THE paddle-steamer is the ideal vessel from which to experience Bangladesh's most precious wildlife sanctuary, the Sundarbans.
It takes 24 hours for this delightful boat to reach Khulna, gateway to the world-famous nature reserve.
The boat glides lazily through the picturesque panorama of rural Bangladesh on its voyage to the world's most extensive mangrove forest and one of the few remaining havens for the majestic royal Bengal tiger.
Tiger sightings are rare, a privilege reserved for the most determined - or the most fortunate.
But crocodiles can be frequently spotted basking on the tidal banks of the 'Beautiful Forest' and, at dusk, herds of deer and wild boar converge on watering holes.
Bird-watchers and botanists also flock to the Sundarbans, a cluster of delta islands covering 3,600 square kilometres of meandering streams, creeks and rivers.
