Typical biking in Bangladesh: quiet, shady roads perfect for cycling.

As a touring destination, Bangladesh ranks up there with backwaters like Brunei and Burundi.   The cyclists who do trickle into the country are usually on multi-year tours.

With so few two-wheeled tourists, the country is something of an unknown quantity.

I knew that Bangladesh is incredibly crowded, and that was about it.    With a little research, I learned Bangladesh has the highest population density of any country in the world (barring tiny city-states like Singapore and Monaco).

As you might imagine, this knowledge didn’t exactly enamor me to the idea of a big bike ride across Bangladesh.

And then I got an email from Grace Johnson of Bicycle Traveler magazine fame.  Here’s how she responded  when I mentioned we were heading to Bangladesh:

I’m jealous that you will be going through Bangladesh, we loved it there! 

LOVED touring Bangladesh?  That came as a surprise.

Turns out Grace had good reason to be so smitten with Bangladesh.  The country, we were soon to discover, has much to offer for the intrepid tourist.

It’s not always an easy destination, but one that is infinitely rewarding.

Here’s what we’ve learned about bike touring in Bangladesh:

Cyclists become celebrities!

Roll across the border into Bangladesh and incredible you (hitherto just a smelly foreigner on a bike) will be instantly elevated to star status.  Crowds gather, pictures are snapped and you’ll even receive the occasional request for an autograph.

Anonymity is impossible.  Nothing (not even touring in remote parts of Africa) can prepare you for the attention you will attract in Bangladesh.  It is simply mind-boggling.

Many cyclists find the attention factor difficult to deal with.  While it may feel flattering at first, the constant watching will undoubtedly grow tiresome by day two of your Bangladesh tour.

What to do?  Accept the situation.  Why try to figure out what’s so fascinating about scruffy foreigners in dirty clothing?  Foreign tourists are rare in Bangladesh and your very presence is cause for much excitement.  Enjoy!

A large number of onlookers on our very first day biking in Bangladesh. Disconcerting at first, but we quickly learned that crowds are friendly and curious.
Public restrooms are rare in Bangladesh and it’s almost impossible to dash behind a tree because SOMEBODY is always looking. This is the crowd that gathered when I stopped to use the outhouse (incredibly clean) in a small village. They were all very enthusiastic and fun to chat with.

Honestly Interested.

Naturally, you will be obliged to answer all the usual questions regarding your nationality, mission, age, marital status and number of offspring.  In some countries, that’s where it stops.  But in Bangladesh, people are truly interested in you and why on earth you’ve decided to visit their often overlooked country.  They want to know more!

In rural areas not everyone speaks English, so communication can be hampered.  After the basic questions have been exhausted, locals will stare, and you’ll grow increasingly uncomfortable.

Then someone will have the bright idea to scramble off and fetch the village English teacher.     He’ll come bounding up, breathless with excitement and exertion.  Finally, he can practice the language he has spent so much time learning with honest-to-goodness foreigners!

Talking with the teacher will be much nicer than having the same six question repeatedly lobbed at you from all sides.   With the teacher as translator, you can even crack jokes and move on to more fulfilling conversation.

Locals always have time for a big wave and often stop to chat.

At your Service

Bangladeshis are generally kind, hospitable and very helpful.  They will gladly escort you to a restaurant or hotel and even help you carry your heavy panniers up the narrow stairway to the 5th floor.  Nobody will try to charge you double for a meal or play any dirty traveler’s tricks.  You’ll be invited in for tea and treated as an honored guest.

Just cruisin’ along with the locals!

Not a Hill in Sight.

Most of Bangladesh is mercifully flat and the pedaling couldn’t be easier.  This is one place where you won’t ever have to suffer as you cycle.   In the northern tea garden areas around Sylhet there are few gentle inclines but that’s about it.

Eric is cycling with Mohamed Islam Raja. a member of the Sylhet cycling community. Mohamed kindly met us at our hotel in Sylhet and showed us a great backroad road and introduced us to another cyclist who told us about the amazing Border Road route. With out the local route advice, our tour wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.

The Cities Suck.

Some realities just can’t be sugar-coated.  Cities are mostly crowded and chaotic with the smell of rotting rubbish and overflowing sewers permeating the air.  The crushing mass of humanity can feel oppressive and overwhelming, particularly if you’re cycling in the pre-monsoon heat.    Only at the crack of dawn does a semblance of calm prevail.

Those who enjoy hustle and bustle might have another opinion.  Maybe they’d describe Bangladeshi cities as lively and invigorating.

This is a typical roadside restaurant in Bangladesh. You’ll find samosas (tasty when they’re fresh, less so by 5PM) and puri (a sort of fried bread) with sabji (vegetables or beans). Basic but not too bad.

