Dhaka Travel Guide
Travel guide to Dhaka, Bangladesh with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Dhaka sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Dhaka Overview
The city of Dhaka is just about the most developed place in Bangladesh, but don't let that put you off, as there is still very little in the way of motorised traffic, and the city is incredibly clean and pleasant in comparison with other cities in the region.
Dhaka, being the main trade centre in Bangladesh is the only place where you can actually stock up on travel essentials if you're planning a more extensive tour of the rest of the country, and it is a fascinating place in its own right.
The most interesting part from a visitor's point of view is the Old City, which lies on the bank of the Buriganga River, and bustles with locals who go endlessly about their business. The bright pink Ashan Manzil palace, which dominates the old city is a cultural centre for the country, and outside, there are a number of small tea bars where you can get a cup of freshly picked tea and sit back to watch the people go by.
The central district informally known as New Dhaka is the Bangladeshi commercial capital, where you can find all of the main banks, travel agencies, tour companies and other businesses, It is the place to go in order to arrange guided trips into the less accessible parts of the country.
Top Dhaka Attractions
Perhaps the most popular spot for visitors to Dhaka to visit is the famous Lalbagh Fort. Left unfinished by its builders in 1678 when it was abandoned, the fort stands in the centre of a lovely park, which is a quiet spot and provides a marvellous escape from the bustle of the city should you want some peace.
The most prominent building in Dhaka is the Ahsan Manzil palace that stands in bright pink splendour on the banks of the river. The area around the palace is a major tourist area with cafes and bars to sit out and enjoy the weather, and provides a great vantage point from which to watch the passage of life on the Buriganga River.
Shopping in Dhaka
The traditional image of shopping in Dhaka is one of markets and stalls, of brightly coloured silks and aromatic spices being bartered over in the streets. In all honesty, despite much modernisation of Dhaka in recent years, and the opening of a number of large modern shopping malls, this image is not far from the mark, and much of the commercial life of the city still takes place in this friendly, honest manner.
Stallholders tend to be experts in their stock, and are happy to negotiate over prices while sharing a coffee with you, which makes shopping a social activity to be enjoyed rather than endured.
Dhaka Sporting Events
As one of the main test cricket nations in the world, the sport has a very special place in the life and imagination of the people of Bangladesh and Dhaka in particular. You will often see children playing games of cricket on any open spaces that they can find in the city, while older residents will talk wistfully about the state of the game, and the chances of Bangladesh's national side emerging into the elite of the game.