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Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All you ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go! TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER LONELY PLANET PAGE 2 PLAN YOUR TRIP Welcome to Bangladesh.

.. Get the right guides for your trip YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip 2 4 6 12 14 16 19 22 26 30 Welcome to

Even if you re going than 700 of Áowrowboat throughorthis small wooden thethem humble traditional nowhere in particular, travelling by boat country and the result is athat deliciously lush

othermost countr you ever imagined. Flooding is aanmultiday annual adventure your visit.

Bangladesh areget submerged sitting on a small wooden rowboat, around a city dock, yourself downyou re to a rive under rising water levels, leaving rich aláoating slowing down a country river,

There are almost as many kilometres of rivers in Bangladesh as there are Warm & Welcoming roads, andtracking travelling by boat is a way ofin life the Tigers Bangladeshis are famously friendly,

Feeling like a more unusual Arrive at a of town Theangle.

found anywhere in the world. There are around 400 Royal Benga tigers roaming the region, and boarding a boa in search of them is an undisputed highlight o a trip to Bangladesh.

boat tour from Khulna 1 Sona Masjid Rajshahi Kushtia Jamuna Chars Srimangal Dhaka REGIONAL AL L Cultural Day trips & itineraries In-depth Border Crossings Jamuna Bogra Paharpur Chandpur

resources? UNDERSTAND 147 BANGLADESH PAGE Bangladesh Today... History... Environment... Arts & Literature... Bangladesh Cuisine.

At the time of research there was still no border crossing with Myanmar (Burma).

If you re leaving Bangladesh and entering India, the most important thing to remember is that you cannot get an Indian visa at any of the border towns, so you must have already sorted this out,

Foreigners can get an Indian visa in Dhaka (p167) and Chittagong (p112), but it s a bureaucratic nightmare, and many travellers leave the visa office empty handed.

Agartala (Akhaura), as well as in New Delhi.

Office in Dhaka. The departure tax is critical, but the permit isn t asked for these days, so in practise you don t need it.

Apart from immigration formalities at the border, it s direct and nonstop. Benapole Main border town on the road route to and from Kolkata. Has direct bus links to Dhaka, Khulna and Jessore.

Tamabil Linking Sylhet with India s northeast tribal states, Tamabil isn t a place to linger, on account of the open mining that goes on around the border (cough! splutter!

The Bangladesh side has a train station with links to Dhaka, Srimangal and Chittagong.

Bangladesh Today Two court trials of huge political significance dominated the most recent term of office for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

