Dhaka travel guide

Bangladesh’s largest city is bursting with colour and activity. From the moment you arrive in Dhaka, you’ll be surrounded by the vibrant buzz of city life, from rickshaws to traders to street-side stalls and restaurants.

Out and about in Dhaka, you can admire the city’s beautiful mosques, temples and churches, as well as a kaleidoscope of colourful trees and plants in the more suburban areas.

Top things to see and do

• Take a rickshaw ride. You’ll see hundreds of rickshaws filling the streets of Dhaka in a brightly-coloured melee. There are also plenty of taxis and tuk-tuks that will get you from A to B at a low price.
• Shop in the air-conditioned comfort of Bashundhara City, South Asia’s largest shopping mall, where you’ll also find restaurants and a cinema.
• Visit Old Dhaka to see the ornate Hindu temples, and shop for spices, jewellery and souvenirs in the markets.
• See historical artefacts and examples of traditional craftsmanship, including the muslin that city of Dhaka is famed for, at the National Museum.
• Take a boat ride from Sadarghat on the Buriganga (“old Ganges”) river that flows through the city.
• See the President’s official residence at Bangabhaban, and take in the impressive Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Parliament House) nearby.
• Visit the affluent Gulshan neighbourhood and enjoy upmarket Dhaka restaurants and shopping.

Tips for travellers

Expect to haggle over prices with the local rickshaw riders and traders.

Drink and brush your teeth with purified bottled water and make sure that any uncooked food has been washed in purified water.