Bangladesh: Travelling

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport	20 km	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport	9 km	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Sylhet Osmany International Airport	7.8 km	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Cox's Bazar Airport	4.7 km	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Train reservation services

Bangladesh Railway

Major airlines

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical

Bangladesh has many historic and archeological sites, some dating as far back as the third century BC. They include the archaeological sites of Paharpur, Mahasthanagarh and Sherpur, near the city of Bogra in the northwest of the country; Sonargaon, about 25 kilometers southeast of Dhaka, which was the capital of the region between the 13th and 17th centuries; the remains of the monastery of Salban Vihara; and numerous palaces such Ahsan Manzil (Pink Palace) Tajhat Palace, Puthia Palace, Tahkhana Palace, etc. The Shait Gumbad Mosque has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cultural

The culture of Bangladesh is rich and diverse, reflecting the different ethno-religious groups that comprise the population. Influenced by its three major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam), the country's cultural heritage is reflected in its architecture, literature, dance, theater, music and painting. Traditional musical instruments include bamboo flutes (banshi), wooden drums (dhole), stringed instruments (ektara, dotara), percussion (mandira), etc. World-famous artists of Bangladeshi origin include the Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, the musicians Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan, and the painter Zainul Abedin.

Nature

Geographically, Bangladesh is a very flat country, with some low-lying hills in the northeast and the southeast; a large part of the territory is dominated by the ramifications of the Ganges Delta. The national parks include: the Bhawal National Park in Rajendrapur, a pleasant rest area an hour away from Dhaka and an excellent bird observation site; Madhupur National Park; and especially the Sudarbans National Park. Classified a wildlife sanctuary, the Sundarbans are the largest area of mangroves in the world, where one can also find the last remains of the enormous jungle forests that once covered the Gangetic Plain. Nearly 400 Bengal tigers and 30,000 spotted deer live in the park. Spectacular waterfalls can be admired at Tamabil on the Sylhet-Shillong road; Zaflong has picturesque landscapes composed of tea plantations and hills. The lush rural area of Rangamati in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the beautiful Lake Kaptai, surrounded by a thick tropical forest, are also worth visiting.

Religious

The spiritual life of Bangladeshis is rich and varied, as evidenced by the numerous temples and mosques. Puthia boasts the largest number of ancient religious buildings in Bangladesh, the most spectacular monument being the Hindu temple of Govinda. The site of the Mainimati ruins testifies to the past importance of Buddhism, the three most important sites being Salban Vihara, Kotila Mura and Charpatra Mura. The many mosques in the country include the Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka, the tenth largest mosque in the world; the Shait Gumbad Mosque (with sixty domes) in Bagerhat; the Shahi Jama-e-Masjid and Qadam Mubarak mosques in Chittagong and the Shah Niamatullah mosque in Gaud. In Sylhet, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal, a 14th century Sufi mystic, is one of the most significant sacred sites in the country and an important place of pilgrimage.

Thermal

About 5 km north of Sitakunda Town lies the hot salt water spring Labanakhya, which has been identified as a possible source of geothermal energy.

Beach

Cox's Bazar beach resort, near the Burmese border, offers secluded beaches where you can swim undisturbed: Himacheri Beach and Inani Beach, the latter being one of the longest beaches in the world. Kukuata, a new tourist resort located in Barisal, in the southern tip of the country, is less crowded and more picturesque. The small coral island of St. Martin, which can be seen in a day, is an idyllic destination where you can bask on the sand and appreciate the rich maritime life.

Winter Sports

None

Outdoor Activities

There are opportunities for many outdoor activities: boat trips (between Dhaka and Khulna or Mongla through the Sundarbans National Park, along the river Turag, etc.), cycling (especially around Srimangal), hiking, climbing (along the Sangu river, Lake Boga, on the way to Shailapropat Falls, through the villages of Haatibandha and Sangiya, etc.), cricket and football.

Shopping

Many craft products are manufactured in Bangladesh: handwoven fabrics, silk, printed sarees, coconut masks, bamboo products, pearl jewelry, crafts leather, wood and rattan, or folk dolls. In both Dhaka and Chittagong, the Aarong shop is a great place to buy local, ethically manufactured products. You can buy pottery, brass, nakshikantha (a traditional form of embroidery) and Jamdani saris. There are also several shopping centers in Dhaka, including Bashundhara City, which houses 1,500 stores, many restaurants and a multiplex cinema. Duty-free shops are available in Dhaka and at international airports and most hotels have their own shopping arcades.

Tourism Organisations

Bangladesh Tourism Board

Health and Safety

Health Precautions

A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travellers coming from infected areas. It is recommended that travellers keep their vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and polio up to date, as well as vaccinations against typhoid and hepatitis A. For longer stays and in some circumstances it is also advisable to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, rabies and Japanese B encephalitis. Travellers should follow a preventive treatment against malaria and use repellents since there are regular outbreaks of dengue fever. Caution is advised when consuming food and water because intestinal diseases are common.

International Hospitals

Local medical facilities are generally of lesser quality, except for some outpatient clinics. Some modern hospitals with emergency departments have opened recently, such as the Apollo Hospital, the Square Hospital and the United Hospital. However, most expatriates go to Bangkok or Singapore for any non-ordinary medical procedure.

For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions

World Health Organization
US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention

For Further Information on Safety Conditions

Canada Foreign Affairs Bureau

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference

It is %T:%M %A In Dhaka (GMT+6)

Summer Time Period

None