Why Bangladesh surprises travellers
Bangladesh packs river deltas, Mughal mosques, tea estates and the world's longest natural beach into one friendly, low-cost country. Here are the cities worth building a trip around.
Dhaka
The capital is a sensory overload of rickshaws, street food and history. Don't miss Lalbagh Fort, the pink Ahsan Manzil palace on the Buriganga River, and the maze-like alleys of Old Dhaka.
- Highlight: A cycle-rickshaw ride through Old Dhaka at dusk.
Chittagong (Chattogram)
The country's main port and gateway to the southeast hills. It blends sea, commerce and Buddhist heritage, and is the launch point for the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
- Highlight: The ship-breaking coast and the colourful Karnaphuli riverfront.
Cox's Bazar
Home to a 120 km unbroken sandy beach, the longest in the world. It is Bangladesh's top domestic holiday spot for sunsets and seafood.
- Highlight: Sunset over the Bay of Bengal at Laboni Beach.
Sylhet
Green tea hills, shrines and waterfalls in the northeast. The surrounding estates produce most of Bangladesh's tea, and the Ratargul swamp forest is a unique paddle.
- Highlight: Boating through the flooded Ratargul forest.
Khulna
The gateway to the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Royal Bengal tiger. Most boat safaris depart from here.
- Highlight: A multi-day Sundarbans boat safari.
Bagerhat
A UNESCO World Heritage city of medieval mosques. The Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj) is one of the finest Islamic monuments in South Asia.
- Highlight: The 15th-century Sixty Dome Mosque.
Rangamati
A lakeside town in the hill tracts, set around Kaptai Lake and home to Indigenous Chakma culture.
- Highlight: A boat trip across serene Kaptai Lake.
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