Dhaka (Bangladesh) Travel Guide

I will be honest with you. Dhaka terrified me on paper and loved me in person. It is loud, hot, packed, and often beautiful in ways that make no sense until you see them. I went in with low expectations and left wondering why more people do not visit. This guide covers the practical side so you can enjoy the chaos instead of fighting it.

Getting There and Visas

I flew into Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the main gateway about twenty kilometers north of the city center. Most travelers arrive from Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or the Gulf. My flight from Bangkok took about two and a half hours and cost me under 150 dollars booked a few weeks out. Biman Bangladesh, US-Bangla, and most Gulf carriers fly the route. A visa on arrival is available at the airport for many nationalities, but I recommend you do not rely on it. Check the Bangladesh embassy site in your country before you leave and get the tourist visa online. It is straightforward and takes about a week.

The exchange rate works hard for the visitor. I changed money at the airport counters and again in the Gulshan district, and I got a better rate in the city. Keep small notes, because many street shops cannot break a large bill.

Getting Around the City

Here is your warning: Dhaka traffic is unlike anywhere else I have driven. A two kilometer ride can take an hour, so the faint of heart should brace themselves. I used the ride hailing apps Pathao and Uber, which are cheap and honestly the sanest choice. A ten minute ride cost me about 50 to 80 taka, roughly a dollar.

For shorter jaunts I took the rickshaws, the three wheeled pedal carts that thread through the crowds. Agree on the fare before you climb in. Dhaka also has the new Metro Rail line, route MRT Line 6, which runs from Uttara to Motijheel. I found it fast, air conditioned, and wonderfully free of horns. It is the smarter way to cross the city when your route lines up.

Where to Stay

I split my time between two very different areas. My first night I stayed in Gulshan, the modern expatriate district with wide roads, good coffee, and the big luxury hotels. It is the easy, comfortable choice, and most first time visitors start here. A mid range hotel in Gulshan ran me about 60 dollars a night.

The next three nights I moved to the old city around Lalbagh Fort and the river. Guest houses there are basic and proud, more like 15 to 25 dollars, and the energy is completely different. From my rooftop I watched ferries cross the Buriganga River at sunset. If you want the real Dhaka, spend at least one night in the old city. If you want sleep and cold showers, stay in Gulshan.

Food

I ate better in Dhaka than I have in most capitals. Breakfast at a street stall was rice and cooked vegetables for pennies, and the sweet milk tea, called cha, is the best I have had anywhere. I still dream about beef bakarkhani, a flaky layered bread served with slow cooked beef that I ate on my first morning and hunted down on my last.

Kacchi biriyani from the old city is a must. I joined a lunch queue that coiled around the block at the famous shops and understood why within one bite. For a sit down meal head to the Panthapath area, where restaurants serve fish curries, lentil dishes, and the crisp fried hilsha fish the city is known for. Drink bottled water only, skip the ice, and let your stomach adjust for the first two days.

Safety and Practical Tips

The biggest risk I faced was a traffic accident, not a crime. Motorcycles and rickshaws crowd every intersection, and the rules are best described as suggestions. Give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere, and cross roads only when a local does.

I kept valuables out of sight and carried my phone in a zipped pocket with a hand over it in dense crowds, and I never felt threatened. Women traveling alone will get stared at, and wearing loose, modest clothing helps a lot and is easier in the heat anyway. I hired a local guide for one day in the old city and it paid off. He got me a table at crowded shops and kept me from getting lost in the warren of lanes.

The Bottom Line

Chaos rather than calm defines Dhaka for me. If you are looking for order and quiet, pick another city. If you want a place that rewards patience, where street food and history wait around every corner, come here. Give it three or four days, keep an open mind, and let Dhaka surprise you the way it surprised me.