Mangoes of Rajshahi, Bangladesh just did not become famous in the recent past. Its glorious past is also engraved on the walls of the Bagha Shahi Masjid; one of the oldest mosques in Bangladesh built in the year 1523/24. I am sure, Sultan Nasrat Shah, founder of the masjid loved Mangoes a lot. Or else, why he would put exquisite terracotta of mango trees on the walls of the masjid! Well, not just the terracotta of mango trees, but the total terracotta ornamentation of the masjid made it a notable archaeological marvel in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
Architecture
Surrounded by an ancient freshwater lake, thousands of mango trees, ancient ruins, graveyards of the saints who came to preach Islam, the masjid stands as an icon of the glorious history of the Bengal. The masjid is 22.92 meters long, 12.18 meters wide, while the height is 7.5 meters. Its walls are 2.22 meters thick. Apart from10 domes each of which is 12.8 meters in diameter and 3.65-meters in height, it has 4 minarets. The courtyard of the masjid has been made 8-10 feet high from the ground, and there are two entrances to enter the courtyard, while the masjid has 5 entrances. The whole complex occupies 256 bighas of land.
Frashwater Lake and MasjidGraveyard of SaintsInformation BoardOne of Two Entrances of the CourtyardInside the Bagha Shahi Masjid
Despite the negligence of the authority in preserving this 500-year-old masjid, it is one of the most visited places in Rajshahi. Although much of the ornamentation has already disappeared, quite a bit still exists both in the interior and exterior of the building. It is to note that some of the terracotta has been renovated in recent years.
Activities
Apart from a place of worship, gradually this masjid has become a place of business, fair, and home of homeless people. Every Friday after the Jummah prayer, the masjid authority invites worshippers to donate, and usually, a large sum is collected. After the same prayer, many rich people offer a free meal to the poor, for which thousands of people gather here. In addition, during all the Islamic special days both small and large fairs are arranged here, the biggest of which is the three-day fair during Eid-Ul-Fitr.
How to Go to Bagha Shahi Masjid?
Though it is situated inside Rajshahi, you can go to this masjid either through Pabna or from Rajshahi. It will depend on your priority and associated plan. If you decide to travel around Rajshahi, you may go to the masjid from Rajshahi and vice-versa. But if you are interested to visit just this masjid, I would suggest you go up to Ishwardy from Dhaka by train and then go to the masjid. Well, both Pabna and Rajshahi have very good connectivity by both bus and train. One good thing about Rajshahi is that you can travel to Rajshahi by plane as well.
Where to Stay?
If you are traveling either from Pabna or from Rajshahi, both the city have good hotels and resorts. I would suggest you stay in any of the cities depending on your itinerary and priority. If you are visiting only this place and not going anywhere, I would suggest traveling from Dhaka and returning on the same day. However, please note that the whole area of Pabna, Kushtia, Natore, Rajshahi, Nougaon, Chapainawabganj are amazingly resourceful and if you are coming to this masjid, you should not miss other places of these areas. As an example, Puthia Rajbari is just 20 kilometers north of the Shahi Masjid.
What to Purchase at Bagha Shahi Masjid?
There are many shops around the masjid, which sell local handicrafts and souvenirs. During the various fairs, the number of shops increases so as the types of souvenirs. However, if you are willing to purchase any items, please do verify the prices and do not miss to bargain for a better price.
Photography Tips
Before taking photographs inside the masjid please ask permission from the imam or the caretaker of the masjid.
Before taking photograph of any random stranger please ask permission.
Women traveling here are mostly devotees and do not allow others to photograph them. So please be considerate.
You can fly drone for any aerial shot. However, before flying drone take enough precautionary measures.
Take care of your equipment. Neither leave those unattened nor keep those to someone you do not know.
Before entering the masjid check your dress. A man should enter covering his knees, and a woman should cover her body and use scarf over her head.
Despite the remote and isolated locations, a good number of people visit the place every day. Most of them come here to offer prayers, while a good number of people come here to visit this exquisite historical place. It is expected, if it is maintained well, and if the authority promotes this place positively, it will be able to attract a lot of tourists and history enthusiasts from both home and abroad.
