PEOPLE
Above anything else, it is the people of Bangladesh that stand out as a highlight of this country, a definite positive when considering that the 'desh is one of the most heavily populated nations on Earth.
Your first impressions will no doubt center on the unstoppable curiosity and unrelenting enthusiasm of Bangladeshi people, followed by subsequent insights into their never-ending hospitality and graciousness towards foreign guests.
Long after you’ve left it will be their kindnesses you will take with you, as well as memories of interactions you had with a people who crave real interaction with the outside world – an opportunity so seldom few of them ever get to see with their own eyes. Bring your camera, and upon returning home you will see that it is overflowing with images of people.
SUNDARBAN
Bangladesh’s most pristine wilderness is a true oasis, where relaxing boat journeys can be had among tranquil peace and quiet – something quite rare in this heavily populated nation. As the largest tract of mangroves in the world, it’s also home to a significant wildlife population of spotted deer and man-eating Royal Bengal Tigers.
CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS
This scenic destination offers hilly scenery, indigenous culture, hard drinks and serene Buddhist monasteries. It’s also a geographic and cultural standout from the flat existence of the plains below.At Bandarban there are plenty of unexplored trekking opportunities including the remote journey to one of Bangladesh’s highest places, Keokradang. At Rangamati, boating on Kaptai Lake is a peaceful way to pass time and relax.
SRIMONGOL
The hills of this area are especially good during and shortly after the monsoon. Cycle among tea plantations that carpet the landscape, and walk in rainforests that are alive with life.A tiny population of rare Hoolock Gibbons remains in the Lawacherra Rainforest, desperately in need of conservation. Finally, the recipe of the world-famous five layer tea is a secret that creator Ramosh Ram Gour guards with his life.
RIVERS
Any river journey is an adventure in the country’s aquatic arteries; these lead directly into Bangladesh’s heart and soul. There are so many ways to do this: budget travellers can crash out on boat decks en route to Bangladesh’s coastal south (AC cabins are also available on some boats), while luxury seekers can be served brie on a historic Bangladeshi sailing boat.
The Rocket paddlewheel lies somewhere in the middle and can act as a gateway to or away from Sundarban. Bangladesh is also home to the world’s largest population of Irrawady River Dolphins, with a population of 5,800 spread along the coast and especially concentrated in Sundarban.
There are also Ganges River Dolphins along the major rivers and finless porpoises and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins who call the Bay of Bengal home.
BEACH
As the longest natural beach in the world, Cox’s Bazaar is often touted as Bangladesh’s beach paradise. But the town itself, with its crowded conditions and rampant development, can be quite a letdown. Outside the town itself, is a different story, however.
While it’s not easy to find a truly isolated, private piece of white sand, there are plenty of quiet areas awaiting intrepid travellers who travel southward along the length of the beach.
St. Martin’s Island has also shared a similar fate with Cox’s; but if you venture away from the main touristed areas, the real spirit of this beach remains. Visitors who would rather skip the Cox’s experience entirely will find an excellent beach at Kuakata, although in a few years’ time this place might soon resemble its bigger cousin.
Finally, Bangladesh becomes home to a number of river beaches during the dry season (November to March), in which the water levels run low and these are easily as good as being on a beach by the coast. The best water for such river beaches comes from the Khasi Hills in the northern parts of Sylhet Division, in the areas that lie directly alongside the border with India.
RAINFORESTS
Bangladesh’s forests have been slowly denigrated over the years, much to the dismay of conservationists and those who know that habitat quality is the key ingredient for the survival of endangered species.
Aside from Sundarban, two national parks stand out as highlights: the Lawacharra is easily combined with a visit to Srimongol (see above). Located at the southerneastern tip of Bangladesh, the Teknaf Game Reserve is one of Bangladesh’s last remaining pristine rainforests and also holds a population of wild Asian Elephants. There is also a newly established network of walking trails at both parks to get visitors into the forest and experiencing nature.
CHARS
These river islands, known in Bangla as ‘chars’, are spread amongst the basins of the country’s major river systems. Scenic and serene, the chars are not easy places to reach as they can only be accessed by boat.
But the stories of the people who live there, often the poorest of Bangladesh’s poor, are extraordinary. As the islands are vulnerable to yearly flooding, they shift constantly, causing the inhabitants to move perhaps a dozen times or more in one lifetime.
No government services exist, there are no roads and there is no electricity, which means that millions of inhabitants that live on chars remain in positively medieval conditions.
Serious adventurers might want to find their way to these unique and isolated places to see people who still remain on the very edges of existence. Kurigram, in the northerneastern reaches of the Rajshahi Division, is the best place to visit the islands.
INDIGENOUS CULTURE
Aside from diversity found in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, budding anthropologists will find more diversity than they expected in other parts of Bangladesh. There are several groups of tribal people living in the fringes of Sylhet Division, including pockets of Tripuran, Manipuri and Khasi people.
In the northern reaches of the Dhaka Division, Garo people populate the areas directly below the hills. Visiting these unique cultures offers visitors another take on the hospitality offered by the people of Bangladesh, and the opportunity to get a hard drink in this outwardly conservative nation.
RURAL BEAUTY
Visitors from northern climates will find nothing more pleasant than simple, verdant nature of the villages and towns of Bangladesh, most of which are pleasantly shaded under palm and coconut trees, and populated with villagers of an earnest and friendly demeanor.
The real soul of the country lies here, far from the crowded cities of Dhaka and Chittagong. Rajshahi Division, especially in its western and northwestern corners, offers these experiences in abundance.
May brings what is known locally as ‘honey month’, where several kinds of fruits become ripe for harvest, especially the magical mangos.
PHOTOGRAPHY As a country full of colour, life, sound and vibrancy, photographers will find no shortage of material to work with, whether they be extraordinary river landscapes or dozens of beautiful faces, all of whom are rather eager to be photographed.
Life spills out on to the streets, and rarely is Bangladesh tucked away behind curtains or swept under carpets. Visitors will find themselves able to see directly into the lives of local people, especially in the cities, who seem just as curious as they look back.
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