Best Time to Visit Bangladesh: A Season-by-Season Guide

The best time to visit Bangladesh is November to February. Skies are mostly clear, humidity drops, and Dhaka's daytime highs sit in the mid-20s °C. Every region is open, including the Sundarbans and Saint Martin's Island. October and early March make good shoulder months. From April the heat builds. The June–September monsoon brings heavy rain, flood risk and the annual closure of the Sundarbans, but it is also when the country is at its greenest.

Facts checked October 2026. Festival dates that follow the lunar calendar are estimates and are confirmed by the authorities shortly beforehand. Climate figures are 1991–2020 averages (NOAA climate normals).

Bangladesh's seasons at a glance

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department divides the year into four seasons:

Winter: November to February (peak season)

This is the season to aim for, especially on a first trip. Rain all but disappears: Dhaka averages 11 mm in December and 7 mm in January. Days are warm rather than hot. In January, average highs and lows are:

• Dhaka: 24.6°C / 13.3°C
• Cox's Bazar: 27.1°C / 15.5°C (beach weather)
• Khulna (for the Sundarbans): 25.1°C / 12.4°C
• Sylhet: 25.6°C / 9.8°C
• Rajshahi: 23.7°C / 10.4°C

What winter is good for

• The Sundarbans. These are the most comfortable months for days on deck and walks ashore. Read our Sundarbans luxury tour guide.
• The beach. Cox's Bazar is dry, sunny and calm. Saint Martin's Island opened on 1 November under the 2025–26 rules, with overnight stays allowed only in December and January and a cap of 2,000 visitors a day on average. In mid-October 2026 the government said it would review the season, cap and departure point for 2026–27, so check the latest rules before you book.
• Tea country. Cool, clear mornings in Sreemangal and Sylhet. Nights can drop below 10°C.
• Heritage. Paharpur, Mahasthangarh and Bagerhat are far more pleasant to explore before the heat arrives.
• Birds. About 200 migratory bird species arrive each winter at Tanguar Haor, a Ramsar-listed wetland in Sunamganj.

Downsides

• Fog. On 14 January 2018, poor visibility halted flights at Dhaka airport from 1am to 11am. Some international flights were diverted to Kolkata and Chattogram, and ferries on the Padma River were disrupted for four days running.
• Demand. Winter is also peak season for domestic travel, especially around Victory Day (16 December), Christmas and New Year. Book beach resorts such as Sayeman Beach Resort and Royal Tulip Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa well ahead.

Insider tip: In December and January, choose late-morning domestic flights and avoid tight same-day international connections. Fog tends to be thickest from the small hours to mid-morning.

Pre-monsoon: March to May (the hot season)

March starts pleasantly, with Dhaka averaging 32.4°C by day, but April is the hottest month in most of the country. Average April highs reach 33.9°C in Dhaka and 35.8°C in Rajshahi, and Khulna averages 35.0°C in May. Summer maximum temperatures usually range between 38 and 41°C, and Dhaka's record high, 42.2°C, was set in April.

This is also storm season:

• Nor'westers (kalbaishakhi). These short, violent thunderstorms usually begin in April, occasionally in March, and continue until the monsoon sets in. They typically build in the afternoon or just before sunset, often with winds above 100 km/h, heavy rain and hail.
• Cyclones. Bay of Bengal cyclones peak in May. In 2023, more than 50,000 people in Cox's Bazar were moved to shelters ahead of Cyclone Mocha.

What the hot season is good for

• Pohela Boishakh (14 April). The Bengali New Year starts at dawn with Chhayanaut's concert under the banyan tree at Ramna Batamul. The procession organised by the University of Dhaka's Faculty of Fine Arts is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
• Independence Day (26 March) and, in 2027, both Eids (see the festival table below).
• City stays and spa breaks. Hotel pools and air-conditioned restaurants come into their own, and resorts near Dhaka make good weekend escapes.

Insider tip: From April, do your sightseeing early, keep afternoons for the pool or spa, and avoid open water when dark clouds build in the late afternoon.