Bangladesh; the largest delta in the world is a fascinating travel destination for nature lovers. Its pristine and lush green nature, endless rivers and water bodies, the longest sea beach in the world, mangrove forest, ancient monuments, etc will surely amaze everyone. Amidst all, the hospitality offered by the locals is something you will never find anywhere else in the world. It is true you will never have enough time to be everywhere in Bangladesh and that is why today we are presenting 10 best places to visit in Bangladesh.
1. Sylhet
We are putting Sylhet at the top of the list of ’10 best places to visit in Bangladesh’ because it has an abundance of different destinations to explore. Sylhet is situated in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh on the Surma River. Its picturesque tea plantation, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal and Shah Poran (R), beautiful lush green tropical forests, waterfalls, and streams running through hills and jungles, rivers, water bodies, and lakes are major attractions of Sylhet. Few of them are Bisanakandi, Lalakhal, Bholaganj, Jaflong, Ratargul, etc. Over the last few years, transportation to and from Sylhet has become easier and tourist-friendly.
2. Khagrachari
Khagrachari is one of the hills districts out of three in Bangladesh. This hilly region is located at the edge of Bangladesh’s north-eastern tip. For many years low-intensity conflicts have torn apart the area and tourism could not flourish. However, in recent years this region has become a major tourist attraction in Bangladesh. Though traveling to this area is restricted but one can access this area through a certain official procedure. Even the locals’ entry and exit into this area are also registered by the Security forces for ensuring the peace, and law and order situation. Sajek, Shuknachara Falls, Richang Falls, Alutila Cave, numerous Buddhist temples, and mesmerizing nature are major attractions in Khagrachari.
3. Bandarban
Bandarban is another hill district of Bangladesh and it is a true nature escape for nature lovers. It is also the home of the highest peak in Bangladesh. In the last few years, Bandarban became popular amongst local tourists for hiking and rafting. Buddha Dhatu Jadi aka Shorno Mondir (Golden Temple), Keokradong (the highest peak of Bangladesh), Jadupai waterfalls, Nilgiri, Boga Lake, Nafakhum (hiking destination), Nilachol, Thanchi, etc are few of the major tourist destinations in Bandarban.
4. Rangamati
Rickshaw is a common mood of transportation in almost every place of Bangladesh. Interestingly, except Rangamati in all other 63 districts have rickshaws on the road. This is the third hill district and also the Capital of Chittagong Hill Tracts. This is often known as the lake city of Bangladesh because of Kaptai Lake. Kaptai Lake is the largest lake in Bangladesh. It was the result of the construction of the Kaptai Dam. The lake, hanging bridge, Shanti Stupa, Shubholong Waterfalls, etc are major tourist attractions of Rangamati.
5. Saint Martin Island
Saint Martin Island is the southernmost territory of Bangladesh. It is a small tiny island in the Bay of Bengal. This is the only coral island in Bangladesh. Bangladesh and Myanmar had disputes over the sovereignty over this island. However, the issue is solved through UNCLOS. This island has an adjoining small island which is known as Chera Dip (Island). This is a very different destination with white sandy beaches, blue water, coral reefs, etc from other beaches available in Bangladesh. However, unfortunately, over the last few years, this island is losing its areas as people/ tourist extracts coral from the reef whereas the island is based on the reef. Good news is that the government of Bangladesh has taken an endeavor to control access to this island.
6. Srimongal
Srimongal is the hub of tea plantation in Bangladesh. Often this place is called the Tea Capital of Bangladesh. Srimongal is one of my favorite destinations for a weekend gateway. This place is much like Sylhet with fewer options of different destinations. Yet, depending on the season, it offers varieties of destinations and activities. Lawachara Reserve Forest, Madhabpur Lake, Manipuri Para (local tribal village), Tea Research Institute, Madhabkunda Waterfalls, Baikka Bill (large waterbody) etc are few of the major tourist attractions of Srimongal.
