SURFING IN COX'S BAZAR
If you ever met a Bangladeshi and talked about beaches, you might have heard them proudly mention about the longest natural beach in the world at Cox's Bazar. However, they might not have mentioned that Cox's Bazar is also a budding surfing destination in the country. The waves of the Bay of Bengal rolls on the shores here that are suitable for amateurs and can also excite someone looking to catch more stimulating breaks.
RICKSHAWS OF BANGLADESH
A traveller to the Asian countries like India, Thailand or Indonesia would have seen or may have ridden on the rickshaws. However, in Bangladesh, rickshaws are arguably the most colorful, more integral to everyday life, and more prevalent than anywhere else in the world. Designs of these rickshaws are a great art form, and the rickshaw peddlers take great pride in making them appear at their best. Almost every town or city one will visit in Bangladesh, has a huge fleet of these colorful rickshaws, and it is pretty much impossible to avoid traveling on one of them at some stage of travel in Bangladesh, especially during a visit to Dhaka.
HISTORIC MOSQUE CITY OF BAGERHAT
Located in the outskirts of Bagerhat, where the Ganges River meets the Brahmaputra River, is the beautiful UNESCO world heritage site of ancient mosques. A Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan founded this ancient city formerly known as Khalifatabad, in the 15th century. The city's infrastructure depicts some really fascinating stories of the technical skills of the local artisans. It represents the vestiges of a medieval Muslim town in the northern peripheral land of Sundarbans. The site which extends for 50 sq kms manifests an unparalleled architectural style, that include numerous mosques, mausoleums, public buildings, bridges etc. constructed from baked bricks.
HIKING IN SYLHET
The eastern region of Sylhet houses some of the most spectacular forest hills and small rugged mountains. The landscape offers plenty of opportunities to stretch legs with many hikes to make a trip worthwhile. There are several day hikes that one can take here. One of the most famed hike is a walk that starts from the famous Srimangal, which is undoubtedly the star of the Sylhet division. It is blessed with rolling hills carpeted with endless tea plantations, dense forest reserves and a sprinkling of tribal villages. During a walk, one will be passing through tea estates and waterfalls. The lucky ones may even spot the Gibbons at Lawachara National Park.
INSIDER TIP: Do not miss to taste the Seven-color tea or seven-layer tea while in Srimangal. It is a well-known hot beverage in Bangladesh and was invented based on the simple fact that different tea leaves have different densities. In it each layer of tea contrasts in color and taste, ranging from syrupy sweet to spicy clove. The result is an alternating dark/light band pattern throughout the drink, thus giving the tea its name.
CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS
Most of the landscape in Bangladesh is flat as a paddy field. However, like Sylhet, the Chittagong Hill Tracts’ forested mountains dominate its landscape. It is undoubtedly a beautiful region that offers a diverse culture which cannot be found anywhere else. Around a dozen tribal groups live here constituting more than half the population of Chittagong. Interestingly, many of the tribes found here have closer ties with Myanmar's tribes than the native Bengalis. A visit to their village to understand their ways of life makes a trip more than just a chance to gawp at the magnificent scenery.
EXPLORE OLD DHAKA
The assault on the senses is too much to handle for some. For some, the main attraction here is the unrivaled chaos squeezed into the narrow streets of Old Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. No matter where one has come from or which big cities one might have seen before, Old Dhaka will surely knock down all the six senses of a traveller with its manic streets, crazy traffic, and constant noise and commotion. However, the real prize of visiting the streets of Old Dhaka is the culture and the cuisine, which is fabulous and provides a fascinating historical narrative.
Bangladesh is not for everyone and this certainly is not a destination to be rushed. It is a destination to meet people, relax, and discover new ways of life as one moves along from one city to another. A trip to Bangladesh is all about allowing the country to unveil the best of itself at a pace that it is comfortable at, as sure and steady as the rivers that flow through its veins. One must be prepared to accept the beauty of Bangladesh in all its possibilities and characteristics. At
Indo Asia Tours, all the trips are curated mindfully to explore the charisma of bold, vibrant, and detailed spectacle of customised itineraries and curated experiences.
Rivers are the lifeline of Bangladesh. More than 700 rivers crisscross the country, and moving / traversing slowly along them is an experience of a lifetime. From creaking old paddle-wheel steamers or cross-river car ferries to traditional wooden yachts or Catamarans or the humble rowboat, people say that Bangladesh has more models of boats than in any other country. So if one prefers a multi-day trip deep into the countryside or a quick trip around the city, go to a bank of a river in Bangladesh, and board a boat.
A UNESCO world heritage site, the famed mangrove forests of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh are home to fabulous wildlife. In addition to its most famous resident, the Bengal tiger, it is home to hundreds of bird species, deer, pythons, saltwater crocodiles, rhesus macaques (a species of monkey) and monitor lizards. Accessing the forest and its network of canals by a local cruise vessel or dinghies (a small open boat) to track these magnificent creatures is a true adventure and undoubtedly the highlight of any trip to Bangladesh.
With a history of almost 100 years, Bangladesh's famous paddle-wheel steamer was once the fastest means of transport to move on its rivers. Hence, the name, Rocket. Now, it might not be the fastest, but it still has its old world charm. Today, there are only four operational Rockets in Bangladesh, all built in the early 20th century. Though one cannot ride them from Dhaka to Khulna the way it used to be in their glorious days, but one can still take a long overnight trip on them from Dhaka to Barisal or other way around, and watch the nation float by.
Thank you, patrons, for reposing faith in our destinations and enquiring for customised virtual destination awareness training programs. We are proud to conduct them successfully so far and are looking forward to hold similar virtual destination awareness training programs for your team or yourself or a virtual tour for your clients. Let us know the destination of your interest along with your convenient date / time and we will be happy to set up a program for you.
