Activities

Panigram Resort is designed to give you a taste of Bangladeshi village life. “Panigram” literally means “water village”. It is a term used in Bangladesh to describe the bucolic little villages that have been built along the country’s many rivers. We hope to show you what life is like in the world’s largest river delta. The activities below cater both to those who would like to relax and observe the surroundings and those of a more adventurous spirit who would like to explore on their own and find their own hidden treasures in the panigram life.

Every evening at dinner our guides will come around to the tables and sign people up for activities for the next day. Dinner is a great time for guests to meet each other and share stories of their day’s adventures.

Boat Tours

Daytime Guided Boat Tour

$30 per person - 3 hours (minimum 3 people, maximum 12 people per tour)

Take a guided ride down the river next to the resort on one of our solar-powered motor boats. Get a taste of the “panigram” village life in the world’s largest river delta. The scenery is gorgeous and you will have the opportunity to stop at some fruit stands and mud villages along the way.

Sunset Boat Tour

$15 per person - 1.5 hours (minimum 3 people, maximum 12 people per tour)

As the sun sets over the rice paddies, take a gentle cruise down the river with your friends and family. The cruise leaves 45 minutes before sunset and returns after dark. On the way back you will see the fireflies glowing around moonlit palm trees. Jessore is truly enchanting in the evening…

Boat Rental

$10 an hour or $40 a day

If you prefer to explore the river on your own, we have small wooden boats (the Bangladesh equivalent of a canoe) available.

Sundarban Cruise

$140 per person - full day (minimum 6 people, maximum 12 people per tour)

We will partner with a luxury cruise company to provide you a luxury Sundarban exploration experience. We will leave the resort at 6am, drive an hour and a half to the launch port, and then cruise through the forest until 5:00pm. Breakfast and lunch will both be served on the boat. We will arrive back at Panigram Resort around 6:30pm.

During the trip we will stop at the forestry station, where you will have a chance to walk around the forest and see some of the wildlife up close (spotted deer, monkeys, lizards, mud skippers, exotic birds, and perhaps even a Royal Bengal tiger!)

Fishing

Fishing with the Villagers

$10 per person (a large portion of this fee goes directly to the villagers)

Learn how to fish Bangladeshi style by going out on the boats with local fishermen. Lessons will be in Bangla, but don’t worry, after observing for a few minutes, you will soon get the hang of things. If you like, we will even cook up your catch for you for dinner! This is truly a local experience!

Fishing with Otters

One thing that is unique to this area of Bangladesh are the trained otters. Villagers have trained these otters to fish for them. We have a couple of the otters at Panigram Resort. Ask one of the guides to go otter fishing!

Rickshaw Rides Through the Country

$15 an hour or $60 a day; (add on a picnic lunch for $15 per person)

Take a ride through the bucolic countryside on one of our specially-designed family-sized (four person) rickshaws! Our rickshawalas know many beautiful and interesting places in the area, just tell them what you would like to see and they will get you there. Popular sights include: local mud villages, pottery village, ancient mondirs (small, Hindu temples), mosques, rice fields, embroidery huts, river picnic spots, and the “ghost tree” forest.

Visit a Local Pottery Village

There is a small pottery village just a 10-15 minute walk from the resort. The pottery village has 11 mud huts with pottery wheels where you can observe the artisans at work. If you like, you can also purchase some pottery in our fair trade store at the resort.

Pottery Classes

$10 per person (a large portion of this fee goes directly to the villagers)

If you want to try your hand at the pottery wheel and support the local community, we suggest that you sign up for our pottery classes in the pottery village. Because we want to provide you with an authentic experience, the classes will be taught by the villagers, which means that they will be in Bangla! Don’t worry, the villagers are great communicators and will demonstrate all of the techniques. Most of our guests have commented that not understanding Bangla actually made the class more exciting!

Bicycle Rental

$5 an hour or $20 a day

There are many small, paved roads in the area around the resort which makes it ideal for bicycling. We have maps with some popular, well-marked bicycle routes, or if you prefer you can go off exploring on your own.

Motor Scooter Rental

$10 an hour or $40 a day

If you want to see more of the region, we suggest that you rent one of our motorscooters for the day. We will provide you with maps of the area marked with some suggested sites (including: beautiful rice and vegetable fields, mango orchards, archaeological sites, interesting villages, mosques, gladiola fields, and trained fishing otters).

Guided Rickshaw Tour of Local Archaeological Sites and Villages

$25 per person - half day (picnic lunch included; two person minimum)

There are several small archaelogical sites in the area around the resort; some of them have really beautiful carvings and terracotta tiles. Our guides will take you to the sites and explain their history and significance. You will also have the opportunity to visit some of the charming mud villages and interact with the villagers. The villagers are always excited to meet Panigram guests; don’t be surprised if you are invited home for tea! At the end of the tour there will be a picnic lunch in a private garden by the river.

Children’s Playground

Panigram is a family-friendly resort. We want our younger guests to enjoy themselves as much as the older ones. Panigram has an elaborate playground that is clean, safe, and integrated with the resort environment. Our playground has traditional features - like swings, climbing equipment, slides, and a sandbox - but it also has some more regional childrens’ entertainment - like a swimming pond (that is well maintained for health and safety), a badminton court, and a field for cricket. We also have a treehouse and a splash pad with fountains.

Games

Panigram has various types of board and card games that guests of all ages will enjoy. Learn how to play karam, a local game similar to pool or try your hand at chess on our custom made brass chess board. We also have an open playing field, a badminton court, and equipment for cricket and soccer games.

Hammock House

For those guests who come to the country for the peace and quiet, we have a serene hammock house for you to relax in. We also have a bunch of hammocks strung out on trees in our hammock grove overlooking the river.

Tea House

If you have spent any time in Bangladesh before you know that tea is a time-honored tradition here. You can find small tea stalls in every town and village in Bangladesh. Panigram Resort has created an upscale version of the local tea stalls where we serve Teatulia tea, organically produced in northern Bangladesh. Try one of our special tea blends (including our famous five color tea) or one of our tasty local desserts. We also make paan, a Bangladeshi snack made from betel nut.

Spa Services

Panigram has a full spa and wellness center. For a full listing of services, click here.

Voluntourism

One of the pillars that Panigram is built upon is social responsibility. We have tried to design and manage our resort so that we benefit our host community. To further this goal, we have partnered with some wonderful non-profit organizations to provide you with opportunities to get directly involved in the community. Voluntourism opportunities vary each week, so check with your guides to see what is available during your stay.