Things to do in Bangladesh
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Beach
The main reason to come to Cox's Bazar is for the beach. The route to the beach, along Sea Beach Rd, can be crowded and dirty, but once on the beach you will find the sand surprisingly clean. There are plenty of places from where you can rent a sun lounge and umbrella, and staff will offer security so you can leave your belongings unattended while you go for a dip.
You could also plant yourself in front of a big hotel, where guards will watch over your gear if you go swimming, and shoo away kids selling shell necklaces. They will also deal with the crowds of gawkers, if they get too intrusive (which they will).
If you're intrigued by the wooden fishing boats chugging…
reviewed
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Shankharia Bazar
With a crash of drums, a cloud of incense and a bursting paintbox of colours welcome to Shankharia Bazar, otherwise known as Hindu St. Lined on either side with ancient houses, garlands of lurid orange marigolds, and dark doorways leading to matchbox-sized shops and workshops, this is by far the most photogenic street in Old Dhaka. While exploring the bazaar keep one eye on the upper levels, where many of the houses have beautiful carvings.
The shankharis (Hindu artisans) busy themselves creating kites, gravestones, wedding-hats, jewellery, and bangles carved out of conch shells. Shankharis first came here over 300 years ago, but these days their art is slowly dying out.…
reviewed
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Mermaid Café
This Goa-style beach shack serves what is quite possibly the best food in all of Bangladesh. In fact both the food, the setting and the vibe are so good that we have received more positive reports from travellers on this one restaurant than everything else in Bangladesh put together! The gorgeous owners have gone out of their way to ensure that as many of the ingredients as possible are organically produced (a harder task than you might imagine as most farmers are hooked on the delights of pesticides and chemical fertilisers) in the local area. The effort has really paid off – even the rice is of a quality you will rarely have tasted before. In addition to the excellent…
reviewed
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National Assembly building
In 1963 the Pakistanis commissioned Louis Kahn, a world-renowned American architect, to design a regional capital for East Pakistan. Due to the liberation movement and ensuing war, the National Assembly building wasn't completed until 1982. The building often features in books on modern architecture, and is regarded as among Kahn's finest works.
It's a huge assembly of concrete cylinders and rectangular boxes, sliced open with bold, multi-storey circular and triangular apertures instead of windows, and is probably only considered attractive by fans of grim '70's architecture. It is not usually possible to approach the building too closely. On the opposite side of the road…
reviewed
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Cofi Ii
One of the current hot spots with younger expats and locals for after-work drinks (non-alcoholic of course), stingy but enjoyable meals, and internet use. Try the chicken cooked in honey. It’s on the second floor of the shopping centre.
reviewed
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Club Gelato
Club Gelato is a perfect replica of an Italian café, serving posh coffee and every rainbow-coloured flavour of ice cream.
reviewed
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Mainimati Ruins
Famous as an important centre of Buddhist culture from the 7th to 12th centuries, the buildings excavated here were made wholly of baked bricks. There are more than 50 scattered Buddhist sites, but the three most important are Salban Vihara, Kotila Mura and Charpatra Mura.
Salban Vihara was a well-planned, 170 sq m (182 sq ft) monastery facing a temple in the centre of the courtyard. Nearby is a museum housing the finds excavated here, which include terracotta plaques, bronze statues, a bronze casket, coins, jewellery and votive stupas embossed with Buddhist inscriptions.
Kotila Mura comprises three large stupas representing Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the 'Three Jewels of…
reviewed
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Sadarghat
Running calmly through the centre of Old Dhaka, the Buriganga River is the muddy artery of Dhaka and the very life blood of both this city and nation. To explore it from the deck of a small boat is to see Bangladesh at its most raw and grittiest. The panorama of river life is fascinating. Triple-towered ferries leer over thousands of bustling ant-like canoes. Country boats bump off the dirty hulks of domineering cargo and fishing boats.
On the grease-and-mud stained foreshores, you'll find children fishing with homemade nets in the lee of rusting tankers. Further out, repair men busy themselves crashing, bashing and scrubbing ship hulls while floating on planks of wood.…
reviewed
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Bangladesh Tea Research Institute
The Bangladesh Tea Research Institute isn’t a commercial estate as such, but rather the scientific headquarters of Bangladeshi tea production. New strains of tea and new growing techniques are tried out here, and the staff are knowledgeable and very happy to spread that knowledge. There is also a production factory, which with a bit of luck you might be allowed to visit, and a tea-tasting room which you are almost certain to be ushered into. It is polite to give advance notice of your visit. See also p156.
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Adventure Tourism
Run by the ambitious Mr Rashed Husan. Adventure Tourism organises day tours (Tk 800 per person) taking in a tea estate, the Lowacherra National Park, some tribal villages and various other sights of interest in the region. It’s an effective way to tick off all the sights quickly and painlessly, but his guides aren’t very knowledgeable. If he doesn’t find you, you can find him through the Hotel Tea Town. He also rents out bikes (Tk 150 to Tk 200 per day).
reviewed
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Quality Sweets & Restaurant
The Quality Sweets & Restaurant is overflowing with both character and drool inspiring food. It’s tucked down a little alley off the main drag – there’s no exterior English sign, but there is a small sign in English beside the interior door. The dhal here is especially good and much thicker than is normal in Bangladesh. Its sweet selection is deserving of the name.
reviewed
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Spitfire’s Barbeque & Grill
Located in the heart of the diplomatic quarter, the bevy of shiny 4WDs with ambassadorial standards and multi-national logos should tell you something about both the quality and price of the food here. Steaks are the staple, but you can also opt for quail and duck breast (but it would be cheaper to wait until you get back home). The atmosphere is far more relaxed than you’d expect.
reviewed
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Lalbagh Fort
Along with Sadarghat, Lalbagh Fort is one of the big hitters of Old Dhaka. Unlike the waterfront, which is full of raw energy, the fort is a slightly melancholy step back in the misty Mughal past of emperors and princesses. It’s particularly atmospheric in the early morning light.
