Photo: Rick Joseph, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Padma River
About Padma River
The Padma is the name Bangladeshis give to the Ganges after it enters the country. At Rajshahi it forms a wide, slow-moving river with sandbanks and low islands called chars, and on the far bank lies India.
The city has made the most of its riverfront. A long embankment promenade runs beside the water, and in the evenings families come to walk, snack and watch the sun set over the river. Small wooden boats can take you out on the water and across to a char, where farmers grow crops on the seasonal sand.
The river changes with the seasons: wide and powerful after the monsoon, quieter with broad sandbanks in winter. Evergreen Bangladesh Tours includes a Padma boat ride or sunset walk on private tours of Rajshahi, often after a day at Puthia or the Bagha Mosque.
Things to do
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Sunset boat ride
Hire a small country boat for an hour on the river as the light fades.
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Riverside promenade
Walk the embankment with local families in the cool of the evening.
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Visit a char
Cross to a sandbank island to see how farmers work the seasonal land.
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Street snacks
Try fuchka, jhalmuri and tea from the stalls along the riverfront.
Getting there
In Rajshahi: The riverfront runs along the south side of the city and is a short rickshaw ride from the centre.
From Dhaka: Fly or take the train to Rajshahi.
Where to stay
Stay in Rajshahi city; some hotels are close to the river, which makes an evening walk easy.
Tours that visit Padma River
Holiday Tours
Bangladesh Cultural and Heritage Discovery Tour
from $800 per person
Short Tours
Heritage Treasures of North Bengal
from $550 per person
Holiday Tours
Ten Days Across Bangladesh
from $800 per person
Questions
Is the Padma the same as the Ganges?
Yes, the Ganges is called the Padma in Bangladesh.
When is the best time for a boat trip?
Late afternoon in winter, from November to February, when the weather is cool and the light is soft.
Is it safe to take a boat?
Use an experienced local boatman, ask for life jackets and avoid going out in rough weather during the monsoon.