I see that a lot of the Sundarbans tours are for a couple of nights but you guys only did a day trip? Do you think a day was enough to get a nice feel for it? I think I’d prefer the day trip option.

Is it worth visiting both Sreemangal and Sylhet or are they similar?

I’m very interested in staying in Ekduaria Village for a couple of nights, I think it would be great for my boys.

Cheers Brendan

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Hi Brendan awesome to hear that! And yes we have lots of info for Sylhet and Sreemangal and great contacts for the Sundarbans and Exduaria. Could you send us a message and it would be easier to send details directly to you there. An incredible place! Bangladesh is an amazing experience.

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Thank you for the wealth of valuable information. There is one point that flies in contrast with the Consulate general of Bangladesh’s website, the US travel.gov website, and every other website I have searched for, that is Visa on Arrivals are currently (as of Jan 2024) in effect, at least for the US.

Perhaps your contention that VoA are not available is dependent upon your nationality as a Kiwi?

I wanted to get your thoughts on this matter before I head out on Jan. 23rd from Miami.

One other question comes to mind, I have found various local standards regarding the condition of currency in different countries. I remember back 30 years ago when I was in India bills could have large holes in them due to the custom of stapling stacks together and ripping bills off one by one, but tears along the edges were not accepted. As such, torn bills were commonly given to unsuspecting foreigners. Is there anything to be aware of regarding acceptance of Bangladeshi currency?

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Hi, I am a solo (middle aged) female traveller heading to Dhaka for a wedding in Feb 2023. I would like to travel alone through Bangladesh for a few weeks after – do you think this is doable or is it going to be so hard that it’s not worth the effort. I have tried to find a tour to join but can’t find anything running which I can join. Are there local tours I can join or do you think I can manage to get around as a solo blonde, white, western woman!? I have travelled solo previously and enjoy it, but I’m a little older now and have heard that it is very difficult in Bangladesh.

Love the blog – it’s the first I’ve seen of Bangladesh which has been really helpful, Helen

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Hi Helen great to hear from you! If you would like to find us on Facebook or email I can give you more details – but I highly recommend contact Jafar, a fantastic Guide based near Dhaka (it was Jafar’s village we stayed a week in!). And on your first day do a day tour of Dhaka to find your feet and get your bearings in Bangladesh – we had a truly, truly amazing time and would love to return! The other Guide we have listed; Ontu is from Barisal and can help with booking tours or trains or transport as well. It makes a huge difference to have great contacts as it is a huge country! We can highly recommend both of those great guides. Wishing you a fantastic time! And if you have any further questions please message us, Sarah.

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I am really happy to have found your blog. I am planning a trip to Bangladesh in early 2024, from late January to mid-February. I was originally going to India, but diplomatic relations between India and Canada are strained. India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens… So, here I am planning a trip to Bangladesh. My primary goal when I travel is photography. I am working on a book project that includes 15 years of traveling through different countries. I wish to visit the city of Chittagong to explore the ship graveyard and everything around it. I read on your blog that access can be challenging. Is it possible to get close to it? Thank you for your blog; it is very well-documented. Best regards, Louis P. Instagram @parlimages

Hi Louis we had an incredible time in Bangladesh! I highly recommend sending Jafar a message (on his WhatsApp number above) and getting in touch. He would be the best person to ask. From what I understand the yards in Chittagong are closed to tourists and especially photographers. But I really recommend a tour with Jafar when you arrive as a great way to find your feet and get a good understanding to start with in Bangladesh. An amazing country!

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I’m traveling to Bangaldesh as a female solo traveler (for work, but will still be solo for most of the trip) so thank you very, very much for this honest and comprehensive travel guide and description. I’ve lived in Singapore for many years and travelled throughout most of SEA, yet Bangladesh seems next level. I was happy to read your blog to get an insight on what to expect. Unfortunately, I won’t make it to most of the places you’ve been and I also probably won’t make it on a boat or train ride (due to work and corporate compliance…), but all your information on food, hygiene, what to wear etc. helped me a lot. Thanks!!

Thanks very much Shumona! Wishing you a fantastic trip 🙂

' src=

Great blog post. Heading there this December with a friend and always nice to read a REAL review to get the low down from a foreigners POV. Fine work

Hi Iain and thanks very much! Have a brilliant time in Bangladesh. We really enjoyed the adventure and am sure you will too! 🙂

' src=

I’m traveling to Bangaldesh as a female solo traveler (for work, but will still be solo for most of the trip) so thank you very, very much for this honest and comprehensive travel guide and description. I’ve lived in Singapore for many years and travelled throughout most of SEA, yet Bangladesh seems next level. I was happy to read your blog to get an insight on what to expect. Unfortunately, I won’t make it to most of the places you’ve been and I also probably won’t make it on a boat or train ride (due to work and corporate compliance…), but all your information on food, hygiene, what to wear etc. helped me a lot. Thanks!!

Hi Sarah! This is amazing to read and thank you very much for taking the time to write that. Wishing you a fantastic time in Bangladesh! It is somewhere very special. And even with limited time I am confident you will have maximum experiences! Have a brilliant time! Sarah.

' src=

Wow! This travel guide for Bangladesh is incredibly comprehensive and informative. It’s evident that you had an amazing experience exploring the country. The unique culture, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality of the Bangladeshi people shine through your words. I’m inspired to visit Bangladesh myself after reading about your adventures. Thank you for sharing this detailed guide and providing valuable insights into the history, attractions, transportation, and even local customs. Your enthusiasm and love for the country are contagious. Safe travels to all those planning to visit Bangladesh – book your trip now and embark on a one-of-a-kind adventure! You may love to know about Everest Base Camp Trek Guide which is an exhilarating and challenging trekking adventure that takes you through the majestic Khumbu region of Nepal.

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17 Best places to visit in Bangladesh you can’t miss

Best places to visit in Bangladesh you can't miss

A comprehensive list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh you can’t miss on your trip for a memorable experience of the country.

According to World Bank, Bangladesh is the least touristy destination in the world . It is a beautiful country in South Asia bordering India and Myanmar. Tourism is yet to develop in this country. For that reason, there is no tourism-related scam here, and people are generally surprised to see tourists, especially in the rural areas outside Dhaka, the capital city.

People welcome foreigners everywhere and try to help them in any way possible. Tourist sites are not overcrowded here yet. You’ll find very few tourists here during your visit. That is why it is the best time to travel to Bangladesh. Here you will find a list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh , which you should not miss on your trip for a memorable experience.

You can read some recent Bangladesh experiences of the western travelers and what travelers say about their Bangladesh experience with us and be surprised!

Table of Contents

  • Sundarban Mangrove Forest
  • Cox’s Bazar
  • Gauda / Gour
  • St. Martin’s Island

Visiting Bangladesh

Best places to visit in bangladesh.

If you’re searching for the best places to visit in Bangladesh, get ready to be amazed by the country’s abundance of hidden treasures. With stunning natural marvels and culturally vibrant cities, Bangladesh provides an eclectic mix of locations that will enthrall any traveler. This comprehensive guide is perfect for curious adventurers, history enthusiasts, and nature lovers alike, as it will direct you to the most extraordinary and fascinating places to visit in Bangladesh.

A photo of a Bengal tiger in Sundarban Mangrove Forest - number one among the best places to visit in Bangladesh

A Bengal tiger in Sundarban Mangrove Forest. © Photo Credit: Alistair McKinley.

1. Sundarban Mangrove Forest Best place to visit in Bangladesh for wildlife

The Sundarban is the largest mangrove forest in the world and one of the wildest, least-known environments in southern Asia. Located in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarban extends over 10,000 sq km. Two-thirds of the Sundarban is located in Bangladesh, and the rest is in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and designated a wetland site of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The Sundarban is the home of 104 Royal Bengal Tigers, 30,000 spotted deer, 35 species of reptiles (including giant cobras and pythons and eight species of amphibians), 300 species of birds, 120 species of fish, 42 species of mammals, numerous river dolphins, wild boars, claw-less otters, monkeys, and salt-water crocodiles together with many other species of wildlife.

Hundreds of rivers, creeks, and canals are the veins of the forest, making it a pristine environment. The environment of Sundarban is tranquilizing, and visiting this forest could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sundarban is number one on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Sundarban Mangrove Forest

You can book our small group Sundarban tour packages for a memorable experience of the Sundarban Mangrove Forest.

More Reading

  • 8 Top things to do in Sundarban for a great experience of the forest .

▲ Back to the Table of Contents

A Mro family in Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

A Mro family in Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

2. Bandarban Best place to visit in Bangladesh for tribal life

Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area is a naturally beautiful place full of beautiful hills. This is the only hilly region in Bangladesh, home to many tribal groups of the country. This is the best place in Bangladesh for adventure travel. Trekking through its hills, visiting different tribal villages and bazaars, and experiencing their lifestyle are the major attractions of Bandarban.

The most beautiful river in Bangladesh, Sangu, is located in Bandarban. It is the only hilly river in the country. A boat ride on the river Sangu in the afternoon would be a remarkable memory of Bandarban. Bandarban is number two on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Bandarban

Foreigners require a special permit from the government to visit Bandarban, which is only possible to get by traveling with a government-listed tour operator, like us. Tour operators must keep close contact with the law-enforcement agencies during the visit of any foreigner. They will be the tour operators’ responsibility during the stay in Bandarban. Also, the government limited the area where foreigners could go inside Bandarban.

You can book our 4-day Chittagong Hill Tracts Tour , 7-day Exploring Chittagong Tour , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit Bandarban. All of these tours include getting the foreigner’s permit to visit Bandarban.

  • 11 Major tribes (ethnic/indigenous groups) of Bangladesh and their culture .

A fishing port in Cox's Bazar

A fishing port in Cox’s Bazar. © Photo Credit: Pongtharin Tanthasindhu.

3. Cox’s Bazar One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for beach holidays

Cox’s Bazar is the longest unbroken sandy beach in the world, 125 km in length. It is the most popular tourist spot among the locals in Bangladesh. Perfect place to relax at the end of a long trip. To avoid the crowd, stay at a resort with a private beach. The Wholesale Fish Market in Cox’s Bazar would be an interesting place to visit while you are here. Cox’s Bazar is number three on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Cox’s Bazar

You can book our 7-day Exploring Chittagong or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit Cox’s Bazar.

A photo of Sreemangal, the tea capital of Bangladesh - number three among the best places to visit.

Tea workers at Sreemangal returning home at the end of the day. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

4. Sreemangal One of the top places to visit in Bangladesh for nature

Sreemangal is the tea capital of Bangladesh, located in the northeastern part of the country. You’ll find lush green tea plantations anywhere you go here. This is one of the few places in the country where if you look around, you may not find any other people anywhere except you—a nice and calm place.

Walking through the trails inside the tea plantations here could be one of the best things you can do in Bangladesh. Also worth visiting is the Lawachhara National Park and the villages of different tribes. You can easily spend a few days here with nature. Sreemangal is number four on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Sreemangal

You can book our Sreemangal Day Tour , 2-day Sreemangal Overnight Tour , 3-day Sreemangal Leisure Tour , 11-day Highlights of Bangladesh , 14-day Glories of Bangladesh , 16-day Raas Festival Tour , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit the attractions of Sreemangal.