1 Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All you ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go! TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER LONELY PLANET PAGE 2 PLAN YOUR TRIP Welcome to Bangladesh... Map Top Experiences... Need to Know... If You Like Month by Month... Itineraries... Border Crossings... Boat Trips... Regions at a Glance... Get the right guides for your trip YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip Welcome to Bangladesh COUNTRY COUN OUNTRY o The original p Comprehensive Adventurous dventurous Ad 10 TOP EXPERIENCES and travelling along them is an experience Àc, fumes, noise and confusion. Arrive by A Land of s not to be missed. From cross-river carboat ferries and it s almost like sneaking quietly Bangladesh is awashold with rivers; more or creaking paddle-wheel steamers to through the back door. Even if you re going than 700 of Áowrowboat throughorthis small wooden thethem humble traditional nowhere in particular, travelling by boat country and the result is athat deliciously lush yachts, it is said there are more types alongofa river in Bangladesh is one of the landscape boats with more shades ofthan green rewarding things you can do during in Bangladesh inthan any othermost countr you ever imagined. Flooding is aanmultiday annual adventure your visit. This is one of the world s most So whether you fancy feature and by the the summerorhuge densely deep intoend theofcountryside just a quick jaun populated countries, but once swathes of Bangladesh areget submerged sitting on a small wooden rowboat, around a city dock, yourself downyou re to a rive under rising water levels, leaving rich aláoating slowing down a country river, it s ghat, and get involved. luvial soils from which to grow next year s easy to imagine you have it all to yourself. harvests. There are almost as many kilometres of rivers in Bangladesh as there are Warm & Welcoming roads, andtracking travelling by boat is a way ofin life the Tigers Bangladeshis are famously friendly, and here. For the traveller, this provides a fabuyou are almost certain to receive a warm Sundarbans lous opportunity to see the country from welcome everywhere you go. Feeling like a more unusual Arrive at a of town Theangle. mangrove forests the Sundarbans you re the centre of attention is, of course, by bus and you re confronted with traf- 2 National Park (p71) are home to the large single population of tigers found anywhere in the world. There are around 400 Royal Benga tigers roaming the region, and boarding a boa in search of them is an undisputed highlight o a trip to Bangladesh. It s possible to dip into t forest on a self-organised day trip from Mong but for a true adventure, and to increase your admittedly slim chances of seeing a tiger, boo yourself onto four-day boat tour from Khulna 1 Sona Masjid Rajshahi Kushtia Jamuna Chars Srimangal Dhaka REGIONAL AL L Cultural Day trips & itineraries In-depth Border Crossings Jamuna Bogra Paharpur Chandpur Rangamat Chittagong er Riv Hularhat Ba Sundarbans National Park BAY OF BENGAL DISCOVER D Best-of Photo-packed Inspirational PHRASEBOOK P PHR HR RAS RA SEBOOK EBO BOOK Looking for other travel resources? UNDERSTAND 147 BANGLADESH PAGE Bangladesh Today... History... Environment... Arts & Literature... Bangladesh Cuisine... na Khulna Bagerhat There are numerous points in Bangladesh where you can cross the border with India, but only six or seven are set up with immigration facilities to service foreigners. At the time of research there was still no border crossing with Myanmar (Burma). The same system is in place for all of these crossings (apart from the direct train to Kolkata), although differing levels of stringency are applied at each. If you re leaving Bangladesh and entering India, the most important thing to remember is that you cannot get an Indian visa at any of the border towns, so you must have already sorted this out, preferably in your home country. Foreigners can get an Indian visa in Dhaka (p167) and Chittagong (p112), but it s a bureaucratic nightmare, and many travellers leave the visa office empty handed. If you re coming into Bangladesh from India, note that you cannot get the same visa-on-arrival that you can get if you fly into Dhaka airport, but you can get Bangladesh visas in Kolkata and Agartala (Akhaura), as well as in New Delhi. If you re leaving Bangladesh you have to pay a Tk 300 departure tax (see the boxed text p24) and you are supposed to have picked up a change-of-route permit from the Immigration and Passport Office in Dhaka. The departure tax is critical, but the permit isn t asked for these days, so in practise you don t need it. Be aware that visa regulations for Bangla Kolkata The twice-weekly train that connects Kolkata with Dhaka is comfortable and hassle-free. Apart from immigration formalities at the border, it s direct and nonstop. Benapole Main border town on the road route to and from Kolkata. Has direct bus links to Dhaka, Khulna and Jessore. Burimari Bangladesh s gateway to Darjeeling, with transport links via the Indian town of Siliguri. Entering Bangladesh, most people head to Rangpur, but there is a night bus to Dhaka. Tamabil Linking Sylhet with India s northeast tribal states, Tamabil isn t a place to linger, on account of the open mining that goes on around the border (cough! splutter!), but you re only two hours away from Sylhet by bus. Akhaura The other major border for India s northeast tribal states; the Indian side has an airport and a place to process Bangladesh visas. The Bangladesh side has a train station with links to Dhaka, Srimangal and Chittagong. h Meg Most Popular Crossings GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP Learn about the big picture, so you can make sense of what you see population per sq km BANGLADESH USA 30 people Bangladesh Today Two court trials of huge political significance dominated the most recent term of office for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She was installed for her second nonconsecutive term as the country s leader after her Awami Environment ation:,000 gest) per 00 League (AL) party won a landslide victory in the December 2008 elections. Less than two months later, she was forced to deal with one of the country s most shocking events of recent times. Border Guards Mutiny LONELYPLANET.COM For travel information, advice, tips & digital chapters Bangladeshis watched in horror in February 2009 when live TV broad casts re orted on a soldier mutiny at Dhaka s head uarters of the Bang APPS Location-based guides for the street lonelyplanet.com/mobile EBOOKS Guidebooks for your reader lonelyplanet.com/ebooks MAGAZINE For travel stories, inspiration & ideas lonelyplanet.com/magazine The Land ay s a ar n et ne Famous for being flat and wet, Bangladesh is, largely speaking, one mas sive piece of gorgeously green farmland criss-crossed by an unfeasi large network of rivers. It s a rural wonderland, and beautiful to behold In fact, there s every chance that Bangladesh will be the most gloriousl lush country you ve ever visited. There are two exceptions to these flatter-than-flat vistas, a though ne ther is any less green than the rest of the country. First there s Sylhet, i the northeast, with its soft, rolling hills covered in ar -green, waist-hig tea bushes Then there s the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the far southeast; ISBN bangladesh-7.indd 2 STAY IN TOUCH lonelyplanet.com/contact Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council standards. FSC promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world s forests. AUSTRALIA Locked Bag 1, Footscray, Victoria 3011 % , fax twitter.com/ lonelyplanet USA 150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA % , toll free , fax facebook.com/ lonelyplanet UK Media Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ % , fax lonelyplanet.com/ newsletter 29/08/2012 8:24:31 AM

