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🇧🇩Things to Do in Bangladesh
From the mangroves of the Sundarbans to the world's longest natural beach - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Bangladesh sees relatively few international tourists, but it holds the largest mangrove forest in the world, home to the Bengal tiger, and a beach in Cox's Bazar that runs uninterrupted for over 120km. Old Dhaka's dense, chaotic streets and river culture round out a country still very much off the standard tourist circuit. Here are 6 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
The Sundarbans
The largest mangrove forest in the world, shared with India, and home to a wild Bengal tiger population - explored by boat through the tidal waterways, with sightings genuinely rare but the ecosystem itself the main draw.
📍 Khulna Division
🚉 There is no road into the mangroves: launches and tour boats leave from Mongla and Khulna, both reached by train or bus from Dhaka, for two- and three-night trips through the creeks.
Cox's Bazar
Home to the world's longest unbroken natural sea beach, stretching over 120km along the Bay of Bengal - considerably less developed than comparable beach destinations elsewhere in Asia.
📍 Cox's Bazar
🚉 Nearest station: Cox's Bazar Iconic Railway Station, opened in 2023 on the new line from Dhaka and Chattogram, about 2km from the beach - the overnight train is now the easiest way down.
Old Dhaka
The historic heart of the capital, with the pink Ahsan Manzil palace, the Lalbagh Fort, and Sadarghat's chaotic, colorful river port on the Buriganga River.
📍 Dhaka
🚉 The Dhaka Metro's MRT-6 line reaches Motijheel, and rickshaws cover the last stretch into the old city's lanes, which are too narrow for anything larger - the Sadarghat river terminal is the southern edge.
Bandarban Hill Tracts
A hilly region in southeastern Bangladesh, home to several indigenous communities and Nilgiri, a popular hill viewpoint - a genuinely different landscape from the flat river deltas that define most of the country.
📍 Bandarban
🚉 Buses from Dhaka and Chattogram run to Bandarban town in about nine and three hours; beyond it, chander gari jeeps climb to Nilgiri and Boga Lake, and some areas require a permit.
Sixty Dome Mosque, Bagerhat
A UNESCO World Heritage 15th-century mosque near the Sundarbans, one of the largest surviving mosques from the era of the Bengal Sultanate, despite its name having 77 actual domes.
📍 Bagerhat
🚉 Buses from Khulna reach Bagerhat in about an hour, and the mosque is a short rickshaw ride from the town centre - it is usually combined with a Sundarbans trip from the same base.
River Life on the Padma & Meghna
Bangladesh is crossed by an extensive river delta system, and a river cruise - even a short local one - is one of the most direct ways to see how much of the country's daily life still runs on the water.
📍 Dhaka to Barisal, river delta
🚉 Paddle steamers and launches leave Dhaka's Sadarghat terminal each afternoon for Barisal and the delta - the overnight rocket steamer service is the classic way to see the rivers.
Mark Bangladesh, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Bangladesh?
A week suits Dhaka plus one region - the Sundarbans or Cox's Bazar. Ten days lets you add the Bandarban Hill Tracts without rushing.
What's the best time to visit Bangladesh?
November-February is the dry, cooler season and the most comfortable time to visit. The monsoon (June-September) brings heavy rain and flooding risk in low-lying areas.
Is Bangladesh good for a first-time visit?
It's manageable with some preparation - infrastructure and English signage are less developed than in neighboring India, so a local guide or fixer is commonly used, particularly for the Sundarbans.
Do I need a visa to visit Bangladesh?
Most nationalities need a visa, either arranged in advance as an e-visa or, for some nationalities, on arrival at Dhaka airport. Check the official visa information for your nationality: visa.gov.bd.
What are some things to do in Bangladesh on a tight budget?
Local Bangladeshi food is extremely cheap, walking Old Dhaka's streets and riverfront costs nothing, and Cox's Bazar's beach is free to enjoy well away from the more developed hotel strip.
Can I rent a car in Bangladesh, and what licence do I need?
Self-drive rental is rare and not recommended: traffic in Dhaka is among the densest anywhere, and the normal arrangement is a car with a driver, hired by the day through a hotel or agency for a modest cost. If you do drive, an International Driving Permit is required alongside your home licence, and traffic drives on the left. For longer distances, the new Dhaka-Cox's Bazar railway, the domestic flights and the river launches are all better options than the highway. Official information is published by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority at brta.gov.bd, with visitor guidance from Bangladesh Tourism at tourismboard.gov.bd.