What to see in Bangladesh: 9 must-sees
Discover what to see in Bangladesh: 9 must-see destinations, from Bagerhat Mosque to Ruins of Paharpur. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and monument; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(3)
Stand before the Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat, raised in the 15th century by general Ulugh Khan Jahan. Count its 60 brick domes resting on slender stone columns, walk the aisles where the local community still prays, and note the thick walls that stand up to the humid climate of Khulna. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1985 for its exceptional value as a testament to medieval Bengali Islamic architecture. Take the chance to visit Khan Jahan's nearby mausoleum and the freshwater tank that once supplied the ancient city.
Follow the paths of the largest Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas, a 30-hectare rectangle that sums up 600 years of Buddhism in Bengal. Walk the square layout, observe the monks' cells and the central temple rising in terraces above the Rajshahi plains. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, the complex keeps terracottas, stupas and walls attesting to a cultural tradition and a monastic community now long gone. Arrive early, when mist still covers the bricks and the quiet lets you imagine the life these ruins once housed.
Cruise the channels of the largest mangrove forest on Earth, 10,000 km2 of brackish water in Khulna district declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. From the boat you can spot Bengal tiger prints in the mud, crocodiles motionless beside the roots and kingfishers among the branches. The forest has withstood 200 years of tourism and development, and rangers still track tigers by following their marks at dawn.
Monument(2)
Walk the ramparts of Lalbagh Fort, the Mughal stronghold that Prince Azam Shah left unfinished in the 17th century in the heart of Dhaka. Amble among its three main buildings: the mosque, the tomb of Pari Bibi and the Diwan-i-Aam, an audience hall that now hosts a small museum. Note the Persia-inspired symmetrical gardens and the ponds beside the barracks. Compare the reddish bricks with the whitewashed domes and you will understand why work stopped after the death of Shaista Khan's daughter.
Explore the Bangabandhu Bridge, whose 4.8 kilometers of steel over the Jamuna River made it South Asia's longest bridge when it opened in 1998. Cross its deck linking the two banks of Bangladesh, watch the daily flow of trains and vehicles, and understand how this engineering feat transformed communications between the country's northwest and Dhaka. Take in the sunset from the river banks, where anglers work beneath the piers and the bridge's silhouette marks the horizon.
City(1)
From the Sadarghat jetty, watch the coming and going of launches, wooden boats and large ferries that carry 200,000 people every day along the Buriganga River, in the heart of Dhaka. This river port, reckoned the largest of its kind in the world, condenses the pulse of a city of 20 million: porters with bundles on their heads, fruit sellers weaving among passengers and crew members shouting as they tie off ropes. Come at dawn to see the night boats arrive, then hop on a small sampan to thread between the anchored vessels, watching up close the repair yards and the markets that line the riverbank.
Religious(1)
Visit Bangladesh's most important Hindu temple, where architecture, history and spirituality create a monument to faith. Temple, spirituality and the view of the city. Visit the sacred temple where spirituality, architecture and history create a space of peace and reflection. Admire the architectural details and feel connected to the transcendent.
Beach(1)
Take in the 120 uninterrupted kilometers of sand that make Cox's Bazar the world's longest natural beach, on the Chittagong coast. Stroll the shoreline at sunset as fishermen come back with their colorful wooden boats and the Bay of Bengal washes the sand. Try surfing or bodyboarding on the gentle waves, ride a rickshaw along the seafront and explore the surroundings: the Buddhist market of Ramu, the pagodas and the hills of Himchari with their waterfalls. Between the tides, the open horizon and the town's unhurried rhythm invite you to stay a few days longer.
Natural(1)
Cross the waters of Kaptai Lake, the largest man-made reservoir in South Asia, covering 1,000 km2 in the Chittagong region. Its 118 green islands rise amid calm channels where wooden boats carry anglers and travelers. Walk its shores, watch waterbirds among the vegetation and discover villages of indigenous communities by the water. The dam that formed it created this labyrinth of drowned hills, now a refuge for fish and humid forest.
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