A floating vegetable market at Barisal in Bangladesh - Number nine among the best places to visit in Bangladesh

A floating vegetable market of Barisal. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

5. Barisal One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for experiencing life

Barisal is a unique place located in the heart of the Ganges Delta. Life in Barisal is entirely based on the river. The main attraction of visiting Barisal is to experience the unique life and culture of the people of this region. You can see its many floating markets, bazaars, schools, and villages to experience the unique culture of Barisal. Monsoon is the best time to visit this region when its numerous rivers and canals become full of water and nature becomes very green. Also, it is time for the floating guava markets, which are very photogenic. Barisal is number five on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Barisal

You can book our 3-day Barisal Backwaters Tour or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit the attractions of Barisal.

A photo of Choto Sona Masjid (Mosque) in Gaur (Gauda / Gour) - number three on our list of the best archaeological sites in Bangladesh

Choto Sona Masjid (Mosque) in Gaur (Gauda / Gour). © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

6. Gauda / Gour One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for archaeology

Gaur or Gauda is a ruined city from the ancient and medieval period, located on the India-Bangladesh border. The city was in its prime time from the 12th to the 14th century. It became the capital of the whole of Bengal. It was a vibrant and wealthy city in the medieval period, which was finally abandoned because of cholera.

Some of the beautiful mosques of Gaur are still remaining hidden behind the mango orchards. The archaeological department of Bangladesh has done some excellent restoration work to some of these mosques. This is a fantastic place to visit for history lovers. Gaur is number six on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Gaur

You can book our 4-day Exploring Rajshahi , 6-day Discover Rajshahi , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit the attractions of Gaur.

  • Gaur (Gauda / Gour): The rich ancient capital of Bengal located on the India-Bangladesh border .

Kaptai lake in Rangamati

Kaptai lake in Rangamati. © Photo Credit: Simon Roozendaal.

7. Rangamati One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for nature

Rangamti is a district of the Chittagong Hill-Tracts area. The main reason to visit this place is Kaptai Lake. It is a naturally beautiful artificial lake surrounded by beautiful hills. The best thing to do at Rangamati is to enjoy a boat ride on Kaptai Lake for the whole day. Rangamati is also home to many tribal groups. You can visit their handicraft market to buy some fine quality handmade fabrics. There is a Buddhist monastery called Rajban Bihara, which is also worth visiting. Rangamati is number seven on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Rangamati

You can book our 4-day Chittagong Hill Tracts Tour , 7-day Exploring Chittagong Tour , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit Bandarban. All of these tours include getting the foreigner’s permit to visit Rangamati.

A photo of dilapidating temples at Puthia Temple Complex in Rajshahi - number ten on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh

Dilapidating temples at Puthia Temple Complex in Rajshahi. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

Puthia is a small village in Rajshahi full of beautiful Hindu temples. The largest number of historical temples in Bangladesh are found in Puthia, some of which are well maintained. These temples are unique in design. Some of them are ornamented with beautiful terracotta plaques describing epic Hindu stories. This is a must-visiting place if you visit Bangladesh. Puthia is number eight on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Puthia

You can book our 3-day Best of Rajshahi , 4-day Exploring Rajshahi , 6-day Discover Rajshahi , 14-day Glories of Bangladesh , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit the attractions of Puthia.

  • Puthia Temple Complex: A village full of historic Hindu temples in Bangladesh .

Kantajew Temple in Dinajpur

Kantajew Temple – a stunning Hindu temple in Dinajpur. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

9. Dinajpur

The most beautiful Hindu temple in Bangladesh, Kantajew Temple, is the main attraction of Dinajpur, a remote district in north-western Bangladesh. Built at the beginning of the 18th century by the maharaja (feudal landlord) of Dinajpur, every inch of this temple is wrapped in stunning terracotta plaques describing epic Hindu stories and life in the 18th century.

Another attraction of Dinajpur is the nearby Nayabad Mosque, a small Mughal period mosque built in 1793 AD. The locals believe that the Muslim architectural workers of Kantajew Temple built this mosque for their use. The mosque is located just 1.5km southwest of the temple.

Also worth visiting is a school made of mud and bamboo designed by a German architect, which received the Agha Khan Award for Architecture. Dinajpur is number nine on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Dinajpur

You can book our Kantajew Temple Day tour to visit all these places in Dinajpur with other attractions on a convenient day tour from Dhaka. Also, our 6-day Discover Rajshahi and 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour visit these places.

  • Kantajew Temple: Bangladesh’s most beautiful Hindu temple wrapped in stunning terracotta .
  • Nayabad Mosque: A tiny Mughal mosque in a remote village at Dinajpur in Bangladesh .

Photo of Islampur Road in Old Dhaka, covered on our Dhaka City Tour

The hustle and bustle of megacity Dhaka. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

10. Dhaka One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for photography

Dhaka is a megacity and the capital of Bangladesh, located on the bank of the river Buriganga. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, home to 22 million people. The main attraction of Dhaka is its hustle and bustle, a paradise for street photographers. Walking on the backstreets of Old Dhaka, visiting its many busy bazaars, and enjoying a boat ride on Buriganga would be some of the great experiences travelers can have in Dhaka city.

Dhaka has a rich history of civilization, starting from the 7th century. It first became a capital city during the rule of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. In 1610, the newly appointed Mughal governor Islam Khan of the Bengal subah transferred the capital from Rajmahal in the current day Jharkhand state of India to Dhaka.

Dhaka was also an important city under British colonial rule for 200 years afterward. It has many archaeological sites from the Mughal and British periods that are major tourist attractions. Ahsan Manzil, Lalbagh Fort, Star Mosque, Dhakeshwari Temple, and Armenian Church are a few. Dhaka is number ten on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Dhaka

You can book our Dhaka City Tour to visit the major attractions of both the New and Old Dhaka conveniently on a day tour, including a boat ride on Buriganga and walking on the backstreets of Old Dhaka. Also can book our Dhaka Photography Tour to visit some interesting bazaars and backstreets of the city and get numerous photo opportunities.

  • 13 Places to visit in Dhaka not to miss on first trip .
  • 7 Best things to do in Dhaka for the ultimate experience .

People collecting sand from the riverbed in Jaflong - number eight among the best places to visit in Bangladesh

People collecting sand from the riverbed in Jaflong. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

11. Sylhet One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for nature

Sylhet is a naturally beautiful place in northeastern Bangladesh, close to the Meghalaya state of India. It has many lovely places to visit. Green-water canal Lalakhal, stone collecting area Jaflong, Ratargul swamp forest and many of its tea gardens are the attractions to visit Sylhet. You can also meet some tribal people in Sylhet, especially in Jaflong. Here you can meet the Khasia tribal people who grow betel leaves in the forest. Sylhet is number eleven on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Sylhet

You can book our Sylhet & Sreemangal tour packages to visit the attractions of Sylhet.

  • Jaflong: A popular tourist site in Bangladesh with unique photo opportunities .

Photo of Somapura Mahabihara, a massive Buddhist monastery from the 8th century

Somapura Mahabihara, a massive Buddhist monastery from the 8th century. © Photo Credit: Karen Fraser.

12. Paharpur One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for archaeology

In the north-western part of Bangladesh, there is a tiny little place called Paharpur, which holds the most impressive archeological site in Bangladesh called Somapura Mahabhihara, a UNESCO world heritage site. It was the second-largest Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas in the 8th century. In its prime time, monks worldwide came here for higher education. It was one of the best Buddhist monasteries in the world at that time. Paharpur is number twelve on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Paharpur

You can book our 3-day Best of Rajshahi , 4-day Exploring Rajshahi , 6-day Discover Rajshahi , 14-day Glories of Bangladesh , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit Paharpur.

Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj Mosque) at Bagerhat City - number eleven among the best places to visit in Bangladesh

Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj Mosque) at Bagerhat City. © Photo Credit: Daniel Whitfield.

13. Bagerhat One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for archaeology

Bagerhat is a city founded in the 15th century by a Turkish general, which was formerly known as Khalifatabad. It is full of beautiful historic mosques, among which 60 Dome Mosque is the most famous. This whole city is recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. The historic city, listed by Forbes as one of the 15 lost cities of the world, has more than 50 Islamic monuments that have been found after removing the vegetation that had obscured them from view for many centuries. Bagerhat is number thirteen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Bagerhat

You can book our 4-day Bagerhat & Sundarban Tour , 5-day Dhaka, Bagerhat & Sundarban Tour , 8-day Sundarban Safari , 11-day Highlights of Bangladesh , 14-day Glories of Bangladesh , 16-day Raas Festival Tour , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit the attractions of Bagerhat.

  • Mosque City of Bagerhat: A Lost 15th-Century City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

The fishing port of Chittagong

The fishing port of Chittagong.

14. Chittagong

Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh, located in the south-eastern part of the country. The largest seaport in Bangladesh is located here. The major attraction of Chittagong is fishing port of Chittagong. Set early in the morning and full of activities, this is an excellent place for photography. Chittagong is number fourteen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Another attraction of Chittagong is the Commonwealth War Cemetery, established to honor Commonwealth soldiers and others who died in World War II. The British Army created the cemetery, and there were about 400 burials. Graves have since been transferred to this cemetery from other isolated sites, making the current number 731.

Visiting Chittagong

You can book our Exploring Chittagong Tour to visit the attractions of Chittagong.

Abandoned city Panam Nagar at Sonargaon - number thirteen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh

Abandoned city Panam Nagar in Sonargaon. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

15. Sonargaon One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for culture

Sonargaon is a popular tourist destination near Dhaka. It was the old capital of Bengal in the medieval period – a mint capital beside Gaur or Gauda . Although the prime time of the ancient capital is gone, some interesting sites are still there to spend a whole day.

The main attraction of Sonargaon is the abandoned merchant city, Panam Nagar. Built in the early 19th century during British rule, this was a city of wealthy Hindu cotton merchants who fled to India during riots after the partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947 and the Indo-Pak war in 1965. They intended to return someday, which never happened. Nowadays, this is an entirely abandoned city of 52 houses built on a single street, forming a ghost city and the main tourist attraction of Sonargaon.

Other attractions of Sonargaon are the Folk-arts and Crafts Museum, 16th-century Goaldi Mosque, the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah, the 3rd independent sultan of Bengal in the 14th century, whose capital was Sonargaon, and the interesting sandbank islands of river Meghna. Sonargaon is number fifteen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Sonargaon

You can book our Sonargaon & Panam City Tour to visit all the attractions of Sonargaon on a convenient day tour from Dhaka. Also can book any of our Bangladesh holiday packages , all of which include visiting Sonargaon.

  • Panam Nagar: An entirely abandoned city of the wealthy Hindu cotton merchants in Bangladesh .
  • Goaldi Mosque: The little-known pre-Mughal mosque in Sonargaon .
  • Sonargaon Travel Guide: Visiting Museum and other attractions in the old capital .

St. Martin's Island - Number six among the best places to visit in Bangladesh

A girl cycling at a beach on St. Martin’s Island in Bangladesh. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

16. St. Martin’s Island One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for island holiday

St. Martin’s Island is a beautiful coral island in the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. For beach lovers, this is the best place to visit in Bangladesh. Local tourists go to visit this island mainly on a day trip. After they leave in the afternoon, it becomes tranquil. You can stay in any resort with a private beach and relax on the island for a couple of days when you are tired of traveling for several weeks in the country. St. Martin’s Island is number sixteen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting St. Martin’s Island

You can book our Chittagong & Cox’s Bazar region tours to visit St. Martin’s Island.