7. Dhaka
This four hundred years old ancient City is a must-visit place in Bangladesh. The city is not so tourist-friendly yet it has uncountable components to see, explore, and taste. The beauty and uniqueness of streets of Old Dhaka, mesmerizing architecture of Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil, Star Mosque, modern and beautiful National Assembly Bhaban, Botanical Garden, Cheap shopping of garment products of famous brands in Bangobazar, Chaos of Sadarghat, etc will surely put you in a maze for a while. However, on top of all of these when you will start tasting foods of Dhaka, basically you will start a never-ending journey.
8. Bagerhat
Despite being a less known place, we have included Bagerhat in the list ’10 best places to visit in Bangladesh’ as it is the home of two UNESCO World Heritage Site e.g. The Sundarbans, and Sixty Dome Masjid. Sundarbans is most commonly explored in the river route and often through Khulna. However, there are means to visit the Sundarbans from Bagerhat as well. Sixty Dome Masjid is the most famous masjid of ancient Mosque City of Bagerhat built in the 15th century by Khan Jahan Ali. In recent years Bangladesh Government has started building a 1320 MW Coal Based power plant in conjunction with India (50:50 joint venture) at the edge of the world’s largest mangrove forest often known as ‘Lungs of Bangladesh’ arguably risking bio-diversity and sustainability of Sundarban.
Sixty Dome Mashjid, Bagerhat
Sundarban – the largest mangrove forest in the world
9. Cox’s Bazar
Arguably Cox’s Bazar is the most popular tourist destination for both national and international tourists. The beach in Cox’s Bazar is the main attraction of the town with an unbroken length of 155 Km (96 miles), which is often termed as the “longest natural unbroken sea beach” in the world. It has the best infrastructure for entertaining the tourist from all tiers of society. There are a number of comfortable and luxurious bus transport services from Dhaka/ Chattogram including domestic flights. Apart from being on the beach for day and night, one can pay a visit to Himchari and drive through the beautiful marine drive along the beach.
10. Barishal
We have put Barishal on the list of ’10 best places to visit in Bangladesh’ because it offers very different landscapes and experience. We recommend you to travel to Barishal by river route. A journey by a launch at night is a great experience with amazing local cuisine at dinner. If you make yourself up to Barishal it would facilitate your journey to Kuakata; another beautiful beach destination in Bangladesh. From July to the beginning of September you will be able to visit the floating guava market and Shatla (Water lily) bill. Read our article on the floating guava garden here. Epiphany Church, Baitul Aman Jame Masjid, Durga Sagor (lake), and many other age-old monuments are few other major tourist attractions of Barishal.
Travel Tips
Time to Travel – Like every places on earth nature changes in accordance with the season. So, the selection of time of travel is very important as what you want to see depends on time. Say for example, in winter Sylhet will offer you something very different than what it would offer in Monsoon. Khagrachari city looks very different from Alutila Hill Top in different seasons and at different times of the day.
Journey – All the places have a very good communication system. Except for three hill districts and Bagerhat rest all have domestic flights as well from Dhaka. You can get almost all the tickets for a major journey through online purchases. Shohoz.com is a very good way of getting tickets right on hand at the earliest without traveling to counters. Flights can easily be booked from their websites. However, for traveling in Bangladesh we would recommend you to have a guide who would be able to make your travel a lot easier.
Accommodation – All the places have good accommodation facilities. We prefer to book hotels directly over the phone or once you will reach somewhere if it is not a peak season. We usually always book our hotels for the first day through online services. For the rest of the days, we always book hotels on the ground. This saves a lot of money. However, as we have already mentioned once that a guide may make your travel easier.
Food – Bangladesh is undoubtedly food heaven for those who love spices. In every places you will go, you will find some unique dishes. We recommend you to try local dishes. Once you are in Dhaka, spare a few days just to explore the foods of Dhaka. Well, we would like to request you to be sure about the quality and hygiene of the food. Of Late, we have largely polluted this industry by unhealthy and unhygienic food for a quick profit by corrupt/ dishonest businessmen.
Shopping/ Souvenir Collection – Like every other place in all the touristic places, a good number of vendors sell various items as souvenirs and everyday utilities. Well, for traveling cheap, we always recommend not to make your luggage heavy by number of souvenirs unless it is of that value. Yet, we recommend you to get some souvenirs made by tribal people from hill districts. There are hundreds of options but they are very special from their land. Whatever you buy, please bargain to get a good price.
