Bangladesh does not have a lot of conventional tourist ‘sights’. The fascination of the country lies more in observing life going on around you. It is being amongst the people, touching in a small way their everyday lives that is the greatest attraction for most travellers.
Even a short walk in Dhaka will soon make you realise that you are travelling in one of the most densely populated countries on the planet. In Bangladesh people are everywhere and unless you have access to a guide and transport you will find it difficult to discover an area where you can look around and not see a single human being.
When to go
Of course Bangladesh is more than just a land of flooded rivers, which is the perception many would be travellers may understandably have. For the informed, it can be a year round destination, although the most comfortable time to visit is winter. It is hottest from April to mid-June, the pre-monsoon spring. By mid-June the monsoon begins to cool things off slightly, though it remains muggy. Nonetheless it is a fascinating time to visit, as the whole country seems to fill up with water. Of course this can affect transport and flexibility must be built into any carefully laid plans. What you will see
Bangladesh is a stunning land of flaming sunsets, abundant wildlife, historically significant sights and a unique and varied culture. Most of the country’s attractions are largely unknown and rarely feature in the travel media. For example few have heard of the Sundarbans – a natural UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the world’s largest mangrove forest and home of the elusive Bengal Tiger, as well as species of birds, reptiles and mammals.
The country has a strong Buddhist culture with sites dating back to 3rd century BC, alongside are rich Hindu and Muslim sites, making a fascinating mix of culture and history.
To the south can be found Cox’s Bazar, situated on the world’s longest natural sea beach, on the Bay of Bengal. In the Bay travellers can visit St Martins Island known for its coral. In the same area it is easy to make a visit to one of the colonial hill stations such Rangamati, in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
A visit to one of Bangladesh’s 40 different tribal communities is highly recommended and can easily be arranged from the town of Srimangal, located in Sylhet Division. The town is surrounded by lush tea estates and fruit gardens. It is an area of the country to get away from the masses and to find some solitude and tranquillity. It is an ideal area to explore by bicycle, perhaps staying at one of the local tea estates. For British visitors travelling in Sylhet you will soon begin to appreciate the close colonial links between the two countries, as many local people emigrated to the UK from this part of Bangladesh. It was these immigrants that opened the ‘Indian’ curry house found on almost every UK high street. You might say Sylhet is the true origin of the famous Indian Curry, now widely accepted as the UK’s ‘national dish’.
Most nationals including British Citizens require a visa to enter Bangladesh, which must be obtained prior to travel. See www.bangladesh-highcommission.com for further details, to download application forms and costs. Alternatively many travellers choose to use a specialist visa service, which will normally be able to provide a quicker and more convenient service than dealing direct with the High Commission. We can recommend Travour (UK) Ltd, (www.travcour.com) who have been established for 20 years. Tel: 020 7223 5295.
Dhaka is served by direct flights from London, with British Airways and the national airline, Biman Bangladesh. There are also options of travelling via the Middle East including Emirates (www.emirates.com), which operates to Dhaka via Dubai. They also continue from Dhaka to Kuala Lumpur, so a good agent, such as Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.com) may be able to do a deal to include South East Asia and perhaps onto Australia and/or New Zealand, all with Emirates.
Bangladesh is also served by member airlines of the two large global alliances. Using the One World Alliance (www.oneworld.com) or Star Alliance (www.staralliance.com), Dhaka could make for an interesting and unusual stop on a round-the-world trip.
Although we do not intend to sell international flights, we are nonetheless always pleased to offer advice and suggestions on routings and options. With airlines increasingly seeking direct online bookings, it is becoming more and more difficult for travel agents and small tour operators to offer the best deals. The exception can still be the large specialists such as Trailfinders, who also pride themselves on the service they provide and that their consultants are amongst the best travelled in the industry.
As with travel to most parts of South Asia, we strongly recommend that you contact your Doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice and the necessary vaccinations. We can recommend the Trailfinders Travel Clinic (www.trailfinders.com/clinic.htm).
For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B, Polio and Typhoid. Anti-malaria medication will also be required and the use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended.
We have a legal obligation to stress the absolute need to have adequate travel insurance, which should be taken at the time your trip is confirmed. These days there are a huge range of options available and premiums have never been more competitive. Increasingly annual multi-trip policies offer good value for money, but you should compare the level of cover and the activities included with each policy. Please contact us for further details.
We constantly monitor the advice posted by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In particular we will always advise clients of any travel warnings. At the time of writing (March 2005) the Foreign Office does advise against all but ‘essential’ travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracks, which is an area covered by our tour.
However, we are in constant contact with our local representatives in the area, who have advised us that there has been no security situation involving foreign nationals since 2002. This is confirmed by advice posted on the British High Commission Dhaka website (www.ukinbangladesh.org/btadvice.html).
The website does however, recommend using an organised tour such as that offered by Undiscovered Destinations. It also makes reference to the need, that the local authorities are informed of any intended visit, which is something we routinely do on behalf of all our clients. We have always been most impressed with the security measures in place. We believe that these are often more stringent than those in force, in some higher profile countries, where similar FCO advice has been issued.
Please feel free to contact us should you have any specific concerns or would like to know in detail what measures are being taken to ensure visits remain trouble free and without incident.
Finally, it should be noted that despite a peace agreement being observed by the rival tribal groups involved, the current FCO warning might effect your travel insurance and any subsequent claim. It is important that clients check with their insurance company to see if any restrictions are in place. The position can vary from one insurer to the next. However, most companies such as Norwich Union (www.norwichunion.co.uk), Tel: 0800 121 007, will continue to provide full cover, with the exception of any claim, resulting from an act of war or terrorism, or any other incident, that was given prior warning by the Foreign Office.
