Experience the best of Sylhet

Sylhet lies on the Surma River in the far north-east of Bangladesh, close to the border with the Indian state of Meghalaya, with hills and tea gardens rising around the city. It is an old centre of Islamic learning, and the shrine of Shah Jalal, a fourteenth-century Sufi saint, draws pilgrims from across the country.

Ratargul, a rare freshwater swamp forest, can be explored by small boat, and Jaflong, at the border, has a stony river flowing from the Khasi hills. Lalakhal is known for its clear blue water, and Hakaluki Haor and other haors, seasonal wetlands, fill with water and birds after the monsoon. Srimangal, to the south, is the centre of the country's tea estates, with Lawachara National Park nearby.

Tea is the drink of the region, and shatkora, a fragrant citrus fruit, flavours the local beef curry. Sylhet is among the wettest parts of Bangladesh, with heavy monsoon rain, so the hills and tea gardens stay green.