Bagha Mosque in Rajshahi

Historical Bagha Mosque in Rajshahi. © Photo Credit: Raw Hasan.

17. Bagha One of the best places to visit in Bangladesh for archaeology

Bagha is a village in north-western Bangladesh, 20 km away from the temple village of Puthia. The attraction of this place is Bagha Mosque, a pre-Mughal architecture in Bengal. Built in 1523-1524 by Sultan Nusrat Shah, son of Alauddin Shah, the founder of the Husain Shahi dynasty, Bagha Mosque is the most beautiful terracotta mosque in Bangladesh.

Unlike other historical mosques in Bangladesh, extensive terracotta work is present on this mosques’ inside and outside walls. It would be very convenient to combine a visit to Bagha with your visit to Puthia. Bagha is number seventeen on our list of the best places to visit in Bangladesh.

Visiting Bagha

You can book our 3-day Best of Rajshahi , 4-day Exploring Rajshahi , 6-day Discover Rajshahi , 14-day Glories of Bangladesh , 18-day Best of Bangladesh , or 28-day Discover Bangladesh tour to visit Bagha Mosque.

  • 10 Most beautiful historical mosques in Bangladesh.

Planning to visit Bangladesh? We can help organize a memorable holiday in Bangladesh for you to experience the best of it. We are an award-winning local tour operator in Bangladesh specializing in organizing tours and holidays in Bangladesh for Western travelers, with 375+ reviews on TripAdvisor with an average rating of 5/5 . Check out our 1-7 days Bangladesh tour packages and 8-28 days Bangladesh holiday packages to see what we can organize for you in Bangladesh. Contact us now for your memorable Bangladesh holiday!

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  • 17 Best places to visit in Bangladesh you can't miss on your holiday
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  • Bangladesh Tourist Places: A full list of the best sights
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  • Puthia Temple Complex: A village full of historic Hindu temples in Bangladesh
  • Kantajew Temple—The most beautiful terracotta temple in Bangladesh
  • Gaur (Gauda / Gour): The rich ancient capital of Bengal located on the India-Bangladesh border
  • Mosque City of Bagerhat: A Lost 15th-Century City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Panam Nagar: An entirely abandoned city of the wealthy Hindu cotton merchants in Bangladesh
  • Sonargaon Travel Guide: Visiting Museum and other attractions in the old capital
  • Jaflong: A popular tourist site in Bangladesh with unique photo opportunities
  • Tajhat Palace: The finest Jamidar Bari in northern Bangladesh
  • Mahasthangarh: Ruins of the oldest known city of Bengal from the 3rd century B.C.

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Raw Hasan ( র. হাসান )

I am the Owner & CEO of Nijhoom Tours, a multi-award winning local tour operator in Bangladesh specializing in organizing memorable holidays in Bangladesh for western travelers. Connect with me on Facebook or Mastodon , or join our Facebook group Let's Go To Bangladesh for updates and help about traveling to Bangladesh.

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I traveled through Bangladesh in 2015 and visited most places. I could found main highlights was the people of Bangladesh.

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Wonderful breakdown of places to see and the experiences to expect! I hope to come to Bangladesh soon.

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Please feel free to publish my post in your site. Thank you and very best wishes. JT

I traveled extensively through Bangladesh in 2013 and visited most places on your list as well as a few others. One of the main highlights for me could be found in every city, every village street, every single location. The People ! The welcome I received as a foreign tourist was absolutely spectacular, the people of Bangladesh could not have been more welcoming, polite, helpful, kind, compassionate, considerate, generous and thoughtful. Bangladesh is a spectacular destination and I would strongly recommend it to anyone considering it.

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Thank you for the testimonial! Indeed it is the people of Bangladesh who are the main attraction of Bangladesh. Glad to know that you liked it here!

If you are interested, we can publish your Bangladesh travel story in our site, so that more people can know about Bangladesh, which is the least traveled destination in the world.

Comments are closed.

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The Top 12 Tourist Places in Bangladesh That you probably Don’t Know

Bangladesh has so much to offer from green hills and azure blue water of its rivers and sea to the terracotta plaques of its famous archaeological site. The country that is mostly known for its history of independence has so many beautiful tourist places. But most international tourists are unaware of the beautiful tourist places in Bangladesh .

With an area of only 148,460 square kilometres, this small country has mesmerizing sea beaches, forests, green hills, and so much more to leave a stunning experience in every tourist’s mind. The country might be small, but still, there are numerous tourist places in Bangladesh , some known, and perhaps most are yet to be discovered.

Now let me not beat around the bush and introduce you to the 12 best tourist places in Bangladesh that you must visit in 2022.

WHAT IS COVERED IN THIS ARTICLE?

The 12 Best Tourist Places in Bangladesh

1. cox’s bazar.

Coxs-Bazar

The fresh seafood, long natural beaches, local hospitality, and the nearby attractions are the notable reasons why Coxs’ Bazar is famous to both local and international tourists. It is the longest natural sea beach globally, with several beachside hotels making it easier for people to spend time at the beach. Near Cox’s Bazar town, other than the Cox’s Bazar Sea beach, several tourist attractions attract travellers all around the year.

At the east of Coxs Bazar town, Himchari National Park has around 117 tree species, 286 bird species, and 26 mammal species. Then there is Ramu, a Buddhist village selling local handicrafts in their markets. The first Safari Park of the country, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, is also located nearby. The only aquarium in Bangladesh , the Radiant Fish World, is also located in Cox’s Bazar . 

Things To Do in Cox’s Bazar

There are so many exciting things to do in Cox’s Bazar. You can do parasailing, horse riding, beach biking, water biking and visit all the tourist attractions nearby. You can also enjoy the sunset and sunrise from the beautiful beach. Before trying out any risky adventure in Cox’s Bazar, make sure that you have travel insurance .

Best Time To Visit Cox’s Bazar

Tourists visit Cox’s Bazar throughout the year. But November-December is the best time to visit the sea beach. During these months, it is the Winter season in Bangladesh. The prices of hotels are lower. You will see young tourists mainly during this time in Cox’s Bazar as the prices are affordable to them.

How To Reach Cox’s Bazar

You can go to Cox’s Bazar by flight, train, or bus from Dhaka. Novo Air and U.S. Bangla Airlines have daily flights to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka. I think flights are the best way to go to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka as they require the shortest time, which is around 1 hour.

If you are looking for an exciting journey to Cox’s Bazar, you can get on a train. Direct train journeys aren’t available from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. But you can get on a train to Chittagong and then go to Cox’s Bazar by bus.

Both AC and non-AC bus services are also available from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. If you choose to go to Cox’s Bazar by bus, you will most probably reach your destination within 10-12 hours. You can also drive directly to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka, which will require around the same time.

Where To Stay in Cox’s Bazar

There are many beautiful hotels and resorts to stay in Cox’s Bazar. You can also get mesmerizing views of the sea from some of these hotel and resort rooms. My favourite hotels to stay in Cox’s Bazar within a budget are-

  • Hotel Asia | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Sea Shine | Check prices and availability
  • Laguna Beach Hotel & Resort | Check prices and availability
  • Long Beach Hotel | Check prices and availability
  •  Best Western Heritage | Check prices and availability

2. St. Martin’s Island

St-Martin

The only coral island in Bangladesh is St. Martin’s Island . Due to the excessive coconut trees on the island, this island is known as “Narikel Zinzira” in Bengali, which means ‘ Coconut Island’ . The island is 9 km south of Coxs Bazar.

Some rare species of corals can be found only on St. Martin’s Island. There are some resort hotels on the island for tourists.

Things To Do in St. Martin’s Island

Walking over the clean beaches and swimming in the clean water are enjoyable. You can enjoy a boat ride to the Chera Dwip, a small island near St. Martin’s. Chera Dwip was detached from St. Martin due to high tides.

Scuba diving is a must when you are in St. Martin. You can also try the delicious local food , buy some souvenirs at low prices from the local market, and click some great pictures.

Best Time To Visit St. Martin’s Island

November-February is the best time to visit the island. There are chances of cyclones during March-July, so it isn’t safe to visit then.

How To Reach St. Martin

To reach St. Martin, first, you need to go to Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar district. So, either you can go to Teknaf directly from Dhaka, or you can go to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka, then to Teknaf and, lastly to St. Martin.

From Dhaka, you can take a bus to Teknaf, which will require around 10-12 hours to reach. Then from Teknaf, you have to get on a ship to reach St. Martin. Ships are only available for the months November-April.

Ships leave the J.T. Ghat every day at 9.00 am and return from St Martin at 3.00 pm. So, if you miss the timing, you have to take a boat which is risky. Ships take around 2-3 hours to reach St. Martin from Teknaf.

Trawlers and speedboats from Teknaf to St. Martin are available throughout the year, but they are extremely risky to get on. Moreover, during the summer season, the seawater remains hot, so it’s not safe to travel over the sea during this time.

Where To Stay in St. Martin

Some of the best hotels and resorts to stay in St. Martin are-

  • Blue Marine Resort | Contact: +880 17272 66077
  • Shamudra Bilash Ananda Ashram | Contact: +880 19119 20666
  • Music Eco Resort | Contact: +880 16133 39696
  • Coral Blue Resort | Contact: +880 18441 70350

3. Srimangal

Srimangal

The green tea fields make Srimanga l a famous tourist place in Bangladesh. It is located in the Moulvi Bazar District of Sylhet Division. It is the tea capital of Bangladesh due to a large number of tree plantations and the origin of the seven coloured tea.

Madhobpur Lake and Baikka Beel are two notable reasons for the popularity of Srimangal . Madhobpur Lake is the only confirmed site in Bangladesh where the great white-bellied heron is found. Baikka Beel is a small wetland that is home to the large-billed reed warbler.

Other than Madhobpur Lake and Baikka Beel, Srimangal is also popular for Lawachara Rain Forest, Hum Hum waterfall, and Reama Kalenga Reserve Forest located nearby.

Things To Do in Srimangal

While you are in Srimangal, trying out the seven-coloured tea is a must. You can walk around the tea gardens and click on some good photographs. You can take boat rides in Madhobpur Lake and Baikka Beel.

Bathing under the Hum Hum waterfall will be a really exciting thing to do. You can also walk around the two reserve forests, Lawachara Rain Forest and Reama Kalenga Reserve Forest.

Best Time To Visit Srimangal

You can visit Rangamati during the monsoon, that is, during March-May. As the main attraction of Srimangal is the tea garden, so to enjoy the best scenic beauty of the garden, it is better to visit the place during this time. And the nearby forests and lakes are also in the best state during the monsoon, which makes this season the best time to visit Srimangal.

How To Reach Srimangal

You can go to Srimangal from Dhaka by plane, bus, taxi or train. If you are an international traveller, you can directly take the flight to Sylhet Airport from your country and go to Srimangal by hiring a taxi.

But if your flight lands in Dhaka Airport, you can take a flight from Dhaka Airport to Sylhet Airport. You will reach Sylhet within 40 minutes by flight. Then you can hire a taxi and head to Srimangal, which will take you around 1 and half hours to reach your desired destination.

If you are looking for a cheap transportation method from Dhaka to Srimangal, you can get on a Dhaka-Sylhet train or Dhaka-Sylhet bus. If you go by train, you will reach Sylhet within 6-7 hours, and if you go by bus, you will reach there within 10-12 hours. From Sylhet Railway Station or Sylhet Bus Station, you have to take a taxi to reach Srimangal.

