The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, and the Bangladesh side, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers roughly 6,000 square kilometres. Visitors only go to a handful of places inside it, each with a forest station, a walking trail or a watchtower, and a guard on duty.
Here are the main spots, roughly in the order a ship from Khulna reaches them, with the ones you can see on a day trip marked.
Karamjal: the easiest first look (day trip)
Karamjal is on the Pasur river, a short boat ride from Mongla, and it is the spot most people see first, or on the last morning of a ship tour. A raised wooden trail leads through the mangroves to a watchtower. There is a crocodile breeding centre, spotted deer in an enclosure, and rhesus monkeys everywhere, so keep food out of sight.
- How to get there: a trawler from Mongla for a day trip, or as a stop on a ship tour.
Harbaria: the first walk in the real forest (day trip with permission)
Harbaria is an eco-tourism centre further south. A wooden walkway and a watchtower take you into thicker forest than Karamjal, and on a ship tour it is usually the first afternoon stop. Day trips from Mongla are possible, but Harbaria needs a separate Forest Department permission, so go through an operator.
Katka (Kotka): deer meadows and the sea
Katka is a wildlife sanctuary near the Bay of Bengal, and for many travellers it is the highlight of the trip. Herds of spotted deer graze in the open meadows, a watchtower looks over the forest, and early-morning boat rides through the creeks here are the best chance to see wildlife. A walk of around 45 minutes through the forest leads to Jamtala Beach, a quiet, empty stretch of sand where the forest meets the sea.
- How to get there: only on a ship tour of two nights or more.
Kochikhali: grassland and beach
Kochikhali is east of Katka, with open grassland where deer graze and wild boar wander, and a long beach facing the bay. Ships usually anchor nearby for an afternoon walk with the forest guard.
Dimer Char: a small island near Katka
Dimer Char is a small island near the Katka area where many ship tours stop for a short walk on the sand. It is a calm, open place to stretch your legs between forest walks.
Hiron Point (Nilkamal): the far south
Hiron Point, also called Nilkamal, is a remote sanctuary at the southern edge of the forest. It takes extra sailing time to reach, so only some ships include it. On our package, MV Aral Sea adds Hiron Point, Tiger Tila and Jamtala Beach to the usual stops.
Dublar Char: the winter fishing island
Dublar Char is an island near the sea where fishing families set up camp in winter to catch and dry fish. It is also where the Rash Mela festival is held, usually in November. Visits depend on the season, the tides and Forest Department permission.
Other spots
- Kalabogi and Shekherteck, on day trips from the Khulna side.
- Kalagachia and Dobeki, on the western side, reached from Munshiganj and Shyamnagar in Satkhira.
- Mandarbaria, a remote beach in the far south-west, on some longer trips.
What you might see
Spotted deer, rhesus monkeys, wild boar, estuarine crocodiles sunning on the mud, monitor lizards and kingfishers of several kinds are common sightings. The Royal Bengal tiger lives here, but sightings are rare. Most visitors see pugmarks on the mud rather than the tiger itself, and that is part of the magic.
Sundarban day tour or ship tour?
- Karamjal: day trip from Mongla, or on a ship tour
- Harbaria: day trip with permission, or on a ship tour
- Katka and Jamtala Beach: ship tour only
- Kochikhali: ship tour only
- Hiron Point and Dublar Char: some ship tours only
A Sundarban day trip from Mongla is enough for Karamjal. To see Katka and Kochikhali, you need to stay on a ship. Our Sundarban Tour Package covers Harbaria, Kochikhali, Dimer Char, Katka and Karamjal over three days from Khulna, with all meals, a guide and an armed forest guard.
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