Timber Market top view

Barishal

The river country of southern Bangladesh: floating markets, canals lined with palms and an overnight ferry from Dhaka. Spend two days on the water, longer if you add Bagerhat.

About Barishal

Barishal lies in the heart of the delta, where rivers and canals outnumber roads. Life here moves by boat, and the region is often called the Venice of Bengal.

Its most famous sights are the floating markets of the canals around Swarupkathi and Jhalakathi. Farmers row in at dawn in narrow wooden boats loaded with guavas, vegetables and coconuts and trade from boat to boat at the floating market. Nearby, logs and timber are floated down the canals and sold on the water at the floating timber market. The guava market at Bhimruli is busiest from about July to September.

Getting here is part of the experience: the overnight launch from Dhaka’s Sadarghat glides down the river and arrives at Barishal at dawn.

Many of our Barishal trips continue west to Bagerhat in neighbouring Khulna Division, a 15th-century mosque city founded by Khan Jahan Ali, with the UNESCO-listed Sixty Dome Mosque, the Nine Dome Mosque, the Singair Mosque and the shrine of Khan Jahan Ali.

Things to do

  • Visit a floating market at dawn

    Glide between boats piled with guavas, vegetables and coconuts as farmers trade on the canal. Arrive early, when the market is busiest.

  • Take the overnight launch from Dhaka

    Sleep in a private cabin on a multi-deck river ferry and wake up to sunrise on the rivers of the delta.

  • Cruise the canals by country boat

    Leave the main rivers for narrow canals lined with palms, betel nut and village homes, where life is lived along the water.

  • See the floating timber market

    Rafts of logs float on the canal while traders bargain from the banks, a working market that few visitors see.

  • Continue to the mosques of Bagerhat

    Combine Barishal with Bagerhat’s UNESCO-listed Sixty Dome Mosque and the other 15th-century monuments of Khan Jahan Ali’s city.

Getting there

By launch: overnight river ferries leave Dhaka’s Sadarghat in the evening and reach Barishal early the next morning. We book a private cabin.

By road: since the Padma Bridge opened in 2022, the drive from Dhaka takes about four to five hours.

By air: there are short flights from Dhaka to Barishal, although schedules are limited.

Where to stay

Barishal city has a few comfortable hotels; options near the floating markets are very simple, so we usually stay in the city and leave early by boat.

If you continue to Bagerhat, the night is usually spent in Khulna, which has more choice. We suggest hotels that fit your budget when we send your tour price.

Places to see in Barishal

Tours that visit Barishal

Questions

When is the best time to visit the floating markets?

The guava market at Bhimruli is busiest from about July to September. Other floating markets run all year, and winter offers the most comfortable weather.

How do I get from Dhaka to Barishal?

By overnight launch from Sadarghat, by road in about four to five hours via the Padma Bridge, or by a short flight.

Is the overnight launch safe and comfortable?

The large launches are a normal way to travel in Bangladesh. We book a private cabin with a bed and fan or air conditioning, and avoid travel in stormy weather.

Can I combine Barishal with the Sundarbans?

Yes. Barishal, Bagerhat and the Sundarbans make a natural route through the delta over five to six days.

Plan my trip WhatsApp