Where To Stay in Srimangal

There are many cheap hotels in Srimangal where you can stay. Some of them are-

  • Grand Selim Resort & Tour | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Ishaqi Amos | Check prices and availability
  • Shanti Bari Resort | Check prices and availability
  • Cha luxury Hotel & Restaurant | Check prices and availability
  • TONY’S PLACE | Check prices and availability

4. Lalakhal

Lalakhal

The wide canal, Lalakhal , is located in Jaintiapur of Sylhet District. The bluish-green water is the main reason why people visit this place.

Things To Do in Lalakhal

A boat ride is the only thing to do in Lalakhal. But the combination of the green hills and beautiful water of the canal will definitely blow your mind off. Sunsets have a different beauty in Lalakhal.

There are no restaurants nearby, so you have to take food and water along if you are on a day trip. But there are some resorts where you can stay and have your meal. 

Best Time To Visit Lalakhal

November-February is the best time to visit Lalakhal. During these months, the water of the canal is in its best form. It means that the colour of the water is clearly visible. If you are lucky enough, you might also see some migratory birds in Lalakhal. During other times of the year, especially during the rainy season, the water loses its clarity.

How To Reach Lalakhal

To reach Lalakhal, you can take a flight from Dhaka Airport to Sylhet Airport. Novo Air and Biman Bangladesh Airlines offer around 6-7 flights from Dhaka to Sylhet daily. After reaching Sylhet Airport, you have to head to Osmani Shishu Park in the city. You can go there by rickshaw or CNG within 20 minutes.

Microbus and bus leave from the gate of Osmani Shishu Park towards Sarighat. After reaching Sarighat, you have to take a CNG to Lalakhal. If you want a different kind of experience, you can go to Lalakhal by the river. From Sarighat, you can hire a boat and head to Lalakhal.

You can also go to Sylhet by train or bus and then leave for Sarighat from Osmani Shishu Park. Or, if you find the entire process hectic, you can hire a taxi from Sylhet Airport/Sylhet Railway Station/Sylhet Bus Station and head directly to Lalakhal.

If you hire a taxi, the cost will be more, but you won’t have to get down at different points and change your transportation. After reaching Sylhet, you will reach Lalakhal within 2-3 hours, no matter whichever transportation method you choose.

Where To Stay in Lalakhal

There aren’t many resorts and hotels in Lalakhal to stay in. There is only one resort in Lalakhal, which is a bit expensive-

  • Nazimgarh Wilderness Resort | View website

You can stay in a hotel or resort in Sylhet city. Then you can go to Lalkhal by bus or taxi. Some budget-friendly hotels and resorts in Sylhet are-

  • The Grand Hotel B.D. | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Mira Garden | Check prices and availability
  • Bottomhill Palace Hotel | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Supreme | Check prices and availability
  • Grand Surma Hotel | Check prices and availability

5. Sundarban

Sundarban

Sundarban is home to some of the globally endangered species like- the Royal Bengal Tiger , river terrapin, estuarine crocodiles, and Ganges-Irawadi dolphins, which makes this mangrove forest one of the most famous tourist places of Bangladesh.

Sundarban is the largest mangrove forest globally, located in the Khulna Division of Bangladesh. About 60% of the total area of Sundarban is in Bangladesh, and the rest, 40%, is in India.

In Sundarban, there are 334 plant species, 150 species of commercially imported fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species. There are around 180 Bengal tigers in Sundarban.

Things To Do in Sundarban

You can visit a wildlife sanctuary in Sundarban as there are around 4-5 sanctuaries. Many estuaries and canals are flowing through the forest. A boat ride through these in the morning can be an exhilarating adventure. You can walk on the peaceful and serene beach located inside Sundarban, which is Jamtola Beach. Tourists are mainly attracted by the Coxs Bazar sea beach, due to which the Jamtola beach remains empty, clean and quiet.

Best Time To Visit Sundarban

October-March is the best time to have a trip to Sundarban. The lovely weather and moderate temperature below 30 degrees Celcius make these months the perfect time to visit Sundarban. During summer the hot weather is intolerable to tourists and during monsoon the heavy rains won’t let you enjoy the beauty of the forest.

How To Reach Sundarban

There are many ways to go to Sundarban from Dhaka. You can fly from Dhaka to Khulna by Novo Air or Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights. They have daily flights from Dhaka to Saidpur. You will reach Khulna within an hour, and then you can get on a launch to Sundarban.

You can also get on a bus or train from Dhaka to Khulna. After reaching Khulna, you can get on a launch to reach Sundarban. Launches leave from Mongla Port and Khulna Steamer Port. But firstly, you need to buy a launch ticket from any travel agency. You will reach Sundarban within 2 hours by launch.

Where To Stay in Sundarban

As Sundarban is a forest, there’s no way for you to stay there. But there are some hotels in Khulna where you can stay to make the most out of your Sundarban trip-

  • Tiger Garden Int Hotel | Check prices and availability
  • Jatra Flagship Khulna City Centre | Check prices and availability

6. Bandarban

Bandarban

In the past few years, Bandarban has gained extreme popularity as one of the beautiful tourist places in Bangladesh. Bandarban is a hill district of Chittagong Division. It is mainly famous for the exotic tourist attractions like- Boga Lake, Nilachol, Meghla Hanging Bridge, Keokradong peak, several Buddhist temples and many waterfalls.

Located in the Ruma Upazila of Bandarban, Boga Lake is a natural deep lake filled with sweet water. It is not allowed to swim in the lake because many deaths have been caused due to it. At the further east of the lake, Keokradong peak is the 5th highest peak in Bangladesh. The most famous waterfalls in Bandarban are Jadipai, Nafakhum, and Amiakhum. Out of numerous Buddhist temples of Bandarban , the Theravada Buddhist temple is the most popular to tourists.

Things To Do in Bandarban

As I said, there are numerous tourist attractions in Bandarban, so there are also many exciting things to do. You can have a boat ride in Boga Lake, hike in Keokradong, and sightsee the waterfalls. As Bandarban is a hilly area, so to enjoy most of the tourist attractions, you have to do a lot of hiking and trekking.

Best Time To Visit Bandarban

Most tourists visit Bandarban during Winter, that is during November-February as this is the busiest season in Bandarban, the prices rocket. During other months, especially during monsoon, the prices are lower, and the place is less crowded with tourists. But due to rain, there are great chances of landslides which is extremely risky and causes transportation problems.

How To Reach Bandarban

You can fly from Dhaka to Chittagong and then head for Bandarban by bus or taxi. Novo Air and Biman Bangladesh Airlines have daily flights from Dhaka to Chittagong. U.S. Bangla Airlines have flights from Dhaka to Chittagong on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

Each of these airlines has 10-12 flights from Dhaka to Chittagong per day, and you will reach Chittagong within 45 minutes. When you reach Chittagong, you can get on an A.C. or non-AC bus and expect to reach your destination within 2-3 hours. You can also hire a taxi from Chittagong to Bandarban.

Bus and train services are also available from Dhaka to Chittagong. If you choose to go to Chittagong by train, you will need 7-8 hours to reach your destination. And if you go to Chittagong by bus, you will need 10-12 hours.

And if you want to reach Bandarban directly from Dhaka, you can rent a car or drive by yourself. If you do so, you will reach Bandarban within 14-15 hours from Dhaka.

Where To Stay in Bandarban

Two great budget-friendly hotels to stay in Bandarban are-

  • Hotel Plaza | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Hill View | Check prices and availability

7. Somapura Mahavihara

Somapura-Mahavihara

Somapura Mahavihara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Paharpur of Naogaon district. It is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Bangladesh.

The architecture of the monastery consists of a quadrangular structure consisting of 177 cells and a traditional Buddhist stupa in the centre. The monks used the cells for their accommodation and meditation. The carved decoration, terracotta plaques, inscriptions etc., make this monastery a must-place to visit for those who love to know about history and culture.

Things To Do in Somapura Mahavihara

It might take you an entire day to check out the beautiful architecture of the monastery. So, you can join a guided tour to get a better understanding of this archaeological site. The good thing is that there aren’t many tourists here due to its remote location, so you will have an uninterrupted experience.

Best Time To Visit Somapura Mahavihara

As Somapura Mahavihara is an archaeological site, there is no need to worry about the weather; you can visit it any time of the year. The place remains uncrowded round the year, so you also don’t need to worry about that and pay a visit anytime.

How To Reach Somapura Mahavihara

To reach Somapura Mahavihara, you can either fly to Rajshahi or Saidpur from Dhaka and then take a taxi to Somapura Mahavihara. Novo Air and Biman Bangladesh Airline have daily flights from Dhaka Airport to Rajshahi Airport or Saidpur Airport. 

You will reach Rajshahi or Saidpur from Dhaka within 50 minutes to 1 hour. After reaching Rajshahi or Saidpur, you can take a taxi and reach Somapura Mahavihara within one and a half hours.

However, taking a bus from Dhaka to Natore is the cheapest way to reach Somapura Mahavihara. Buses leave from Uttara to Natore every 4 hours. It also takes four hours to reach Natore from Dhaka. After reaching Natore, you can get on a taxi and expect to reach your destination within 2 hours.

You can also rent a taxi or drive directly from Dhaka to Somapura Mahavihara. In both these cases, you will reach Somapura Mahavihara within 4-5 hours.

Where To Stay in Somapura Mahavihara

You won’t find any hotels and resorts very near to Somapura Mahavihara. But there are some hotels which are within a few minutes driving distance from this place. They are-

  • Momo Inn | Check prices and availability
  • Annex Suites | Check prices and availability
  • Red Chillies Restaurant and Guesthouse | Check prices and availability

8. Bagerhat

Bagerhat

Bagerhat , also known as the Mosque City, is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. There are around 360 mosques in the city. It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1973.

Khan Jahan’s mausoleum, Nine-Domed Mosque, Sixty-Domed Mosque, Chunakhola Mosque and Singair Mosque are the most popular attractions in Bagerhat.

Things To Do in Bagerhat

When you are in Bagerhat, you can walk throughout the historic city and visit the famous tourist attractions. As it’s not possible to check out 360 mosques, you can visit Sixty-Domed Mosque, Chunakhola Mosque, Nine-Domed Mosque, and Singair Mosque. By visiting these mosques, you will get an idea of the Muslim architecture of the 15th century.

Best Time To Visit Bagerhat

Winter is a great time to visit Bagerhat. Due to the cool weather, you will have a comfortable experience walking around the city. But if you visit Bagerhat during the rainy season, your experience might be hindered due to rain and mud. And summer in Bangladesh is extremely uncomfortable for any sort of travelling.

How To Reach Bagerhat

There are many ways to reach Bagerhat from Dhaka. You can go there by plane, bus, taxi or car. If you choose to drive yourself to Bagerhat, it will take you around 10 hours to reach the place.

Novo Air and Biman Bangladesh Airlines have Dhaka to Barisal or Dhaka to Jessore flights. You will reach Barishal or Jessore within 40-50 minutes from Dhaka. Once you reach Barisal or Jessore, you can take a taxi to Bagerhat and reach there within 2-3 hours.

Buses leave from Gabtoli and Dhaka Technical to Jhalkathi every 4 hours and reach there within 7 hours. After reaching Jhalkathi, you can hire a taxi to Bagerhat, which will take you around 2-3 hours to reach your destination.

