Discover the Sundarbans
Known as “Motherly Sundarbans” by locals, the Sundarbans Reserved Forest is the largest mangrove forest on Earth and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar Site for its outstanding natural and cultural landscape. Sixty percent of the forest is in Bangladesh; the other 40% is in neighboring India. This biologically diverse ecosystem covers 100,000 hectares of dense mangrove habitat and serves as the last stronghold for the iconic Bengal tiger. The Sundarbans Reserved Forest hosts 334 plant species, 49 mammal species, around 300 bird species, 59 reptile species, eight amphibian species, and 210 fish species providing a rich experience for visitors to spot a diverse array of wildlife.
Ecological Significance of the Reserved Forest
Surrounded on three sides by two of the most densely populated countries on earth, India and Bangladesh, the Sundarbans remains wild, remote, and surprisingly untouched.
The Reserve is located southwest of Bangladesh between the Baleshwar and Harinbhanga rivers and extends to the Bay of Bengal. The area of the Reserve expands to over 200 islands and populates the banks of 15 major rivers, 400 tidal estuaries, and a series of life-supporting canals. As a result of its vast carbon-capturing qualities and other ecosystem services, it is arguably one of the most important ecological areas in Asia. The mangrove ecosystem benefits over 7.79 million people living in the Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ), including socioeconomic services that sustain livelihoods and in the form of a shelter belt protecting low-lying Bangladesh from storms, cyclones, tidal surges, seawater seepage, and intrusion. The Sundarbans Reserved Forest is also Bangladesh’s most visited tourism destination, which is forecasted to contribute upwards of 9.5% of the total GDP by 2027.
As a visitor to the Sundarbans Reserved Forest, you, too, have an essential role to play. Every visitor contributes to the ongoing protection of the ecosystem, and in exchange, you will have the extraordinary chance to appreciate its pristine natural beauty, magnificent tangles of mangrove trees, culturally rich villages, traditional practices, and exciting wildlife. An important opportunity here is to protect and share one of the world's most vulnerable and essential habitats.