Post-MTP group trip
Bangladesh Floating markets & the Sundarbans
Post-MTP trip 2
Finished in Chengdu? Go to Bangladesh.
Seven days from the madness of Dhaka into the rivers and mangroves of the south. Otter fishermen, two nights aboard in the Sundarbans and a floating market at dawn.
You’ve just spent a few days with some of the most travelled people on Earth, and you’re already on the right side of the planet. You could go home like a sensible person. Or you could spend a week in one of the most chaotic, colourful and criminally underrated countries in Asia. We’re choosing Bangladesh!
This isn’t a polished luxury tour (although the accommodation is actually pretty good, tbh). Bangladesh is noisy, busy, messy and full-on. That’s precisely why I love it. It feels real.
Tour highlights
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Old Dhaka
On foot and by rickshaw
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Otter Fishermen
A tradition that sounds made up
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Two Sundarbans Nights
Sleeping aboard in the mangroves
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Floating Market
Barishal backwaters at dawn
Trip facts
- Dates
- Trip length
- After MTP
- Make your own way from Chengdu to Dhaka
- Nights
- 4 hotel nights, 2 aboard a Sundarbans vessel
- Fitness
- Easy walking, but long days and early starts
- Guide
- Josh from Mudita Adventures + local team
Day by day
The Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Dhaka
· Hotel, Dhaka
MTP Chengdu finished yesterday, so today everyone makes their own way to Dhaka. Our local team meets you for the group airport transfer and hotel check-in.
Tonight is deliberately relaxed. Welcome dinner and drinks, a bit of rubbish talked about MTP, and the inevitable country-count comparisons.
Day 2: Old Dhaka
Hotel, Dhaka
Today we get stuck into the old city by foot and rickshaw: Lalbagh Fort, Shankhari Bazar, Star Mosque and the Armenian Church, then time around Sadarghat watching the river port do its thing.
The order depends on traffic and access, because Dhaka has its own ideas about how long things take. Back to the same hotel tonight.
Day 3: Otter Fishermen & On to Mongla
Sundarbans vessel
Bags in the vehicle and we head southwest. Around Narail we meet fishermen who work with trained otters, which drive fish towards the nets. Sounds made up. It isn’t.
Then on to Mongla to board our Sundarbans tourist vessel in the evening, shared with other travellers. Settle into your cabin, dinner aboard. Home for the next two nights.
Day 4: A Full Day in the Sundarbans
Sundarbans vessel
Early start, folks. Into the narrow creeks by country boat at first light, then forest trekking and a watchtower, looking for deer and birdlife with our local team. Permit and armed forest guard included.
Tigers? Not promising you one. No network in here either, so enjoy a day off scrolling. Another night aboard.
Day 5: Village Walk, Bagerhat & Barishal
Grand Park, Barishal
A village walk near Mongla and lunch aboard, then by road to Bagerhat and the Sixty Dome Mosque, part of the UNESCO-listed Mosque City. Mangroves to mosques in one day.
On to Barishal and the four-star Grand Park. Proper bed, proper shower. Not a late one, though: tomorrow’s alarm is around 6am. (I know what some of you are like.)
Day 6: Backwaters, Floating Market & Back to Dhaka
Hotel, Dhaka
Around 6am we’re out on the Barishal backwaters by country boat: canals, villages, river traffic and a floating market. Which market depends on the weekday, and the team confirms it locally.
Back around 11.30am, lunch, then the drive to Dhaka, aiming for about 6pm (traffic gets a vote). Final hotel night and time to pack.
Day 7: Dhaka & Homeward Bound
· Dhaka
That’s all, folks. Your departure transfer is included and arranged around your flight. Carrying on somewhere else? This is where you head off.
Dhaka, the otter fishermen, two nights in the Sundarbans, Bagerhat and the Barishal backwaters. Not bad for a week. Time to work out what to do with all those boat photos.
Who’s behind it
Johnny Ward
Irish guy, first Irish person to visit every country, and the first to complete the Ultimate Explorer’s Grand Slam (every country, 7 summits, both poles). I’ve taken thousands of people to some of the weirdest places on earth, and now Luis and I are giving MTP more ways to head somewhere far-flung with friends.
Josh, my co-founder at Mudita Adventures, will be guiding this one with our local team. Not your usual tour company: expect a bit of chaos, a lot of laughs and a trip to tell your grandkids about.
Two days without scrolling might do us all some good.
Criminally underrated
Why Bangladesh?
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Proper chaos
Dhaka is one of the most intense cities in Asia. Put the phone away for a bit and just watch.
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The Mosque City
Bagerhat’s UNESCO-listed historic Mosque City, home to the extraordinary Sixty Dome Mosque.
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Life on the water
Road and river across the south, from Sadarghat’s boats to the backwaters of Barishal.
Before you book
Good to Know
Is the Chengdu to Dhaka flight included?
No. Everyone makes their own way from Chengdu to Dhaka, so you can use whatever airline, routing or points work for you. The trip starts in Dhaka.
What about Bangladesh visas?
Super easy these days, and online. Requirements still depend on your nationality and the rules in force in 2027, so we’ll confirm what everyone needs once you book and guide you through it before departure.
Do I need to be fit?
No. There’s no difficult trekking or climbing. The challenge is the pace: early starts, long road journeys and crowded cities. Rural toilets can be basic too. If you can handle a busy sightseeing trip, you can handle this.
Will we see a Bengal tiger?
We can’t promise one. Come for the mangroves, the creek trips, the walks and the nights aboard. Deer and birdlife are what we’ll be looking for, and anything else is a bonus.
What’s the boat like?
Kinda nice by Bangladesh standards: mostly twin cabins on a Sundarbans tourist vessel, with crew, cook and forest guard, and all meals included. There’s no network, shops or medical facilities in the forest, so bring what you need and send your messages before boarding.
What should I wear?
Bangladesh is conservative and we visit active mosques and other religious sites, so cover shoulders and knees, and wear shoes that slip off easily. October is warm and humid, with showers possible, so pack a light waterproof.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, it’s mandatory. Make sure your policy covers Bangladesh and the activities on the itinerary.
Price and what’s included
What’s included
- 6 nights’ accommodation: 2 in Dhaka, 2 aboard our Sundarbans vessel, 1 in Barishal, 1 final night in Dhaka
- Group airport arrival transfer and departure transfer
- Private road transport throughout
- Sundarbans country-boat trips, forest permit and armed forest guard
- Narail otter-fishing visit
- Barishal backwater boat tour
- Local guiding, sightseeing and entrance fees on the itinerary
- Meals as listed day by day, including all meals aboard the vessel
What’s not included
- International flights, including Chengdu to Dhaka and home
- Bangladesh visa, where applicable
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Meals not listed as included
- Personal expenses
- Tips
Tour price
$2,899
Per person sharing · 7 days
- Provisional dates: 25–31 October 2027 (after MTP), or 13–19 October if we run it before
- No online booking yet: DM me on Instagram to grab a spot
- Meal arrangements for the Dhaka days to be confirmed
Post-MTP Chengdu 2027
Meet the gang in Dhaka.
Old Dhaka, otter fishermen, two nights in the Sundarbans and a floating market, all in a week. There’s no online booking yet, so DM me on Instagram to grab a spot or ask anything.
Rather email? johnny@onestep4ward.com
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