Where To Stay in Bagerhat

Some great hotels to stay near Bagerhat are-

  • Hotel Grand Park Barishal | Check prices and availability
  • Zabeer Hotel International | Check prices and availability

9. Rangamati

Rangamati

The city of lake, Rangamati is a famous tourist place in Bangladesh, mainly known for its waterfalls, lakes, parks, and highlands. Just like Bandarban, it is another hill district located in Chittagong Division.

The largest lake of Bangladesh, Kaptai Lake, is situated in the Kaptai Upazila of the Rangamati district. The lake has an average depth of 30m and a maximum depth of 150 m. Other than this lake, Rangamati is also popular for Shuvolong Waterfall, Hanging Bridge, Sheikh Rasel Eco Park, Rajban Bihar Pagoda and many other tourist attractions nearby.

Read more All You Need To Know About Rangamati

Things To Do in Rangamati

Kayaking in Kaptai Lake is a must when you are in Rangamati. There is Lakeshore Resort near the lake, which has a swimming pool with a wide view of the lake. So, you will have a great experience swimming there. You can also take the cable ride in Sheikh Rasel Eco Park, sightsee Rajban Bihar Pagoda, enjoy the scenic beauty of Shuvolong waterfall, etc.

Best Time To Visit Rangamati

Just like every other tourist spot in Bangladesh on this list, the best time to visit Rangamati is November-February. Due to the cool weather, it is comfortable to visit Rangamati during this time. As Rangamati is a hilly area, landslides frequently occur during monsoons blocking the local transportation systems and making it risky for travellers.

How To Reach Rangamati

There is no way to go to Ragamati from Dhaka directly. At first, you have to go to Chittagong from Dhaka. There are two ways to reach Chittagong from Dhaka- one is by flight, and another one is by bus.

US-Bangla, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and Novo Air offer flights to Chittagong Airport from Dhaka Airport. It will take you around 1 hour to reach Chittagong by flight.

If you want to reach Chittagong from Dhaka at a cheap price, you can board a bus. Bus from Dhaka to Chittagong leaves every 15 minutes and will take you to Chittagong within 7-8 hours.

After reaching Chittagong, you can hire a taxi to Rangamati. Bus services are also available from Chittagong to Rangamati. Whether you take a taxi or decide to go by bus, you will reach Rangamati within an hour.

Where To Stay in Rangamati

You will find some really good hotels to stay in Rangamati within your budget. Some of these hotels are-

  • Hotel Prince | Check prices and availability
  • Moti Mahal | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Green Castle | Check prices and availability

10. Kuakata

Kuakata

Kuakata , known as Daughter of The Sea, is one of Bangladesh’s most scenic tourist places. This panoramic sea beach is located in the southern part of Bangladesh. The beach is around 18 kilometres in length and 3 kilometres in width.

The most beautiful thing about Kuakata is that you can get an unhindered view of both sunset and sunrise from the beach. Kuakata is home to some other tourist attractions like- Mishri Para Buddhist Monastery, Well of Kuakata, Keranipara Rakhaine settlement, Alipur Port, Fatra forest, Kuakata Eco Park, Kuakata National Park, etc.

Things To Do in Kuakata

As I said earlier, the Kuakata sea beach offers a mesmerizing view of unobstructed sunset and sunrise. So, you must check out the beautiful sunset and sunrise when you are in Kuakata. You can visit the nearby tourist attractions that I mentioned above to make the most out of your travel experience.

Best Time To Visit Kuakata

Kuakata can be visited all around the year. But Winter is a good choice compared to the other seasons. During summer and monsoon, the sea waves crash the beach roughly. So, if you want to enjoy the calmness of Kuakata, you should plan your trip to Kuakata during Winter. 

How To Reach Kuakata

You can head to Kuakata from Dhaka either by launch or by bus. A direct BRTC bus service leaves for Kuakata from the Sayedabad Bus terminal at night. It will take you around 12 hours to reach Kuakata by bus.

If you want a different kind of journey, you can go to Patuakhali by a launch that leaves for Patuakhali from Sadarghat terminal. The launches depart from Sadarghat from 4 pm to 7 pm. So, you will reach Patuakhali at around 6-7 am. Then, from Patuakhali you have to take a bus to Kuakata, and you will reach there within 3-4 hours.

Where To Stay in Kuakata

Some of the best hotels to stay in Kuakata within a reasonable price are-

  • Hotel Graver Inn International | Check prices and availability
  • Hotel Khan Palace | Check prices and availability
  • Sawpnorajjo Park & Resort | Check prices and availability

11. Sajek Valley

Sajek-Valley

Sajek Valley is one of the most exotic tourist places in Bangladesh. The valley is located in Baghaichhari Upazila of Rangamati District. The floating clouds, green hills, and calming natural beauty make this place attractive to both local and international tourists.

There are many notable tourist attractions in Sajek Valley like- Konglak Pahar, Risang Waterfall, Alutila Cave, Lushai Heritage Village, Ruilui Para etc. You can read more about them here .

Things To Do in Sajek Valley

As Sajek Valley is a mountainous area, you can do a lot of hiking and trekking here. You can trek through the Risang waterfall or bath below it. You can take a look inside the mysterious Alutila Cave. You can hike up to Konglak Pahar to get the most mesmerizing view from the top of the mountain. You can also have a walk around the neighbourhoods to get an idea about the lifestyle of ethnic people living there.

Best Time To Visit Sajek Valley

During Winter, the prices of resorts are low. So, if you are planning a budget trip to Sajek, you should go there during Winter, especially during mid-November. During other seasons, the prices rocket.

No matter in which season you visit Sajek Valley, you can always enjoy the scenic beauty of the floating clouds. The place is crowded in almost every season so you can’t avoid that.

How To Reach Sajek Valley

After reaching the Dhaka Airport, you have to take a bus to Khagrachari District. You will find many A.C. and non-AC buses for going to Khagrachari. It will take around 7-8 hours to reach Khagrachari from Dhaka by bus.

The road to Sajek Valley from Khagrachari is immensely beautiful. You have to board on a Chander Gari (local vehicle of Sajek Valley) from Khagrachari. Chander Gari can accommodate around 10-12 people, and it will be with you the entire time you are in Sajek Valley.

The group of people you will be travelling with can be chosen by you or the Khagrachari Jeep Owners Association office. But you can also hire the entire vehicle for yourself if you aren’t comfortable travelling with strangers. The fare will be higher if you hire the entire vehicle for yourself. But if you travel with a group, the fare will be divided equally among the tourists.

The vehicles only leave for Sajek Valley between 10 am and 3 pm, escorted by armies for safety. So, you can’t miss the timing. Foreigners need to take permission from the Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati to travel to Sajek Valley. You will reach Sajek Valley from Khagrachari within 2-3 hours.

Where To Stay in Sajek Valley

There are many resorts in Sajek Valley. Some of them are cheap, some are mid-range, and the rest are luxury. I’m naming some resorts in Sajek Valley below along with their contact numbers-

  • Ruilui Resort | Contact: +880 16320 30000
  • Sajek Army Resort | Contact: +880 17693 02370
  • TGB Lushai Cottage | Contact: +880 16341 98005
  • Sampari Resort | Contact: +880 18498 89055
  • Alo Resort | Contact: +880 18223 56303

12. Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh-fort

The Lalbagh fort is famous as one of the historical tourist places in Bangladesh due to its beautiful Mughal architecture. It is located in the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. The fort is divided into three main parts- the Tomb of Pari Bibi, Diwan-i-Aam, and Quilla Mosque.

The tomb of Pari Bibi was constructed in memory of Pari Bibi, the daughter of Shaista Khan. The tomb is a white marble room in the middle of the fort. There are eight rooms surrounding this central room.

The Diwan-i-Aam is a two-storied residence located on the east side of the fort. Out of seven bathhouses of the Diwan-i-Aam, only one Hamam Khana(bathhouse) still exists in the southern part of the fort. The bathhouses had underground water boiling rooms, and water was supplied to the Hammamkhana through terracotta pipes.

The Quilla Mosque, also known as Lalbagh fort mosque, has three domes with a water tank for ablutions in front. The mosque is divided from the fort with a fence so that people can enter the mosque and pray without any ticket.

Things To Do in Lalbagh Fort

It might take you an entire day to explore Lalbagh Fort. Walking around the fort and exploring the Mughal architecture of the fort is a great thing to do in Lalbagh Fort.

Best Time To Visit Lalbagh Fort

As Lalbagh Fort is a historical landmark, you can visit the place at any time of the year. However, the fort remains closed during Sundays, government holidays, and Eid holidays. So, keep an eye on the calendar before planning your trip to Lalbagh fort.

How To Reach Lalbagh Fort

After reaching Dhaka Airport, you can take a taxi to reach the Lalbagh Fort. There are three routes from Dhaka Airport to Lalbagh Fort- Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, Mouchak Moghbazar Flyover-Moghbazar Rd, and Central Shahid Minar Rd-Dhakeshwari Road to Lalbagh Road.

Continuing along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, you can reach the fort within 5-10 minutes. This is the shortest route from Dhaka Airport to the fort. It also takes the shortest time to reach Lalbagh fort by this route.

Where To Stay in Lalbagh Fort

There are many hotels near the Lalbagh Fort where you can stay. I am mentioning some of the best hotels near Lalbagh Fort below.

  • Hotel 71 | Check prices and availability
  • Priyo Nibash Stylish Residential Hotel | Check prices and availability
  • InterContinental Dhaka | Check prices and availability
  • Asia Hotel & Resorts | Check prices and availability
  • FARS Hotel & Resorts | Check prices and availability

Tourist places in Bangladesh are definitely not limited to these twelve. Just like every other country on the globe, Bangladesh also has some scenic wonders to offer to travellers. And it is also one of the cheapest countries to travel to. I hope that you will have a great time checking out the best 12 tourist places in Bangladesh.

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I think Fantasykingdom.net is one of the best amusement park in Bangladesh and a place must visit if you are in Bangladesh.

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This is realy good and informative content for me. I love all this place. If i get time i will visit all the place. Thanks to say “the simple travel”. I recently visited Bandarban and stayed at Labah Tong hill resort and restaurant. It’s the best resort in the area with friendly staff, stunning views, and beautiful interior design. If you want a relaxing getaway, I highly recommend a visit to Labah Tong.

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Places to Visit in Bangladesh

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Tourist Places In Bangladesh

Here is the list of best places to visit in bangladesh:.

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Rajshahi is a vibrant city located on the Padma River's plains bounded on the north, west, and east by Paba Upazila. It is situated near the Bangladesh-India border and is surrounded by the towns of Kathakali and Nowhata.  Rajshahi captivates travelers through its world-class architecture, cultural institutions, and narrow cobblestone streets. It overflows with storybook charm due to its colorful buildings, lush green spaces, picturesque gardens, and turreted castles.  If you're hunting for the best places to see in Rajshahi, you can visit the Varendra Research Museum, a storehouse of artifacts and architectural exhibits. You can also visit Hardinge Bridge constructed on the Padma river and take a fascinating tour of Paharpur Buddhist Bihar. If you're a spiritual enthusiast, you can also visit Puthia Temple Complex, which is a large Annik temple. No trip is complete without trying out some of the best activities that guarantee unlimited thrill and excitement to the visitors. You can seek enlightenment at Choto Sona Mosque and peek into the city's rich history at Mahasthangarh Museum. Rajshahi is the coldest region in Bangladesh, with an average high temperature of 30 degrees centigrade. The best time for traveling to this city is from October to March as the weather remains pleasant.

