Holiday in Khulna

About Khulna

Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh and the essential gateway to the Sundarbans — the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world and home to the endangered Bengal tiger. The city on the Rupsha River in the southwest of the country is the starting point for one of Asia's most extraordinary nature experiences. The Sundarbans extend over 10,000 square kilometers at the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers into the Bay of Bengal. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a labyrinth of tidal river arms, mudflats, and dense mangrove forests, home to around 100 Bengal tigers — the only tiger population adapted to mangrove forests. Multi-day boat tours to the Sundarbans start from Khulna: on the deck of a traditional wooden boat, one glides silently through narrow waterways, while kingfishers, crocodiles, and darters appear along the shore. The Mongla port area south of Khulna is the second largest port in Bangladesh and a busy hub for goods from the entire southwest. The Khan Jahan Ali Mazar in Bagerhat, 30 km south, is a UNESCO World Heritage site: the complex surrounding the tomb of the 15th-century Muslim saint includes the Sixty Dome Mosque (Shait Gumbad Masjid) — the largest and oldest mosque in Bangladesh with its 77 domes and 60 pillars. The Rupsha River shapes city life: ferry boats, fishing boats, and cargo barges share the water, while traditional boat builders craft wooden boats by hand along the shore. Shibbari Morh and Khan-e-Sabur Street are the lively commercial centers with textile markets and street food.