Photographer’s Paradise.

Bangladeshi cities may be grubby, but there’s no denying they provide tremendous opportunities for street photography.  In this colorful country where life is lived in the open, there’s a photo to be made everywhere you turn.  What’s more, people love to be photographed!  Their smiles light up when you show them the LCD display and they often thank you profusely for having taken their photo.

Best friends all keen to have a snap!
Hard at work loading a boat.
Local workers at a brick factory. A tough job for little pay.
A moment of rest after a hard day’s work.
Cricket! The country’s best loved sport.
Tools of the trade.

It’s a Man’s World

Alright, so maybe this one doesn’t come as such a surprise.  For the past 23 years, the country has been rule by female prime ministers, but women still take a backseat to men in Bangladesh.

Women are rarely seen working outside the home.  Market stalls, shops, hotels and restaurants are all staffed exclusively by men.  Women, of course, do venture outside the home.  They shop, they accompany their children to school, they visit family and friends, and occasionally women can be seen dining in more upscale restaurants.  But you won’t find women having meals in the cheap roadside eateries favored by budget bike tourists.

It’s unusual to see women driving cars or riding scooters.  And women on bicycles?  Highly unlikely you’ll spot one!

Bangladeshi men always showed me the utter most kindness and respect, even when I set out alone to wander the streets in search of photographs.  Nevertheless, I felt some unease with the skewed gender balance in public places.

Three Burkas and a Bike!
These girls definitely wanna have fun!

Rickshaws Rule.

In neighboring India, cars are taking over.   But in Bangladesh, it’s still the humble rickshaw that rules the roads.  Whether it’s a major highway, a country lane, or a congested thoroughfare, you’ll spot squads of rail-thin men straining to pedal brightly painted rickshaws bursting with goods or portly members of the middle class.

Ever imagine being caught up in a rickshaw traffic jam?  They’re unavoidable in Bangladesh as the rickshaws vie for space on choked-up roads.  Being stuck in traffic is all part of the fun.

Some of the Best Rural Riding in Asia.

Can she really mean that?  Yes, absolutely, I do!

Rural Bangladesh is gorgeous!  And accessible.  An astounding number of beautiful byways link up villages.  Zipping down the shady lanes past the traditional mud-brick homes with tidy garden plots out front is simply delightful.

Bangladesh’s cities and towns may be some of the worst cesspools in the developing world, but its villages are amongst the cleanest and most pleasant you’ll come across anywhere.

The very best cycling we found in Bangladesh was on the so-called border road, way up north along the frontier with India.  This is a predominately tribal area and you’ll spot more churches than mosques.

It’s a Wild West sort of place, with rickety bamboo bridges, flooded roads and the occasional precarious river crossing on a decrepit boat.

eric and amaya bicycle touring in bangladesh

A ride down main street.
THIS is Bangladesh!
Just over those mountains lies India.
Real fun.

 The Time is Now!

As a cycling destination, Bangladesh has immense potential.  Find out for yourself, before Lonely Planet catches on and touts Bangladesh as one of the Hot Spots for 2016!

Bangladesh Bicycle Touring Route Information

Border crossing from Argatala to Akhaura – Brahamanbaria- Chunarughat- Sreemangal- Kamalganj –Lokhipur Kulaura Beanibazar Dubagh Sylhet Chhatak Sunamganj

“Border road” Boruakuna, – Rani Khong, -Durgapur -Haluaghat

Baromari- Diglakuna –Dewanganj -Sarishabari

Jamuna Bridge River Crossing Shahjadpur – Baghabari – Chatmohar- Mothurapur -Daryarampur -Arina Hat-  Rajshahi -Kakon Haat –Amnura- Rohanpur- Sapahar -Chandpukur –Dhamoirhat- Beneedwar -Hili

Visa Information:

We were NOT able to get a Bangladesh visa on arrival at the Dauki crossing in Meghalaya, India.  We had to go to Argatala and apply at the consulate for visas.  This was a two day process and cost 2,500 rupees for a 30 day visa.

9 Things to Know about Bike Touring in Bangladesh
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13 thoughts on “9 Things to Know about Bike Touring in Bangladesh

  • June 3, 2015 at 11:00 PM
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    Hello

    How do you get your pictures to look the way they look?

    Especially the one with the title ‘onlookers….’

    Enjoyed them all!

    Ludovic

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    • June 5, 2015 at 9:42 AM
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      I usually do some processing in Lightroom, adding some clarity, contrast or vibrancy as needed. Sometimes I also add a vignette to add some focus to the photo.