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Sylhet is a beautiful city in Bangladesh located on the bank of the River Surma in northeastern Bengal. It is the district-headquarters and the divisional headquarters of Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, and Sylhet District. The postcard-perfect city has all the makings of an idyllic fairy tale world: a scenic harbor, sweeping views of the surrounding mountain group, and colorful rows of wooden houses. With its peaceful, tree-lined parks and cobblestone streets, it's not hard to see Sylhet as one of the most beautiful fairytale settings come to life. Sylhet is home to some of the most iconic sites you should definitely include in your bucket list. You can visit Manipuri Rajbari, a significant piece of Sylhet's architecture, and take a tour of Hakaluki Haor, a marsh wetland ecosystem with a wide range of biodiversity. If you're looking for endless fun and excitement, you can visit Dreamland Park that offers some of the best rides.  Some of the best activities that you must try in Sylhet are enjoying a boat ride, shopping at the local stores, and sampling the lip-smacking cuisines. You can enjoy camping on the riverbank, explore Crusader Shah Syed Nasir Uddin's shrine, and take a trip to the Ratargul Swamp Forest.  The weather in Sylhet is generally temperate and warm, with a good amount of rainfall. The average annual temperature ranges around 23.6 °C, and annual rainfall is 198.7 inches.

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Dhaka is the largest city in South East Asia, situated on the northern side of the Buriganga River. It is situated in central Bangladesh on the lower reaches of the Delta Ganges.  Dhaka is Bangladesh's megacity with swathes of green spaces, beautiful museums, and storied red-brick facades. Here, glossy high-rises are beautifully juxtaposed against thousands-year-old mosques, giving the city a charismatic appeal you won't find anywhere else.  There are many popular attractions in Dhaka that will leave you spoilt for choices during your tour. You can visit the Ahsan Manzil museum to have a glimpse of the Mughal lifestyle and head to Lalbagh Kella that is renowned for its architectural beauty. Dhakeshwari Mandir, The Khan Muhammad Mirza Mosque, and Baitul Mukarram are the most famous spiritual attractions of the city.  Some of the best things to do in Dhaka for an ultimate experience are enjoying a boat ride to Buriganga, strolling around Gulshan Lake Park, and enjoying fun rides at Nandan Park. You can also learn about the rich history and culture of Dhaka by visiting the Bangladesh National Museum. Dhaka experiences a tropical wet, and humid climate with a distinct monsoonal season.  The temperature mostly varies from 93°F to 57°F and is rarely above 98°F or below 52°F.

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Khulna is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, located in the central part of the country. It lies on the bank of the Rupsha river and is served by Port of Mongla which is the second-largest seaport in the country. Khulna remains a popular draw for the tourists due to its lush foliage, traditional shophouses, and best skylines. It is one of the most vibrant cities in Bangladesh that has glammed up with contemporary art galleries, religious centers, and boutiques. From fantastically craggy mountain ranges to beaches, you'll be greeted by spectacular vistas over here.  There are many impressive sites in Khulna that deserve the topmost spot in your itinerary. You can visit Shait Gumbad Mosque, Ron Jaipur Mosque, and Tomb of Khan Jahan Ali to satiate your spiritual soul. To learn about this city's rich history, you can take a tour of the Bagerhat Museum.  If you're looking for some of the best things to do in Khulna, you can admire the architectural beauty of the Nine-Domed Mosque and watch how the legal proceedings are carried out at High Court Building.  You can also learn about the life of Rabindranath Tagore at Kuthibari.  Khulna experiences temperate and humid weather with a good amount of rainfall. June is the wettest month, with 368mm rainfall on average.

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 Places to Visit in Kathmandu, Tourist Places & Attractions

Chattogram is a financial center and a major coastal city in Southeastern Bangladesh. It is situated on the banks of the River Karnaphuli between the Bay of Bengal and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Chattogram is a wonderland for visitors looking for a digital detox from the fast-paced city life. On one side, you can see breathtaking mountain ranges overlooking the sea, and on the other is the vast ocean's tranquil water. Due to its geographical position, sea, lush greenery, and mountain, there is no other city in Bangladesh that offers similar geodiversity. If you're looking for the best places to visit during your Chattogram, you must head to Patenga Beach, where you can soak the sun and enjoy picturesque views. You should also visit Chandranath Hill & Temple, a popular pilgrimage site, and explore Rangamati, a hilly district.  Some of the best things that you can try during your Chattogram tour are enjoying a scenic walk in Sajek Valley and boating at Kaptai Lake. You can also hike up to Nilgiri Mountain and enjoy shopping at Cox's Bazar. Chattogram experiences dry and humid weather, and July is the hottest month of the year. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 15.8°C.

Nepal

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Other Attractions

Cox's bazar.

Cox's Bazar

The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans

Lalbagh Fort

Lalbagh Fort

Saint Martin

Saint Martin

Amiakhum Waterfall

Amiakhum Waterfall

Bangladesh National Parliament

Bangladesh National Parliament

Ahsan Manzil Museum

Ahsan Manzil Museum

Liberation War Museum

Liberation War Museum

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque

Banglar Taj Mahal

Banglar Taj Mahal

Armenian Church

Armenian Church

National Botanical Garden Dhaka

National Botanical Garden Dhaka

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Discoverybangladesh.com - The Bangladesh Travel Guide

Bangladesh is one of the few countries in South Asia, which remains to be explored. Bangladesh has a delicate and distinctive attraction of its own to offer and it is definitely not a tourist haunt like Nepal or India. Bangladesh is like a painter's dream come true with a rich tapestry of colors and texture. The traditional emphasis of the tourist trade has always been on the material facilities offered by a country rather than on its actual charms. This may be a reason why Bangladesh has seldom been highlighted in the World's tourist maps.

It's a land of enormous beauty , hundreds of serpentine rivers, crystal clear water lakes surrounded by ever green hills, luxuriant tropical rain forests, beautiful cascades of green tea gardens, world's largest mangrove forest preserved as World Heritage, home of the Royal Bengal Tiger and the wild lives, warbling of birds in green trees, wind in the paddy fields, abundance of sunshine, world's longest natural sea beach, rich cultural heritage, relics of ancient Buddhist civilizations and colorful tribal lives, - Bangladesh creates an unforgettable impression of a land of peace.

You'll appreciate our culture and the environment. These are not simply sight-seeing excursions, but real-time learning experiences. Enjoy an ideal blend of adventure and exploration with comfort and relaxation. Here you find that you are not alone. With us, any place in Bangladesh is a home away from home.

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World Heritage Site, Historical & Archaeological Tour Bangladesh

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The Second Largest City Of Bangladesh

Chattogram, the second largest city of Bangladesh and a busy international seaport ...

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Sylhet & Srimongol - The picture of nature!

Sylhet is a prime attraction for all tourists visiting Bangladesh. Laying between the ...

Home of the Royal Bengal Tiger

The Sundarbans are the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world, stretching ...

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Kuakata - Daughter of the Sea

Kuakata, locally known as Sagar Kannya (Daughter of the Sea) is a rare scenic beauty ...

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Hill Tracts & Lakes - Rangamati

Decidedly untypical of Bangladesh in topography and culture, the Chattogram Hill Tracts ...

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The capital city Dhaka predominantly was a city of the Mughals. In hundred years of their vigorous rule successive ...

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Banglapedia

Tourism may mean traveling for pleasure and education. It is also a business in the form of providing services to tourists by providing them accommodation and entertainment. In many countries, tourism is an industry for earning inland revenue and foreign exchange through many businesses like airlines, shipping, hotels and restaurants, finance companies, tour operators, travel agents, car rental firms, caterers and retail establishments. These concerns together contribute significantly to the overall development of a country's economy and to its cultural diversification and assimilation.

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Bengal had always attracted tourists. Travelers from different parts of the world had interest in this part of the world from very ancient times. They visited Bengal with varied purposes. Some came with missionary objectives, some with motives of exploring business opportunities, some came to attend seats of learning and some for meeting curiosity.

Notable them were Pliny, the Elder of Greece (visited tamralipti in the first century), Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus) of Egypt ( gangaridai or gauda , second century), fa-hien of China (Tamralipti, 5th century), hiuen-tsang of China ( mahasthan , samatata , karnasuvarna and Tamralipti, 7th century), ibn battuta of Morocco ( chittagong and sonargaon , 14th century), ma huan of China (Gauda, 15th century), fei hsin of China (Chittagong and Sonargaon, 15th century), duarte barbosa of Portugal (areas alongside the ganges , early 16th century), caeser frederick of Italy (Chittagong, late 17th century), ralph fitch of England (Chittagong, late 16th century), sebastien manrique of Portugal (Chittagong, early 16th century) niccolao manucci of Italy ( dhaka , mid-17th century) and Jean Tavernier of France (Dhaka, mid 17th century).

As tourism in its modern sense is a relatively recent phenomenon, it took its start in the present Bangladesh area only during the 1960s. Tourists from abroad came to see and enjoy the sea beach, scenic beauty of the landscape covered with lavish greens and the web of rivers, tribal culture, religious rituals, historical places, forests, wild life and hill resorts.

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The sundarbans of Bangladesh is the largest mangrove forest in the world and a natural habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Bangladesh is located in an advantageous position from tourism point of view. It is in the macro Asiatic Air Traffic Corridor. Being so located it is comparatively easier for this country to share this traffic for promoting tourism.

Immediately after liberation, the government of Bangladesh set up Bangladesh Parjatan Sangstha (Bangladesh Tourism Organisation), with a view to developing tourist industry in the country. The organisation was restructured into Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in 1973. The corporation drew up a five-year plan within the framework of the first Five-Year Plan (1973-78) of economic and social development of the country to provide essential facilities and to exploit the natural attractions for increasing the inflow of tourists and make their stay in the country entertaining. Ever since the government made budgetary allocations for the corporation in all successive plans to implement programmes and activities for development of tourism.

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The facilities already created by the corporation in Dhaka, Chittagong, cox's bazar , kaptai , sylhet , rangamati and elsewhere have had a considerable effect on local and foreign tourists.

The National Tourism Policy of 1992 considered tourism 'as an industry of due priority' and underlined a tourism development and marketing strategy. The Industrial Policy of 1999 identified tourism as a 'thrust sector'. The government encourages foreign investors in this sector both in the form of joint venture and as 100% foreign investment.

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Bangladesh offers tourists a variety of attractions in almost every part of the country. In rajshahi, the Bara Kuthi on the bank of the padma and the varendra research museum are among the main attractions for the lovers of antiquity. The silk factory of the bangladesh sericulture board is another place of interest for the tourists. The important group of Islamic monuments of medieval Bengal at gaur is situated on the border of Rajshahi. Gaur is 88 km from Rajshahi town and takes about 3 hours' drive by road. The Department of Archaeology of the government took over the Gaur monuments scattered over an area of more than 6 sq km.

The Sultanate monuments of Gaur attract a large number of tourists both locals and foreigners include mainly the darasbari mosque (built in 1470), the darasbari madrasa , dhunichawk mosque , chhota sona mosque (1493-1538), khania dighi or Rajbibi Mosque. puthia is situated about 29 km off Rajshahi town on the way to natore . A fine group of late medieval Hindu temples is located at Puthia. Among these, the Gobinda Temple (built in 1825-95) and the Shiva Temple (1823) are important. Puthia Palace, built by hemantakumari devi in 1895, is also an elegant building worth visiting.