Time Calculation – Once you plan to go somewhere at some specific time, please do calculate with a big margin of unforseen. You may be knowing that the average distance covered in an hour in the streets of Dhaka is only 6/7 km. Often it is more than more. Well, other than Dhaka rest of the places are quite OK with the traffic system.
Security – People of Bangladesh are one of the most hospitable nations in the world. Yet, like every other place, there are odd people here in Bangladesh who may try to cheat you or make a profit from you undue. Be extra cautious about this. Keep your cards, mobile, passport, money safe. If you are carrying a backpack, carry that on your chest, not on the back.
Photography Tips
– Not just ’10 best places to visit in Bangladesh’, entire Bangladesh is a heaven for photographers. It’s pristine nature, never-ending water bodies, lush green tropical forest, unique tribal people, streets of Dhaka, Sadarghat Launch Terminal, Kuakata Sea Beach, etc, etc will offer you to capture unique photographs. Here are some brief tips for photographing in Bangladesh:
– If you want to fly a drone, you may try to get permission from Civil Aviation. Well, surely that is going to be time-consuming. Therefore, if you are flying your drone without legal authority fly it safely, away from security organizations’ people.
– Flying drones from anywhere are difficult. In seconds you will be surrounded by hundreds of people. So, fly it from somewhere quite.
– Usually, the people of Bangladesh are inquisitive. So, in most of the cases, they would never resist, rather most of them will willingly poss before your camera. However, please ask for permission before capturing photographs of any lady.
– If you love street photography Dhaka is a heaven for you. However, be very sincere about your timing. Morning hours are the best window for photographing in the streets of Dhaka, especially Old Dhaka. Sadarghat is a very unique place for photographing street and lifestyle photographs. However, you have to be present there before the day breaks.
– Take note of events happening around. You may also capture images of any local events.
– In Sylhet and three hill districts, you will get an abundance of places for landscape shooting. As all these places are dominated by tribal people, and they are very simple but sensitive, you should be extra cautious for photographing them. It is always better to have some local guides as they speak different languages.
– For photographing in Tea Gardens best season is monsoon and the best time of the day is morning till the sun appears in the mid sky. However, in winter numerous haors (water bodies) become homes of migratory birds. If you want to photograph birds, you have to be there before the day breaks.
We have reached the end of this post. We tried to put our list of ’10 best places to visit in Bangladesh’ for traveling in Bangladesh. Detail guide for each of these places is coming soon. If you want to remain updated about our posts please do subscribe to our newsletter. If you think that this post assisted to know about Bangladesh please share with others and help them discover Bangladesh.
The floatingguava market of Bangladesh is allegedly the world’s largest market of this kind. The market has been established in the border area of three districts of Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, and Barishal. This guava garden is grown on about 31 thousand acres of land in around 30 villages. There are approximately 7000 guava gardens and numerous floating markets in the area. However, the two most widely visited markets are in Bhimruli and Atghar Kuriana.
In this article, we would humbly try to make a check-list with everything you need to know about the floating Guava Market of Jhalokathi/ Pirojpur of Bangladesh.
How Will You Go There
Dhaka to Barishal by Launches: Every evening number of launches departs from Shadarghat Launch Ghat at 8:30 PM. You will find details of launches’ contacts and fare at BD-Info. In my opinion, one of the best launches is MV Manami. The best part of them is, you can get tickets of MV Manami of your choice online. Online tickets can be bought from Shohoz.com as well. All the launches arrive at Barishal Launch Ghat at around 5/6 AM in the morning.
Dhaka Shadarghat Launch Terminal, 2019
Dhaka Shadarghat Launch Terminal, 2019
Barishal to Guava Gardens/ Floating Markets: From Barishal you may hire microbus, CNG or any other transport to go to guava gardens as well as floating markets. There are options for hiring Motorcycles as well. Well, in my opinion, if you traveling friends/ young groups hiring motorcycles is the best option.
