Bangladesh is a land of natural beauty. Beautiful places are scattered all over the country. The beauty of the natural places is unique and it cannot be matched with other beautiful places located in other countries. Whoever will set foot on this country can never forget its beauty. It is really hard for foreigners, as well as local people to decide where to visit and where not as there are many tourist spots and all of them, are worthy of being visited. However, it is nearly impossible to visit all the attractive natural tourist places because it is time consuming and at the same time costly. However, I have made a list of 10 natural beautiful places you must visit at least once in your whole life.
Top 10 Beautiful Natural Tourist Spots in Bangladesh are-
1. The Sundarbans:
The name “Beauty and the Beast” perfectly goes with the Sundarbans. Both natural beauty and monstrous beasts are found in this largest mangrove forest. The thing that attracts the tourists here is that it is the only home of Royal Bengal Tiger in the world. That is why, it has become one of the best tourist destinations among travelers living in different parts of the world. Apart from the majestic tiger, visitors can also see Chitrahorin (also known as chital or spotted deer), endangered species of dolphin, such as Irrawaddy and Gangetic dolphins, crocodile, turtle, monkey, different colorful birds etc.
There is a wide debate about the name of the forest. The literal meaning of the word “Sundarbans” is “beautiful forest”. As a large number of Sundari trees are seen in the forest, that is why, most of the people think that it is named after this tree. Some even think that it is a changed form of Samudraban or Shomudrobon (Sea Forest). The size of the forest is approximately 10,000 square kilometers, of which 60% lies in Bangladesh and the remainder is in India. It was enlisted as UNESCO world heritage site in 1997.
2. Cox’s Bazar:
Whenever we think about Cox’s Bazar, the first thing that comes to our mind is the world’s longest sea beach situated in this district, which is under Chittagong division. Its’ unbroken 120 km long natural sandy sea beach and beautiful atmosphere has made it one of the most commonly visited tourist destinations in Bangladesh. It is also known as honeymoon spot for newlywed couples. If you are tired of city life and want to take some break from your daily activities then Cox’s Bazar is the best place. While walking along the sea shore at twilight, soft light of the sun over the head, the roar of the waves and gentle wind will freshen up your body and mind. Apart from sightseeing, visitors can buy shell-made jewelry, showpiece, and cloths both stitched and unstitched.
Except for the sea beach, there are many other places to visit and these are- Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park (first safari park in Bangladesh, located 50 kilometers away from Cox’s Bazar town), Inani Beach, Aggmeda Khyang (a large Buddhist monastery), Himchari National Park etc. Ramu is a well-known place for travelers for its handicrafts and homemade cigars. The name “Cox’s Bazar” has been taken from Hiram Cox, an officer of the British East India Company. Earlier it was known by the name “Panowa” which literally means “Yellow flower”. Another old name of it is “Palongkee”.
3. Kuakata:
After Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata is considered the second largest sea beach in Bangladesh. The length and width of this sandy beach are 30 kilometers and 6 kilometers respectively. Locally known as Sagar Kannya (daughter of the sea) is situated in Kalapara Upazila of Patuakhali District. It is about 320 kilometers south of Dhaka and about 70 kilometers from Patuakhali district headquarters. The name “Kuakata” is taken from the word “Kua”, Bengali translation of which is “well”, which was dug on the sea shore by the early Rakhine settlers in quest of collecting drinking water.
The main attraction of this lesser known tourist spot is the panoramic view of the beach. It is also one of the rarest places on earth from where visitors can see both sunrise and sunset clearly over the Bay of Bengal. The long and wide picturesque beach is very calm and quiet. The perfect blend of natural beauty, blue sky, sandy beach, green forest and a huge expanse of water of the Bay will give you the feeling of heaven. During winter season, it becomes a home of migratory birds. However, it is also a sacred place for both Hindu and Buddhist devotees because they gather here to celebrate Rash Purnima and Maghi Purnima. There visitors can also see two wells of 200 years old and 100 years old Buddhist Temple where the idol of Goutama Buddha is placed. Your pleasure trip will become double if you visit the Gangamati Reserved Forest, which is a part of the Sundarbans.
4. St. Martin’s Island:
St. Martin’s Island is the only coral island of Bangladesh. To get relief from suffocating city life and work load, one can visit this spectacular island with family members or friends at the weekends. This oceanic paradise is situated far from crowded city. That is why, it remains calm and quiet most of the time. The combination of natural beauty, blue sky, white beach, crimson sun, palm and coconut trees and crystal clear water fascinates the travelers. Tourists can roam into the Bay of Bengal by engine boat or speed boat. As there are a lot of coconut trees, you can drink coconut water at the cheapest rate. Except shutki (dry fish), visitors will also get crab, lobster, Rupchanda and many other sea fish for eating. If wants, you can buy lots of pickles for your friends and family members.
It is located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 kilometers south of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf mainland. It is also known as “Narikel jinjira” and “Daruchini Dwip”. The name “Narikel jinjira” means “Coconut Island” in Bengali. It is because there are many coconut trees in the island. The word “jinjira” is the corruption of “Jazeera”, the name given by Arabian sailors. During the rule of British Empire, the island was named St. Martin’s Island. There is a small separated island called Chera Dwip, another tourist attraction. The word “Chera” indicates broken. It became separated from the main island during high tide.
