Khulna & Barisal
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Khulna & Barisal Why Go? Khulna Division ..............68 Unexplored jungle swamps teeming with wildlife as danger- Khulna ............................68 ous as it is beautiful make this region stand out as the one Sundarbans many people want most to visit. Comprising in large parts National Park...................71 of nothing but marshlands, waterlogged jungles and rivers, Mongla .............................74 this archetypal explorer country is not easy to navigate, but Bagerhat ......................... 76 it promises to leave you with some of your most abiding memories of Bangladesh. Jessore ........................... 79 The star attraction, of course, is the Sundarbans, the Kushtia ............................81 world’s largest mangrove forest and home to the largest sin- Barisal Division ..............83 gle tiger population on earth. If you organise only one trip in Barisal ............................83 Bangladesh, make sure it’s a trip to the Sundarbans. Kuakata ..........................85 Your tiger-tracking tendencies satisfied, don’t shoot straight back to Dhaka. There are historic mosques, seclud- ed beaches and a mesmerising network of rivers to explore, as well as the chance to take some of the best boat trips this Best Places for water-laden country has to offer. Scenery » Sundarbans National Park (p 71 ) » Kuakata (p 85 ) When to Go » Villages around Bagerhat Jessore Rainfall inches/mm (p 76 ) °C/°F Te m p 40/104 24/600 30/86 Best Places for 16/400 Boat Trips 20/68 8/200 » Sundarbans National Park 10/50 (p 71 ) 0/32 0 » Barisal (p 83 ) J FDNOSAJJMAM » Kuakata (p 85 ) Oct–Feb Mar Apr Mildest and most T h o u s a n d s o f Trek through the pleasant time to pilgrims descend Sundarbans in visit the Sundar- on Kushtia to pay honey-harvesting bans. their respects. season. 67 RAJSHAHI e# 040km Pabna DIVISION 020miles \# Kuthibariâ# Padma Kushtia#5 River Ja DHAKA #_ m un #\ Faridpur aR Narayanganj #\ iver CHITTAGONG DIVISION DHAKA DIVISION #\ Shariatpur Chandpur Jessore #\ #– #\ \# Narail BARISAL & KHULNA #\ Gobra #\ +# #\ Noapara B a l Benapole e KHULNA s h DIVISION w a r R iv er Khulna #] #\ Banaripara M e #\ g Satkhira h +# #\ Bhola n #\ Barisal a #\ Bagerhat \# Khatakhali River Bhomra ##\2 #\ Jhalokati #\ Hularhat Karamjal \# #\ Morrelganj Forest Mongla BARISAL ë# Station l DIVISION e #\ n Patuakhali n r e a Harbariaë# v h i Char C R #\ Wildlife r # l Burigoalini 7 Fasson u a r Sanctuary z #\ p e a z v a i K b R h Sundarbans a a INDIA t h a National Fatra S (WEST BENGAL) h g Char Park n Misripara i #1 r Ú# r a e Ù # H v Kotka i R #÷Gangamati Hiran a Kuakata #4 Mangrove Point ng Dublar a Char Forest K B A Y O F B E N G A L Swatch of #6 No Ground Khulna & Barisal Highlights 1 Float through the forests steamer and Bangladesh’s 6 Come in winter and hook of the Sundarbans National most famous boat up with a research boat to go Park (p 71 ) in search of the 4 Travel to the remote whale-watching at the Swatch elusive Royal Bengal tiger beach of Kuakata (p 85 ), on of No Ground (boxed text p 77 ) 2 Visit the magnifi cent the eastern fringes of the 7 Time your visit for the Islamic architecture at Sundarbans start of April and join the Bagerhat (p 76 ) before 5 Contemplate the poetry honey harvest trail (boxed exploring the forested villages of Rabindranath Tagore or the text p 77 ) in the depths of the 3 Ride the Rocket (boxed folk songs of the Baul musician Sundarbans forests text p 71 ), a paddlewheel Lalon Shah in Kushtia (p 81 ).