Tourism Bangladesh
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Sundarbans

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest on earth, spread across the delta where the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers meet the Bay of Bengal. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, alongside spotted deer, saltwater crocodiles, and river dolphins. About two-thirds of the forest lies in Bangladesh, the rest across the border in India.

There's no road into the forest itself — every visit here happens by boat.

Getting there

Mongla, on the edge of the forest, is the usual starting point. From Dhaka:

  • Flight + road: fly to Jessore (about 40 minutes, Biman Bangladesh, NovoAir, and US-Bangla all run the route), then a shuttle bus or car to Khulna (2–3 hours), and on to Mongla (roughly another hour).
  • Bus or train: direct to Khulna, 7–8 hours overnight, then a local bus on to Mongla (about 90 minutes).

From Mongla or Khulna, the forest itself is reached by chartered launch or houseboat — this isn't a destination you drive up to.

Almost everyone visits as part of an organized 2–4 day boat tour booked through a registered operator, rather than arranging transport independently. A day trip from Mongla only reaches Karamjal, the forest's edge — seeing the deeper sanctuary areas like Kotka and Kochikhali requires staying aboard overnight.

Permits

Overnight trips into the forest require a permit from the Divisional Forest Office in Khulna; day trips need permission from the relevant forest station. Registered tour operators handle this as part of their package — it's rarely something visitors arrange themselves. Entrance fees are separate and differ for foreign nationals versus Bangladeshi citizens.

Best time to visit

October through February is the dry season and the most comfortable window for a multi-day boat trip. Full monsoon runs June through September, with heavy rainfall that makes for rougher water and a less comfortable cruise.

What to see

  • Karamjal Wildlife and Eco-tourism Center — the closest point to Mongla, with a boardwalk trail, a crocodile and deer breeding center, and no permit required. Usually the target of a shorter day trip.
  • Harbaria — another eco-tourism trail deeper into the forest, a common stop on multi-day cruises.
  • Kotka and Kochikhali — remote beach and sanctuary areas further south, only reachable on longer overnight tours. This is where the chance of spotting tigers, deer herds, and crocodiles is highest.
  • Boat-based birdwatching along the narrow creeks — the Sundarbans is known for its bird diversity as much as its tigers.

Practical notes

A licensed guide is standard practice here, both for safety and because independently arranging permits and river transport is more hassle than it's worth. For visa and entry requirements and general safety guidance, see Practical Info.

Sundarbans appears in several of our sample itineraries — see Itineraries for multi-day routes. More photos of the forest are in the Photo Gallery.