Bangladesh, a cultural and natural heritage often unsuspected ! Make your way between the world's largest mangroves, lie on heavenly beaches, or immerse yourself in over 2000 years of history. Come to Bangladesh before the tourists says the country's tourist office! That's how adventurous your stay in Bangladesh will be! If many travellers organize a trip to Bangladesh, it is mainly for its nature and history. And even if the tourist infrastructures are just beginning to develop, the premises will welcome you with open arms to make you discover their country with simplicity and authenticity!

In South Asia, Bangladesh is located at the confluence of two rivers, the mythical Ganges and the Brahmaputra. In addition to cyclones and tornadoes, there are many floods, as the land is very marshy. The country, with an area of around 144,000 km², consists of two distinct regions, the fertile delta region, and the rolling plains. The reliefs of the South-East reach 1000 m of altitude. The country is surrounded by India to the east, north and west, and also borders Burma to the southeast. The capital is Dhaka (or Dhaca). The country is very appreciated by hiking enthusiasts leaving with only a backpack as their luggage where they have everything, from mosquito nets to waterproof poncho through blister dressings and water disinfection tablets. These come for the breathtaking landscapes, the exuberant flora and the impressive fauna (Bengal tiger, does that mean anything to you?). Others come here for its architecture because traditional dwellings, mosques, forts and palaces coexist there. Finally, some enjoy the beaches and their coconut trees, and are quite right (we recommend the island of St Martin to those)!
You like wading? The monsoon season, from June to October, awaits you with its share of rainfall. It becomes difficult to progress in some places. And then, as of April the temperatures climb and you will have to lay your socks soaked, they will not dry because the air is saturated with moisture ! Attention, risk of cyclones in April-May and October November. The best time to visit the country is from November to February, be careful though, temperatures can be chilly in the evening... Don't expect Christmas decorations, the country is overwhelmingly Muslim. If Hindus and Muslims live together relatively well, Islam is very present in morals. From there, contact between a man and a woman, even married, is strictly forbidden in public places. Among other things, you don't point someone's toe when you're sitting! Also, as in ancient Rome, the left hand is impure (in left Italian = sinisra sinister). We therefore receive gifts from the right hand only. The feet being also considered impure, we take off our shoes before entering people's homes, and mosques of course! Tourism is still underdeveloped and relations with the inhabitants are therefore more authentic. Nature lovers can see the world's largest mangrove. Life in Bangladesh is very cheap. Meals are given (4 to 5 € for a quality meal). If comfort is not your priority, you can be accommodated in a hotel where the bathroom is common, and travel in second class for a bite of bread! For the others, don't panic, the more comfortable hotels are far from being overpriced! As a poor country, Bangladesh has much to offer. Not to mention the generosity of its inhabitants, Bangladesh's particular geography will delight you with its diverse and varied landscapes and extraordinary fauna and flora. Between Hindu temples, mosques, beaches, discover the riches of the country!

The beaches are not very safe at night. It is preferable to blend into the crowd, so prefer all-purpose clothing, and, ladies, avoid short clothes. Typhoid, hepatitis A and B vaccines recommended. Attention, the risk of malaria is there, anti-mosquito or preventive treatment advised.

Art and culture in Bangladesh
Religion is often at the origin of art. Here, between Buddhism, animism and Islam, there is no lack of inspiration. Whether through architecture (temples and mosques), pottery, weaving, earth sculptures, or literature, religion is everywhere. Talisma Nasreen was threatened for writing about Islam's oppression of women... Besides dance and music, other art forms are unique to the country, such as the tradition of Jatra , popular theatre, or heroism and tragedy are depicted. This art form was mainly a means of entertainment in the countryside.

What to visit in Bangladesh
UNESCO World Heritage sites include the ruins of the Buddhist Vihara of Paharpur, the historic Mosque City of Bagerhat, and the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. Similarly, many other sites are worth a visit: the capital Dakka, with its bazaar, its pink baroque palace, its Lalbagh fort, its mosque and its national museum; the city of Chittagong, with its mosques, its British quarter and its ethnological museum..; the temples of Puthia will not fail to amaze you the Cox's Bazar, a seaside complex and the beaches of the islands of St Martin, Inani and Himacheri...

Gastronomic specialities in Bangladesh
Like any seaside country, the gastronomy includes many fish dishes. Like Indian cuisine, we use a lot of spices, curry especially. Kebab (meat skewers) and kofes (meatballs) have largely crossed borders. We also eat lentils in sauce, or dal , and the famous Tandoori . The Tandoor is the clay oven in which macerates meat or fish with spicy yoghurt. One also cooks there, with the stew, the dish of rice pilaf perfumed with saffron, with meat or not, known as byriani .