2 Generally speaking, the quality of accommodation in Bangladesh is poor, although this is reflected in extremely affordable prices. It s probably wise to lower your expectations of comfort and cleanliness before you come, to avoid being too disappointed. Only in Dhaka, and at a handful of other exceptional places around the country, uld we find accommodathat was genuinely very We have marked these o icon. onal- PAGE 32 ON THE ROAD YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips Rajshahi & Rangpur p87 Dhaka Division p57 Sylhet Division p133 Dhaka _ p34 Khulna & Barisal p66 Chittagong Division p106 PAGE 165 SURVIVAL GUIDE VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP Directory A Z Transport Health Language Index Map Legend Directory A Z Accommodation THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Daniel McCrohan

3 Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first Look out for these icons: Our author s top recommendation A green or sustainable option No payment required

4 See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book. On the Road DHAKA DHAKA Sonargaon Dhamrai Mymensingh Around Mymensingh Birisiri Around Birisiri KHULNA & BARISAL..66 KHULNA Khulna Sundarbans National Park Mongla Bagerhat Jessore Kushtia BARISAL Barisal Kuakata CHITTAGONG Chittagong Bandarban Rangamati Cox s Bazar Around Cox s Bazar St Martin s Island Comilla SYLHET Sylhet Sunamganj Srimangal & Around RAJSHAHI & RANGPUR Bogra Mahasthangarh Paharpur Rangpur Dinajpur Rajshahi Sona Masjid (Gaud) Puthia Natore Pabna

5 Bangladesh MECHI Sele La HA SAMTSE SAMCHI THIMPHU PHODRANG Thrumshing Black La Tarka La TSIRANG Mountain MONGAR TRASHIGANG DAGANA TRONGSA TASHIGANG CHIRANG SHEMGANG MONGAR DAGA ZHEMGANG PEMAGATSEL CHHUKHA Tunka La Top Experiences BHUTAN NEPAL Tentulia Burimari Panchagarh ELEVATION (BIHAR) (JHARKHAND) (WEST BENGAL) RAJSHAHI RANGPUR DVISION f DHAKA (ASSAM) utra Tista Brahmap (MEGHALAYA) Jamuna Paharpur Mahasthangarh Muktagacha Nawabganj Rajshahi Dinajpur Puthia Sherpur Madhupur Dharmapasha Netrakona Gouripur Mymensingh SYLHET Meghna Padma Kushtia Saidpur Hili Natore Rangpur Nawabganj Jaipurhat \ Pabna Bogra Sirajganj Shibalaya Haluaghat Tangail Sherpur Dhamrai Manikganj Savar Gazipur _ Birisiri Narsingdi Kishoreganj Sunamganj Jamalganj Srimangal Sylhet DHAKA Brahmanbaria Akhaura Agartala e Sha-ista Ganj 0 80 km 0 40 miles Dawki Tamabil Jaintiapur Upazilla 1500m 200m 100m Srimangal Cycle through the tea estates (p139) 0 Old Dhaka Brace yourself for the chaos (p37) Sapt

