Dinajpur was the seat of one of the great zamindari estates of Bengal, and its rajas left behind the country's finest terracotta temple and a huge 18th-century tank. Today it is farm country, known for litchis and fine aromatic rice. Most sights lie within an hour of the town, so two days covers the essentials.
- From Dhaka
- About 336 km, 8 hours by road
- Best time
- November to February
- A day costs
- About ৳1,400 to ৳5,500 per person
- Nearest airport
- Saidpur Airport (SPD)
What Dinajpur is famous for
- Litchis, especially the Bombai and Bedana লিচু
- Kataribhog rice কাটারিভোগ চাল
- Kalijira aromatic rice কালিজিরা চাল
How Dinajpur got its name
The name is said to come from Raja Dinaraj, the famous founder of the Dinajpur royal house: his estate became Dinarajpur, worn down in local speech to Dinajpur. The British later gave the name to the whole district.
Places to visit in Dinajpur
Photo: Shahnoor Habib Munmun, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Kantajew Temple কান্তজিউ মন্দির
An 18th-century brick temple covered on every face with terracotta panels of epics, hunts, boats and village life.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Local bus around ৳30–50 each way; a CNG auto-rickshaw for the round trip with waiting around ৳800–1,200
Photo: Abdul Momin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Ramsagar রামসাগর
A tank about a kilometre long, dug for Raja Ramnath in the 1750s and now the centre of a small national park.
- Best time
- November to March
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Small gate fee; easy-bike or CNG from town around ৳150–300 each way
Photo: Rahul_Kumar_Sanjowal, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Dinajpur Rajbari দিনাজপুর রাজবাড়ি
The decaying palace complex of the Dinajpur rajas, with gateways, ponds and the shell of the mirrored Aina Mahal.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Rickshaw or easy-bike from the centre around ৳40–80
Unseen Dinajpur: the lesser-known places
Quieter spots most visitors miss. Go with a local driver or ask us to arrange one.
Photo: Kazi Rashed Abdallah, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Nayabad Mosque নয়াবাদ মসজিদ
A three-domed mosque of 1793 beside the Dhepa river, a short ride from Kantajew and skipped by most temple visitors.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free; van or easy-bike from Kantanagar around ৳30–60
Photo: Ahamed Rafid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Sura Mosque সুরা মসজিদ
A small brick and stone mosque from the early 1500s, raised on a platform beside an old tank in the Ghoraghat countryside.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free; budget around ৳500 for buses and a CNG auto-rickshaw from Ghoraghat
How to get to Dinajpur
- Coaches leave Gabtoli and the Kalyanpur counters through the day and overnight; Hanif and Nabil are among the regular operators. Allow 8–10 hours via the Jamuna bridge. Fares run roughly ৳800–1,500 depending on the coach.
- Ekota Express, Drutojan Express and Panchagarh Express leave Kamalapur, stop at Airport station and reach Dinajpur in about 8–9 hours on their way to Panchagarh.
- Fly Dhaka to Saidpur in about an hour, then drive roughly 45 km, about an hour, to Dinajpur town.
Where to stay in Dinajpur
Rooms run from about ৳1,000 a night for a simple hotel, around ৳2,500 mid-range and ৳5,000 or more for the most comfortable. Prices are approximate.
- Dinajpur town centre, around Station Road and the railway station
- Saidpur, about an hour away, if you are flying in or out
What to eat in Dinajpur
Fresh litchis from late May to June, plain kataribhog rice or polao made with it, river fish curries, and pitha from winter street stalls. Town sweet shops are good for roshogolla and doi.