Bangladesh may have had its share of floods, famines and cyclones but this visually stunning destination has much to offer. The world’s most crowded country has friendly people, luxuriously fertile land, rich history, a broad mix of cultures and a tropical atmosphere that’s unique to Bangladesh. Away from the noise and of the capital, Dhaka, there are magnificently lush rural hill regions just waiting to be explored, plus archaeological sites, the longest beach on the planet and cruises along the country’s countless rivers.

October to February ( winter )- or the 16 th century, when this region was the wealthiest part of the subcontinent

Wandering through the dilapidated 19 th – century mansions of the maharajas Watching the panorama of river – life in Dhaka’s city Taking a ride in one of Dhaka’s 600,000 p- plus rickshaws Visiting Sompapuri Vihara – a Buddhist monastery covering 11 hectares Spotting a Royal Bengal tiger in Sundarbans National Park

Enjoying a refreshing dip in Kaptai Lake in the Chittagong Hill Tract

Read Gitanjali by Rebindranath Tagore, the Bengali poet and winner of the 1913 Noble Prize for Literature; James J. Novak’s Bangladesh: Reflections on the Water, good all – round introduction to the country

Listen to Garo of the Madhupur Forest, a collection of traditional Bengali music

Watch the Apu – Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, one fathers of Bengali cinema

Eat dal ( yellow lentils ) and rice; fish or meat with vegetables cooked in a spicy, mustard – oil spiked sauce; crispy bhaja, fried morsels of vegetables dipped in spicy chick – pea batter

Drink yoghurt sharbat, a chilled spicy yoghurt drink flavoured with chilli, mint, coriander and cumin

No – mosh -kat ( hello )

Green rice fields; rivers; manicured tea plantations; palm trees; rickshaws; stupas; mosquer; Hindu temples; tribal villages; forests full of monkeys and spectacular bird life; terracotta sculpture; Royal Bengal tigers; Asiatic elephants

The Bangladeshi habit of staring at the unusual means that foreigners can draw a fixed gaze just by walking by out the street

Despit being the world’s most crowded country, rural Bangladesh feels relaxed, spacious and friendly: travelers from lndia have been agreeably surprised to find border officials offering them cups of tea rather than reams of forms fill in.