Travel in Asia
Bangladesh bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma.
Please help us to fill in some useful travel information and cool places to stay and destinations to visit in Bangladesh.
Ask any sun and surf lover what the best part about Bangladesh would be, and chances are they'd tell you about Inani Beach. It is the world's longest (and widest) beach.
Inani Beach
Sounds excellent enough, if that's all they had to offer. No, this Asian country of 153 million people is a lot more than just coastline. It's a place of tranquil tea plantations, spicy curries, and a culture than spans centuries.
Dhaka, its capital city, is one of the best places to experience Bangladesh's culture. It's full of museums and mosque, and considering some 90 percent of the country is Muslim--there are a lot of mosques.
One of the most famous isn't in Dhaka, but Bagerhat; it's a 60 domed mosque called Shait Gumbad.
In addition to Dhaka's religious sites, you can see if Liberation War Museum (Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in the early 1970s), as well as its exotic zoo and Botanical Gardens.
Another vibrant city is Chittagong, located right on the Bay of Bengal. Not only is it a port city, but a museum city, a forested and beach area (with coconut groves, no less), lakes, and a thriving Buddhist Tribal Culture.
You need to keep going back to Bangladesh's incredible beaches, you'll want to see (of course) Inani Beach, but also Maheskali Island and Kuakata. The water is important here, and a good way to enjoy it is along a paddleboat ride.
The water also gives you one of the best souvenirs you can buy yourself, pink pearls. But Bangladesh is also known for its stunning fabrics and saris, and items made from bamboo.
Whether shopping markets, the beach, or museums are what you have in mind--it's best to keep an eye on the weather. Hot, tropical monsoons frequent the area from May to october, while its a tad cooler from November to March. The area is also prone to earthquakes, but let that stop you from enjoying this fantastic country.
If anything the food should bring you, loically made curries with rice are everywhere--and fish dishes are both exotic and tasty. As this is a Muslim country, the drinks of choice are coconut water and tea. Tea, by the way, is a great drink choice since so much of it is grown in the area of the Sylhet Division.
Getting from one area to another can be a test of patience, but a unique experience at the same time. While trains are often crowded (and not very well-kept), you can get from Dhaka to Cittagong by rail.
Ferry service is also available from Dhaka to Khulna, and are also very crowded. Going local? Take the auto rickshaw or the cycle rickshaw, a three-wheeled buggy of sorts.
It is best to avoid drinking anything other than boiled or bottled water. Make sure if you're eating of Bangladesh's curries or any meat dishes that its all well-cooked, and all veg and fruit is either cooked or peeled.
Make sure you've taken care of your vaccinations before departing; including everything from Yellow Fever to Malaria, Typhoid to Tetanus. Dengue Fever is a possiblilty if traveling to Bangladesh.
Don't worry if you can't speak Bengali, the official language--English is widely spoken. Just make sure you've got your passport and visa in order.
Whatever precautions you need to take to visit Bangladesh are small compared to what you'll get in return in this tropic destination.