On the very edge of eastern Bangladesh, on the banks of the mighty Padma River, this town is not only one of the major gateways to the Indian Subcontinent, but also a thriving trade centre that’s peppered with bubbling merchant bazaars to boot. So be sure to ask your Rajshahi tour guide about the best places to access the array of kaleidoscopic goods touted by the traders here, which ranges from exquisite silk wares to juicy lychees straight from the farm.

Rajshahi is also famed as one of Bangladesh’s most prestigious university towns, awash with various institutions and learning centres. Naturally, this brings a youthful population and gives rise to the city’s laid-back array of food courts, museums and sweetmeat shops, all clustered around the Shaheb Bazaar and lively riverbank promenade.

For those looking for a touch of history, there is the shrine of the Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Makhdum at Dargahpura, and the fascinating Puthia Temple Complex to the east, while just across the border in India lies the ancient city of Lakhnauti in West Bengal.