Bangladesh: The Unmissable
DACCA
The capital of Bangladesh lies on the north bank of the Buriranga River, in the center of the country. If you come from Southeast Asia, it will make you look like a sleepy city. If you arrive from Delhi or Kathmandu, you will be struck by the relative purity of the air. If you come from Kolkata, you will find the city clean and organized; And if you come from rural Bangladesh, you will believe in paradise. The capital has infrastructures that are lacking in the rest of the country.
The oldest part of the city, along the northern shore, developed during the Mughal era, when the city played an important economic role. Not to be missed is the area between the two large river stations, Sadarghat and Badam Tole, from which one can enjoy a striking panorama of the overflowing activity that reigns over the river. Also posted by the river, Ahsan Manzil is a former palace of Baroque style, bright pink color.
Main center of interest of Dhaka: the fort of Lalbagh, an unfinished building dating from 1678, in the old town. There are also some interesting mosques in the area, including the Hussain Dalan mosque. The national museum is to the north of the old town, in the old European district, which is today called modern city. This museum brings together superb objects that evoke the Hindu, Buddhist and Mughal influences that have shaped this country, as well as a very rich collection of handicra
Most of the cheap accommodation and restaurants are located in the modern city, in the center of Dhaka, which also encompasses Motijheel, the trading district where most banks, travel agencies and airlines are concentrated. Dacca is also the world capital of the rickshaws: there are more than 300,000, all very colorful. Doing a city tour in Rickshaw is an experience not to be missed.
CHITTAGONG
Second city of Bangladesh, Chittagong is deployed on the banks of the Karnapuli. On the banks of the river, the district of Sadarghat, worthy of interest, illustrates the role of the river trade in the rise of the city. Not far from there, the ancient Portuguese enclave of Paterghatta remains essentially Christian. The Shahi Jama-e-Masjid and Qadam Mubarak mosques are among the most impressive monuments in the city. The Ethnological Museum, in the modern city, is also worth a visit, and has interesting objects on the tribes of Bangladesh. To enjoy beautiful panoramas, go up to Fairy Hill, in the British quarter, to the northwest.
There are between three and four daily flights between Dhaka and Chittagong. Trains also connect the two cities (up to seven hours). The Dacca-Chittagong road is one of the best maintained in the country. Several lines of bus take it, but the journey is painful and almost as long as the train, which has the advantage of being more comfortable. Chittagong is 264 km south-east of Dhaka.
COX'S BAZAR
Bangladesh has only one seaside resort near the Burmese border in an area inhabited by the Rohingya refugees who have fled the persecution in Myanmar. The Buddhist influence is palpable. Some infrastructures are at the disposal of the visitors, seduced by its immense beach (shark-free). The few women who bathe do so by wearing the very wide shalwar kameez. To the south of Cox's Bazar are isolated beaches where you can bathe without being the object of the curiosity of the inhabitants; These include Himacheri Beach and Inani Beach. Warning: beaches are not very safe at night.
For now, the road between Chittagong and Cox's Bazar is one of the worst in the country, and it is not yet over. Better to go first to Chittagong, then take a plane that will take you to your destination in 20 minutes. Another option: take a direct bus between Dacca and Cox's Bazar (370 km).
LES RUINES DE MAINIMATI
Important testimonies of the Buddhist culture from the 7th to the 12th century, the buildings uncovered on this site were entirely made of baked bricks. There are about 50 Buddhist sites in this area. The three most important are Salban Vihara, Kotila Mura and Charpatra Mura. Salban Vihara was an astutely designed monastery, with an area of 170 m2, facing a temple, in the center of a courtyard. Not far away, a museum collects objects collected during excavations, including terracotta plaques, statues and a bronze casket, pieces, jewelry and votive stupas bearing Buddhist inscriptions. Kotila Mura consists of three great stupas representing Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the "three jewels of Buddhism". On the site of Charpatra Mura, four royal decrees printed on copper plates were discovered. Three of them belonged to the rulers of Chandra, and the other to Sri Viradhara Deva, a Hindu king who lived at a later period. Some important ruins being located on military grounds require special authorization.
The ruins are about 70 km south-east of Dhaka.
SOMAPURI VIHARA
The monastery of Somapuri Vihara in Paharpur (8th century) was once the largest Buddhist monastery in the south of the Himalayas. It is by far the most impressive archaeological site in the country. Although in a poor state, the general structure of this complex which extends over 11 hectares is easy to apprehend. It includes a large rectangular structure delimited by the ancient monastic cells, arranged around a courtyard. In the center are the vestiges of a stupa which, from its 20m, dominates the surrounding countryside. The embedded walls of the monastery are decorated with bas-reliefs in terracotta, in good condition. A small museum houses various objects of everyday life or religious discovered during the excavations.
To reach this site, take a bus or train from Bogra, then a bus to Jaipurhat. From there you have two possibilities: either take a rickshaw to the crossroads, then a tempo to Paharpur; Either walk or rickshaw to the Jaipurhat station, take a train to Jamalpur then another rickshaw to Paharpur. It is also possible to go to Paharpur from Rajshahi, but this solution is more complicated than the Bogra-Paharpur route, and assumes an 8 km walk at the end of the route. Paharpur is 260 km from Dhaka.
Bangladesh: The best time
When to go to Bangladesh?
The country can be traveled throughout the year, but winter, from November to February, is by far the most comfortable period, although the evenings can sometimes be cool between December and January. The heat announcing the monsoon is really rising from April. It arrives in mid-June. The spectacle of the country which literally fills with water by the combined action of the rains and the water flowing from the Himalayan range into the flooded rivers is fantastic. But the heat saturated with moisture that forbids linen to dry, the difficulty of progressing on the roads and the risk of contracting a disease make the business perilous.
ENJOOOOOY!!!!
sources: http://www.lonelyplanet.fr/destinations/asie/bangladesh/quand-partir-et-climat/le-meilleur-moment
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