5 Days Smiley Bangladesh Tour: Historical Dhaka and The Beautiful Barisal

I did this trip in December 2025 as a solo traveller. The tour consists of two main components: 2 days’ tour in Dhaka and surroundings and 2 days’ tour in the Barisal region. Each tour ran smoothly from one to the next and the “main” guide in Dhaka is constantly in touch to ensure the seamless transfer between the locations. This is of particular importance as you will not be accompanied on the ferry boat (2 non-consecutive nights). The guides are very professional and caring with an extra special mention to Mahim, my guide in Dhaka. My Barisal guides were Ontu and Shanto, who were also very considerate and caring. Bangladesh is an “off the beaten track” destination as it is not, as yet, a highly popular tourist destination. Hopefully this will change as it is truly an amazing country and the people are very friendly and welcoming. I would highly recommend this tour which gives an initial overview of the history and culture of the country. You will make life-long friends and leave with memories to cherish forever.

I did this tour as a solo traveller in December 2025. The arrangements usually entail a different guide on each day of the tour but I was very lucky to have the same guide for both days in Dhaka. My guide was Mahim who is not only an exceptional guide with a wealth of knowledge of the history of his country, but also a very caring person who went above and beyond to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Mahim is not only a tour guide, he is that person you will end up referring to as a friend for life. The days spent in Barisal were eye-opening to the village life of the Bangladeshi people. My guides here were also professional and caring. Everyone I met in the villages and along the river banks were was so friendly and welcoming. Bangladesh does not see many tourists and as a result one needs to be prepared to be the centre of attention which can be overwhelming at times, especially for a female solo traveller. To be taken with a pinch of salt though as it is just stems from natural curiosity. I would point out that accommodation is quite basic, particularly on the overnight ferry (but you can upgrade if availability). In summary, I would highly recommend this tour to anyone seeking a unique adventure. You will leave Bangladesh with amazing photos and memories to cherish forever.

Since there is little information about this country, I was worried about traveling alone, so I joined this sightseeing tour. Because I am not good at English, I had to communicate with the guide using a translation app on my smartphone, which was a hassle until I boarded the ferry. I am grateful for that. The night ferry cruise through Dhaka's old town was interesting and fun. The content of the third and fourth days seems to be different from the actual content. There was no village walk or anything. Still, the charm of the unique chaotic city was worth it.

My guild Mahib was exceptional. The numerous forms of transport makes this trip so much entertaining. Dhaka’s air is surprising good for a city this busy and fun. The backwaters on a small wooden boat are magical.