6 Kazal (WEST BENGAL) KHULNA Sundarbans National Park f f Hatia (TRIPURA) Sandwip Island Maheskhali Island CHITTAGONG (MIZORAM) Madhumali Kaptai Lake Karnaphui Meghna Baleshwar Malancha KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) ^ Sangu Pasur Sundarbans National Park Explore the world s largest mangrove forest (p71) Jessore Khulna Satkhira Khatakhali Faridpur Mongla Narayanganj Munshiganj Shariatpur Bagerhat Kuakata Patuakhali Madaripur BARISAL Barisal Barisal Ride the paddle-wheel Rocket (p83) Sonargaon Mograpara Daudkandi Chandpur Comilla Lakshmipur Nijum Dwip Noakhali Sandwip Feni Sitakunda Chittagong Rangamati Cox s Bazar Khagrachhari Kaptai Bandarban Keokradong (1230m) Ramu Ruma Thanchi Bazar Chittagong Hill Tracts 88 E 89 E BAY OF BENGAL Chittagong Hill Tracts Discover Bangladesh s Adivasi culture (p120) Teknaf Game Reserve 90 E 91 E 92 E Shah Porir Dwip St Martin's Island Teknaf MYANMAR (BURMA) ' 20 N

It took several months, and at the end broke but inspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap.

7 OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end broke but inspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony s belief that a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse. OUR WRITER Daniel McCrohan Daniel first fell in love with Bangladesh way back in 1998 and has since made multiple trips here, chalking up many months worth of Bangla-travel. He has worked extensively throughout Asia (his adopted home since leaving England more than eight years ago), but particularly enjoys this region, one of the few parts of South Asia, he says, that still has yet to be properly discovered by travellers. Daniel has worked on more than a dozen other Lonely Planet guides including India, Tibet and China. He also cohosted the Lonely Planet television series Best in China. You can follow his Asia travels on Twitter (@danielmccrohan), or through his website (danielmccrohan.com). Read more about Daniel at lonelyplanet.com/members/danielmccrohan Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN th edition December 2012 ISBN Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs as indicated Printed in Singapore Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

8 Itineraries Whether you ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers. 19 Dhaka _ Khulna Meghna Bagerhat Sundarbans National Park BAY OF BENGAL One Week Sampling the Sundarbans One week is just enough time to dip into Dhaka before going on the boat trip of a lifetime through the tiger-filled mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans. Ease yourself into Dhaka by spending your first day in the more upmarket neighbourhood of Banani before delving into the chaos with a sightseeing tour of Old Dhaka on day two. Don t miss Sadarghat for a rowboat trip on the Buriganga. You haven t got time to ride the Rocket (you ll need an extra two days for that). Instead, take an overnight bus to Khulna to meet up with your Sundarbans tour company, which you ll need in order to properly explore the Sundarbans National Park. Then relax on the deck of your boat and enjoy three days of tiger-tinged river adventure before floating back to Khulna. Consider a day trip to Bagerhat before taking the bus back to Dhaka for one final day in the capital. Note that you will need to have booked your Sundarbans trip at least three weeks in advance, so start planning this one from home.

