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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Asia

Asia

Bangladesh

A deep sea canyon with Bryde's whales and many dolphins, and two river dolphins in the Sundarbans mangroves.

Long sandy shore at Cox's Bazar on the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh
Cox's Bazar beach · Photo: Expressive Capture on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 26 Sep 2026. Sources: Swatch-of-No-Ground IMMA factsheet, Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force; Three new wildlife sanctuaries for Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins, IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group, 2012; Only 2,000 people daily at Saint Martin's, The Daily Star, 2025.

WhalesTurtlesDolphinsWildlife watching

Why Bangladesh

Far off the coast of Bangladesh, a deep sea canyon called the Swatch of No Ground has been a marine protected area since 2014. Bryde's whales live here with their calves, and in winter surveys scientists counted about 1,700 to 2,200 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. In the Sundarbans mangroves, Irrawaddy dolphins and Ganges river dolphins share the tidal channels, and three dolphin sanctuaries protect them. From November to April, olive ridley turtles nest on quiet beaches near Cox's Bazar. Here we would only watch, from a boat or from the shore. Saint Martin's Island, the only coral island, now opens only a few months a year with a daily visitor limit, and some governments advise against travel in this border area, so we do not plan trips there. We are still learning about this coast, and there are no guest trips yet.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

UzbekistanIndonesiaUnited Arab EmiratesOmanCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanTurkmenistanIranSri LankaChinaTaiwanPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiJapanSaudi ArabiaSwatch of No Ground, BangladeshSundarbans, BangladeshCox's Bazar and Sonadia, BangladeshSaint Martin's Island, Bangladesh

When to go

Nov-Feb. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

Bangladesh protects its deep sea canyon, the Swatch of No Ground, as a marine protected area, and three sanctuaries in the Sundarbans protect river dolphins. There is no official whale or dolphin watching code yet, so we would only watch from a quiet boat or the shore, with our own distance rules. We do not plan stays on Saint Martin's Island, where the coral is fragile and visits are now strictly limited.

Checked 26 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Bangladesh

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Swatch of No Ground

Exploring

A deep sea canyon where Bryde's whales and large groups of dolphins live.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Bryde's whales, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (large groups), Spinner and pantropical spotted dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins and finless porpoises (nearer the coast)

When: Nov-Feb. Scientists study the canyon in the dry winter months, when the sea is calmer. The canyon is far out at sea and there are no regular watching trips yet.

Sundarbans

Exploring

Mangrove channels where Irrawaddy dolphins and Ganges river dolphins live.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Irrawaddy dolphins, Ganges river dolphins

When: Nov-Feb. November to February is cooler and drier. The forest is closed to all visitors every year from 1 June to 31 August, so animals can breed in peace.

Cox's Bazar and Sonadia

Exploring

A long sandy coast where olive ridley turtles come to nest.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Olive ridley turtles nesting (with local hatcheries), Irrawaddy dolphins (near the coast)

When: Nov-Mar. Turtles nest from November to April, and local teams protect the eggs in hatcheries. The dry season from November to March is the calmest time.

Saint Martin's Island

Exploring

The only coral island of Bangladesh, now under strict visitor rules.

When: Dec-Jan. Nov to Jan

Animals

Animals recorded in Bangladesh

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Bryde’s whale surfacing and exhaling in deep blue open oceanBryde's whaleBalaenoptera edeniSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPod of bottlenose dolphins swimming over a Red Sea coral reefIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo rough-toothed dolphins leaping together, blotchy grey skin visibleRough-toothed dolphinSteno bredanensisSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFalse killer whale surging through blue water off Rota, Mariana IslandsFalse killer whalePseudorca crassidensSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedOlive ridley turtles nesting on Playa Ostional, Costa RicaOlive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivaceaSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredIrrawaddy dolphin rising from the water, showing its round headIrrawaddy dolphinOrcaella brevirostrisSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasEndangeredAdult pink Chinese white dolphin swimming beside a grey calf in Pearl River estuary waterChinese white dolphinSousa chinensisSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHuge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredFinless porpoiseNeophocaena phocaenoidesSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGanges river dolphin lifting its long toothy snout above brown river water beside a muddy bankGanges river dolphinPlatanista gangeticaSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedBull shark swimming in clear blue water off Quintana Roo, MexicoBull sharkCarcharhinus leucasSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlacktip shark swimming in green water in the GalápagosBlacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatusSeen in 49 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSpinetail devil ray gliding in blue water off Crete with small fishSpinetail devil rayMobula mobularSeen in 18 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSaltwater crocodile resting on a muddy bank beside mangrove rootsSaltwater crocodileCrocodylus porosusSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWilson's storm-petrel resting on calm water with its wings raised above its backWilson's storm-petrelOceanites oceanicusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOriental darter lifting its head and bill out of the water with a catchOriental darterAnhinga melanogasterSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLittle cormorant perched among mangrove branches with its wings spreadLittle cormorantMicrocarbo nigerSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernIndian cormorant perched beside water, showing its blue eye and scalloped feathersIndian cormorantPhalacrocorax fuscicollisSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Dreaming of Bangladesh?

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There is no trip here yet. If enough people ask, it helps us decide where to go next.

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