Bangladesh left us with a mix of amazement, admiration, and confusion. We rode 2091 km on roads with more potholes than asphalt, fighting to avoid being run over by speeding buses or brake-less trucks. Total chaos on the road is the norm here, but the challenges are made up for by the people, whose exceptional warmth is truly heartwarming.
The Border – 27 Hours of Uncertainty
The adventure began at the border, where we discovered that the Carnet de Passage was not sufficient for allowing our motorcycles into the country. Customs officials refused entry, claiming we needed special permission that could only be obtained in Dhaka. We were stuck between borders and spent the night in no man’s land, waiting for the customs office to open in the morning to secure an extraordinary entry permit. What an adventure! When we finally entered the country, Bangladesh greeted us enthusiastically. Foreign visitors are rare here, so our arrival was an event.
Traffic – Two-Wheel Survival
Bangladesh’s roads are a challenge we won’t soon forget. Tuk-tuk traffic jams in every town, battered buses that look like they’ve been through a series of accidents, and cars outfitted with welded crash bars. Rickshaws, whether electric, bicycle-powered, gas-driven, or even foot-pulled, fill every available space. Add a lack of traffic lights, widespread wrong-way driving, and relentless horn honking, and you have the recipe for a true survival school for Western drivers. Traffic can become so clogged that even pedestrians find it hard to navigate.
People Who Disarm You with Their Warmth
The people of Bangladesh are simply amazing. Everywhere we went, we met people curious about our journey, inviting us to their homes and offering us food. Every motorcycle stop ended with at least a few minutes of photo sessions. We’ve never taken so many selfies anywhere else—we felt like real celebrities. We even gave interviews to three national TV stations.
Cox’s Bazar – The World’s Longest Natural Beach
If there’s one reason to visit Bangladesh, it’s this. Riding a motorcycle on the 120-kilometer-long, firm beach at Cox’s Bazar feels like a dream come true. On one side, the ocean and a breathtaking sunset. On the other, fishermen pulling moon boats from the water, cleaning their nets, and lighting campfires. Waves caressing the wheels and the sheer freedom of riding straight ahead—this is an experience that lingers in your heart for a lifetime.
The Sundarbans – An Industrial Surprise
We traveled to the mangrove forest in the Sundarbans region, expecting mysterious misty wetlands, crocodiles, unknown bird species, and the Bengal tiger. Instead, we found a highly industrialized area where cargo ships dock freely. There’s a floating coal market here, along with dredging barges extracting sand from the riverbed. Motorboats and large passenger vessels ply the waters, while smaller channels are off-limits.
Waterfalls Awaiting Discovery
We had to skip the Bandarban Hills because tensions between local authorities and tribes had closed the area to tourism. Instead, we headed northeast, drawn by the promise of tea plantations and stunning waterfalls. The trek to the Hum Hum waterfall is an adventure we’ll never forget. To reach it, you follow a narrow path through a tropical forest and then wade through a river. The lack of tourist infrastructure makes such places authentic and hard to access.
The Brotherhood of Bikers
Crossing the border and navigating the country was made much easier thanks to local bikers. When Yamaha clubs in Dhaka heard about us, we were invited to an event at Yamaha’s flagship showroom (apparently, this showroom sells the most Yamaha motorcycles in the world). We shared some stories about our journey and got to observe just how impressive Asian motorcycle marketing is.
27 Days Isn’t Enough
Poor roads, the lack of a developed tourist infrastructure, and the extraordinary hospitality of the people significantly slowed us down. Twenty-seven days flew by, leaving many pins on our map untouched. Will we manage to return on our own wheels? The current state of regulations isn’t clear even to border officials, so our chances are 50/50. We’ll definitely give it a shot.
This country full of contrasts—chaos and beauty, challenges and warmth—completely won us over. We left exhausted but with the feeling that we had discovered something extraordinary. If you’d like to know more about our ride through Bangladesh, message us privately on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp.