Monsoon: June to September

About 80 per cent of Bangladesh's rain falls in these four months, and the amount varies widely by region:

Flash floods and landslides have hit the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet, and the UK government notes that flooding can arrive with little warning and disrupt transport. Several places close outright:

• The Sundarbans close to all visitors from 1 June to 31 August every year to protect breeding wildlife and fish. No passes or permits are issued during the closure.
• Saint Martin's Island is closed from February to October under the 2025–26 rules.
• Sajek Valley in the Hill Tracts was closed from 7 to 15 July 2026 because of landslide risk.

The case for the monsoon

The monsoon is not a write-off, especially on a second visit.

• It's the greenest time of year. Rice fields and tea gardens are at their most vivid, and the light after a downpour is wonderful for photography.
• Ratargul is flooded. The swamp forest near Sylhet is underwater from roughly May to early October, and most visitors come in this season to glide between the trees by local boat. Permission from the forest office is needed.
• Waterfalls run at full strength in the hills of Sylhet and Moulvibazar.
• Resorts are quieter. The coast and the Sundarbans are off-season, and you will often find more availability at tea-country and countryside resorts. Compare live rates on our Moulvibazar resorts page, or try Grand Sultan Tea Resort & Golf for a rainy-season stay with a spa and indoor options.
• Cyclones are rare. Strong wind shear keeps the Bay of Bengal relatively quiet in mid-monsoon; the dangerous storms cluster before and after it.

Insider tip: In the monsoon, base yourself somewhere with good indoor options, such as a tea resort with a spa or a Dhaka hotel, and treat day trips as weather-permitting. Never board small boats in rough weather.

Post-monsoon: October and November

October is a transition month. Rain falls sharply (Dhaka 174 mm, Sylhet 201 mm, Cox's Bazar 255 mm) and days are still warm, at 31.9°C in Dhaka. By November the country is dry, with 21 mm of rain in Dhaka and comfortable 29.7°C days. This is also the second cyclone peak, so keep an eye on coastal forecasts.

Cultural highlights:

• Durga Puja, the country's biggest Hindu festival, falls in September or October according to the Hindu lunar calendar and ends with Vijayadashami.
• The Lalon festival draws Baul singers and fakirs for three days at Chheuria, near Kushtia, each October. It marks the anniversary of the mystic poet Lalon's death in 1890.
• The Rash Mela is a three-day fair during the Raas Purnima full moon in the Bengali month of Kartik. It is held on Dublar Char, an island on the southern edge of the Sundarbans, where pilgrims take a holy dip in the sea and float fruit on the water at sunrise.
• The new season begins. The Sundarbans reopen from September, Saint Martin's Island is scheduled to reopen on 1 November, and resorts fill up for winter.

The best time to visit, region by region

Month by month

Festivals and public holidays, late 2026 to 2027

Other religious holidays, including Shab-e-Barat, Ashura, Janmashtami and Mawlid, move with the lunar calendar. Check the official government holiday list for the year you travel.

Travelling during Ramadan and Eid

Ramadan. The UK government advises checking shop and restaurant hours, following dress codes more strictly and expecting fasting-related tiredness. Some independent restaurants close by day and open for iftar, the sunset meal. Eat and drink discreetly in public, and ask your hotel how its restaurants will operate.

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These are the biggest travel peaks of the year, as city residents head home to their families. Buses, trains, ferries and flights fill up, and the UK government warns of dangerous ferry overcrowding during religious holidays. Many shops, restaurants and offices close for several days.

• If you must travel around Eid, book transport and hotels early and avoid the days just before and after the holiday.
• Business travellers should avoid Eid weeks altogether; see our guide to business travel in Dhaka.

Insider tip: During the main Eid holidays, Dhaka's roads are far quieter than usual, which makes it a surprisingly easy time to explore the city by car. Plan to eat at your hotel, as many independent restaurants close.

Who should go when

Next steps

• Build your route with our Bangladesh travel guide for first-time visitors, then check entry rules in the Bangladesh visa guide.
• Read Is Bangladesh safe for tourists? before you finalise regions, particularly the Hill Tracts.
• Compare stays: hotels in Cox's Bazar, resorts in Moulvibazar, 5-star hotels in Dhaka and all luxury resorts.
• Short on time? A weekend at one of the luxury resorts near Dhaka works in almost any season.