9 20 PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES Sona Masjid Paharpur Rajshahi Bogra Jamuna Chars Kushtia Jamuna Khulna Bagerhat Hularhat Sundarbans National Park Dhaka Chandpur Meghna Srimangal Chittagong Bandarban BAY OF BENGAL Rangamati MYANMAR (BURMA) One Month Best of Bangladesh Bangladesh is relatively small, so if you have a full month you can see pretty much all the main highlights. This tour takes in Dhaka, the Sundarbans and part of historyrich Rajshahi before whisking you over to the east to sample the tea estates of Srimangal and the forested mountains of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Your first job when you arrive in Dhaka is to book your cabin on the Rocket for your ferry ride the following evening. Tickets in hand, you can spend the rest of that day and the next taking in the sights of Old Dhaka before leaving on the 6pm boat. Sit back and enjoy the lazy 20-hour river trip to Hularhat. Having disembarked midmorning, grab a rickshaw to the bus stand, then a bus to Bagerhat, where you can spend the afternoon admiring the Islamic ruins before hopping on another bus to Khulna where you ll meet your Sundarbans tour company. Note: you will have had to have booked your Sundarbans trip at least three weeks in advance. The next morning, board your boat and enjoy three or four days of unrivalled river adventure as you track tigers in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans National Park. Back in Khulna, take a bus north, pit-stopping in Kushtia the cultural capital of Bengal before continuing on to Rajshahi. Take a day trip to Sona Masjid to see the scattered ruins of the ancient city of Gaud before catching a bus to Bogra. Not much to see here although you could consider an unusual day trip to the sand chars on the Jamuna but Bogra is only a day trip away from the Unesco-protected Buddhist ruins of Paharpur. Catch a bus from Bogra back to Dhaka, but don t dally; the next morning you ll be river-bound again, this time a morning ferry from Dhaka s Sadarghat to Chandpur before catching the train to Chittagong. Sort out your permit for the hill tracts region while you re in Chittagong, then spend four or five days exploring Rangamati and Bandarban before heading back to Chittagong. Take the scenic day train to Srimangal where you can rent a bicycle to enjoy the surrounding tea estates, forest reserves and Adivasi villages before catching the train back to Dhaka.

10 21 NEPAL Kantanagar Dinajpur Paharpur Mahastangarh Sona Bogra Masjid Puthia Rajshahi The Ruins of the Northwest Exploring Chittagong Rangpur Dhaka _ Sonargaon Chandpur Meghna Rangamati Chittagong Bandarban Maheskhali Island BAY OF BENGAL Cox's Bazar MYANMAR (BURMA) Teknaf s Game Reserve St Martin's Island Kaptai Lake PLAN YOUR TRIP ITINERARIES Two Weeks Ruins of the Northwest This tour points you towards the older side of Dhaka before exploring the dusty ruins of history-rich Rajshahi and Rangpur. Spend your first day visiting the museums and Raj-era architecture of Central Dhaka before diving into the living history of Old Dhaka. Try to track down the hard-to-find ruins of Bara Katra and Chota Katra in among the chaos of the bazars. A day trip to Sonargaon makes an easy day three before you set off by bus to the temple-strewn village of Puthia, en route to Rajshahi. Day trip from Rajshahi to Sona Masjid, to see the scattered ruins of the lost city of Gaud, before catching the bus to Bogra. The ruined settlement of Mahastangarh makes a fun half-day trip before you head to the Unesco-protected Buddhist ruins of Paharpur, where you can stay the night. From Paharpur, take a bus to Dinajpur (via Jaipurhat and Fulbari) so you can visit the stunning Hindu temple of Kantanagar before heading to nearby Rangpur, which has a sprinkling of Raj-era architecture, a top-class guesthouse and a daily train to Dhaka. Two to Three Weeks Exploring Chittagong The most diverse region of Bangladesh, Chittagong has mountains, forests, Adivasi villages, elephants and even beaches. This tour has the lot. After a day visiting the must-see sights of Dhaka, hop on a morning ferry to Chandpur, from where you can catch a train to Chittagong. Sort out your permit for the hill tracts here before taking a bus to laidback Rangamati for a couple of relaxing days by Kaptai Lake. From Rangamati, take a bus to Bandarban, the heart of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the best place to base yourself for hiking. After your hill-tracts exertions, take the bus to Cox s Bazar where you can rest up by the beach but don t forget to visit Maheskhali Island. Heading further south, catch a bus to Teknaf Game Reserve, home to some of Bangladesh s few remaining wild elephants, before riding the waves to St Martin s Island for a more shanty beach experience. The restrictive ferry schedule means you ll need two days to get back to Dhaka from here, via Cox s Bazar (bus) and Chittagong (train), although you could fly back from Cox s Bazar, or take a night bus, if you re pushed for time.

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Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd CALIFORNIA S BEST TRIPS AMAZING 33 ROAD TRIPS. This edition written and researched by.

Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd CALIFORNIA S BEST TRIPS AMAZING 33 ROAD TRIPS This edition written and researched by Sara Benson SYMBOLS IN THIS BOOK Top Tips Link Your Trips Tips from Locals Trip Detour