Bangladesh

This is the Chittagong Division chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

The most diverse region of Bangladesh, Chittagong is a land that stretches from forested hills and scenic lakes to sandy beaches and coral islands. It’s a land of off-the-beaten-track adventure, with great hiking and remote boat trips.

• team up with a trusted guide and hike your way into the depths of the Chittagong Hill Tracts
• maps
• learn about Adivasi culture by visiting some of the tribal villages around the forested hillside town of Bandarban
• transport
• enjoy what’s arguably the most scenic river trip in Bangladesh by taking a boat ride along the serene Sangu
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox’s Bazar, St Martin’s Island, Maheskhali Island, Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary and Comilla.

This is the Dhaka chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

Dhaka is not a quiet, retiring place. The city, bursting with nearly 17 million people (most of whom often seem to be stuck in the same traffic jam as you), is a gloriously noisy and chaotic place, bubbling with energy.

• board a rowboat down at the gritty docks of Sadarghat and cross the manic Buriganga River, the very lifeblood of this enormous city
• maps
• see some of Dhaka’s thousands of cycle-rickshaws being made – and buy a piece of rickhshaw art for yourself on Bangshal Rd
• transport
• get lost wandering the fascinating, overcrowded alleyways of Old Dhaka (Puran Dhaka)
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sights, Activities, Tours, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment and Shopping.

This is the Dhaka Division chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

Enveloping the city of Dhaka, and including some destinations that make great day trips from the capital, Dhaka division stretches for more than 250km from south to north, reaching right up to the border with the Garo Hills in India.

• explore charmingly dilapidated ruined mansions, little-visited ancient mosques and a stunning rajbari-turned-museum in Bangladesh’s one-time capital, Sonargaon
• maps
• plug yourself into the Adivasi way of life at this remote forested village of Birisiri
• transport
• hike, boat or ride a rickshaw to the small but stunning turquoise lake by the China Clay Hills
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sonargaon, Dhamrai and Mymensingh & around.

This is the Khulna & Barisal chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

Comprising in large parts of nothing but marshlands, waterlogged jungles and rivers, this archetypal explorer country is not easy to navigate, but it promises to leave you with some of your most abiding memories of Bangladesh.

• float through the forests in search of the elusive Royal Bengal tiger or join in the seasonal wild honey harvest in Sundarbans National Park
• maps
• visit the magnificent mosques of sleepy Bagerhat before exploring its forested villages
• transport
• ride the vintage paddle-wheel steamer, Rocket Riverboat Bangladesh’s most iconic riverboat
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Khulna, Sundarbans National Park, Mongla, Bagerhat, Jessore, Kushtia, Barisal and Kuakata.

This is the Rajshahi & Rangpur chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

Modern-day Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions – which cover this heritage-strewn region – are rife with the tumbledown walls of many splendidly decaying ruins of ancient Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms.

• explore the ruined Paharpur monastery, Bangladesh’s standout archaeological site
• maps
• wander the ruined remains of Mahasthangarh, the country’s oldest known city
• transport
• walk through farming villages to the stunning Kantanagar Temple, Bangladesh’s finest example of Hindu architecture
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Rajshahi, Puthia, Sona Masjid (Gaud), Bogra, Mahasthangarh, Paharpur, Rangpur and Dinajpur.

Your journey to Bangladesh starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on boat trips.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about Bangladeshi cuisine
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Bangladesh, Bangladesh’s Top 10, Need to Know, If You Like: Beaches, Ruins, Markets & Bazaars, Boat Rides, Hiking or Wildlife, Month by Month, Itineraries, Border Crossings, Boat Trips, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Sylhet Division chapter from Lonely Planet’s Bangladesh guidebook.

Pastoral Sylhet is blessed with glistening rice paddies, the wetland marshes of Ratargul and Sunamganj, the forested nature reserves of Lowacherra, and Srimangal’s rolling hills blanketed in waist-high tea bushes. The area boasts a mind-blowing array of landscapes.

• amble through expansive tea estates and sip on quirky, multicoloured seven-layered tea in Srimangal
• maps
• keep an eye out for rare hoolock gibbons while strolling the walking trails of the lowacherra National Park semi-evergreen forest
• transport
• row a skiff under a canopied forest while exploring the swampy wilderness of Ratargul
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sylhet, Ratargul, Sunamganj and Srimangal & around.

All the info you need on everything from history, war crime tribunals, endangered species and folk art to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on the hottest topics affecting Bangladesh’s highly charged political scene
• info on the landscape, wildlife and environmental challenges of one of the greenest and most densely populated countries on the planet
• full coverage of the artistic soul of Bengal; from Bangla beats to the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore
• details on the richness of Bangladeshi culture, from its religious and ethnic diversity to its social customs

Coverage includes: Bangladesh Today, History, Environment: the Land, Animals, Birds, Plants and Environmental Issues, Arts & Literature: Literature, Music, Cinema, Folk Art and Modern Art, Bangladeshi Cuisine: Main Meals, Vegetarians & Vegans and Drinks, People & Culture: Religion, Language, Family and Customs, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health and Language.