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The famous dighapatia rajbari , about two kilometres north of Natore, has been restored and is now designated as Uttara Gana Bhaban (People's House for the northern region) used by the head of state or government when occasion arises.

This vast palace occupying an area of 43 acres of land was originally the palace of the Maharaja of Dighapatia. The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation's package tour to the northwestern region includes it for overnight stay. The natore rajbari (Boro Taraf and Chhoto Taraf Palaces) is also worth visiting.

paharpur is a small village 5 km west of jamalganj railway station. Here the remains of the largest known monastery south of the himalayas have been excavated. This 7th century archaeological find covers approximately an area of 27 acres of land. The entire establishment occupies a quadrangular court measuring more than 900 sq ft and from 12 ft to 15 ft in height. With elaborate gateway complex on the north, there are 45 cells on the north and 44 in each of the other three sides with a total number of 177 rooms. The architecture of the pyramidal cruciform temple is profoundly influenced by those of Southeast Asia, especially Myanmar and Java.

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It took its name from a high mound, which looked like pahar or hillock. A site museum built recently houses the representative collection of objects recovered from the area. Another leading place of tourist's attraction mahasthangarh is located at a distance of 18 km north of bogra town. It is the oldest archaeological site of Bangladesh on the western bank of river karatoya . The spectacular site is an imposing landmark in the area having a fortified enclosure. Beyond the fortified area, other ancient ruins fan out within a semicircle of about 8 km radius.

Several isolated mounds govinda bhita Temple, khodar pathar bhita , mankalir kunda dhap , Parsuram's Palace and Jiyat Kunda surround the fortified city. This 3rd century BC archaeological site is still held to be of great sanctity by Hindus. Until recently, thousands of Hindu devotees joined the bathing ceremony on the bank of river Karatoya every year (mid-April). A visit to the Mahasthangarh site museum opens up a wide variety of antiquities, ranging from terracotta objects to gold ornaments and coins recovered from the site. At a short distance from the monastery there was a stupa built by Asoka on the site where Buddha explained his laws to the Devas. The bhasu vihara was visited by the Chinese traveler Huen Tsang sometime in the middle of 7th century. Mahasthangarh is also famous for a Mazar-sharif (holy grave) of a Muslim saint situated on the top of a hillock

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The beautiful kantanagar temple near dinajpur town was built by Maharaja Pran Nath of Dinajpur in 1752. It was originally a nava-ratna (nine-towered) temple, crowned with richly ornamented towers. Unfortunately, these ornate towers collapsed during an earthquake at the end of 19th century.

In spite of this, the monument claims to be the finest extant example of its type in brick and terracotta built by Bengali artisans. Every inch of wall surface both inside and outside of the temple is profusely decorated with exquisite terracotta plaques, representing flora, fauna, geometric motifs and figures.

The historic mosque-city of bagerhat is located about 25 kilometres southeast of khulna attracts a large number of tourists. Bagerhat was founded by Saint Ulugh khan jahan in early 15th century. Khan Jahan adorned his city with many mosques, bridges, roads, palaces, mausoleums and other public buildings. Among the many surviving monuments of Khan Jahan, shatgumbad mosque is the most magnificent and largest brick mosque in Bangladesh.

bangla of tourism

As the largest contiguous area of mangrove forest in the world, the Sundarbans are unique and not found elsewhere in the south Asia region. Sundarbans are famous for the Royal Bengal tiger, numerous deer, crocodiles, birds and other animals.

With a picturesque hinterland of large hill-forests and lakes, Chittagong is the second largest city of Bangladesh and a busy international seaport. It has many attractive places of interest like the shrine of baya j id bostami , World War II cemetery, Foy's Lake, Ethnological Museum, Zia Memorial Museum, Patenga Beach and sitakunda .

With miles of golden sands, towering cliffs, surfing waves, rare conch shells, colourful pagodas, Buddhist temples and tribes, delightful sea food and world's longest unbroken (120 km) beach sloping gently down to the blue waters of the bay of bengal against the picturesque background of a chain of hills covered with deep green forests, Cox's Bazar, 152 km south of Chittagong, is one of the most attractive tourist spots. Visits to the fascinating picnic spot at Himchhari, teknaf , southernmost tip of Bangladesh, Buddhist temple at ramu and nearby islands of Sonadia, st martin's island and Moheskhali are sure to be experiences of a lifetime.

bangla of tourism

The Hill districts of rangamati , khagrachhari and bandarban with their perennial forests, emerald-blue waters of kaptai lake , colourful tribal life and culture, attractive handicraft of the artisans beckon one to a world of panoramic beauty.

A pleasant and picturesque drive of 64 km from Chittagong brings to a huge expanse of blue water ringed with tropical forests. It is the famous man-made Kaptai Lake (680 sq km) formed by damming the karnafuli river. Only 3 km from Kaptai along Chittagong Road lies the ancient Chit Morong Buddhist temple having beautiful Buddhist statues.

sylhet town is located 350 km northeast of Dhaka between Khasi-Jaintia Hills and the Tripura Hills. Sylhet district is famous for tea production. Sylhet is considered to be a holy city by the Muslims because of the mazars (graves) of saint shah jalal (R), shah paran (R) and others.

bangla of tourism

About eight km to the west of comilla town which is situated 114 km southeast of Dhaka lies a range of low hills known as Mainamati-Lalmai ridge, an extensive centre of Buddhist culture. At Shalvan in the middle of the ridge, excavations laid bare a large Buddhist vihara and imposing central shrine. It has revealed valuable information about the rule of the Chandra and Deva dynasties, which flourished here from the 7th to 12th century. The whole range of hillocks run for about 18 km and is studded with more than 50 sites. bangladesh academy for rural development (BARD) founded by akhter hameed khan was established nearby in 1959 and is known for its pioneering role in cooperative movement.

bangla of tourism

Dhaka is famous for its archaeological and historical sites. In its present location on the bank of river buriganga , Dhaka was founded and made the provincial Mughal capital in 1608. It enjoyed this status till 1717. The lalbagh fort or Fort Aurangabad, was constructed by Prince Muhammad Azam, Viceroy of Bengal and third son of Mughal emperor aurangzeb , in 1678 and his successor, shaista khan . The decorative walls and gates, a fine masonry tank, the audience hall, mosque, tomb of Pari Bibi are important tourist attractions inside the fort. husaini dalan , the famous imambara of the Shiah Community, a faction of Muslims, is located behind the dhaka medical college and hospital . It was probably built around 1642. bara katra , one of the most important remains of the Mughal period, is situated on the north bank of the river Buriganga at Chawk Bazar. Built in 1644 by Abdul Qasim, Diwan of Shah Shuja, the Katra was so great in its beauty that its inscription states that it puts 'High Heaven' to shame. chhota katra is situated about 200 yards east of Bara Katra. It was built in 1663 by Shaista Khan. Fort of khizrpur is situated at narayanganj on the western bank of the shitalakshya . sonakanda fort is situated on the eastern bank of the river Shitalakshya about a mile further downstream. Both the forts exist in an excellent state of preservation and still bear the memories of the famous isa khan and mir jumla . The successor of Shaista Khan, Nawab ibrahim khan 2nd built the jinjira palace around 1689-97. It stood on the other side of the river Buriganga opposite Bara Katra. The two palaces were said to have been connected by a wooden bridge across the river. The palace was surrounded by a moat.

bangla of tourism

sonargaon , an old capital, is about 26 km east of Dhaka, close to the highway to Chittagong. About a mile from the turning, is the village of Mograpara, which contains many old ruins. ahsan manzil or the Nawab Bari is situated on the bank of the river Buriganga. The palace was originally built in 1872 by Nawab abdul ghani . The old building was reconstructed after it was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1888. Recently the building has been taken over by the government and made into a museum.

bangla of tourism

baldah garden is a unique creation of Narendra Narayan Roy, the late landlord of Baldha. Established in 1904 at Wari in Dhaka City (opposite the Christian cemetery), the garden with its rich collection of indigenous and exotic plants is one of the most exciting attractions for naturalists and tourists. The National botanical garden at Mirpur, near the Dhaka Zoo, is spread over an area of 205 acres of land and has a large collection of local and foreign plants. Outstanding attractions are 100 varieties of roses, 100 varieties of bamboo , many varieties of sandalwood and an old banyan tree. It is a quiet place away from the main city to meet nature. Dhaka zoological garden , popularly known as Mirpur Zoo and located at a distance of about 16 km from the city centre was established on 230 acres of land. It houses nearly 1,400 animals and birds belonging to 124 species, the latest addition being the Kangaroo and Tapir. Busy enclosures are those of lions, Royal Bengal Tiger, panthers, deer, monkeys, chimpanzees, pythons, crocodiles, elephants and colourful birds.

The National Park at Bhawal, 40 km north of Dhaka on the highway to mymensingh , is an ideal spot for visitors, artists, photographers, ornithologists and tourists. It has a 16,000-acre recreational forest. Main flora is garjan (Assam sal) and the fauna include small bears, monkeys, porcupines, foxes, pythons, lizards and birds.

bangla of tourism

The bangladesh national museum was established as Dhaka Museum at Nimtali in 1913 and was shifted to its new imposing building at Shahbagh, Dhaka in 1983. It contains a large collection of sculptures and paintings of the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim periods, old coins, metal images, ivory and silver filigree works, textiles including the world famous muslin fabric, embroidered quilt ( nakshi kantha ), arms and ammunitions of the bygone warriors, varieties of fine handicrafts and models of the village and town life, contemporary paintings and sculptures. The valuable articles of the heroic liberation war of Bangladesh are also there.

The Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon was established in 1975 to fulfil the dream of the celebrated painter zainul abedin . The museum has a very rich collection of folk objects of different materials and forms of aesthetic and utilitarian value. These undoubtedly reflect the sentiments, impulses, temperament moods, idiosyncrasies, skills and expertise of the artists and artisans.

bangla of tourism

The Ethnological Museum in Chittagong houses objects of 12 different tribes of Bangladesh and also of many tribes of Australia, India and Pakistan. There are small archaeological museums at Lalbagh Fort, Mahasthangarh, Paharpur and Mainamati.

The Varendra Museum at Rajshahi has a rich collection of objects of Mohenjodaro and also of the 16th to 19th centuries. Its rich collection contains interesting objects of Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim heritage. The Tribal Cultural Museum in the Hill Tracts region was established at Rangamati town in 1978 and is run by the Tribal Cultural Institute. It preserves valuable objects and articles of different tribes depicting their socioeconomic cultural and historical tradition. These include typical tribal Dresses, ornaments , arms and ammunition, coins , statues made of wood, bronze and other metals, musical instruments, ivory products, handicraft, and paintings of tribal life.

bangla of tourism

Dhaka has several excellent cinema halls, which screen British, American, and Bangladeshi films. All district towns have their own cinema halls. Cultural shows and Bengali and translated western plays are staged frequently at several venues in Dhaka including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Guide House and British Council auditorium.

bangla of tourism

Most festivals in Bangladesh sprung from religious rituals, but the fairs have their roots in the very heart of the people, irrespective of religion, caste or creed. The biggest Muslim festival of the country is eid-ul fitr , followed by eid-ul azha . Other widely celebrated Muslim rites are Eid-e-Miladunabi, shab-e-barat , ashura (I0th day of muharram ), and Jamat-ul-Wida. Festivals like durga puja of Hindus, christmas of Christians, buddha purnima of Buddhists are also celebrated with fervour. Among the non-religious festivals Bengali New Year's Day, Victory Day (16 December) and Independence Day (26 March) are celebrated nation wide. All these festivals are marked as public holidays. Other national holidays are ekushey february (21st February, international mother language Day in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali language movement ), and May Day. At langalband near Sonargaon (about 27 km from Dhaka) a very sacred festival is observed by the Hindu community every year on the last day of Chaitra (last Bengali month) by way of bathing in the water of the Shitalakshya.

