Best Time to Visit Dhaka

November to February: the sweet spot

This is the season you want. Days are dry and sunny, and evenings turn cool. Dec and Jan are the coolest, with lows of 12°C in January, so you'll want a light jacket after dark. November is a little warmer and still rather humid, but it's nearly as pleasant. Rain is rare in all four months.

It's also the best time for walking. You can wander Old Dhaka (the old city, around Shankhari Bazar and Sadarghat river port) without getting soaked or wrung out. A boat ride on the Buriganga river is far nicer in clear weather. Day trips to Sonargaon, the old capital about an hour out, work well too.

Winter is high season, so expect more visitors and busier hotels. Pitha (rice cakes, sold at street stalls) are a winter treat. February brings Ekushey Book Fair, which fills the Bangla Academy grounds all month. It's a great look at local life. On 21 February, people gather at the Shaheed Minar monument for Language Martyrs' Day. Expect crowds and some road closures.

March to May: hot and getting wet

March is still Good. It's hot but mostly dry. By April it's 36°C, humid, and storms start. May is rainy on most days. Fit your sightseeing into mornings, then cool off in a mall or café. Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year on 14 April, is worth the heat. Locals wear red and white and gather under the banyan trees at Ramna Park. The streets are packed, so go with patience.

June to October: monsoon

Be honest with yourself here: this is the hardest time to visit. It rains on almost every day from June to September, and July is the wettest at 432 mm. Humidity sits close to 90%, and the sun barely shows. Streets flood, and rickshaw rides can turn into slow wades.

The upside is fewer visitors, lush green countryside and lower prices. If you come, keep plans flexible and allow extra time for traffic. October is easing off but still damp.

Which month for you?

First-timers and sightseers should pick December or January. Book-lovers should aim for February. If you want the New Year buzz and can handle heat, go in April. Choose the monsoon only if you don't mind getting wet.