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Bangladesh✨ 10 best things to do in Bangladesh

Things to do in Bangladesh

1. Ride a rickshaw in Old DhakaWeave through jammed lanes of spice markets, pink palaces and riverside ghats on a colourful cycle rickshaw.
2. Cruise the BurigangaTake a small wooden boat across Dhaka's busy river to watch ferries, cargo boats and daily life at Sadarghat.
3. Search for tigers in the SundarbansJoin a multi-day boat trip through the mangrove maze, spotting crocodiles, deer and kingfishers, with a rare chance of a tiger's tracks.
4. Walk the tea gardens of SylhetStroll through rolling emerald tea estates around Srimangal and sip the famous seven-layer tea.
5. Stretch out on Cox's Bazar beachWalk along an unbroken sandy shoreline that runs for well over a hundred kilometres.
6. Visit the mosques of BagerhatExplore a UNESCO-listed medieval mosque city, including the many-domed Sixty Dome Mosque.
7. Explore Paharpur's monasteryClimb around the huge brick ruins of one of the largest Buddhist monasteries south of the Himalayas.
8. Trek the Chittagong Hill TractsDiscover forested hills, waterfalls and Indigenous communities around Bandarban and Rangamati.
9. Eat your way through biryani and fish curriesFeast on Old Dhaka's kacchi biryani, hilsa fish in mustard sauce and sticky sweets like roshogolla.
10. Float through Ratargul swamp forestGlide by boat between half-submerged trees in a freshwater swamp forest near Sylhet during the wet season.

Bangladesh🗺️ Where to visit in Bangladesh

Where to go in Bangladesh

• 📍
  Old DhakaDhaka · heritage & marketsLalbagh Fort, the pink Ahsan Manzil palace and chaotic bazaars make the old city an unforgettable sensory overload.
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  SundarbansSouthwest · mangrove forestThe world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO site, best explored on a slow boat trip from Khulna or Mongla.
• 
  SrimangalSylhet division · tea countryThe country's tea capital, with tea estates, Lawachara rainforest and gibbon-spotting walks.
• 
  Cox's BazarSoutheast coast · beachBangladesh's favourite seaside town, with a vast beach and seafood shacks.
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  BandarbanChittagong Hill Tracts · hillsGreen hills, viewpoints and Indigenous villages offer the country's best trekking.
• 📍
  BagerhatKhulna division · historic mosquesA cluster of fifteenth-century mosques and tombs, led by the striking Sixty Dome Mosque.
• 📍
  PaharpurNorthwest · Buddhist ruinsThe vast terracotta-decorated remains of Somapura Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• 
  Saint Martin's IslandBay of Bengal · coral islandThe country's only coral island, with palm-lined beaches and clear water in the dry season.

Bangladesh🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Bangladesh

Best time to visit Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate with a pleasant dry winter, a hot pre-monsoon season and heavy summer rains. Sylhet in the northeast is among the wettest places in the country, while the coast faces a cyclone risk in spring and autumn.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Dhaka (approximate averages).

Bangladesh🎉 Festivals & events in Bangladesh

• 14 April
  Pohela BoishakhBengali New Year fills streets with music, red-and-white clothing and the colourful Mangal Shobhajatra procession in Dhaka.
• 21 February
  International Mother Language DayCrowds lay flowers at the Shaheed Minar in Dhaka to honour the Language Movement.
• Dates vary (lunar calendar)
  Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-AdhaThe biggest holidays of the year, when cities empty as millions travel home to family.
• September–October
  Durga PujaThe Hindu community's grand festival, with ornate goddess idols displayed in temples and pavilions.
• 16 December
  Victory DayParades and flag-waving celebrate the end of the 1971 Liberation War.

Bangladesh🧭 Bangladesh itinerary ideas

How many days in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh🎒 Backpacking Bangladesh – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $20–35 a day

• Trains are cheap, comfortable and far less stressful than the roads; book seats in advance, especially around holidays.
• Long-distance buses connect all major towns, and air-conditioned coaches are worth the small extra cost for overnight trips.
• Street food and local 'hotels' (simple restaurants) serve rice, dal, curries and bhorta mashes for very little money.
• Budget guesthouses cluster around Dhaka's Paltan and Gulshan areas, but expect basic standards outside big cities and very few hostels.
• Avoid travelling during the two Eid holidays, when transport is overwhelmed and many businesses close.

Bangladesh🛡️ Safety & money in Bangladesh

Emergency: 999 all emergencies

Bangladesh🛬 Getting to Bangladesh

Most visitors fly into Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, with smaller international airports at Chittagong and Sylhet. Land borders with India, such as Benapole near Kolkata, are popular overland routes, and there are also train services from Kolkata.

✈️ Cheap flights to Bangladesh: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Bangladesh💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Bangladesh

• Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries on Earth.
• The Sundarbans, shared with India, is the largest mangrove forest in the world.
• UNESCO's International Mother Language Day on 21 February was inspired by Bangladesh's Language Movement.
• Dhaka has been nicknamed the rickshaw capital of the world.
• The national fish, hilsa, is so beloved it features in festivals and countless family recipes.

Bangladesh❓ Bangladesh travel FAQ

Bangladesh travel questions