Sight seeing and excursions are made available by Parjatan offices at Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

DHAKA Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. The city was founded in 1608 A.D. during the era of Mughal greatness. There are several historical monuments, many of them architectural masterpieces, in old parts of the city. The association of Dhaka with the Mughals is one of the city's greatest distinctions and accounts for the region's great historical importance.

Nestled in the picturesque Surma Valley amidst scenic tea plantations and lush green tropical forests, Sylhet is a prime attraction for tourists and natives alike. Its terrached tea gardens, eye catching orange groves and pineapple plantations form a beautiful landscape. The rich soil, congenial weather and ample rainfall have made Sylhet one of the richest producers of tea in the world. The Sylhet valley has a good number of haors which are big natural wetlands. During winter these haors are vast stretches of green land, but in the rainy season they turn into a turbulent sea. These haors also provide sanctury to the millions of migratory birds who fly from Siberia across the Himalayas to avoid the severe cold. The tropical forests are abound with big game such as tigers, leopards and wild boars.

Srimangal in Sylhet, known as the tea capital of Bangladesh, is the area's main tea centre. For miles and miles in all directions, the visitor can see the tea gardens spread like a green carpet over low lying land and sloping hills. A visit to the tea plantation in Sylhet is a memorable experience. Sylhet, the tea granary of Bangladesh, not only has over 150 tea gardens but also proudly possesses the three largest tea gardens in the world both in area and production.

Sylhet is also known as the land of the famous Muslim saint Hazrat Shah Jalal (RA) the great torch bearer of Islam to this region. The shrine of this great saint is located in the main town of Sylhet. Colourful Monipuri, Khasia and Garo tribes live in Sylhet. Monipuri tribal maidens have attracted world-wide interest for their dance. Sylhet is also well-known for its wide variety of exquisite hand-crafted products made out of cane and bamboo. Sylhet is linked with Dhaka by rail, road and air.

Waterfall across border from Tamabil

Sri Chaitanya Temple : This famous temple is about 500 years old. The temple of Sri Chaitanya Dev, the famous Vaishnava Saint, is located at Dhaka Dakhin which is about 45 km southeast of Sylhet town. The place is revered for being the ancestral home of the famous saint. An annual fair is organised here on the fullmoon day of the Bengali month Falgun. Thousands of devotees from Bangladesh and abroad attend this colourful affair.

Other places of tourist attraction in Sylhet include Moulvibazar, Jaintiapur, Madhabakunda and the Haripur gas field.

There are a number of departmental rest-houses and picnic spots to accommodate tourists.

Rangamati is the centre of the Chittagong Hill Tracts district. The township is located on the western bank of the Kaptai lake. Rangamati is a favourite holiday resort because of its beautiful landscape, Kaptai lake, colourful tribes (Chakma, Marma etc.), its flora and fauna, the tribal museum in Chakma Raja, the hanging bridge, homespun textile products, ivory jewellery and the tribal men and women who fashion them. For tourists the attractions of Rangamati are numerous, tribal life, fishing, speed boat cruising, water skiing, hiking, bathing or merely enjoying nature as it is.

Kaptai Lake: A huge expanse of emarald-blue water surrounded by majestic tropical forests, the lake was formed when the mighty Karnaphuli river was dammed. The country's only hydro-electric station is located here, from where power is distributed to other regions through a national grid line. Two miles away stands an ancient Buddhist temple, Chit Morong, where some fine sculptures are preserved.

Miles of golden sands, towering cliffs, sufing waves, rare conch shells, colourful pagodas, buddhist temples and tribes, delightful sea food- this is Cox's Bazar, the tourist capital of Bangladesh. Having the world's longest (75 m./120 km.) unbroken beach sloping gently down to the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal, against the picturesque background of a chain of hills coverd with deep green forests, Cox's Bazar is one of the most attractive tourist spots in the world. The beach is good for bathing, sun bathing and swimming. The beauty of the sun-setting behind the waves of the sea is capivating. Local varieties of cigars and handloom products of the Rakhyne tribal families are good buys. Their unique customs and dress attract many visitors.

Located at a distance of 152 km south of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar is connected both by air and road from Dhaka and Chittagong. Cox's Bazar has a mixed population of people speaking Bengali and Burmese. The settlers from Arakan have established flourishing cottage industries where they weave colourful silk and cotton fabrics.

Visits to the fascinating picnic spot at Himchari, Teknaf, at the southern most tip of Bangladesh, the Buddhist temple at Ramu, and nearby islands of Sonadia, St. Martin and Moheshkhali provide a memorable experience. The government has taken initiatives to develop Sonadia as an exclusive beach resort.

THE SUDARBANS Named after Sundari trees, the Sundarbans is a thick tropical forest with deltaic swamps along the country's coastal fringe. It is also the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger. About 400 of these majestic beasts are under full protection of the government's wildlife preservation regulations. The sheer exuberabce of vegetation and variety of animal, bird and fish life is atonishing. Wood from this forest serves as the principal raw material for the nation's 40,000-ton capacity newsprint mills in Khulna. There are transport and accommodation facilities available for tourists.

The lush forests of the Sundarbans

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