Natore was the administrative center of the vast Rajshahi Raj estate in the 18th century, guided by the legendary queen Rani Bhabani. The district town retains two of North Bengal's most imposing estates: the moated Natore Rajbari and the grand Italianate palace at Uttara Ganabhaban. To the north-east, the great waters of Chalan Beel flood across the lowlands during the monsoon, turning roads into causeways and villages into temporary islands.
- From Dhaka
- About 200 km, 5 hours by road
- Best time
- November to February
- A day costs
- About ৳1,300 to ৳5,100 per person
- Nearest airport
- Shah Makhdum Airport (RJH)
What Natore is famous for
- Kachagolla sweet কাঁচাগোল্লা
- Chalan Beel fish চলন বিলের মাছ
- Sugarcane and date molasses আখ ও খেজুরের গুড়
How Natore got its name
The name is said to come from the Bengali word nator, meaning not moving or stagnant water, describing the marshy depressions that once surrounded the settlement. Another story traces the name to Natore meaning dancer's retreat.
Places to visit in Natore
Photo: Kazi Rashed Abdallah, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Natore Rajbari (Rani Bhabani Palace) নাটোর রাজবাড়ী
The sprawling 18th-century moated palace of Rani Bhabani, with surviving residential wings, Shiva temples, and wide green grounds.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Small entry fee around ৳20 for Bangladeshis; rickshaw from the town center about ৳30
Photo: Ratul Chandra Das, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Uttara Ganabhaban (Dighapatia Rajbari) উত্তরা গণভবন
A grand 18th-century palace complex with an Italianate clock tower gate and deer park, now the northern official residence of the head of state.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Entry roughly ৳30–50 for Bangladeshis, more for foreigners; auto-rickshaw from town about ৳50–80
Photo: Jubair Bin Iqbal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Chalan Beel চলন বিল
The largest wetland in Bangladesh, transforming during the monsoon into a vast inland sea traversed by engine-powered country boats.
- Best time
- July to October for monsoon boating
- Give it
- Half a day
- Cost
- Boat hire roughly ৳1,000–2,000 for a 2-hour trip for a group; bus to Singra about ৳40
Unseen Natore: the lesser-known places
Quieter spots most visitors miss. Go with a local driver or ask us to arrange one.
Dayarampur Rajbari দয়ারামপুর রাজবাড়ি
A quiet 1890s neoclassical estate house built for the Dighapatia royal family, tucked inside the grounds of Qadirabad Cantonment.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free to view from outside; CNG from Natore town about ৳150–200 each way
How to get to Natore
- Direct coaches leave Kalyanpur and Gabtoli in Dhaka, including Hanif, Shyamoli, Desh Travels and National Travels, reaching Natore bypass and Madrasa More in 4.5 to 5 hours.
- Multiple intercity trains from Kamalapur and Airport stations stop at Natore railway station, including the Ekota, Drutojan, Lalmoni and Rangpur Express services.
Where to stay in Natore
Rooms run from about ৳700 a night for a simple hotel, around ৳1,800 mid-range and ৳4,200 or more for the most comfortable. Prices are approximate.
- Hotel VIP International, Station Road
- Hotel Millat Residential, Kanaikhali
- Hotels around Kanaikhali and Station Road in the district town
What to eat in Natore
Natore is renowned for traditional kachagolla, made from fresh unboiled curd folded with sugar syrup at old sweetshops like Kundu Mistanna Bhander near Chawkbazar. Fresh river fish from Chalan Beel and winter date-palm molasses are local staples.