Bangladesh and eco-tourism

As a destination for eco-tourism, Bangladesh is truly hard to beat. For a small country in South Asia that is only 144,470 square kilometres, there is definitely a lot to see, enjoy and do here.

Located between India to the north and the west and Myanmar to a small part of the southeast, Bangladesh is one of the most beautiful countries in South Asia with tremendous economic potential. Its tropical beach resorts on the Bay of Bengal should be a paradise for the sun vacationers. But the main attraction of Bangladesh should be its opportunities for eco-tourism with its variety of animals, birds, forests, hills and hillocks and aquatic life.

The splendour of its six seasons presents a diverse eco-system. The world's longest natural beach at Cox's Bazaar, the nearby jungles and forests with their rich variety of flora and fauna, the Chittagong Hill Tracts' cloud forests so named because the moisture of the mists linger on the tree leaves and fascinate tourists. A cable car network at Bandarban would enable tourists observe the plants and wildlife from the treetop level. For the more adventurous, there are places built for the tourists to get the experience of moving from tree to tree using a network of rope attachments. Dry forests in some parts of Chittagong, seasonal variation every two months, and an abundance of canals and rivers can also be an attraction for tourists.

In addition to the many different birds that can be sighted, there is a large number of other exotic wildlife including Royal Bengal Tigers, monkeys, jaguars, bats, deer and reptiles that can be seen during tours in Sundarbans, the world largest mangrove forest and World Heritage Site. Every year, there are sea turtles and oysters that come to certain beaches to nest and this event attracts many nature lovers. The wildlife in Bangladesh is not only rich on land or the air but also in the Bay of Bengal and in its mighty rivers. For scuba divers, Saint Martin's Island may offer excellent diving opportunities and they would be quite different from the waters in the Caribbean.

The historic capital city of Dhaka is known for its nice ancient architecture. It is also known as the city of mosques. A tourist can go for trips to the various hill stations, historic places and beaches using Dhaka as the base. Chittagong, the port city, is known for its low hills and greeneries. It is closer to the resorts like Cox's Bazar. The roads of Bangladesh are more or less good.