Sundarbans

Bangladesh's greatest natural wonder, the Sundarbans is the largest coastal mangrove forest on earth, a vast tangle of jungle islands and watercourses, spilling across the border into Indian West Bengal. Covering more than 3,600 square kilometers (1,390 square miles), this UNESCO World Heritage listed reserve is home to several hundred Royal Bengal tigers and the animals they prey on, including waterbirds, deer, monkeys and wild boars. Most wildlife spotters visit on boat tours from the delta towns of Khulna or Mongla, scanning the mangroves for a glimpse of orange and stripes. Although the nature reserve is the main attraction, the towns ...

Bangladesh's greatest natural wonder, the Sundarbans is the largest coastal mangrove forest on earth, a vast tangle of jungle islands and watercourses, spilling across the border into Indian West Bengal. Covering more than 3,600 square kilometers (1,390 square miles), this UNESCO World Heritage listed reserve is home to several hundred Royal Bengal tigers and the animals they prey on, including waterbirds, deer, monkeys and wild boars. Most wildlife spotters visit on boat tours from the delta towns of Khulna or Mongla, scanning the mangroves for a glimpse of orange and stripes. Although the nature reserve is the main attraction, the towns around the Sundarbans are worth exploring. Khulna is a bustling district capital and nearby Bagerhat is a treasure-house of 15th-century mosques and mausoleums, including the vast Shait Gumbad Mosque, with its seventy-seven stucco domes. Most tourists come here during the dry winters — during the monsoon, from May to September, the waterways through the reserve become raging torrents and boat traffic is at the mercy of the weather.

About the Expert

Joe Bindloss has written more than 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Time Out and other publishers, with a focus on Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and island nations.