Dhaka to Jhalakathi by Launches: Every evening two launches e.g. MV Tipu and Shundarban 2 depart from Shadarghat Launch Ghat at 6 PM. Details of launches’ are already given BD-Info. The same launches depart from Jhalokathi at 6 PM every day Dhaka.
Jhalakathi to Guava Gardens/ Floating Markets: Once you will arrive at Jhalakathi, you may hire Motorcycle(s)/ Auto-rickshaw for traveling around the gardens and floating markets. The motorcycle is a good means for traveling from one place to another, but for strolling inside guava gardens and markets you will have to hire boats/ trawlers.
Traveling by Boat/ Trawlers Inside Guava Gardens/ Floating Markets: Well, once you got yourself at Jhalakathi, the best thing to do is getting inside guava gardens and markets. For that, you have to hire boats/ trawlers to move around the guava gardens and floating markets. As we have already said there is a number of markets there, but the biggest and the best is at Bhimruli.
Bhimruli Floating Guava Market, 2019
Bhimruli Floating Guava Market, 2019
Dhaka to Jhalokathi by Bus: There is no direct bus from Dhaka to Guava Gardens/ Floating Markets. You may take a bus from Gabtoli Bus Stand, Dhaka and come directly to Jhalokathi or Barishal. Whether Barishal or Jhalokathi, in both cases you to make additional journeys to Guava Gardens/ floating markets from Barishal by hired microbus, CNG, auto-rickshaw or motorcycle, etc.
Best time to Go to Guava Garden/ Floating Market
At the beginning of July guava gardens and floating, markets start getting lively. Farmers pick guava in the early morning and start coming to the floating markets by boat around 8 AM. You should try to be in the market around 9/10 AM (except Friday). The market usually continues up to 11 AM/ 12 PM. The season ends at the beginning/ mid of September.
Attractions in and Around Guava Gardens/ Floating Market
Apart from seeing the guava gardens, floating markets you will also enjoy the serene atmosphere of the 200 years old villages. The Boat Market at Atghar Kuriana is also a major attraction here. However, the boat market held only on Monday and Wednesday. You may also pay a visit to Guthia Mosque.
What to Eat in Guava Gardens/ Floating Market
There are many make-shift arrangements for traditional local food in the area. Most of these shops/ stalls are being erected during the season only. However, we would recommend you pay a visit to ‘Boudir Bhashoman Hotel’. Boudi herself cooks, her husband manages the cash and her other family members do the serving. They may not serve world-class foods but they do cook and serve very passionately.
Boudi, her Husband and their Foods
Boudir Bhashoman Hotel
Where to Stay for Traveling to Guava Gardens/ Floating Markets
If you want to stay the night, you will find cheap hotels in Jhalokathi. You may also liaise with Jhalokathi District Administration to stay at Circuit House. If you want to stay at an upscale hotel, you may stay at Hotel Grand Park in Barishal.
Special Tips for Traveling
It’s better to travel by launch rather than the bus in groups (small group).
While traveling by boat must wear a lifejacket.
Seek permission from the owner, if you want to eat Guava in the garden.
Must-try local foods and sweets.
Respect locals.
Do not litter the area or throw any waste in the water or any other place.
Do not travel around with loud music.
There are many low bridges. While traveling by boat/ trawlers watch your head.
Special Tips for Photography
For photographing inside guava gardens we would suggest going inside the garden as early as possible after the daybreak.
When you would hire your motorcycle or auto-rickshaw in a way so that he takes you to the gardens.
For photographing at the floating market, hire a small boat hourly basis.
If u plan for Drone Photography please do take additional charged batteries or car chargers.
Most importantly, respect people. For your one photograph, do not create a ground so that people hate photographers.
We all love traveling and exploring new places. Considering every other tourist destinations in Bangladesh, Guava Gardens and Floating Markets are relatively new inclusion in the list. We plea to everyone to be a little caring and cautious so that our actions do not make this place another garbage.
In the end, we would like to recommend this place as a ‘Must Go‘ place. We hope, this content provides you every detail you were looking for traveling to ‘backwater’ of Bangladesh.
Daily Travel Qoutes
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”
Saint Augustine
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