Flights to Bangladesh

If you can spare a few days, Old Dhaka rewards a slow wander. Lalbagh Fort, a Mughal fort begun in 1678 and never finished, has quiet gardens behind its red walls. The Star Mosque in Armanitola is covered in mosaic stars made from broken china, and the Liberation War Museum in Agargaon tells the story of 1971 through photographs, letters and personal objects.

Dhaka eats well. Order kacchi biryani, mutton and potatoes slow-cooked under sealed rice, or stop at a street stall for fuchka, crisp shells filled with spiced chickpeas and sharp tamarind water. Hilsa, known locally as ilish, is the national fish and often comes cooked in mustard sauce.

Around Sylhet, there's more to do than visit relatives. In the monsoon months, small wooden boats take you through Ratargul, a swamp forest where the trees stand in water. The river at Lalakhal runs a striking blue-green, and the shrine of Shah Paran draws pilgrims from across the country. In Sylhet's kitchens, look for beef curry cooked with shatkora, a bitter local citrus.

In the far south-east, Cox's Bazar has one of the longest natural sea beaches in the world, and it's busiest in the dry winter months, when Bangladeshi families take their holidays there too. Further south along the coast road, the quieter sands at Inani are lined with fishing boats.

If you can choose your dates, Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year on 14 April, fills Dhaka with red-and-white saris, music and street food. Its morning procession, the Mangal Shobhajatra, is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Send us your family's dates by phone on 020 7871 4545. We'll set Biman's Sylhet and Dhaka flights against one-change fares from whichever UK airport is closest.