A day trip to Bengal's ancient capital Sonargaon: Jamdani weavers, the Panam City ghost town, a Sultanate mosque and a Meghna River cruise.
Your guide greets you at your hotel at 07:30 AM and heads to the Dhaka Flower Market, where farmers and traders gather at dawn with baskets of marigolds, roses and tuberoses. After soaking up the atmosphere, drive toward Sonargaon, the ancient capital. The first stop is the Jamdani Weaving Village, a handloom tradition recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, where you meet artisans weaving intricate patterns. Explore Panam City, a 'lost city' of colonial mansions once home to wealthy Hindu merchants, then visit the Goaldi Mosque, built in 1517 AD during the Sultanate period with rare terracotta decorations and a single dome. Continue to Rishi Para to see the community-built, award-winning Bamboo School, then explore the elegant Sardar Bari Palace, now the Folk Art and Craft Museum. End the day with a boat ride on the Meghna River, cruising past fishing boats and river islands and stopping at a peaceful riverside village before driving back to Dhaka, arriving by early evening.
