Shed off the city dust
Bangladesh is constantly being placed in lists of travel destinations which are still untapped – it is cheap, it is relatively tourist free and it offers everything from trekking to sea-beaches and resorts. And while more and more people from abroad are coming in to visit Keokradong or the Sundarbans every year, a lot of Bangladeshi youth seem to think that travelling will put a dent on your wallet.
We have looked into budget trips before, this time we take a look at what a Tk. 7000 or around a hundred US dollars will get you.
Firstly, this is quite a big sum of money to travel in Bangladesh. So not only will this budget be enough to get you to and back from the major destinations, it is enough to spend the trip in style.
First – the destinations. Cox's Bazaar, Sundarbans, Bandarban – all of these places would cost you around Tk. 1000-1500 to get to, that too on proper air-conditioned buses. Depending on how long you want to stay, the next step is to allocate the 4-5 thousand taka you still have left.
In places like Srimangal, it is fairly easy to rough it out. Rest houses like those of the tea board, DFID, etc. will cost you no more than 1-2 thousand for the day and night. For food, head out to the cities. Use time to decide beforehand where you want to eat – every town has its famous eateries.
If you are in Bandarban, join up with other groups to keep expenses at a minimum. Lodging and eating should put you back a few thousand more. And if you manage to live particularly frugally, you might even hope to head into deeper territories in Bandarban.
Cox's Bazaar is sprawled with hotels. So assuming you don't want to live in a fancy resort, seven thousand taka will be enough for 2-3 days. Discounts and special offers are offered throughout the year.
This just goes to show that while 100 USD trips are usually considered budget trips, here in Bangladesh, this can get you a long way. Just a little proper planning and research beforehand, getting all the tickets early and keeping your sanity intact throughout is all that's needed.
So grab your bag, shed off the city dust and head out – you will never know how beautiful this country can be till you do.
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