      Reply
  • June 12, 2015 at 7:44 PM
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    Agreed with Ludo that “onlookers” is an amazing photograph, especially in context. Thanks for the good writing! I just found you, Googling for inspiration to do more bike touring. I’ve traveled in India (not on a bike) fairly extensively, which was amazing. But I never even really thought about going to Bangladesh until now. The “wow, why are you visiting my country?” is great when you can find it; the only other place I really noticed it was Syria ten years ago when it was still a place one could travel.

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    • September 5, 2015 at 1:08 PM
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      We visited Syria back in 2009 and loved it–can totally relate to your experiences. Can thoroughly recommend Bangladesh for those who embrace the off-the-beaten path experience!

      Reply
  • June 15, 2015 at 1:30 PM
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    hi,
    i am from Bangladesh. i felt very happy after reading your journey log. i am warmly inviting you to travel in Bangladesh. keep riding & keep smile 🙂

    Reply
  • July 29, 2015 at 4:00 AM
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    Great photography !!!
    Cheers from the road, Heike

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  • August 3, 2015 at 12:32 AM
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    Hi Amaya and Eric!

    This is crazy, I was just looking last night at Google Street Views in Bangladesh and saying to Bruce, “These rural roads look beautiful!” and “This city (Chittagong) looks really rough!”. In any case, I was intrigued. This is great information, thank you.

    You mention that there are few women out and about, which Bruce corroborates by telling me that in 1979 when he was there he didn’t see a single woman anywhere in the country, so at least now they are somewhat out of the house. That being said, I always feel better knowing my attire does not weird out people in a conservative culture. Would you recommend female cyclists cover up legs? I always wear long sleeves anyway for sun protection, and below-the-knee loose pants. I ask this because I have a better time with people who aren’t ogling what looks to them like lots of extra hootchy koo skin. I do understand that staring in Bangladesh is part of part and parcel of the deal but there is curious staring and shocked staring and leering.

    By the way, we met you in late December up near where we crossed into Thailand from Laos, somewhere outside of Chiang Khan. Your photo is on our blog, although at the time I hadn’t retrieved the card you gave us so you remain unnamed in the photo. Since we were in our touring infancy your long journey impressed (and still impresses) us mightily. We recently hosted the Father/daughter folks who said they rode with you in Northern Laos, they are now on their journey south to Argentina. So, small world! Or big world with a small touring community, as you can already attest.

    Best to both of you, I hope all is well.
    Andrea

    Reply
    • September 5, 2015 at 1:06 PM
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      Hi Andrea,
      Yes, of course we remember you and Bruce-your portrait is in our Flickr Bicycle Nomads gallery.
      It’s probably best not to wear anything too revealing–particularly if you’re on your own. I cycled in shorts and a jersey and never noticed any leering or hostile look. Bangladeshis are really very respectful. Off the bike, I covered my legs and wore a loose-fitting t-shirt. No problems walking alone on the streets. Just friendly chats. Excellent country for cycling, but traffic can be hectic in cities.

      Hope you had a great Southeast Asia tour!

      Reply
  • August 11, 2015 at 12:47 PM
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    Great stuff guys, just caught up with your last few posts. Bangladesh sounds great…

    Stay well,

    Julian

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    • September 5, 2015 at 12:59 PM
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      Yep, Bangladesh offers some amazing possibilities for rural riding. If only there were a way to totally bypass the cities it would be heaven!

      Reply
  • December 20, 2015 at 2:33 AM
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    Love your website! You guys have taken some beautiful photos. Bangladesh is not a country I would have considered cycling through, but maybe we will rethink that when we get to that section of our cycle tour. I’ll keep an eye out for your future posts! Safe travels x

    Reply
  • November 4, 2018 at 6:39 AM
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    Our route was similar to yours but shorter. We started in Dhaka and took the rocket boat south to where we began cycling to Khulna. From there, we headed up along the border and then East to Mymensingh.

    I think your route was better for cycling, but we wanted to visit the cities in order to photograph rickshaw culture.

    It’s interesting that you write:
    Cities are mostly crowded and chaotic with the smell of rotting rubbish and overflowing sewers permeating the air. The crushing mass of humanity can feel oppressive and overwhelming, particularly if you’re cycling in the pre-monsoon heat.

    Personally, I didn’t feel that Bangladeshi cities were much more crowded or filthy than Indian or Nepalese ones, but then again we were there in the middle of winter. It was so cold that we always wore our jackets. And because of the cool temperatures, the sewers and rubbish didn’t smell.

    Dhaka was the exception. “Crushing mass of humanity” describes Dhaka perfectly! Yet it’s also a place that one will remember for the rest of their life…

    Hopefully, we’ll go back and ride the border road north like you guys did. Would love to do it.

    Reply

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