Timber floating on the Timber Market Barishal

Floating Timber Market

On the canals near Swarupkathi, logs are floated, sorted and sold straight off the water. A fascinating morning by country boat in the backwaters of the south.

About Floating Timber Market

The timber trade around Swarupkathi in Pirojpur district, part of Barishal Division, has been carried on the water for generations. Logs cut from local plantations are lashed into rafts and floated along the canals, where buyers, sellers and boatmen gather to strike deals right on the river.

The best way to see it is from a small boat. You drift past rafts of logs, sawmills along the banks and men balancing on floating timber as they push it into place. The canals here are lined with coconut palms, betel nut and guava orchards, and the same waterways host the floating vegetable and guava markets, so the two are easily combined.

Activity is busiest in the morning, and the trade runs through much of the year. Evergreen Bangladesh Tours visits on private backwater tours with a local guide, usually from Barishal or as part of a longer journey through the south.

Things to do

  • Country boat ride

    Glide through the canals in a small wooden boat, the only way to get close to the floating logs.

  • Watch the trade

    See logs measured, bargained over and hauled to the sawmills along the banks.

  • Photography

    Rafts of timber, boatmen and palm-lined canals make memorable pictures in the morning light.

  • Backwater villages

    Pass orchards, sawmills and village landings to see daily life on the water.

Getting there

From Barishal: about one to two hours by road to Swarupkathi, then by local boat on the canals.

From Dhaka: take the overnight launch to Barishal, a memorable trip in itself, or drive via the Padma Bridge in around five hours.

Where to stay

Stay in Barishal city, which has the widest choice of hotels in the region. Simple guesthouses exist nearer the canals but facilities are basic.

Tours that visit Floating Timber Market

Questions

Where is the floating timber market?

On the canals around Swarupkathi in Pirojpur district, in Barishal Division.

What is the best time of day?

Morning, when most of the trade happens on the water.

Can I combine it with the floating guava market?

Yes. They share the same network of canals and fit into one day.

How do I get around?

By hired country boat, ideally with a guide who knows the canals and the traders.

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