The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, a vast maze of tidal rivers, creeks and muddy islands where the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers meet the Bay of Bengal. The western sanctuary, in the south west of Bangladesh close to the Indian border, is one of the protected cores of this immense wetland, part of the World Heritage listing shared between Bangladesh and India. It is the home of the Bengal tiger, which has adapted to life in the mangroves, swimming between islands and hunting in the tidal forest, as well as spotted deer, saltwater crocodiles, river dolphins and a remarkable variety of birds.
Let us be honest about one thing: this is not a place you reach by motorcycle. There are no roads into the sanctuary, and the nearest towns are far away across the water. Access is by boat only, usually on organised trips from Khulna or the port of Mongla, and visitors need permits from the Forest Department and must travel with authorised guides and guards. A ride here really means riding to the edge of the delta and then leaving the bike behind for a few days on the water.
That journey to the edge is an experience in itself. The roads of south west Bangladesh are crowded with buses, trucks, rickshaws, bicycles and livestock, and driving is chaotic by European standards, demanding patience and nerve. The landscape is flat, green and watery, with rice fields, shrimp farms, villages and rivers crossed by ferries and bridges. Fuel is available in the towns, but quality and supply can vary.
Once on the water, the Sundarbans reveals itself slowly. The boat glides along wide channels between walls of mangrove trees, their roots rising from the mud like spikes, and the silence is broken by birdsong, the splash of fish and the occasional alarm call of a deer. Tigers are rarely seen, but their presence is felt everywhere, in footprints on the mud and in the warnings of the guards. The forest also sustains local people, who collect honey, fish and wood at real risk. The best time to visit is from November to February, when the weather is cooler and drier, and the cyclone season has passed.