Forest and mangrove, Gazipur
Bhawal National Parkভাওয়াল জাতীয় উদ্যান
- Time needed
- Half a day.
- best months
- Nov–Mar
- Cost
- Small entry fee; parking extra.
About 5,000 hectares of sal forest some 40 km north of Dhaka, protected since the 1970s: the easiest real woodland to reach from the capital, with picnic spots, lakes and quiet trails.
At a glance
- Declared
- 1982 (set up 1974)
- Area
- About 5,000 ha
About
The park was once part of the Bhawal estate's forest, the southern end of the same sal belt as Madhupur. It was set up as a national park in 1974 and formally declared in 1982. Sal dominates, with planted acacia and eucalyptus along the roads.
Inside the main gate off the highway at Rajendrapur there are picnic spots, small lakes and resthouses; beyond them, footpaths lead into quieter forest where you may see monkeys and many birds. Weekdays are calm; holidays bring big picnic crowds.
Getting there: Bus from Gazipur Chowrasta towards Mymensingh, get off at the national park gate (about 20 minutes).
Things to do
- Walk the trails beyond the picnic area, early in the morning for birds.
Good to know
- Go on a weekday; on holidays the picnic grounds are packed and loud.