5. Boga Lake:
Boga Lake is a different type of lake in Bangladesh. What made it different from other lakes is its geographical location. It is located 2000 feet above the sea level. A natural sweet and deep water lake on top of the mountain will make tourists astonished. It is regarded as the only dead Crater Lakein our country. According to geologists, it was created by collection of rain water in the crater of a dead volcano almost 2000 years ago. There is a local mythology related to the creation of the lake. The mythology goes like this- “Long days ago there was a funnel-shaped mountain. A terrible looking Baga used to live in a cave on top of the mountain. A group of young and brave people killed that monster and ate it. Soon after its demise, a vociferous roar and fire came out of the cave and turned everything to ash. After that the lake was formed in the hill.” That is why, it is also known as fiery dragon lake. The surprising thing is that the color of the lake water changes at different times depending on sun light, humidity and clouds.
This beautiful lake is located in Ruma Upazila in the hill district Bandarban, Bangladesh. The size of the lake is 18.56 acres. It is a closed lake, thus, it has no channel or passage for draining out water from the lake. The lake is surrounded on three sides by mountain peaks which are covered with thick bamboo bushes. The crystal clear water reflects the blue sky and even you can see fish swimming under the water.
6. Sajek Valley:
Do you have the desire to touch clouds with your hands? If you want to be embraced by clouds and walk through the clouds, then Sajek Valley is the best place to fulfill your aspiration. This small and secluded valley is surrounded by green mountains, dense forest and zigzag and ups and downs hilly roads, which resemble big snake spirals. Its tranquil and peaceful atmosphere will give you the feeling of heaven on earth. The interesting thing is that after waking up from sleep in the morning, you will find yourself amidst cloud. Wherever you look, you will only see white thick clouds and because of it, you cannot see what is underneath the valley. It may seem to you that you are floating on the cloud. Because of its scenic beauty, it is called Quenn of Hills. It is also known as Roof of Rangamati because on top of this valley, you can see the whole Rangamati district.
Sajek Valley is situated 2000 feet above sea level. As the name suggests, it is located in Sajek union, the biggest union of Bangladesh, at Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati district. Even though it is placed in Rangamati, it is easy to travel from Khagrachari. That is why, people start their journey from Khagrachari. It is named after Sajek River, which acts as border between Bangladesh and India.
7. Ratargul swamp forest:
Ratargul swamp forest is at the center of attraction among visitors because it is the only recognized swamp forest in Bangladesh. The thing that makes it more attractive is that it is one of the twenty-two freshwater swamp forests in the whole world. There are only two such kind of swamp forests in the Indian subcontinent, one in Sri Lanka and the other is in our country. It is also called Amazon of Bangladesh because it has many similarities with that forest. Because of the density of this forest, even scorching sunlight cannot touch the water through leaves. That is why, major portion of the forest remains greenish in color. It is also called evergreen forest as it remains green throughout the year. If you enter into the forest, you will only see water and trees. As far as your vision will go, you cannot see any high land. Apart from trees, visitors will also encounter many dangerous animals. That is why, tourists are advised not to swim in the water. However, you cannot hear any other sound except the sounds of water drops and moving of wind. The chirping of unknown bird will make you frightened.
Ratargul swamp forest is situated in Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet division. It is almost 26 kilometers away from Sylhet city. The size of the forest is 30,325 acres; of them 504 acres of land was declared wildlife sanctuary in 1973.
8. Sreemangal:
Sreemangal is known as the tea center of Bangladesh. This hilly area, which is about 75 kilometers south of Sylhet, has approximately 47 tea gardens. Tea produced here is exported all over the world. Here, you will find seven layers of tea, each layer has different taste. Because of the large number of tea estates, it has got popularity among travelers as the city of “two leaves and a bud”. Sreemangal is surrounded by green hills of different sizes. Wherever you look, you will only see green. It may seem to you that tea estates are covered with green carpet on the sloping hills.
Sreemangal is blessed with natural beauty. Except for tea gardens, other major attractions of this small town are Lawachara National Park (tropical rain forest), Madhobpur Lake, Monipuri and Khashia tribal villages and Baikka Beel. There is a 5-star category hotel named Grand Sultan Tea Resort & Golf.
9. Birishiri:
The major attraction of Birishiri is white ceramic hill and blue water at the mountain’s valley. Color of the lake water differentiates it from other lakes of the country. Some people think that lake water becomes blue because of china clay. As china clay is white in color, it reflects the blue sky. That is why, water looks blue in color. However, it is not a naturally created lake. It is created by digging out china clay. According to local people, the depth of this lake is around 60-80 feet. So, if you do not know how to swim then it is better not to get down into the water.
This beautiful blue water lake is in Birishiri. If you want to visit this lake then you have to go Birishiri first. Birishiri is situated at Durgapur upazila of Netrokona district, which is almost 170 km north of the city of Dhaka.
10. Tanguar Haor:
Tanguar Haor is emerging as a popular tourist destination among nature lovers. Enjoying full moon at the midst of haor on a boat can be a thrilling experience. Arrangement of banquet, such as hot boiled rice with freshly fried fish of Tanguar Haor, will add extra delight to the journey. This haor, which consists of 120 beels of various sizes, has huge amount of aquatic plants and 140 species of fresh water fish. That is why, it is called ‘motherland of fishes’. It is one of the major sources of fish in our country. It plays vital role in fish production. It will not be wrong if we address it as “fish store” of Bangladesh. The best time to visit this haor is most probably winter. During winter season, it becomes a home to about 200 types of migratory birds. To make your body and mind fresh, you can swim in the water.
Tanguar Haor is located in the Dharmapasha and Tahirpur upazilas of Sunamganj District in Bangladesh. It is known to local people as “NoiKuruKandar Choi KuriBeel”.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundarbans#Sundarbans_West_Wildlife_Sanctuary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox%27s_Bazar
http://coxsbazar-bd.com/index.php