Best Time to Visit Gazipur

November to February: the cool, dry stretch

This is the best time to come, and it's not close. Days are sunny and mild, nights are cool, and rain is rare. January is the coolest month, with lows around 12°C. You'll want a light jacket in the early morning, especially on the road from Dhaka when fog hangs over the fields.

It suits almost any trip. Walk or cycle around Bhawal National Park, a sal forest (sal is a tall hardwood tree) where the shade feels good even in the clear weather. Visit the Gazipur countryside and its fruit and vegetable farms. Take a picnic out to the lakes and lawns near Joydebpur. Travelling with kids? This is the easy season for it.

Winter is also the busy season for domestic travel. Weekends and the Eid and year-end breaks bring Dhaka families out to the forest and resorts. Weekdays are much quieter. Winter is also when date palm sap is tapped, and you'll find fresh sweet juice and pitha (rice cakes) at roadside stalls. Pitha parties and the Pohela Falgun spring festival on 14 February add colour.

March and April: heat builds, storms arrive

March is still fair. Days reach 34°C, and by April it's 36°C with rain on more than half the days. The rain comes as short, heavy storms, often in the afternoon. Mornings are your best window for sightseeing.

April is also when Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, arrives on 14 April. Expect fairs, panta bhat (fermented rice) with fried fish, and crowded roads. It's fun if you like a festive crowd, but it's hot and sticky.

May to October: the monsoon

Be honest with yourself here. From May to September it rains almost every day, and July and August see rain on all 30 days. July is the wettest month at 401 mm. Humidity sits near 89%, the sky stays grey, and the sun barely shows.

Why come then? The fields turn deep green and rivers swell. Prices and crowds are lower. But roads flood, traffic from Dhaka slows to a crawl, and outdoor plans get washed out. If you do come, stay flexible and keep your days short.

October is a slow handover. Rain is easing, but it's still wet, and it's still rated Poor. By November the sky clears and the best weather returns.