BANGLADESH TRAVEL: 30 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Travel to Bangladesh is one of the last opportunities in South East Asia to experience travel with a true sense of adventure: Heading off the beaten track and into a country that does not have an established tourism infrastructure, especially not for foreign touris
Bangladesh travel is still, in many ways, a journey into the lesser known.
Bangladesh Travel: Know Before you Go.
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My time in Bangladesh was a whirlwind and full of surprises (both good and occasionally uncomfortable). It was all the more full of surprises because of the lack of information available online about travel in Bangladesh – many Bangladesh travel blogs were written several years ago, pre 2015 when already low international tourist numbers decreased. And of course, Bangladesh is a country which (sadly) not many foreign travellers make it to…Yet.

We’ll also help you to work out if travel to Bangladesh is right for you.

So with that in mind, these I’ve put together these Bangladesh travel tips to help you determine if travel in Bangladesh is for you, and information to help you plan your trip to Bangladesh!

Is Travel in Bangladesh for You?
Bangladesh is without doubt one of Asia’s undiscovered gems, but unfortunately (mostly due to a mixture of political instability and natural disasters), Bangladesh has gathered not the best reputation internationally. Bangladesh has yet to experience much tourism and is mostly un-touristed: a foreign face will excite a lot of attention and interest, almost always of a friendly and kindly nature. “Excuse me mam, your country?” were probably the words I heard spoken most to me on my trip.

As an un-touristed destination, Bangladesh is relatively free from the tourist-scams that are common in neighbouring India. On the other hand, Bangladesh also lacks much of the infrastructure of neighbouring India, and travelling around can be hard work. Roads can be unpaved, traffic is dire in some places (mostly Dhaka) – for more see the transport section – and transport conditions are basic at best. English is not widely spoken, which can make independent travel difficult in more rural areas.

Bangladesh can also be raw: along with the beautiful landscapes, people and places, expect to see a lot of poverty, and a huge amount of pollution and dirt. Don’t come if you’re not comfortable with dressing conservatively, sitting in crowded transport, and experiencing a variety of conditions. Perhaps the best description of Bangladesh I’ve heard is a “more raw version of India” – but even that comparison falls a long way short of the variety and richness of culture available in Bangladesh, and the positive surprises that this small but bustling country has in store for travellers who make it there.

Perhaps it’s time to find out about Bangladesh for yourself?! 😉

All roads lead to….Dhaka. One of the more frustrating elements of travel around Bangladesh is that travelling between different regions of the country all too often means stopping back in Dhaka. It is possible to go by train directly from North West (eg Rangpur & Rajshahi divisions) to South West by train without going via Dhaka, similarly it is possible to travel from Sylhet (North East) to Chittagong (South East) directly by train. Buses connect the divisions to Dhaka, but not commonly to each other. So consider that some extra time to get familiar with Bangladesh’s bustling capital!