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Spaghetti Jazz
An excellent Italian restaurant, just off DIT II Circle, that produces pastas and pizzas stuffed with cheese in just the right places, and covered in tomatoes just where they’re needed. Very popular with expats.
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Gulshan Plaza Restaurant
Cheap and basic workman’s restaurant that has all your Bangladeshi favourites, as well as kebabs and roast chickens – all of which are near enough perfect. The boss is English-speaking.
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Silver Spoon
Enjoyable Chinese fare with a menu sensibly divided into single, half and full serves. It’s a good place to hide from the world.
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Safe ‘n’ Save
This supermarket is a good place to stock up on snacks and more before a Sundarbans adventure.
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Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal
In the north of the city, off Airport Rd, is the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal, a 14th-century Sufi saint. The shrine is one of the biggest pilgrimage sites in the country and a fascinating place to visit. Being buried near the saint is considered a great honour. Shah Jalal's sword and robes are preserved within the large new mosque, but aren't on display. The tomb is covered with rich brocade, and at night the space around it is illuminated with candles - the atmosphere is quite magical.
It's never entirely clear whether non-Muslims can visit the shrine, though it seems to be OK if you are suitably solemn and well dressed. Women, however, are definitely not allowed up to…
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Painam Nagar
The once elegant town of Painam Nagar is busy fighting a losing battle with nature, and with every passing year the trees and vines drape themselves a little further over the decaying houses. The result is a delightful ghost-town quality where the buildings appear to hang like exotic fruits from the branches of the trees.
Constructed almost entirely between 1895 and 1905 on a small segment of the ancient capital city, this tiny settlement consists of a single narrow street, lined with around 50 (now dilapidated) mansions built by wealthy Hindu merchants. At the time of Partition, many owners fled to India, leaving their elegant homes in the care of poor tenants, who did…
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Karnaphuli River
An unusual adventure is to head out onto the Karnaphuli River, close to the airport, where you'll be blown away by the massive number of equally massive ships riding at anchor in this deep-water channel. To get here take a baby taxi (mini auto-rickshaw; with bargaining you might get it down to Tk 200 return) along the river in the direction of the airport.
Just before you reach the junction turning away from the river and leading immediately to the airport, you will see a small jetty with little wooden boats moored up. Ask here about renting one for an hour or so to explore - Tk 200 should suffice for a small boat.
Be warned that this is a working port and there is also a…
reviewed
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Jahangir Enterprises
Good boat tour operators in Mongla include, Jahangir Enterprises. In recent years, the forestry department has banned any independent boats from Mongla (and other towns) from taking tourists on overnight trips into the Sundarbans. This rule was brought in after a couple of nasty incidents involving lost boats.
Nowadays, no matter what boatmen in Mongla may tell you, the only way to travel independently into the Sundarbans from Mongla is on a day trip to the Karamjal Forest Station. With raised walkways, viewing platforms and a small 'zoo' it's hardly the back of beyond, but surprisingly in recent years it's been one of the best places to see a tiger thanks to a lone cat…
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Gopal Pali Prosida Monda Sweet Shop
Few locals visit the rajbari, but they do all visit the famous Gopal Pali Prosida Monda Sweet Shop, which makes the best monda (grainy, sweetened yogurt cake) in the country. Two hundred years ago the Pal family cooked these delicious sweetmeats for the zamindar (landowner), who liked them so much that he employed the family. When the landowner’s family left during Partition, the Pal family opened up shop and have been in business ever since. This isn’t just a shop though, oh no! Start thinking of a strait-laced Bordeaux wine chateau and you’re on the right track. The tasting room is a delightful faded-yellow room with hard wooden roof beams and a handful of polished…
reviewed
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Mr Emdad
Good boat tour operators in Mongla include, Mr Emdad. In recent years, the forestry department has banned any independent boats from Mongla (and other towns) from taking tourists on overnight trips into the Sundarbans. This rule was brought in after a couple of nasty incidents involving lost boats.
Nowadays, no matter what boatmen in Mongla may tell you, the only way to travel independently into the Sundarbans from Mongla is on a day trip to the Karamjal Forest Station. With raised walkways, viewing platforms and a small 'zoo' it's hardly the back of beyond, but surprisingly in recent years it's been one of the best places to see a tiger thanks to a lone cat that has…
reviewed
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Sitara Mosque
About 350m north of the Armenian church, you’ll come to Sitara Mosque, one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Its striking mosaic decoration makes it look like your granny’s best teacups. The mosque dates from the early 18th century, but has been radically altered. It was originally built in the typical Mughal style, with four corner towers. Around 50 years ago a local businessman financed its redecoration with Japanese and English china-tiles, and the addition of a new veranda. If you look hard you can see tiles illustrated with pictures of Mt Fuji. Non-Muslims are normally welcome outside of prayer time, but you should dress appropriately and women should…
reviewed
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Baro Kuthi
A block southeast of Rajshahi Government College, on a high bank of the Padma River, is a historic structure known as Baro Kuthi. It's one of the last remaining examples of the indigo kuthis (factories) that once flourished in the region. The simple buildings are of little architectural interest but their history is fascinating.
In the early-19th century Baro Kuthi was built by the Dutch for the silk trade, and served as a fort in times of emergency. Some rooms were probably used as a prison and for mounting cannons. After 1833, when Baro Kuthi was taken over by the British East India Company, it was used for the indigo trade, which lasted about 25 years. It is reputed to…
reviewed