Pink pearls are the best buy in Dhaka. These natural pearls are unparalleled in lustre. A wide range of gold and silver ornaments, and silver filigree work are favoured by many travelers. Among the best buys are brass and copperware trays, wall decorations and vases with delicate hand-made engravings and filigree work. Products made from the hides and skins of animals and reptiles, intricate wood carvings, cane and bamboo products, conch shell bangles, embroidered quilts, jamdani and silk fabrics are also popular.

Beside local and oriental food, western food is available at all major hotels and restaurants in larger cities for the tourists. But local dishes are more exotic and tasty. Misti dohi (sweetened yogurt), a variety of halwas (sweetened pastes) made from egg, carrot, sooji or wheat cream, almond, pistachio, and nuts, sandesh, jorda, firni or rice flour cooked in milk, sugar and flavouring. rasgolla, kalojam and rosmalai are favourite sweets. Varieties of pithas such as chitoi, dhupi, takti, andosha, puti, bhapa and pua are available, but the most artistic and attractive is nakshi pitha. Among the fruits the most delicious are mango , litchi , banana , papaya , jackfruit , watermelon, pineapple , coconut and orange .

Recently the Bangladesh government has adopted a plan for the promotion of tourism by highlighting the country's natural phenomenon under the scheme styled as 'Rupamoy Bangladesh' (Beautiful Bangladesh). [Syed Rashidul Hasan]

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Policy Overview for Bangladesh Tourism

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bangla of tourism

  • Takrima Sayeda 3 ,
  • Samia Afrin Shetu 3 &
  • Muhammad Shoeb-Ur- Rahman   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2667-4794 3  

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Tourism policy of a country provides a broad guideline and direction based on which tourism systems should function. The National Tourism Policy (NTP) of Bangladesh has initiated strategies to platform the economic, cultural, social, heritage, and environmental values that the industry can provide. It focuses on multidimensional facets of the industry. With a qualitative research orientation, this chapter provides altogether an overview of the tourism policy that has been taken by the government to promote Bangladesh as one of the preferred destinations. The policy prioritizes several types of operation such as beach and marine tourism, forest-based tourism, rural and riverine tourism, cultural tourism, religious tourism, and community tourism. Apart from the in-house strategies to foster the tourism industry, it focuses on the importance of collaboration with regional unions and international organizations. However, the NTP largely fails to reach desired goals and objectives due to the lack of apprehension of “inside” and “outside” policy factors as well as policy process. A strong research-base is inevitable to optimize tourism benefits from a tourism policy. This chapter is expected to help future tourism policymakers in Bangladesh in the development of an updated policy instrument.

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Sayeda, T., Shetu, S.A., Rahman, M.SU. (2020). Policy Overview for Bangladesh Tourism. In: Rahman, M.SU., Hassan, A. (eds) Tourism Policy and Planning in Bangladesh. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7014-8_1

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ঈদ উপলক্ষে ওয়ালটন ই-প্লাজায় ৫০ শতাংশ পর্যন্ত ছাড়

দেশে আন্তর্জাতিক পর্যটন কেন্দ্র গড়ে তোলার পরিকল্পনা

দেশে আন্তর্জাতিক পর্যটন কেন্দ্র গড়ে তোলার পরিকল্পনা

‘পর্যটন শিল্প বাংলাদেশের জন্য হয়ে উঠতে পারে অন্যতম হাতিয়ার’

‘পর্যটন শিল্প বাংলাদেশের জন্য হয়ে উঠতে পারে অন্যতম হাতিয়ার’

মধ্যপ্রাচ্যের ছয় দেশ ভ্রমণ এক ভিসায়

মধ্যপ্রাচ্যের ছয় দেশ ভ্রমণ এক ভিসায়

সীমান্ত সড়কের সুফল পাচ্ছেন স্থানীয়রা, খুলছে পর্যটনের দ্বার

সীমান্ত সড়কের সুফল পাচ্ছেন স্থানীয়রা, খুলছে পর্যটনের দ্বার

আকর্ষণীয় স্থানে পর্যটন করপোরেশনের হোটেল, তবু কেন লোকসান

আকর্ষণীয় স্থানে পর্যটন করপোরেশনের হোটেল, তবু কেন লোকসান

পর্যটন খাতে আসছে বিশাল বিদেশি বিনিয়োগ

পর্যটন খাতে আসছে বিশাল বিদেশি বিনিয়োগ

পর্যটন শিল্পের দৈন্যদশার জন্য কে দায়ী

পর্যটন শিল্পের দৈন্যদশার জন্য কে দায়ী

এবার বাংলাদেশ থেকে পায়ে হেঁটে এভারেস্ট যেতে চান ইউসুফ

এবার বাংলাদেশ থেকে পায়ে হেঁটে এভারেস্ট যেতে চান ইউসুফ

শীতকালে ভ্রমণের জন্য বাংলাদেশের ১০টি জনপ্রিয় স্থান

শীতকালে ভ্রমণের জন্য বাংলাদেশের ১০টি জনপ্রিয় স্থান

কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা দেখতে পঞ্চগড় যাবেন যেভাবে

কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা দেখতে পঞ্চগড় যাবেন যেভাবে

মুগ্ধতা ছড়াচ্ছে শুভ্র কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা

মুগ্ধতা ছড়াচ্ছে শুভ্র কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা

 পর্যটন শিল্পের উন্নয়নে আন্তর্জাতিক ব্র্যান্ডিং ও দক্ষতা উন্নয়ন জরুরি

পর্যটন শিল্পের উন্নয়নে আন্তর্জাতিক ব্র্যান্ডিং ও দক্ষতা উন্নয়ন জরুরি

দেশের সম্ভাবনাময় শিল্পগুলোর মধ্যে পর্যটন শিল্প অন্যতম। কিন্তু বিশাল সম্ভাবনা থাকা সত্ত্বেও জাতীয় ও আন্তর্জাতিক পর্যায়ে পর্যাপ্ত ব্র্যান্ডিংয়ের অভাবে পর্যটন শিল্প এখনো অনেকটা পিছিয়ে রয়েছে। এ শিল্পকে এগিয়ে নিতে পর্যাপ্ত ...

আঞ্চলিক সংযোগ বৃদ্ধিতে কাজ করছে বাংলাদেশ: পর্যটনমন্ত্রী

আঞ্চলিক সংযোগ বৃদ্ধিতে কাজ করছে বাংলাদেশ: পর্যটনমন্ত্রী

বাংলাদে‌শি দর্শনার্থীদের জন্য ই-ভিসা চালু করেছে নেপাল

বাংলাদে‌শি দর্শনার্থীদের জন্য ই-ভিসা চালু করেছে নেপাল

বাংলাদেশে পর্যটন কার্যালয় খুলছে সৌদি আরব

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Bandarban businesspersons worry over poor tourist influx on Eid holidays

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Businessmen engaged in tourism sector in Bandarban are worried about a poor influx of tourists visiting the district during the Eid holidays amid the ongoing joint operation of security forces there.

Every year, hundreds of tourists visit the district during Eid holidays to spend time with friends and families amid the serene natural beauty of the hills.

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This time, a different ambience is at play in the district as the local administration and businessmen have advised tourists to avoid visiting the spots in Ruma, Rowanchhari and Thanchi areas amid the ongoing crackdown against Kuki China National Front.

There is, however, no security problem for tourists to visit Nilachal, Meghla, Nilgiri, Shailaprapat and Prantik lake areas in Bandarban Sadar upazila, as well as other sites in Alikadam, Lama and Naikhyongchhari upazilas, repports our Bandarban correspondent.

Zafar Alam, owner of Hotel Garden City, said most hotels, motels and resorts did not have much bookings for the holidays due to the existing security concerns in the hills.

"As such, tourism business in Bandarban will be affected this time. Many hotel-motel owners had to lay off employees to cut back on expenses and remain afloat," he added.

Many people engaged in tourism related activities, including tour guides, jeep and three-wheeler drivers, among others, are passing idle days and struggling to make both ends meet.

"During holidays, tourists usually come to Bandarban and benefit our businesses. However, this year I am not sure if we will have that many tourists," said Hlayi Rakhine, a trader at Puravi Market.

Mong Sa Ching Marma, a three-wheeler driver, echoed him.

"The security forces' operations are mainly going on around 60-100 km away from the district headquarters. There is no problem in travelling to tourist spots around Bandarban Sadar. Yet, there has not been much response from tourists regarding bookings so far," said Shah Newaz Nahid, manager of Green Peak Resort.

Manjil Morshed, superintendent of police in Bandarban, said, "Due to the current situation, tourists won't be able to visit spots the remote areas. They can travel to Meghla, Nilachal, Shailaprapat, Prantik Lake, Chimbuk and Nilgiri hills. Tourist Police in the district will be working to ensure their security."

Shah Mojahid Uddin, deputy commissioner of Bandarban, urged all tourists to avoid the areas in remote hills of Ruma, Thanchi and Rowanchhari upazilas where joint forces are conducting operations.

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  13. 17 Best places to visit in Bangladesh you can't miss

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    Places to Visit in Bangladesh: Find best tourist places in Bangladesh, attractions, sightseeing tours, & traveler reviews for a perfect holiday. Adventure Excursions. ... It is a prime eco-tourism destination that boasts of untouched flora and fauna and the highest waterfalls. Cycling around in its beautiful tea estates or exploring the nearby ...

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    Bangladesh travel guide highlight Bangladesh travel & tourism, Bangladesh Tours & travels, dream destinations etc. Bangladesh Tourism & Travel guide welcome you to visit Bangladesh, travel to Bangladesh & discover Bangladesh naturally

  18. Tourism

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  19. Opportunities and the Challenges of Tourism Industry in Bangladesh

    Tourism is a growing industry all around the world. Though Bangladesh has a huge prospective to improve tourism due to its natural scenery and enriched heritage, the industry flops to the extent of its end because of its different challenges.

  20. Tourism Policy in Bangladesh: A Critical Perspective

    For Bangladesh tourism policy , Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism is the apex body to carry out such policy in cooperation with its two associated agencies namely BPC and BTB . The authors develop a framework in which policy governance, policy conditions, and policy cycles within a tourism context of Bangladesh have undergone critical ...

  21. Policy Overview for Bangladesh Tourism

    The National Tourism Policy (NTP) of Bangladesh has initiated strategies to platform the economic, cultural, social, heritage, and environmental values that the industry can provide. It focuses on multidimensional facets of the industry. With a qualitative research orientation, this chapter provides altogether an overview of the tourism policy ...

  22. Tourism Bangla

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  23. Bandarban businesspersons worry over poor tourist influx on Eid

    Businessmen engaged in tourism sector in Bandarban are worried about a poor influx of tourists visiting the district during the Eid holidays amid the ongoing joint operation of security forces there.

  24. Cultural Tourism in Bangladesh, a Potential and Profound Tourism

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